Banjo Patterson

Any Other Time

All of us play our very best game--
Any other time.
Golf or billiards, it's all the same--
Any other time.
Lose a match and you always say,
"just my luck! I was 'off' today!
I could have beaten him quite halfway--
Any other time!"

After a fiver you ought to go--
Any other time.
Every man you ask says "Oh,
Any other time.
Lend you a fiver! I'd lend you two,
But I'm overdrawn and my bills are due,
Wish you'd ask me--now mind you do--
Any other time!"

Fellows will ask you out to dine--
Any other time.
"Not tonight, for we're twenty-nine--
Any other time.
Not tomorrow, for cook's on strike--
Not next day, I'll be out on the bike--
Just drop in whenever you like--
Any other time!"

Seasick passengers like the sea--
Any other time.
"Something...I ate...disagreed...with me!
Any other time
Ocean-trav'lling is...simply bliss,
Must be my...liver...has gone amiss...
Why, I would laugh...at a sea...like this--
Any other time."

Most of us mean to be better men--
Any other time:
Regular upright characters then--
Any other time.
Yet somehow as the years go by
Still we gamble and drink and lie,
When it comes to the last we'll want to die--
Any other time!

Banjo Patterson