Wellerman Ukulele chords by Nathan Evans

Tuning: G C E A (G C E A)

Ukulele chords in the original key for Nathan Evans' Wellerman version from TikTok

The song is in the key of Cm. This arrangement might be more advanced, however this choice
of chords nicely lets ring out open strings on ukulele.


CHORD VOICINGS

    G-C-E-A
C5  0-0-3-3
Fm  1-0-1-3
G5  0-2-3-x
Ab  5-3-4-3
Eb  0-3-3-1

Verse 1:
      C5                    C5
There once was a ship that put to sea
    Fm                       C5
The name of the ship was the Billy of Tea
    C5                 C5
The winds blew up, her bow dipped down
  C5       G5          C5
O blow, my bully boys, blow


Chorus:
Ab           Eb
Soon may the Wellerman come
   Fm                 C5
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
Ab                Eb
One day, when the tonguin’ is done
      Eb       G5        C5
We’ll take our leave and go


Verse 2:
C5                 C5
She'd not been two weeks from shore
     Fm            C5
When down on her a right whale bore
    C5                  C5
The captain called all hands and swore
     C5        G5       C5
He'd take that whale in tow, huh!

Chorus:
Ab           Eb
Soon may the Wellerman come
   Fm                 C5
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
Ab                Eb
One day, when the tonguin’ is done
      Eb       G5        C5
We’ll take our leave and go


Interlude:
Ab       Eb
Da da da-da dat da
   Fm              C5
Da-da dat da da-da da dat da
Ab       Eb
Da da da-da dat da
   Eb     G5     C5
Da-da dat da dat da


Verse 3:
  C5                 C5
Before the boat had hit the water
    Fm                 C5
The wha-le's tail came up and caught her
    C5                    C5
All hands to the side, harpooned and fought her
C5       G5         C5
When she dived down low


Chorus:
Ab           Eb
Soon may the Wellerman come
   Fm                 C5
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
Ab                Eb
One day, when the tonguin’ is done
      Eb       G5        C5
We’ll take our leave and go


Verse 4:
   C5               C5
No line was cut, no whale was freed
    Fm                 C5
The captain's mind was not of greed
    C5                  C5
And he belonged to the whaleman's creed
    C5        G5      C5
She took that ship in tow


Chorus:
Ab           Eb
Soon may the Wellerman come
   Fm                 C5
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
Ab                Eb
One day, when the tonguin’ is done
      Eb       G5        C5
We’ll take our leave and go


Interlude:
Ab       Eb
Da da da-da dat da
   Fm              C5
Da-da dat da da-da da dat da
Ab       Eb
Da da da-da dat da
   Eb     G5     C5
Da-da dat da dat da


Verse 5:
    C5              C5
For forty days, or even more
    Fm                    C5
The line went slack, then tight once more
    C5                           C5
All boats were lost (there were only four)
    C5         G5        C5
But still that whale did go


Chorus:
Ab           Eb
Soon may the Wellerman come
   Fm                 C5
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
Ab                Eb
One day, when the tonguin’ is done
      Eb       G5        C5
We’ll take our leave and go


Verse 6:
   C5                      C5
As far as I've heard, the fight's still on
    Fm                     C5
The line's not cut and the whale's not gone
    C5                   C5
The Wellerman makes his regular call
     Fm                   C5
To encourage the captain, crew, and all


Chorus:
Ab           Eb
Soon may the Wellerman come
   Fm                 C5
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
Ab                Eb
One day, when the tonguin’ is done
      Eb       G5        C5
We’ll take our leave and go


Outro:
Ab           Eb
Soon may the Wellerman come
   Fm                 C5
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
Ab                Eb
One day, when the tonguin’ is done
      Eb       G5        C5
We’ll take our leave and go