A Pub With No Beer – English Lyrics

• By: Slim Dusty

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language can be a fun and rewarding experience, and what better way to start with Australian English than through its music? Slim Dusty's 'A Pub With No Beer' is a classic that offers a humorous glimpse into Australian culture and language. You'll encounter colloquialisms and a narrative style that is uniquely Australian, all set to a catchy country tune. This song is special because it tells a simple, relatable story that became a global phenomenon, proving the power of a good yarn.

[English]

It's lonesome away from your kindred and all

By the campfire at night, we'll hear the wild dingoes call

But there's 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 50 flamin' miles to a pub with no beer

There's a dog on the veranda, 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

Old Billy the blacksmith, the first time in his life

He's gone home cold sober to his darling wife

He walks in the kitchen, she says, "You're early, my dear"

But then he breaks down, and he tells her, "The pub's got no beer"

So it's lonesome away from your kindred and all

By the campfire at night, we'll hear the wild dingoes call

But there's nothing so lonesome, morbid or drear

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

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
lonesome /ˈləʊnsəm/ B2	adjective - feeling lonely
away /əˈweɪ/ A2	adverb - at a distance from a place or person
call /kɔːl/ A2	verb - to shout or summon
call /kɔːl/ A2	noun - a shout or summon
pub /pʌb/ A1	noun - a bar or tavern where alcoholic drinks are served
beer /bɪər/ A1	noun - an alcoholic drink made from yeast, malt, and hops
publican /pʌbˈlɪkən/ B2	noun - a person who owns or manages a pub
quota /ˈkwoʊtə/ B2	noun - a fixed share or percentage
bum /bʌm/ C1	noun - a homeless person
cranky /ˈkræŋki/ B2	adjective - irritable or easily annoyed
terrible /ˈtɛrɪb(ə)l/ B2	adjective - extremely bad or serious
dusty /ˈdʌsti/ B2	adjective - covered with dust
roll /roʊl/ B2	noun - a small loaf of bread
sneer /snɪr/ B2	verb - to mock or express contempt with a facial expression noun - a facial expression of contempt or mockery
smile /smaɪl/ A2	noun - a facial expression showing happiness verb - to make a facial expression of happiness
sweat /swɛt/ B1	verb - to produce sweat as a result of heat or stress noun - the moisture exuded through the pores of the skin

Key Grammar Structures

• It's lonesome away from your kindred and all

  ➔ It is + adjective + away from + noun

  ➔ 'It's' is a contraction of 'it is', used here to describe a state or feeling.

• There is a far away look on the face of the bum

  ➔ There is + noun + on + the + noun

  ➔ 'There is' is used to indicate the existence of something.

• And there's nothing so lonesome, morbid or drear

  ➔ And there + is + nothing + so + adjective

  ➔ 'There is' combined with 'nothing' emphasizes the absence of something.

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

  ➔ Than + to + verb

  ➔ Used in comparisons to indicate a worse or more undesirable situation.

• Old Billy the blacksmith, the first time in his life

  ➔ The + noun + , + the + superlative phrase

  ➔ The definite article 'the' specifies a particular person or thing, followed by a superlative phrase to highlight its significance.

• He walks in the kitchen, she says, "You're early, my dear"

  ➔ He + verb, she + verb + direct speech

  ➔ Use of the simple present tense 'walks' and 'says' to describe habitual actions or speech.

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

  ➔ It's + no + noun + for + noun + 'round' + noun

  ➔ 'It's no place for' is a fixed phrase indicating that something is unsuitable.