Am      C       Dm      E       F       G       
<====>  <====>  <====>  <====>  <====>  <====>  
 ||||    ||||    ||O|    O|||    ||O|    ||||   
 O|||    ||||    OO||    |||O    O|||    |O|O   
 ||||    |||O    ||||    ||||    ||||    ||O|   
 ||||    ||||    ||||    |O||    ||||    ||||   
.||||   .||||   .||||   .||||   .||||   .||||   
 ||||    ||||    ||||    ||||    ||||    ||||   

[Verse 1]

 

   Am

There once was a ship that put to sea

         Dm                      Am

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

     Am

The winds blew hard, her bow dipped down

 E                    Am

Blow, me bully boys, blow (huh!)

 

[Chorus]

 

 F           C

Soon may the Wellerman come

    Dm                Am

To bring us sugar and tea and rum

F                 C

One day, when the tonguin' is done,

       E                 Am

We'll take our leave and go

 

[Verse 2]

 

    Am

She had not been two weeks from shore

      Dm            Am

When down on her a right whale bore

     Am

The captain called all hands and swore

      E                 Am

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

 

[Chorus]

 

 F           C

Soon may the Wellerman come

    Dm                Am

To bring us sugar and tea and rum

F                 C

One day, when the tonguin' is done,

       E                 Am

We'll take our leave and go

 

[Verse 3]

 

   Am

Before the boat had hit the water

      Dm              Am

The whale's tail came up and caught her

     Am

All hands to the side, harpooned and fought her

      E                Am

When she dived down below (huh!)

 

[Chorus]

 

 F           C

Soon may the Wellerman come

    Dm                 Am

To bring us sugar and tea and rum

F                C

One day, when the tonguin' is done,

       E                 Am

We'll take our leave and go

 

[Verse 4]

 

    Am

No line was cut, no whale was freed;

     Dm                Am

The Captain's mind was not of greed

    Am

But he belonged to the whaleman's creed;

     E                Am

She took the ship in tow (huh!)

 

[Chorus]

 

 F           C

Soon may the Wellerman come

    Dm                 Am

To bring us sugar and tea and rum

F                C

One day, when the tonguin' is done,

       E                 Am

We'll take our leave and go

 

[Verse 5]

 

     Am

For forty days, or even more

     Dm                    Am

The line went slack, then tight once more

     Am

All boats were lost (there were only four)

      E                  Am

But still that whale did go

 

[Chorus]

 

 F           C

Soon may the Wellerman come

    Dm                 Am

To bring us sugar and tea and rum

F                C

One day, when the tonguin' is done,

       E                 Am

We'll take our leave and go

 

[Verse 6]

 

   Am

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

     Dm                     Am

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

     Am

The Wellerman makes his regular call

     Dm                    Am

To encourage the Captain, crew, and all

 

[Chorus]

 

 F           C

Soon may the Wellerman come

    Dm                 Am

To bring us sugar and tea and rum

F                C

One day, when the tonguin' is done,

       E                 Am G

We'll take our leave and go

 

 

 F           C

Soon may the Wellerman come

    Dm                 Am

To bring us sugar and tea and rum

F                C

One day, when the tonguin' is done,

       E                 Am

We'll take our leave and go