Irish traditional song lyrics — collected by Beer Belly Band.
The noble fleet of whalers came sailing from Dundee
Well manned by British sailors to work upon the sea
On the western ocean passage none with them can compare
For there’s not a ship could make the trip as Balena I declare
Chorus:
The wind is on the quarter and her engine working free
And there’s not another whaler that sails out from Dundee
Can beat the ould Balena she’ll need no trial run
For we challenge all both great and small from Dundee to St. John
It happened on Tuesday three days out of Dundee
The Gale took off the long boat and a couple of men you see
That took away our bulwark out stanchions and our rails
And left the ould Balena a frothing in the gales
There’s a new built Terra Nova she’s a model with no doubt
There’s the “Arctic” and the “Aurora” you’ve heard so much about
There’s Jacklin’s model mail-boat the terror of the sea
Couldn’t beat the ould Balena boys on a passage from Dundee
Chorus
Bold Jacklin cut the canvas and fairly raised the steam
And Captain Guy with Erin boy goes ploughing through the stream
But Millan says the “Eskimo” could beat the bloomin’ lot
But to beat the ould Balena boys they’d find it rather hot
And now that we have landed boys where the rum is mighty cheap
We’ll drink success to Captain Guy for getting o’er the deep
And health to all our sweethearts and to our wives so fair
Not another ship could make that trip but the Balena I declare
Chorus
Chorus