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

[Verse 1]

 

   C#m

There once was a ship that put to sea

         F#m                      C#m

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

     C#m

The winds blew hard, her bow dipped down

 G#                    C#m

Blow, me bully boys, blow (huh!)

 

[Chorus]

 

 A           E

Soon may the Wellerman come

    F#m                C#m

To bring us sugar and tea and rum

A                 E

One day, when the tonguin' is done,

       G#                 C#m

We'll take our leave and go

 

[Verse 2]

 

    C#m

She had not been two weeks from shore

      F#m            C#m

When down on her a right whale bore

     C#m

The captain called all hands and swore

      G#                 C#m

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

 

[Chorus]

 

 A           E

Soon may the Wellerman come

    F#m                C#m

To bring us sugar and tea and rum

A                 E

One day, when the tonguin' is done,

       G#                 C#m

We'll take our leave and go

 

[Verse 3]

 

   C#m

Before the boat had hit the water

      F#m              C#m

The whale's tail came up and caught her

     C#m

All hands to the side, harpooned and fought her

      G#                C#m

When she dived down below (huh!)

 

[Chorus]

 

 A           E

Soon may the Wellerman come

    F#m                 C#m

To bring us sugar and tea and rum

A                E

One day, when the tonguin' is done,

       G#                 C#m

We'll take our leave and go

 

[Verse 4]

 

    C#m

No line was cut, no whale was freed;

     F#m                C#m

The Captain's mind was not of greed

    C#m

But he belonged to the whaleman's creed;

     G#                C#m

She took the ship in tow (huh!)

 

[Chorus]

 

 A           E

Soon may the Wellerman come

    F#m                 C#m

To bring us sugar and tea and rum

A                E

One day, when the tonguin' is done,

       G#                 C#m

We'll take our leave and go

 

[Verse 5]

 

     C#m

For forty days, or even more

     F#m                    C#m

The line went slack, then tight once more

     C#m

All boats were lost (there were only four)

      G#                  C#m

But still that whale did go

 

[Chorus]

 

 A           E

Soon may the Wellerman come

    F#m                 C#m

To bring us sugar and tea and rum

A                E

One day, when the tonguin' is done,

       G#                 C#m

We'll take our leave and go

 

[Verse 6]

 

   C#m

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

     F#m                     C#m

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

     C#m

The Wellerman makes his regular call

     F#m                    C#m

To encourage the Captain, crew, and all

 

[Chorus]

 

 A           E

Soon may the Wellerman come

    F#m                 C#m

To bring us sugar and tea and rum

A                E

One day, when the tonguin' is done,

       G#                 C#m B

We'll take our leave and go

 

 

 A           E

Soon may the Wellerman come

    F#m                 C#m

To bring us sugar and tea and rum

A                E

One day, when the tonguin' is done,

       G#                 C#m

We'll take our leave and go