Wellerman chords by The Longest Johns

Chords with lyrics

Tuning: Standard (E MajorE A augmentedA D MajorD G+G BB E MajorE)

Verse 1:

  A minorAm
There once was a ship that put to sea
     DmDm           A minorAm
And the name of the ship was the Billy of Tea
   A minorAm
The winds blew hard, her bow dipped down
  E MajorE          A minorAm
O blow, my bully boys, blow

Chorus:

 FF      C majorC
Soon may the Wellerman come
  DmDm        A minorAm
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
FF         C majorC
One day, when the tonguin’ is done,
    E MajorE         A minorAm
We’ll take our leave and go

Verse 2:

  A minorAm
She had not been two weeks from shore
   DmDm      A minorAm
When down on her a right whale bore
   A minorAm
The captain called all hands and swore
   E MajorE         A minorAm
He'd take that whale in tow

Chorus:

 FF      C majorC
Soon may the Wellerman come
  DmDm        A minorAm
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
FF         C majorC
One day, when the tonguin’ is done,
    E MajorE         A minorAm
We’ll take our leave and go

Verse 3:

  A minorAm
Before the boat had hit the water
   DmDm       A minorAm
The whale's tail came up and caught her
   A minorAm
All hands to the side, harpooned and fought her
   E MajorE        A minorAm
When she dived down below

Chorus:

 FF      C majorC
Soon may the Wellerman come
  DmDm         A minorAm
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
FF         C majorC
One day, when the tonguin’ is done,
    E MajorE         A minorAm
We’ll take our leave and go

Verse 4:

  A minorAm
No line was cut, no whale was freed;
   DmDm        A minorAm
The Captain's mind was not of greed
  A minorAm
But he belonged to the whaleman's creed;
   E MajorE        A minorAm
She took the ship in tow

Chorus:

 FF      C majorC
Soon may the Wellerman come
  DmDm         A minorAm
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
FF         C majorC
One day, when the tonguin’ is done,
    E MajorE         A minorAm
We’ll take our leave and go

Verse 5:

   A minorAm
For forty days, or even more
   DmDm          A minorAm
The line went slack, then tight once more
   A minorAm
All boats were lost (there were only four)
   E MajorE         A minorAm
But still that whale did go

Chorus:

 FF      C majorC
Soon may the Wellerman come
  DmDm         A minorAm
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
FF         C majorC
One day, when the tonguin’ is done,
    E MajorE         A minorAm
We’ll take our leave and go

Verse 6:

  A minorAm
As far as I've heard, the fight's still on;
   DmDm           A minorAm
The line's not cut and the whale's not gone
   A minorAm
The Wellerman makes his regular call
   DmDm          A minorAm
To encourage the Captain, crew, and all

Chorus:

 FF      C majorC
Soon may the Wellerman come
  DmDm         A minorAm
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
FF         C majorC
One day, when the tonguin’ is done,
    E MajorE         A minorAm G+G
We’ll take our leave and go


 FF      C majorC
Soon may the Wellerman come
  DmDm         A minorAm
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
FF         C majorC
One day, when the tonguin’ is done,
    E MajorE         A minorAm
We’ll take our leave and go

Other versions of Wellerman

Alternative guitar chords and tabs for Wellerman (Ver. 2) by The Longest Johns