Pub with No Beer

Pub with No Beer sung by Slim Dusty and Gordon Parsons

This famous Aussie song emanates during WWII, when there was a shortage of beer in Australia, especially in country areas.

Dan Sheahan wrote a few verses in 1944 mourning the lack of beer in his pub in North Queensland.

Sometime later Gordon Parsons, a country music singer, song writer, and recording artist, expanded it into a song and added the characters.

Now Gordon was friends with Slim Dusty and joined him on one of his tours. He had planned to record the song himself, but decided to let Slim use it for the "B" side to his new song Saddle Boy.

Much to Slim's and Gordon’s surprise, the "B" song, The Pub with No Beer, rose to #1 at 2UE radio station in Sydney from all the air play it received. It wasn't long before it was #1 across the country. Slim Dusty received the first gold record awarded in Australia for the song.

In the video below both Gordon and Slim sing Pub with No Beer in an open air setting in Outback Australia.

Pub With No Beer

Lyrics By Gordon Parsons

Oh 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

Than to stand in the bar of a pub with no beer

Now the publican's anxious for the quota to come

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

I've trudged fifty flamin' miles to a pub with no beer

Now there's a dog on the v'randa, for his master he waits

But the boss is inside drinking wine with his mates

He hurries for cover and he cringes in fear

It's no place for a dog 'round a pub with no beer

And old Billy the blacksmith, the first time in his life

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

Than to stand in the bar of that pub with no beer

Slim Dusty and Gordon Parsons sing the song in an open air setting in Outback Australia. (Video)

Run Time 3:28

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