[The Pogues' Version]

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In eighteen hundred and forty-six

And of March the eighteenth day,

We hoisted our colors to the top of the mast

And for Greenland sailed away, brave boys,

And for Greenland sailed away.



The lookout in the crosstrees stood

With spyglass in his hand;

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

And a whalefish he cried

And she blows at every span, brave boys

She blows at every span.



The captain stood on the quarter deck,

The ice was in his eye;

Overhaul, overhaul! Let your gibsheets fall,

And you'll put your boats to sea, brave boys

And you'll put your boats to sea.



Our harpoon struck and the line played out,

With a single flourish of his tail,

He capsized the boat and we lost five men,

And we did not catch the whale, brave boys,

And we did not catch the whale.



The losing of those five jolly men,

It grieved the captain sore,

But the losing of that fine whalefish

Now it grieved him ten times more, brave boys

Now it grieved him ten times more.



Oh Greenland is a barren land

A land that bares 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.







[Greenland Fisheries]

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'Twas in eighteen hundred and fifty-three

And of June the thirteenth day,

That our gallant ship her anchor weighed,

And for Greenland bore away, brave boys,

And for Greenland bore away.



The lookout in the crosstrees stood

With spyglass in his hand;

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

there's whalefish he cried

And she blows at every span, brave boys

She blows at every span.



The captain stood on the quarter deck,

And a fine little man was he;

Overhaul, overhaul! Let your davit tackles fall,

And launch your boats for sea, brave boys

And launch your boats for sea.



Now the boats were launched and the men aboard,

And the whale was full in view.

Resolved was each seaman bold

To steer where the whalefish blew, brave boys

To steer where the whalefish blew.



We stuck the whale the line paid out,

But she gave a flourish with her tail,

The boat capsized and four men were drowned,

And we never caught that whale, brave boys,

And we never caught that whale.



To lose the whale, our captain said,

It grieves my heart full sore,

But oh! to lose (those) four gallant men

It grieves me ten times more, brave boys

It grieves me ten times more.



The winter star doth now appear,

So, boys we'll anchor weight;

It's time to leave this cold country

And homeward bear away, brave boys

And homeward bear away.



Oh Greenland is a dreadful place

A land that's never green

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

and the daylight's seldom seen brave boys

But the daylight's seldom seen.