Nathan Evans - Wellerman

There once was a ship that put to sea
The name of the ship was a billy of tea
The winds blew up her bow, dipped down her blow
My billy boys blow
Soon may the will o' man come
To bring my sugar and tea and rum
One day when the tonguing is done
We'll take our leave and go
She had not been two weeks from shore
When down on her a right whale bore
The captain called all hands and swore
He'd take that whale in tow
Soon may the wellerman come
To bring our sugar and tea and rum
One day when the tonguing is done
We'll take our leave and go
Da-da-da the water
The whale's tail came up and caught
Caught her hands to the side, harping and fodder when she dived down low
Soon may the wellerman come to bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day when the tonguing is is done we'll take our leave and go
No line was cut, no whale was freed
The captain's mind was not of greed
And he belonged to the whaleman's creed
She took that ship in tow
Soon may the wellerman come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day when the tonguing is done
We'll take our leave and go
Da-da-da
For forty days or even more
The lane went slack, then tight once more
All boats were lost, were only four
But still that whale did go
Soon may the willow man come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day when the timing is done
We'll take a leave and go
As far as I a fair, the fight's still on
The line's not cut and the whale's not gone
The willow man makes his regular call
To encourage the captain, crew
And though soon may the willow man come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day when the tonguing is done
We'll take our leave and go
Soon may the wellerman come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day when the tonguing is done
We'll take a leave and go