B       C#m     D#      E       F#      G#m     
<====>  <====>  <====>  <====>  <====>  <====>  
 ||||    OO||    |||O    O|||    |O|O    O|||   
 ||OO    ||||    ||||    |||O    ||O|    |||O   
 |O||    ||||    |OO|    ||||    O|||    |O||   
 O|||    |||O    ||||    |O||    ||||    ||O|   
.||||   .||||   .||||   .||||   .||||   .||||   
 ||||    ||||    ||||    ||||    ||||    ||||   

[Verse 1]

 

   G#m

There once was a ship that put to sea

         C#m                      G#m

And the name of the ship was the Billy o' Tea

     G#m

The winds blew hard, her bow dipped down

 D#                    G#m

Blow, me bully boys, blow (huh!)

 

[Chorus]

 

 E           B

Soon may the Wellerman come

    C#m                G#m

To bring us sugar and tea and rum

E                 B

One day, when the tonguin' is done,

       D#                 G#m

We'll take our leave and go

 

[Verse 2]

 

    G#m

She had not been two weeks from shore

      C#m            G#m

When down on her a right whale bore

     G#m

The captain called all hands and swore

      D#                 G#m

He'd take that whale in tow (huh!)

 

[Chorus]

 

 E           B

Soon may the Wellerman come

    C#m                G#m

To bring us sugar and tea and rum

E                 B

One day, when the tonguin' is done,

       D#                 G#m

We'll take our leave and go

 

[Verse 3]

 

   G#m

Before the boat had hit the water

      C#m              G#m

The whale's tail came up and caught her

     G#m

All hands to the side, harpooned and fought her

      D#                G#m

When she dived down below (huh!)

 

[Chorus]

 

 E           B

Soon may the Wellerman come

    C#m                 G#m

To bring us sugar and tea and rum

E                B

One day, when the tonguin' is done,

       D#                 G#m

We'll take our leave and go

 

[Verse 4]

 

    G#m

No line was cut, no whale was freed;

     C#m                G#m

The Captain's mind was not of greed

    G#m

But he belonged to the whaleman's creed;

     D#                G#m

She took the ship in tow (huh!)

 

[Chorus]

 

 E           B

Soon may the Wellerman come

    C#m                 G#m

To bring us sugar and tea and rum

E                B

One day, when the tonguin' is done,

       D#                 G#m

We'll take our leave and go

 

[Verse 5]

 

     G#m

For forty days, or even more

     C#m                    G#m

The line went slack, then tight once more

     G#m

All boats were lost (there were only four)

      D#                  G#m

But still that whale did go

 

[Chorus]

 

 E           B

Soon may the Wellerman come

    C#m                 G#m

To bring us sugar and tea and rum

E                B

One day, when the tonguin' is done,

       D#                 G#m

We'll take our leave and go

 

[Verse 6]

 

   G#m

As far as I've heard, the fight's still on;

     C#m                     G#m

The line's not cut and the whale's not gone

     G#m

The Wellerman makes his regular call

     C#m                    G#m

To encourage the Captain, crew, and all

 

[Chorus]

 

 E           B

Soon may the Wellerman come

    C#m                 G#m

To bring us sugar and tea and rum

E                B

One day, when the tonguin' is done,

       D#                 G#m F#

We'll take our leave and go

 

 

 E           B

Soon may the Wellerman come

    C#m                 G#m

To bring us sugar and tea and rum

E                B

One day, when the tonguin' is done,

       D#                 G#m

We'll take our leave and go