Wellerman chords by Traditional

Chords with lyrics

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

Verse 1:

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


Chorus 1:

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 tonguing' is done
   E MajorE         A minorAm
We'll take our leave and go

Verse 2:

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


Chorus 2:

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 tonguing' is done
   E MajorE         A minorAm
We'll take our leave and go


Verse 3:

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

Chorus 3:

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 tonguing' is done
   E MajorE         A minorAm
We'll take our leave and go


Verse 4:

  A minorAm        C majorC
No line was cut, no whale was freed
    DmDm         A minorAm
An' the captain's mind was not on greed
  A minorAm         C majorC
But he belonged to the Whaleman's creed
  E MajorE        A minorAm
She took that ship in tow


Chorus 4:

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 tonguing' is done
   E MajorE         A minorAm
We'll take our leave and go


Verse 5:

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


Chorus 5:

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 tonguing' is done
   E MajorE         A minorAm
We'll take our leave and go


Verse 6:

  A minorAm           C majorC
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         C majorC
The Wellerman makes his regular call
   E MajorE              A minorAm
To encourage the captain, crew and all


Chorus 6:

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 tonguing' is done
   E MajorE         A minorAm
We'll take our leave and go


Chorus 7:

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 tonguing' is done
   E MajorE         A minorAm
We'll take our leave and go