[Verse 1]
       
There once was

 a ship that p

ut to sea
            
And the name o

              
f that ship wa

        
s the Billy o'

 Tea
            
The winds blew

              
 hard, her bow


 dipped down
            
Blow, me bully

       
 boys, blow (H

uh!)


[Chorus]
            
Soon may the W

  
ellerman come
            
To bring us su

         
gar and tea an

d rum
            
One day, when 

     
the tonguin' i

s done
            
We'll take our

           
 leave and go

(I just play the single notes at this time,
like the melody: G-F-Eb-D-C)


[Verse 2]
      
She had not be

en two weeks f

rom shore
            
When down on h

          
er, a right wh

ale bore
            
The captain ca

           
lled all hands

 and swore
            
He'd take that

            
 whale in tow 

(Hah!)


[Chorus]
            
Soon may the W

   
ellerman come
            
To bring us su

        
gar and tea an

d rum
            
One day, when 

       
the tonguin' i

s done
            
We'll take our

           
 leave and go
       G    F   Eb    D   C (description up in the first Chorus)

[Verse 3]
  
Before the boa

t had hit the 

water
            
The whale's ta

              
il came up and

  
 caught her
            
All hands to t

              
he side, harpo


oned and fough

t her
            
When she dived

         
 down below (H

uh!)


[Chorus]
            
Soon may the W

     
ellerman come
            
To bring us su

          
gar and tea an

d rum
            
One day, when 

       
the tonguin' i

s done
            
We'll take our

           
 leave and go


[Verse 4]
     
No line was cu

t, no whale wa

s freed
            
The Captain's 

              
mind was not o

    
n greed
            
But he belonge

             
d to the whale


man's creed
            
She took that 

           
ship in tow (H

uh!)


[Chorus]
            
Soon may the W

    
ellerman come
            
To bring us su

          
gar and tea an

d rum
            
One day, when 

      
the tonguin' i

s done
            
We'll take our

           
 leave and go


[Verse 5]
      
For forty days

, or even more
            
The line went 

              
slack, then ti

 
ght once more
            
All boats were

              
 lost, there w


ere only four
            
But still that

            
 whale did go


[Chorus]
            
Soon may the W

    
ellerman come
            
To bring us su

          
gar and tea an

d rum
            
One day, when 

       
the tonguin' i

s done
            
We'll take our

            
 leave and go


[Verse 6]
     
As far as I've

 heard, the fi

ght's still on
            
The line's not

              
 cut and the w

  
hale's not gon

e
            
The Wellerman 

              
makes his a re

 
gular call
            
To encourage t

              
he Captain, cr

     
ew, and all


[Chorus]
            
Soon may the W

    
ellerman come
            
To bring us su

          
gar and tea an

d rum
            
One day, when 

       
the tonguin' i

s done
            
We'll take our

           
 leave and go
            
Soon may the W

   
ellerman come
            
To bring us su

          
gar and tea an

d rum
            
One day, when 

        
the tonguin' i

s done
            
We'll take our

            
 leave and go