Greenland Whale Fisheries

1. It was in [G]eighteen hundred and fifty-three,

Of [C]June, the [G]thirteenth [D]day,

That our [G]gallant ship, her [C]anchor [G]weighed,

And for Greenland [D]sailed a-[G]way, brave [Em]boys;

For [G]Greenland [D]sailed a-[G]way.

2. The [G]lookout in the crow’s nest stood

With his [C]spyglass [G]in his [D]hand.

“There’s a [G]whale, there’s a whale, there’s a [C]whale-fish.” he [G]cried

And she blows at [D]ev-ery [G]span, brave [Em]boys;

She [G]blows at [D]ev-ery [G]span.

3. Oh, the [G]Captain at the capstan stood.

A [C]greedy [G]bastard [D]he.

“Over-[G]haul! Over-haul! Let your [C]davit tackles [G]fall,

And launch your [D]boats for the [G]sea.” Brave [Em]boys;

[G]Launch your [D]boats for the [G]sea.

4. Now the [G]boats were launched and the men aboard,

And the [C]whale was [G]in full [D]view.

     Re-[G]sol-vèd was each [C]seaman [G]bold

To steer where that [D]whale-fish [G]blew, brave [Em]boys;

To [G]steer where that [D]whale-fish [G]blew.

5. We [G]stuck the whale and the line payed out

But she [C]gave such a [G]flourish with her [D]tail

That a [G]boat capsized and [C]four men were [G]drowned,

And we never [D]caught that [G]whale, brave [Em]boys;

No, we [G]never [D]caught that [G]whale.

6. “Now, [G]losing men,” our Captain said,

“It [C]grieves my [G]heart full [D]sore.”

“But, [G]oh! to lose that [C]hundred-barrel [G]whale,

 You know it [D]grieves me ten times [G]more.” Brave [Em]boys;

It [G]grieves me [D]ten times [G]more.

7. And the [G]winter star doth now appear.

So, [C]boys we’ll [G]anchor [D]weigh.

It’s [G]time to leave this [C]cold count-er-[G]y,

And we’ll [D]homeward sail a-[G]way, brave [Em]boys;

We’ll [G]homeward [D]sail a-[G]way.

8. Oh, [G]Greenland is a dreadful place

A [C]place that’s [G]never [D]green.

There’s [G]ice and snow, and the [C]whale-fishes [G]blow,

And the daylight’s [D]seldom [G]seen, brave [Em]boys;

And [G]daylight’s [D]seldom [G]seen.

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