Wellerman (Sea Shanty)

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This version follows the ukulele play along found on youtube.com/ukeplayalongs. UkuTabs is an official collaborator with the ukeplayalongs channel.

UKULELE CHORDS

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      Dm
There once was a ship that put to sea
    Gm                       Dm
The name of the ship was the Billy o’ Tea

The winds blew up, her bow dipped down
  A                    Dm
O blow, my bully boys, blow -Huh!-


Bb           F
Soon may the Wellerman come
   Gm                 Dm
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
Bb                F
One day, when the tonguin’ is done
      A                  Dm
We’ll take our leave and go


      Dm
She’d not been two weeks from shore
     Gm             Dm
When down on her, a right whale bore

The captain called all hands and swore
     A                  Dm
He’d take that whale in tow -Huh!-


Bb           F
Soon may the Wellerman come
   Gm                 Dm
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
Bb                F
One day, when the tonguin’ is done
      A                  Dm
We’ll take our leave and go


Bb        F
Da-da, da-da-da-da
   Gm              Dm
Da-da-da-da, da-da-da-da-da
Bb        F
Da-da, da-da-da-da
   A           Dm
Da-da-da-da-da-da


  Dm
Before the boat had hit the water
    Gm                       Dm
The whale’s tail came up and caught her

All hands to the side, harpooned and fought her
A                   Dm
When she dived down low -Huh!-


Bb           F
Soon may the Wellerman come
   Gm                 Dm
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
Bb                F
One day, when the tonguin’ is done
      A                  Dm
We’ll take our leave and go


   Dm
No line was cut, no whale was freed
    Gm                        Dm
The Captain’s mind was not of greed

And he belonged to the whaleman’s creed
    A                Dm
She took that ship in tow -Huh!-


Bb           F
Soon may the Wellerman come
   Gm                 Dm
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
Bb                F
One day, when the tonguin’ is done
      A                  Dm
We’ll take our leave and go


Bb        F
Da-da, da-da-da-da
   Gm              Dm
Da-da-da-da, da-da-da-da-da
Bb        F
Da-da, da-da-da-da
   A           Dm
Da-da-da-da-da-da


    Dm
For forty days, or even more
    Gm                    Dm
The line went slack, then tight once more

All boats were lost, there were only four
    A                    Dm
But still that whale did go -Huh!-


Bb           F
Soon may the Wellerman come
   Gm                 Dm
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
Bb                F
One day, when the tonguin’ is done
      A                  Dm
We’ll take our leave and go


   Dm
As far as I’ve heard, the fight’s still on
    Gm                     Dm
The line’s not cut and the whale’s not gone

The Wellerman makes his regular call
     A                    Dm
To encourage the Captain, crew, and all -Huh!-


Bb           F
Soon may the Wellerman come
   Gm                 Dm
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
Bb                F
One day, when the tonguin’ is done
      A                  Dm
We’ll take our leave and go


Bb           F
Soon may the Wellerman come
   Gm                 Dm
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
Bb                F
One day, when the tonguin’ is done
      A                  Dm
We’ll take our leave and go
This arrangement for the song is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the song. You may only use this for private study, scholarship, or research. UkuTabs does not own any songs, lyrics or arrangements posted and/or printed. This arrangement was downloaded for free on UkuTabs.com.
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Album: Wellerman (Sea Shanty)

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~Tuesday 15th of July~

Biography

Nathan Evans (born in Inveraray on 3 December 1994) is a Scottish singer known for singing sea shanties. Evans first gained fame in 2020 when he posted videos of himself singing sea shanties on social media service TikTok, triggering a surge of interest in sea shanties. In 2021, he released a cover version of the 19th-century shanty “Wellerman” which topped the UK Singles Chart and also charted in several other countries.

Before launching his music career, Evans was a postal worker with the Royal Mail, in Airdrie.

Genres: , , , , .

All songs by Nathan Evans   »

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