Am G
When my grandpa was a boy, he went down to the general store
Am G Am
Saw a picture book of whales, shooting their spouts and flashing their tails
Am G
Then he got a sailor's dream about cruisin' around on the salty sea
Am G Am
Joined up with a fishin' crew to go out and get him a whale or two
Am G
Tell me what kind of men are these who sail upon the salty seas
Am G
Up in the riggin' in the afternoon, swabbin' the decks and
Am
sharpening harpoons
CHORUS:
Am
Hooray and up she rises
G
Hooray and up she rises
Am
Hooray and up she rises
G Am
Early in the morning
There's lots of whales in the deep blue sea and we kill them for the industry
We drag'em along side and cut'em in two and melt'em down and sell it to you
There hardly is a sailor alive who can keep the tears from his eyes
As he remembers the good old days, when there were no whales to save
Now we can thank the companies for scouring the deep blue seas
Looking for ivory and perfume and oil to light your living room
CHORUS
Shanghaied by the light of the moon, put up in Boston in the middle of June
After six months I left the sea, nothing but death and misery
Set out on a 3 year cruise, a union ship and a union crew
After six months you begin to see, whaling's not what it used to be
A modern ship and a modern crew with sonar scopes and exploding harpoons
A mechanincal boat made out of steel and a floating machine gun to kill the
whale
CHORUS
Repeat first verse
CHORUS
