Greenland Whale Fisheries Lyrics - All Time Favorite Pirate Songs - Carl Peterson

'Was in 18 hundred and 53 

Of June the thirteenth day 

That are gallant ship her anchor weighed 

And for Greenland bore away, brave boys 

And for Greenland bore away. 

The lookout in the mainmast stood 

With a spyglass in his hand 

"There's a whale, there's a whale, there's a whale fish," he cried 

And she blows at every span, brave boys 

And she blows at every span 

The captain stood on the quarter-deck 

And a fine little man was he 

"Overhaul, overhaul, let your davit tackles fall 

And launch your boats for sea, brave boys 

And launch your boats for sea." 

Now the boats were launched and the men aboard, 

And the whale was full in view. 

Resolved, resolved was each sailor-man bold 

For to steer where the whalefish blew, brave boys 

For to steer where the whalefish blew. 

We struck that whale, the line played out 

But she gave a flourish with her tail 

The boat capsized, and we lost four men 

And we never caught that whale, brave boys 

And we never caught that whale 

"To lose the whale," our captain said, 

It grieves my heart full sore, 

But to lose, to lose those four gallant men 

It grieves me ten times more, brave boys 

It grieves me ten times more. 

The winter star doth now appear 

So boys, we'll anchor weigh 

It's time to leave this cold country 

And homeward bear away, brave boys 

And homeward bear away 

Oh, Greenland is a dreadful place 

A land that bears no green 

Where there's ice and there's snow and the whale-fishes blow 

And the daylight's seldom seen, brave boys 

And the daylight's seldom seen