Wellerman
There
Am
once was a ship that put to sea
The
Dm
name of the ship was the
Am
Billy of Tea
The
Am
winds blew up, her bow dipped down
O b-
E
low, my bully boys,
Am
blow
F
Soon may the
C
Wellerman
come
To
Dm
bring us sugar and
Am
tea and rum
F
One day, when the
C
tonguin’ is done,
We’ll
E
take our leave and
Am
go
Am
She'd not been two weeks from shore
When
Dm
down on her a
Am
right whale bore
The
Am
captain called all hands and swore
He'd
E
take that whale in
Am
tow,
huh!
F
Soon may the
C
Wellerman
come
To
Dm
bring us sugar and
Am
tea and rum
F
One day, when the
C
tonguin’ is done,
We’ll
E
take our leave and
Am
go
F
Da da da-
C
da dat da
Da-
Dm
da dat da da-da
Am
da dat da
F
Da da da-
C
da dat da
Da-
E
da dat da dat
Am
da
Be
Am
fore the boat had hit the water
The
Dm
wha-le's tail came
Am
up and caught her
All
Am
Amhands to the side, harpooned and fought her
E
When she dived down
Am
low
F
Soon may the
C
Wellerman
come
To
Dm
bring us sugar and
Am
tea and rum
F
One day, when the
C
tonguin’ is done,
We’ll
E
take our leave and
Am
go
No
Am
line was cut, no whale was freed
The
Dm
captain's mind was
Am
not of greed
And
Am
he belonged to the whaleman's creed
She
E
took that ship in
Am
tow
F
Soon may the
C
Wellerman
come
To
Dm
bring us sugar and
Am
tea and rum
F
One day, when the
C
tonguin’ is done,
We’ll
E
take our leave and
Am
go
F
Da da da-
C
da dat da
Da-
Dm
da dat da da-da
Am
da dat da
F
Da da da-
C
da dat da
Da-
E
da dat da dat
Am
da
For
Am
forty days, or even more
The
Dm
line went slack, then
Am
tight once more
All
Am
boats were lost (there were only four)
But
E
still that whale did
Am
go
F
Soon may the
C
Wellerman
come
To
Dm
bring us sugar and
Am
tea and rum
F
One day, when the
C
tonguin’ is done,
We’ll
E
take our leave and
Am
go
As
Am
far as I've heard, the fight's still on
The
Dm
line's not cut and the
Am
whale's not gone
The
Am
Wellerman makes his regular call
To
Dm
encourage the Captain,
Am
crew, and all
F
Soon may the
C
Wellerman
come
To
Dm
bring us sugar and
Am
tea and rum
F
One day, when the
C
tonguin’ is done,
We’ll
E
take our leave and
Am
go
F
Soon may the
C
Wellerman
come
To
Dm
bring us sugar and
Am
tea and rum
F
One day, when the
C
tonguin’ is done,
We’ll
E
take our leave and
Am
go
Nathan Evans (2021). Ballaad Uus-Meremaa vaalapüüdjatest. Pikem ingliskeelne jutt
https://www.folksong.org.nz/soon_may_the_wellerman/index.html