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about

Disclaimer: The W.S.S.S is anti-whaling. This is traditional sea song.
This is the NZ version of another folk shanty: Coast of Peru.

lyrics

Come all of you whalemen who are cruising for sperm,
Come all of you seamen who have rounded Cape Horm;
For our captain has told us, and he says out of hand:
There's a thousand whales off th' coast of New Zealand/

Twas early one morning just as the sun rose
That a voice from the masthead cried out "There she blow".
Our captain cried "Where away and how does he lay?"
"Three points on our lee sir, scarce two mile away."

Then call up all hands and be of good cheer,
Get your lines and your rowboats and tackle-falls clear/
We sailed off the westwind and came up apace,
The whaleboats were lowered and set on the chase/

We fought him alongside, harpoon we thrust in.
In just over an hour he rolled out his fin.
The whale is cut in boys, tried-out and stowed down,
He's worth more to us boys than five hundred pound.

Our ship it is laden for home we will steer,
There's plenty of rum boys and plenty of beer.
We'll spend money freely for pretty girls ashore
And when it's all gone we'll go whaling for more!

credits

from NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL SEA SHANTIES Vol II, released June 29, 2015

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Wellington Sea Shanty Society Wellington, New Zealand

Aotearoa New Zealand's Most 'Sea Worthy' Shanty Group™

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