Waltzing With Bears

Dale Marxen

This song has been a favorite of mine ever since I first heard Gail Rundlett sing it in the WERS studio in Boston years ago. The Matilda verse was written by Nick Hawes. With guest musician Michael Kessler on accordion and full Children’s Chorus.

I went to his room in the middle of the night
I tiptoed inside, and I turned on the light
But to my dismay, he was nowhere in sight
‘Cause my Uncle Walter goes waltzing at night.

He goes wa wa, wa wa wa, wa waltzing with bears
Raggy bears, shaggy bears, baggy bears too
And there’s nothing on earth Uncle Walter won’t do
So he can go waltzing, wa wa wa waltzing
He can go waltzing, go waltzing with bears.

We bought Uncle Walter a new coat to wear
But when he comes in, it’s all covered with hair
And lately I’ve noticed there’s several new tears
I’m sure Uncle Walter’s been waltzing with bears.

We told Uncle Walter that he should be good
And do all the things that we said that he should
But we know that he’d rather be off in the woods
We’re afraid that we’ll lose him, lose him for good.

We begged and we pleaded, “Please won’t you stay?”
We managed to keep him home just for a day.
Then the bears all barged in and they took him away
Now he’s waltzing with pandas, he won’t understand us
And the bears all demand at least one waltz a day.

Now my Aunt Matilda was mad as could be
She said, “Walter, that rat, never waltzes with me.”
So she took her fur coat and remodeled it so
Now she can go waltzing and Walter won’t know.

She goes wa wa, wa wa wa, wa waltzing with bears
Raggy bears, shaggy bears, baggy bears too
And there’s nothing on earth Aunt Matilda won’t do
So she can go waltzing, wa wa wa waltzing
She can go waltzing – Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda –
She can go waltzing, go waltzing with bears.

©Dale Marxen