PARTS: Soprano Alto Tenor Bass All Harmony Solo
KEY: bold = first beat of bar ^ = rest Underline = triplet backing vocal = [text]
211 - The Wellermen
Wellerman Tune https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jnvsuc6s1aM
Wellerman Harmony 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTVhIFmVE9c
Wellerman Harmony 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oDvg1IcVJQ
Verse 1
(SOLO)There once was a ship that put to sea
The name of that ship was the Billy o' Tea
The winds blew hard, her bow dipped down
Blow, me bully boys, blow (huh)
Chorus (B+T) Soon may the Wellerman come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguin' is done
We'll take our leave and go
Verse 2
(B+T) 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 (huh)
(ADD ALTO harmony)
Soon may the Wellerman come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguin' is done
We'll take our leave and go
Verse 3
(ALL) 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 low (huh)
(ADD ALTO harmony)
Soon may the Wellerman come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguin' is done
We'll take our leave and go
Verse 4
(S+A) No line was cut, no whale was freed
The captain's mind was not on greed
But he belonged to the Wellerman's creed
She took that ship in tow (huh)
(ADD ALTO and SOPRANO harmony)
(ALL) Soon may the Wellerman come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguin' is done
We'll take our leave and go
Verse 5
(ALL) For forty days or even more
The line went slack then tight once more
All boats were lost, there were only four
And still that whale did go
(ADD ALTO and SOPRANO harmony)
(ALL) Soon may the Wellerman come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguin' is done
We'll take our leave and go
Verse 6
(B+T) Far as I've heard, the fight's still on
The line's not cut, the whale's not gone
The Wellerman makes his regular call
To encourage the captain, crew and all
Chorus (B+T) Soon may the Wellerman come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguin' is done
We'll take our leave and go
Chorus
(ADD ALTO and SOPRANO harmony)
(ALL) Soon may the Wellerman come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguin' is done
We'll take our leave and go
take our leave and go
take our leave and go--
Words and music Traditional. "Soon May the Wellerman Come", also known as "Wellerman" or "The Wellerman", is a sea ballad from New Zealand[2][3] from c. 1860–70.[1] The song refers to the "wellermen", pointing to supply ships[citation needed] owned by the Weller brothers, who were amongst the earliest European settlers of Otago. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wellerman for more information.