{title: Wellerman}
{st: Sea Shanty}
{capo:3}

1. [Am]There once was a ship that put to sea
And the [Dm]name of the ship was the [Am]Billy of Tea
The [Am]winds blew hard, her bow dipped down
O [E]blow, my bully boys, [Am]blow
 
{soc} 
[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
{eoc} 

2. She [Am]had 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

3. [Am]Before the boat had hit the water
The [Dm]whale's tail came [Am]up and caught her
All [Am]hands to the side, harpooned and fought her
When [E]she dived down [Am]below

4. No [Am]line was cut, no whale was freed;
The [Dm]Captain's mind was [Am]not of greed
But [Am]he belonged to the whaleman's creed;
She [E]took the ship in [Am]tow

5. 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

6. 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