Wellerman chords by The Longest Johns

Guitar chords with lyrics

Tuning: Standard (E A D G B E)


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

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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