The Wellerman

[Intro ]
 C 
 C 

 
 C 
There once was a ship that put to sea 
        Ab                       Cm 
And the name of the ship was the Billy o Tea 
   C 
The winds blew up, her bow dipped down 
   G                    C 
Oh blow, my bully boys, blow 
 

 
Ab           Eb 
Soon may the Wellerman come 
   Fm                 Cm 
To bring us sugar and tea and rum 
Ab                Eb 
One day, when the tonguing is done 
      Gm                 Cm 
We'll take our leave and go 
 

 
   C 
She had not been two weeks from shore 
     Fm             Cm 
When down on her, a right whale bore 
    Cm 
The captain called all hands and swore 
     G                  Cm 
He'd take that whale in tow 
 

 
Ab           Eb 
Soon may the Wellerman come 
   Fm                 Cm 
To bring us sugar and tea and rum 
Ab                Eb 
One day, when the tonguing is done 
      Gm                 Cm 
We'll take our leave and go 
 

 
   C 
Before the boat had hit the water 
    Fm                Cm 
The whale's tail came up and caught her 
    Cm 
All hands to the side, harpooned and fought her 
Gb                  Cm 
When she dived down low 
 

 
Ab           Eb 
Soon may the Wellerman come 
   Fm                 Cm 
To bring us sugar and tea and rum 
Ab                Eb 
One day, when the tonguing is done 
      Gm                 Cm 
We'll take our leave and go 
 

 
   Cm               Bb 
No line was cut, no whale was freed 
    Ab                 Gm 
The captain's mind was not of greed 
    Cm                 Bb 
But he belonged to the Whaleman's creed 
    Gm                Cm 
She took that ship in tow 
 

 
Ab           Eb 
Soon may the Wellerman come 
   Fm                 Cm 
To bring us sugar and tea and rum 
Ab                Eb 
One day, when the tonguing is done 
      Gm                Cm  Bb 
We'll take our leave and go 
Ab           Eb 
Soon may the Wellerman come 
   Fm                 Cm 
To bring us sugar and tea and rum 
Ab                Eb 
One day, when the tonguing is done 
      Gm                 Cm 
We'll take our leave and go 

{Instrumental} 
Cm Fm Cm 
Cm G Cm 
Ab Eb Fm Cm 
Ab Eb Gm Cm 
 
 
    Cm 
For forty days, or even more 
    Fm                   Cm 
The line went slack then tight once more 
    Cm 
All boats were lost, there were only four 
    Gm                   Cm  Bb 
But still that whale did go 
 

 
Ab           Eb 
Soon may the Wellerman come 
   Fm                 Cm 
To bring us sugar and tea and rum 
Ab                Eb 
One day, when the tonguing is done 
      Gm                 Cm 
We'll take our leave and go 
 

 
   Cm 
As far as I've heard, the fight's still on 
N.C. 
The line's not cut, and the whale's not gone 
N.C. 
The Wellerman makes his regular call 
     Gm                   Cm 
To encourage the captain, crew and all 
 

 
Ab           Eb 
Soon may the Wellerman come 
   Fm                 Cm 
To bring us sugar and tea and rum 
Ab                Eb 
One day, when the tonguing is done 
      Gm                 Cm  Bb 
We'll take our leave and go 
Ab           Eb 
Soon may the Wellerman come 
   Fm                 Cm 
To bring us sugar and tea and rum 
Ab                Eb 
One day, when the tonguing is done 
      G    G7  Gaug  G 
We'll take our leave and 
Cm 
{Go}