The Dubliners - Greenland Whale Fishery lyrics

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