A PUB WITH NO BEER

“A Pub with No Beer” is the title of a well-known humorous country song. Adapted by

Gordon Parsons from the original poem “A Pub Without Beer” by Dan Sheahan of

Ingham, North Queensland, originally from Newmarket, Ireland, “A Pub With No Beer”

became in 1957 the first golden hit single by the renowned Australian country singer Slim

Dusty, and the biggest-selling record by an Australian to that time. In 1959 Dusty wrote

and recorded a sequel, “The Answer to a Pub with No Beer”, explaining the reason for the

beer delivery truck’s failure to arrive and describing the townsmen’s efforts to solve the

problem.

And there’s a far away look on the face of the bum

The maid’s gone all cranky and the cook’s acting queer

Oh what a terrible place is a pub with no beer

Then the stockman rides up with his dry dusty throat

He breasts up to the bar and pulls a wad from his coat

But the smile on his face quickly turns to a sneer

As the barman says sadly the pub’s got no beer

Then the swaggie comes in smothered in dust and flies

He throws down his roll and rubs the sweat from his eyes

But when he is told, he says what’s this I hear

Why he’s gone home cold sober to his darling wife

He walks in the kitchen, she says you’re early Bill dear

But then he breaks down and tells her the pub’s got no beer

Oh it’s hard to believe that there’s customers still

But the money’s still tinkling in the old ancient till

The wine buffs are happy and I know they’re sincere

When they say they don’t care if the pub’s got no beer

So it’s-a lonesome away from your kindred and all

By the campfire at night we’ll hear the wild dingoes call

But there’s-a nothing so lonesome, morbid or drear