Wellerman chords by Nathan Evans

Chords with lyrics

Tuning: Standard (E A D G B E)


Verse 1:
      A minorAm                   A minorAm
There once was a ship that put to sea
    DmDm                       A minorAm
The name of the ship was the Billy of Tea
     A minorAm                A minorAm
The winds blew up, her bow dipped down
    E MajorE                   A minorAm
O b-low, 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                 A minorAm
She'd not been two weeks from shore
     DmDm            A minorAm
When down on her a right whale bore
    A minorAm                 A minorAm
The captain called all hands and swore
     E MajorE                  A minorAm
He'd take that whale in tow, huh!


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


Interlude:
FF        C majorC
Da da da-da dat da
   DmDm              A minorAm
Da-da dat da da-da da dat da
FF        C majorC
Da da da-da dat da
   E MajorE             A minorAm
Da-da dat da dat da

Verse 3:
  A minorAm                A minorAm
Before the boat had hit the water
    DmDm                 A minorAm
The wha-le's tail came up and caught her
     A minorAm                   A minorAm
All hands to the side, harpooned and fought her
E MajorE                   A minorAm
When she dived down low


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               A minorAm
No line was cut, no whale was freed
    DmDm                 A minorAm
The captain's mind was not of greed
    A minorAm                 A minorAm
And he belonged to the whaleman's creed
    E MajorE                 A minorAm
She took that 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


Interlude:
FF        C majorC
Da da da-da dat da
   DmDm              A minorAm
Da-da dat da da-da da dat da
FF        C majorC
Da da da-da dat da
   E MajorE             A minorAm
Da-da dat da dat da


Verse 5:
    A minorAm             A minorAm
For forty days, or even more
    DmDm                    A minorAm
The line went slack, then tight once more
    A minorAm                          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                     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                  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
We’ll take our leave and go


Outro:
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