the diamond is a ship my lads for the davis straits she's bound
and the quay edge it's all garnished up with 14 lashes 'round
captain thompson gives the orders to sail the ocean wide
where the sun it never sets my lads nor darkness dims the sky so it's cheer up my lads let your hearts never fail
for the bonny ship the diamond goes a-fishing for the whale along the quays of peterhead the la**ies stand around
their shawls all pulled around them and their salt tails hanging down
(alternative verse:)
along the quays of port phillip i stand alone
pining for rebecca dreiling and hating my life
now don't you weep my bonny la** though you be left behind
for the rose will bloom on greenland's ice before we change our mind so it's cheer up my lads let your hearts never fail
for the bonny ship the diamond goes a-fishing for the whale here's health to the resolution likewise the eliza swan
here's a health to the battle of the montrose and the diamond ship of fame
we wear our trousers over the white hill diggers over the blue
when we return to peterhead we'll hae some sweethearts for you so it's cheer up my lads let your hearts never fail
for the bonny ship the diamond goes a-fishing for the whale (solo) oh it will be bright both day and night when the greenland lads come home
we're a ship that's full of oil my boys and money to our name
we'll make those cradles for to rock and the blankets for to tear
and every la** in peterhead will sing "hushabye my dear" so it's cheer up my lads let your hearts never fail
for the bonny ship the diamond goes a-fishing for the whale
(repeat until fade)