Verse 1
The[Am]re once was a ship that put to sea
And the n[Dm]ame of the ship was the [Am]Billy of Tea
The w[Am]inds blew hard, her bow dipped down
O bl[E]ow, my bully boys, b[Am]low
Chorus
S[F]oon may the W[C]ellerman come
To b[Dm]ring us sugar and [Am]tea and rum
[F]One day, when the t[C]onguin’ is done,
We’ll t[E]ake our leave and [Am]go
Verse 2
She [Am]had not been two weeks from shore
When d[Dm]own on her a r[Am]ight whale bore
The c[Am]aptain called all hands and swore
He'd t[E]ake that whale in [Am]tow
Chorus
S[F]oon may the W[C]ellerman come
To b[Dm]ring us sugar and [Am]tea and rum
[F]One day, when the t[C]onguin’ is done,
We’ll t[E]ake our leave and [Am]go
Verse 3
Bef[Am]ore the boat had hit the water
The wh[Dm]ale's tail came [Am]up and caught her
All h[Am]ands to the side, harpooned and fought her
When s[E]he dived down be[Am]low
Chorus
S[F]oon may the W[C]ellerman come
To b[Dm]ring us sugar and t[Am]ea and rum
[F]One day, when the [C]tonguin’ is done,
We’ll t[E]ake our leave and [Am]go
Verse 4
No l[Am]ine was cut, no whale was freed;
The C[Dm]aptain's mind was [Am]not of greed
But [Am]he belonged to the whaleman's creed;
She t[E]ook the ship in t[Am]ow
Chorus
S[F]oon may the W[C]ellerman come
To b[Dm]ring us sugar and t[Am]ea and rum
[F]One day, when the [C]tonguin’ is done,
We’ll t[E]ake our leave and [Am]go
Verse 5
For f[Am]orty days, or even more
The l[Dm]ine went slack, then t[Am]ight once more
All b[Am]oats were lost (there were only four)
But st[E]ill that whale did [Am]go
Chorus
S[F]oon may the W[C]ellerman come
To b[Dm]ring us sugar and t[Am]ea and rum
[F]One day, when the [C]tonguin’ is done,
We’ll t[E]ake our leave and [Am]go
Verse 6
As [Am]far as I've heard, the fight's still on;
The l[Dm]ine's not cut and the w[Am]hale's not gone
The W[Am]ellerman makes his regular call
To en[Dm]courage the Captain, c[Am]rew, and all
Chorus
S[F]oon may the W[C]ellerman come
To b[Dm]ring us sugar and t[Am]ea and rum
[F]One day, when the [C]tonguin’ is done,
We’ll t[E]ake our leave and [Am]go [Asus2]
S[F]oon may the W[C]ellerman come
To b[Dm]ring us sugar and t[Am]ea and rum
[F]One day, when the [C]tonguin’ is done,
We’ll t[E]ake our leave and [Am]go
The[Am]re once was a ship that put to sea
And the n[Dm]ame of the ship was the [Am]Billy of Tea
The w[Am]inds blew hard, her bow dipped down
O bl[E]ow, my bully boys, b[Am]low
Chorus
S[F]oon may the W[C]ellerman come
To b[Dm]ring us sugar and [Am]tea and rum
[F]One day, when the t[C]onguin’ is done,
We’ll t[E]ake our leave and [Am]go
Verse 2
She [Am]had not been two weeks from shore
When d[Dm]own on her a r[Am]ight whale bore
The c[Am]aptain called all hands and swore
He'd t[E]ake that whale in [Am]tow
Chorus
S[F]oon may the W[C]ellerman come
To b[Dm]ring us sugar and [Am]tea and rum
[F]One day, when the t[C]onguin’ is done,
We’ll t[E]ake our leave and [Am]go
Verse 3
Bef[Am]ore the boat had hit the water
The wh[Dm]ale's tail came [Am]up and caught her
All h[Am]ands to the side, harpooned and fought her
When s[E]he dived down be[Am]low
Chorus
S[F]oon may the W[C]ellerman come
To b[Dm]ring us sugar and t[Am]ea and rum
[F]One day, when the [C]tonguin’ is done,
We’ll t[E]ake our leave and [Am]go
Verse 4
No l[Am]ine was cut, no whale was freed;
The C[Dm]aptain's mind was [Am]not of greed
But [Am]he belonged to the whaleman's creed;
She t[E]ook the ship in t[Am]ow
Chorus
S[F]oon may the W[C]ellerman come
To b[Dm]ring us sugar and t[Am]ea and rum
[F]One day, when the [C]tonguin’ is done,
We’ll t[E]ake our leave and [Am]go
Verse 5
For f[Am]orty days, or even more
The l[Dm]ine went slack, then t[Am]ight once more
All b[Am]oats were lost (there were only four)
But st[E]ill that whale did [Am]go
Chorus
S[F]oon may the W[C]ellerman come
To b[Dm]ring us sugar and t[Am]ea and rum
[F]One day, when the [C]tonguin’ is done,
We’ll t[E]ake our leave and [Am]go
Verse 6
As [Am]far as I've heard, the fight's still on;
The l[Dm]ine's not cut and the w[Am]hale's not gone
The W[Am]ellerman makes his regular call
To en[Dm]courage the Captain, c[Am]rew, and all
Chorus
S[F]oon may the W[C]ellerman come
To b[Dm]ring us sugar and t[Am]ea and rum
[F]One day, when the [C]tonguin’ is done,
We’ll t[E]ake our leave and [Am]go [Asus2]
S[F]oon may the W[C]ellerman come
To b[Dm]ring us sugar and t[Am]ea and rum
[F]One day, when the [C]tonguin’ is done,
We’ll t[E]ake our leave and [Am]go