The Pub With No Beer was written in 1943, during the second world war, by Dan Sheahan, an Irish cane cutter. The story is that he went to his favourite pub, the Day Dawn Hotel in Ingham, (northern Queensland) but was told by the Publican Gladys Harvey, that there was no beer left, due to a drinking binge by some black American soldiers the previous night. Consoling himself with a glass of wine, he sat down to write a poem called “A Pub without Beer.”
Ingham, North Queensland, Australia. Source: Wikipedia
Dan Sheahan’s poem was later renamed “A Pub with No Beer” by Gordon Parsons, who made several changes to the lyrics and set it to music. The song made famous by the late Slim Dusty.
The Day Dawn Hotel has been replaced with Lee’s Hotel and a Commemoration Plaque records the origin of “The Pub With No Beer.”
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RESOURCES & FURTHER INFORMATION:
http://alldownunder.com/australian-music-songs/pub-with-no-beer.htm
http://www.ozatwar.com/locations/apubwithnobeer.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Pub_with_No_Beer
http://thepubwithnobeer.com.au/Since1875/The_Original_Pub_With_No_Beer.html
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/tough-times-for-the-pub-with-no-beer-20110723-1hu1y.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzqjjxgHqqM
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Copyright © 2013. Catherine Ann Crout-Habel
I have listened to this song many times, although not by the artists you mentioned. I think the Clancy brothers have a couple versions of it which is how I am familiar with the song.
That’s probably where you heard it Deborah. According to Wikipedia, the Clancy brothers were one of the many groups that played it … and the Pogues and the Dubliners 😀 I was fascinated to discover it’s origins. Cheerio for now.
I always love the line “The maids gone all cranky and the cooks acting queer” 😀
Oh me too Metan 🙂 Such a fun song which cracked me up when I first heard it… i.e.in my early teens, and brings back such happy memories. Was surprised to discover that it had was based on actual events in our Australian story.
Great story, Catherine!
So glad you enjoyed the story too. IMHO I reckon that songs are one of the best ways to pass on our history… maybe that’s the Irish in me, eh? As you know, I sure do have an Irish heart 🙂 …
There’s a lot of history in the old songs. But it’s not always factually correct…
😉
I do like them, though.