Blow, Ye Winds

Se også Sjøormen / The Sea Serpent

‘Tis advertised in Boston, New York an’ Buffalo,
Five hun’red brave Americans a-whalin’ for to go.  Singin’!
Blow ye winds in the mornin’,
Blow ye winds, high-O!
Haul away yer runnin’ gear,
An’ blow ye winds, high-O!

They send ye to New Bedford, that famous whalin’ port,
An give ye to some land-shark to board an’ fit ye out. Singin’!

They send ye to a boardin’ house there for a time to dwell.
The fleas there they are thicker than the other side of hell. Singin’!

They tell ye of the clipper ships a-runnin’ in an’ out,
An’ say ye’ll take five hun’red sperm before ye’re six month out. Singin’!

An’ now we’re out to sea, me boys, the winds come on to blow.
One half the watch is sick on deck, the other half below. Singin’!

The skipper’s on the quarter-deck, a-squintin’ at the sails,
When up aloft the lookout sights a mighty school of whales. Singin’!

Now over with them boats, me boys, an’ after him we’ll travel.
But if ye get too near his flukes, he’ll kick ye ter the Devil! Singin’!

An’ now that he is ours, me boys, we tow him alongside,
Then over with our blubber hooks, we rob him of his hide. Singin’!

But now that our ol’ ship is full and we don’t give a dam’.
We’ll bend on all our stuns’ls an’ sail for Yankee land. Singin’!

When we get home, our ship made fast and we get through our sailin’,
A brimmin’ glass around we’ll pass, an’ dam’ that blubber whalin’. Singin’!