Digital Tradition Mirror

Paddy and the Whale

(This score available as ABC, SongWright, PostScript, PNG, or PMW, or a MIDI file)
Pennywhistle notation and Dulcimer tab for this song is also available

Paddy and the Whale

Paddy O'Brian left Ireland in glee;
He had a strong notion old England to see;
He shipped in the Nellie, for England was bound,
And the whiskey he drank made his head go around,

cho: Laddy whack, fol de dol, fol de rol I dee dee *

O, Paddy been never sailing before;
It made his heart ache when he heard the loud roar;
For the glance of his eye, a whale he did spy:
"I'm going to be ate," says Paddy,"by-and-by"

O, Paddy run forward and caught hold of the mast
He grasped his arms round and there he held fast
The boat gave a tip, and, losing his grip,
Down in the whale's belly poor Paddy did slip,

He was down in the whale six months and five days
Till luck one day to his throat he did pop.
The whale give a snort and then give a blow,
And out on the land poor Paddy did go.

O, Paddy is landed and safe on the shore;
He swears that he 'll never go to sea any more.
The next time he wishes old England to see,
It will be when the railroad runs over the sea.

Note: Alternate chorus I've heard is:
     Caterwaulin', Tarpaulin', Harpoonin' and all
     Tune is another Derry Down variant RG
From Ballads and Sea Songs of Newfoundland, Greenleaf
Collected from John Edison, Fleur de Lys, 1929
RG

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!