When the Army Prays for Watty, poem by Henry Lawson

When the kindly hours of darkness, save for light of moon and star,
Hide the picture on the signboard over Doughty's Horse Bazaar;
When the last rose-tint is fading on the distant mulga scrub,
Then the Army prays for Watty at the entrance of his pub.

Now, I often sit at Watty's when the night is very near,
With a head that's full of jingles and the fumes of bottled beer,
For I always have a fancy that, if I am over there
When the Army prays for Watty, I'm included in the prayer.

Watty lounges in his arm-chair, in its old accustomed place,
With a fatherly expression on his round and passive face;
And his arms are clasped before him in a calm, contented way,
And he nods his head and dozes when he hears the Army pray.

And I wonder does he ponder on the distant years and dim,
Or his chances over yonder, when the Army prays for him?
Has he not a fear connected with the warm place down below,
Where, according to good Christians, all the publicans should go?

But his features give no token of a feeling in his breast,
Save of peace that is unbroken and a conscience well at rest;
And we guzzle as we guzzled long before the Army came,
And the loafers wait for `shouters' and -- they get there just the same.

It would take a lot of praying -- lots of thumping on the drum --
To prepare our sinful, straying, erring souls for Kingdom Come;
But I love my fellow-sinners, and I hope, upon the whole,
That the Army gets a hearing when it prays for Watty's soul.

audio from Loaded Dog -CD That there dog o' mine I don't have this Loaded Dog album, but I know the song from Dave de Hugard's version on "Songs of the wallaby track"

Stewie, do Loaded Dog sing Henry's original words?

When the Army Prays for Watty by Henry Lawson, as sung by Dave de Hugard

When the kindly hours of darkness, 'cept for the light of moon and star,
Hide the picture on the signboard over Watty's Horse Bazaar;
When the last rose-tints are fading on the distant mulga scrub,
The Salvos pray for Watty at the entrance of his pub.

And I often sit at Watty's when the night is very near,
With a head full of jingles and as I sip back me beer,
For I sometimes have the fancy that, if I am over there
When the Salvos prays for Watty, I'm included in the prayer.

There's Watty in his arm-chair, in its old accustomed place,
With a fatherly expression on his round passive face;
And his folded arms before him in a calm, contented way,
He nods his head and dozes when he hears the Salvos pray.

And I wonder does he ponder on the distant years and dim,
Or his chances over yonder, when the Salvos pray for him?
Has he not a little fear of that hot place below,
Where, according to the good Christians, all publicans should go?

But his features give no token of a feeling in his breast,
Except of peace unbroken and a conscience well at rest;
And we guzzle as we guzzled long before the Salvos came,
And the loafers wait for "shouters" and we all get there just the same.

It'd take a lot of praying, lots of thumping on that drum
To prepare our sinful, straying, erring souls for Kingdom Come;
But I love my fellow-sinners, so I hope, upon the whole,
That the Salvos get a hearing when they pray for Watty's soul.

final verse is repeated.

It'd take a lot of praying, lots of thumping on that drum
To prepare our sinful, straying, erring souls for Kingdom Come;
But I love my fellow-sinners, so I hope, upon the whole,
That the Salvos get a hearing ...   when they pray for Watty's soul.