Digital Tradition Mirror

Yankee Whalermen

(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

Yankee Whalermen

Chorus:
     We'll rant and we'll roar like true Yankee Whalermen
     We'll rant and we'll roar on deck and below
     Until we sight Gayhead off old Martha's Vinyard
     And straight up the channel to New Bedford we'll go.

Farewell and adieu to you Spanish ladies
Farewell and adieu to you ladies of Spain
For we've received orders to sail from New England
And we hope in a short time to see you again

We hove our our ship to with the wind from the sou'west, boys.
We hove our our ship to deep soundings to take
'Twas 45 fathoms with light sandy bottom
We squared our main yard and up channel did make.

I went to a dance one night in Tombaz.
There were plenty of girls there as fine as you wish.
There was one pretty maiden a chewin' tobacco
Just like a young kitten achewin' fresh fish.

Then the signal was sent for the grand ship to anchor
And all in the downs that night for to lie
Let go your shank painter, let go your cat stopper
Haul up your clew garnets, let tacks and sheets fly.

from Jeff Warner at a Philadelphia Folksong Society Shanties
Workshop in January 1973
DS

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!