Wellerman
Billen Ted Lyrics
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The name of that ship was the Billy o' Tea
The winds blew up, her bow dipped down
Oh blow, my bully boys, blow (huh)
She'd not been two weeks from shore
When down on her a right whale bore
The captain called all hands and swore
Soon may the Wellerman come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguing is done
We'll take our leave and go
(Go, go, go, go)
(Go, go, go, go)
(Go, go, go, go)
Take our leave and go
Soon may the Wellerman come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguing is done
We'll take our leave and go
(Hey)
Before the boat had hit the water
The whale's tail came up and caught her
All hands to the side, harpooned and fought her
When she dived down low (huh)
She'd not been two weeks from shore
When down on her a right whale bore
The captain called all hands and swore
He'd take that whale in tow
Soon may the Wellerman come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguing is done
We'll take our leave and go
(Go, go, go, go)
(Go, go, go, go)
(Go, go, go, go)
Take our leave and go
Soon may the Wellerman come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
One day, when the tonguing is done
We'll take our leave and go
Soon may the Wellerman come
To bring us sugar and tea and rum (hey)
One day, when the tonguing is done
We'll take our leave and go
(Take our leave and go)
(Take our leave and go)
The lyrics to "Wellerman" by Billen Ted tell the story of a ship, the Billy o' Tea, that sets out to sea, hoping to collect sugar, tea and rum from the Wellerman, a supply ship that will bring them these necessary provisions. However, their journey is fraught with danger as they encounter a right whale that attacks their ship, forcing them to fight for their survival. The captain of the Billy o' Tea swears to capture the whale and take it in tow, with the hope that they may continue their journey safely.
The chorus, "Soon may the Wellerman come, to bring us sugar and tea and rum," is a plea for the sailors to make it to their destination and receive the supplies they need to survive. The repetition of the chorus reinforces the sailors' longing for sustenance and hope for a successful voyage. The song has become popular on social media, with users singing sea shanties in unison, a trend started by a Scottish postman whose TikTok videos singing shanties went viral.
Line by Line Meaning
There once was a ship that put to sea
Once upon a time, a ship set sail on the open waters.
The name of that ship was the Billy o' Tea
The ship was called the Billy o’ Tea.
The winds blew up, her bow dipped down
Strong winds started blowing, causing the bow of the ship to dip down towards the water.
Oh blow, my bully boys, blow (huh)
The captain ordered his crew to continue blowing the wind in the sails of the ship.
She'd not been two weeks from shore
The ship had not sailed for more than two weeks from the shore.
When down on her a right whale bore
A giant right whale attacked the ship.
The captain called all hands and swore
The captain gathered the whole crew and solemnly promised to catch that whale.
He'd take that whale in tow (huh)
The captain planned to catch the whale and drag it behind the ship.
Soon may the Wellerman come
The crew is hoping that the Wellerman (a supply ship) will arrive soon.
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
The Wellerman will bring them supplies such as sugar, tea, and rum.
One day, when the tonguing' is done
When the cargo has been loaded and unloaded from the Wellerman, and everyone has been paid, the crew will finally be able to rest.
We'll take our leave and go
The crew will leave and sail away, seeking further adventure.
(Go, go, go, go)
The crew is excited to get back on the open sea and start exploring again.
Take our leave and go
They can't wait to get back on their journey and leave their current location behind.
(Hey)
An exclamation of excitement from the crew.
Before the boat had hit the water
As soon as the whale attacked, the ship had not yet fully entered the water.
The whale's tail came up and caught her
The whale used its tail to knock the ship over.
All hands to the side, harpooned and fought her
The crew used harpoons and worked together to defend their ship from the whale's attack.
When she dived down low (huh)
When the whale dove deep into the water.
(Take our leave and go)
The crew reiterates that they're ready to depart and continue their journey.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Alex Oriet, David Phelan, Nathan Evans, Samuel Brennan, Tom Hollings, William Graydon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MrRevillz
How is this so good 😂😂😂
@sohailjan_5233
true
@Ahmedx-lh9lu
Is not good btw
@ALEX-mp1pu
Ich habe dich abonniert
@bega3809
Cuz it is
@connollys7386
I know it’s so catchy
@ICONICCOINS
This is the most catchy song ever! ❤️
@l1ttl3.c0dm6
I feel like im listening to 69
@tentoys3507
True
@iIIuminious
69 likes brrr