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