Verse
There once was a ship that put to sea
And the name of that ship was the Billy O'Tea
The winds blew hard her bow dipped down
Blow me 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
C
We'll take our leave and go
C
She had not been two weeks from shore
C
When down on her right a right whale bore
C
The captain called all hands and swore
Ab
He'd take that whale in tow
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
C7
We'll take our leave and go
C7
Before the boat had hit the water
Ab C7
The whale's tail came up and caught her
Gm
Hands to the side harpooned and fought her
Gm
When she dived below
Chorus
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
C7
We'll take our leave and go
C
No line was cut no whale was freed
C
An' the captain's mind was not on greed
C
He belonged to the Whaleman's creed
C
She took that ship in two
Ab Eb
Soon may the Wellerman come
Fm Cm Ab
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
Eb
One day when the tonguing is done
C7
We'll take our leave and go ■
C7
For forty days or even more
Gm
The line went slack then tight once more
C7
All boats were lost there were only four
Gm
And still that whale did go
Ab Eb
Soon may the Wellerman come
Fm Cm Ab
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
Eb
One day when the tonguing is done
C7
We'll take our leave and go
C
As far as I've heard the fight's still on
C
The line's not cut and the whale's not gone
C7
The Wellerman makes his regular call
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
Cm Ab Eb
We'll take our leave and go ■ ■
Fm Cm Ab Eb
Soon may the ■ Wellerman come
Eb C7
To bring us sugar and tea ■
End
C C7
■ ■ and rum
One day when the tonguing is done
C7
We'll take our leave and go