VERSE 1:
There [Bm] once was a ship that [Bm] put to sea
The [Em] name of the ship was the [Bm] Billy of Tea
The [Bm] winds blew up, her [Bm] bow dipped down
O b-[F#]-low, my bully boys, [Bm] blow
CHORUS: [G] Soon may the [D] Wellerman come
To [Em] bring us sugar and [Bm] tea and rum [G] One day, when the [D] tonguin' is done
We'll [F#] take our leave and [Bm] go
VERSE 2: [Bm] She'd not been two [Bm] weeks from shore
When [Em] down on her a [Bm] right whale bore
The [Bm] captain called all [Bm] hands and swore
He'd [F#] take that whale in [Bm] tow, huh
INTERLUDE:[as CHORUS] [G] Da da da-da [D] dat da
Da--[Em]-da dat da da-da [Bm] da dat da [G] Da da da-da [D] dat da
Da-[F#]-da dat da dat [Bm] da
VERSE 3:
Be-[Bm]-fore the boat had [Bm] hit the water
The [Em] wha-le's tail came [Bm] up and caught her
All [Bm] hands to the side, har-[Bm]-pooned and fought her [F#] When she dived down [Bm] low
VERSE 4:
No [Bm] line was cut, no [Bm] whale was freed
The [Em] captain's mind was [Bm] not of greed
And [Bm] he belonged to the [Bm] whaleman's creed
She [F#] took that ship in [Bm] tow
VERSE 5:
For [Bm] forty days, or [Bm] even more
The [Em] line went slack, then [Bm] tight once more
All [Bm] boats were lost (there were [Bm] only four)
But [F#] still that whale did [Bm] go
VERSE 6:
As [Bm] far as I've heard, the [Bm] fight's still on
The [Em] line's not cut and the [Bm] whale's not gone
The [Bm] Wellerman makes his [Bm] regular call
To en-[F#]-courage the Captain, [Bm] crew, and all
