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