Lyrics
There once was a ship that put to sea
And the name of the ship was the Billy O' Tea
The winds came up and her bow dipped down
So blow, me bully boys, blow
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
She had not been two weeks from shore
When down on her a right whale bore
The captain cried "all hands" and swore
He'd take that whale 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
Before the boat had hit the water
The whale's tail came up and caught her
All hands to the side, harpooned and fought her
When she dived down below
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
No line was cut, no whale was freed
But the captain's mind was not of greed
He belonged to the whaleman's creed
And 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
For forty days and forty more
The line grew slack, then taut once more
All boats were lost, there were only four
But still this whale did go
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
Well, I have heard that the fight's still on
The line's not cut and the whale's not gone
The wellerman makes his regular call
To encourage the captain, crew, and all
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
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
And the name of the ship was the Billy O' Tea
The winds came up and her bow dipped down
So blow, me bully boys, blow
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
She had not been two weeks from shore
When down on her a right whale bore
The captain cried "all hands" and swore
He'd take that whale 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
Before the boat had hit the water
The whale's tail came up and caught her
All hands to the side, harpooned and fought her
When she dived down below
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
No line was cut, no whale was freed
But the captain's mind was not of greed
He belonged to the whaleman's creed
And 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
For forty days and forty more
The line grew slack, then taut once more
All boats were lost, there were only four
But still this whale did go
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
Well, I have heard that the fight's still on
The line's not cut and the whale's not gone
The wellerman makes his regular call
To encourage the captain, crew, and all
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
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