Oh In eighteen-hundred and-forty-four
Of March the eighteenth day
We hoisted our colours to the top of the mast
And for Greenland bore away, brave boys
And for Greenland bore away
The lookout on the mainmast he stood
His spygla** in his hand
"There's a whale, there's a whale, there's a whalefish" he cried
"And she blows at every span, brave boys
And she blows at every span"
The captain stood on the quarter deck
The ice was in his eye
"Overhaul, overhaul, let your jib sheets fall
And go put your boats to sea, brave boys
And go put your boats to sea"
The boats were lowered and the men aboard
The whale was full at view
Resolved, resolved was each whalerman bold
For to steer where the whalefish blew, brave boys
For to steer where the whalefish blew
The harpoon struck and the line paid out
With a single flourish of his tail
He capsized our boat and we lost five men
And we did not catch that whale, brave boys
And we did not catch that whale
The losin' of those five jolly men
It grieved out captain sore
But the losin' of that s**m whale fish
Now it grieved him ten times more, brave boys
Now it grieved him ten times more
"Up anchor now" our captain he cried
"For the winter stars do appear
And it's time that we left this cold country
And for the England we will steer, brave boys
And for the England we will steer"
Well, Greenland is a barren land
A land that bears no green
Where there's ice and snow and the whalefishes blow
And the daylight's seldom seen, brave boys
And the daylight's seldom seen