The Greenland Whale Fisheries (Traditional) Hamish, Derek, Ian line-up, though only Derek sings.

 

In eighteen hundred and twenty-four

On March the eighteenth day,

We hoist our colors to the top of the mast

And to Greenland sailed away, brave boys,

And to Greenland sailed away.

 

Now the lookout, on the mainmast stood

With spyglass in his hand;

There's a whale, there's a whale,

A whalefish he cried

And she blows at every span, brave boys

And she blows at every span.

 

Now the harpoon struck and the lines played out,

But she gave such a flourish with her tail,

She capsized our boat and we lost five men,

And we could not catch that whale, brave boys,

And we could not catch that whale.

 

Oh Greenland is a barren place

It's a place that bears no green

Where there's ice and snow, and the whalefishes blow

And the daylight's seldom seen, brave boys

And the daylight's seldom seen

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