A#      Cm      D       D#      F       Gm      
<====>  <====>  <====>  <====>  <====>  <====>  
 ||OO    ||||    ||||    |||O    ||O|    |||O   
 |O||    ||||    OOO|    ||||    O|||    |O||   
 O|||    |OOO    ||||    |OO|    ||||    ||O|   
 ||||    ||||    ||||    ||||    ||||    ||||   
.||||   .||||   .||||   .||||   .||||   .||||   
 ||||    ||||    ||||    ||||    ||||    ||||   

[Verse 1]

 

   Gm

There once was a ship that put to sea

         Cm                      Gm

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

     Gm

The winds blew hard, her bow dipped down

 D                    Gm

Blow, me bully boys, blow (huh!)

 

[Chorus]

 

 D#           A#

Soon may the Wellerman come

    Cm                Gm

To bring us sugar and tea and rum

D#                 A#

One day, when the tonguin' is done,

       D                 Gm

We'll take our leave and go

 

[Verse 2]

 

    Gm

She had not been two weeks from shore

      Cm            Gm

When down on her a right whale bore

     Gm

The captain called all hands and swore

      D                 Gm

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

 

[Chorus]

 

 D#           A#

Soon may the Wellerman come

    Cm                Gm

To bring us sugar and tea and rum

D#                 A#

One day, when the tonguin' is done,

       D                 Gm

We'll take our leave and go

 

[Verse 3]

 

   Gm

Before the boat had hit the water

      Cm              Gm

The whale's tail came up and caught her

     Gm

All hands to the side, harpooned and fought her

      D                Gm

When she dived down below (huh!)

 

[Chorus]

 

 D#           A#

Soon may the Wellerman come

    Cm                 Gm

To bring us sugar and tea and rum

D#                A#

One day, when the tonguin' is done,

       D                 Gm

We'll take our leave and go

 

[Verse 4]

 

    Gm

No line was cut, no whale was freed;

     Cm                Gm

The Captain's mind was not of greed

    Gm

But he belonged to the whaleman's creed;

     D                Gm

She took the ship in tow (huh!)

 

[Chorus]

 

 D#           A#

Soon may the Wellerman come

    Cm                 Gm

To bring us sugar and tea and rum

D#                A#

One day, when the tonguin' is done,

       D                 Gm

We'll take our leave and go

 

[Verse 5]

 

     Gm

For forty days, or even more

     Cm                    Gm

The line went slack, then tight once more

     Gm

All boats were lost (there were only four)

      D                  Gm

But still that whale did go

 

[Chorus]

 

 D#           A#

Soon may the Wellerman come

    Cm                 Gm

To bring us sugar and tea and rum

D#                A#

One day, when the tonguin' is done,

       D                 Gm

We'll take our leave and go

 

[Verse 6]

 

   Gm

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

     Cm                     Gm

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

     Gm

The Wellerman makes his regular call

     Cm                    Gm

To encourage the Captain, crew, and all

 

[Chorus]

 

 D#           A#

Soon may the Wellerman come

    Cm                 Gm

To bring us sugar and tea and rum

D#                A#

One day, when the tonguin' is done,

       D                 Gm F

We'll take our leave and go

 

 

 D#           A#

Soon may the Wellerman come

    Cm                 Gm

To bring us sugar and tea and rum

D#                A#

One day, when the tonguin' is done,

       D                 Gm

We'll take our leave and go