Peter Anderson & Co
Slim Dusty Lyrics

He had offices in Sydney, many years ago,
Years back he once owned some offices in Sydney.

And his shingle bore the legend "Peter Anderson and Co.",
The company name on his shingle was 'Peter Anderson and Co.'

But his real name was Careless, as the fellows understood,
People knew him by the name Careless than his real name.

And his relatives decided that he wasn′t any good.
His family members thought he wasn't of any use.

'Twas their gentle tongues that blasted any ′character' he had,
It was his family's harsh criticism that destroyed his reputation.

He was fond of beer and leisure, and the Co. was just as bad.
He and his company were both addicted to beer and idleness.

It was limited in number to a unit, was the Co.
The company had only a handful of members.

'Twas a bosom chum of Peter and his Christian name was Joe.
The company's close friend was Joe, who went by the Christian name.

Oh, the office was their haven, for they lived there when hard-up,
When they were broke, the office acted as their shelter.

A ′daily′ for a table cloth, a jam tin for a cup;
They used a newspaper as a tablecloth and a jam tin as a cup.

And if the chance, the landlord's bailiff happened round in times like these,
If the landlord or his bailiff visited, they had nothing valuable to seize.

Just to seize the office-fittings, well, there wasn′t much to seize.
Even if the bailiff took something, it wouldn't make much of a difference.

And when morning brought the bailiff, there'd be nothing to be seen,
When the bailiff came in the morning, there wouldn't be anything worth taking.

Save a piece of bevelled cedar where the tenant's plate had been;
The only thing the bailiff would find is a plate-shaped dent on the cedar floor.

And there'd be no sign of Peter, and there′d be no sign of Joe,
Peter and Joe would be nowhere to be found.

For another portal boasted "Peter Anderson and Co."
Another office had the same company name imprinted on it.

Peter always met you smiling, always seemed to know you well,
Peter would always greet people with a smile and seem familiar to them.

Always gay and glad to see you, always had a joke to tell;
He would always be happy to meet people and tell them a joke.

He could laugh when all was gloomy, he could grin when all was blue,
He had the ability to smile during tough times and make others laugh too.

Sing a comic song and act it, and appreciate one too.
He could not only sing and act funny songs but also had a taste for such songs.

Glorious drunk and happy, till they heard the roosters crow,
He would drink and be merry until the morning rooster calls.

And the landlady and neighbours made complaints about the Co.
The landlady and neighbors would often complain about Peter and his company.

But that life! it might be likened to a reckless drinking-song,
Peter's way of life could be compared to a wild drinking song.

But it couldn't last for ever, and it never lasted long.
However, this life couldn't continue forever and it came to an end soon.

Debt-collecting ruined Peter, people talked him round too oft,
Peter's inability to recover debts was one reason he was destroyed.

For his heart was soft as b___er, and the Co.'s was just as soft;
Peter and his company were both too kind-hearted to take action against debtors.

But, of course, it wasn′t business, only Peter′s careless way;
Peter's way of handling the business was careless and unprofessional.

And perhaps it pays in heaven, but on earth it doesn't pay.
Being kind-hearted may work in heaven but not on earth.

They got harder up than ever, and, to make it worse, the Co.
Things got worse than ever for Peter and his company.

Went more often round the corner than was good for him to go.
Joe started going out frequently, which wasn't good for him.

"I might live," he said to Peter, "but I haven′t got the nerve,
Joe told Peter that he might survive but he didn't have the courage to do it.

I am going, going, no reserve.
He was leaving for good.

Peter's fault is very common, very fitting and bereft
Peter's fault was not unique and was the reason for his misfortunes.

Paid the undertaker cash and then got drunk on what was left;
He paid the undertaker with the remaining cash and drank the rest.

Then he shed some tears, half-maudlin, on the grave where lay the Co.,
He cried half-heartedly on the grave where Joe was buried.

And he drifted to a township where the city failures go.
He moved to a village where other city failures resided.

In a town of wrecks and failures, they appreciated him.
People in the village understood and appreciated him.

Men who might have been, who had been, but who were not in the swim,
The people in the village were once successful, but not anymore.

They would ask him who the Co. was, that queer company he kept,
People would enquire about the company that Peter used to keep.

And he′d always answer vaguely, he would say his partner slept;
Peter would give a vague reply, saying his partner was sleeping.

That he had a 'sleeping partner′, jesting while his spirit broke,
He joked about his so-called 'sleeping partner' while breaking down inside.

And they grinned above their glasses, for they took it for a joke.
People smiled at his joke, thinking it was not serious.

Till at last there came a morning when his smile was seen no more,
Then finally, one day, he stopped smiling.

He was gone from out the office, and his shingle from the door,
He disappeared from his office and even the company shingle was gone.

And a boundary-rider jogging out across the neighb'ring run,
A boundary-rider, while jogging through the neighboring area, saw something strange.

Was attracted by a something, that was blazing in the sun;
He noticed something shining under the sun.

And he found that it was Peter, lying peacefully at rest,
He eventually discovered that Peter had passed away peacefully.

With a bottle close beside him and the shingle on his breast.
The company's shingle was placed on his chest along with a bottle.

Yes he had offices in Sydney, many years ago,
Thus ends the story of Peter's office once located in Sydney.

And his shingle bore the legend "Peter Anderson and Co."
The company name would live on with the shingle that bore its name.