Wellerman

This New Zealand folk song likely dates from the 19th century, but the first written evidence does not appear until 1969, making it difficult to pinpoint the date more specifically (at least one paper specifies the 1860s, but does not cite a source for the information). It has been performed by numerous singers throughout the years, but has recently seen a resurgence of popularity thanks to The Norfolk Broads (you may recognise one of their members).

The Longest Johns' version appears as track three on Between Wind and Water. In the wake of the 2021 Shanty Tok trend, it reached number 37 on the UK Singles chart.

### Factoids

The Weller Bros. was a Sydney, Australia-based shore-whaling company that operated primarily along the southern coast of New Zealand from 1830 to 1840. Though they had numerous vessels in their employ, none appear to have been named the Billy o' Tea. In the song, the **Wellerman** refers to a supply ship sent by the company.

**Billy** is slang for a makeshift kettle used for boiling water to make tea.

**Tonguing** refers to the process of butchering the whale after it was caught. In New Zealand, this was carried out by teams of "tonguers" onshore.

## Lyrics

These lyrics are based on the version performed by the Longest Johns on Between Wind and Water.

>
> There once was a ship that put to sea
>
> And the name of that ship was the Billy o' Tea
>
> The winds blew hard, her bow dipped down
>
> Blow, me bully boys, blow!
>
>
>
> {Chorus}
>
> (HUH!)
>
> Soon may the Wellerman come
>
> to bring us sugar and tea and rum
>
> One day, when the tonguin' is done
>
> We'll take our leave and go
>
>
>
> She had not been two weeks from shore
>
> When down on her a right whale bore
>
> The captain called all hands and swore
>
> He'd take that whale in tow
>
>
>
> {Chorus}
>
>
>
> Before the boat had hit the water
>
> The whale's tail came up and caught her
>
> All hands to the side, harpooned and fought her
>
> When she dived down below
>
>
>
> {Chorus}
>
>
>
> No line was cut, no whale was freed,
>
> The captain's mind was not on greed!
>
> But he belonged to the Whaleman's creed
>
> She took that ship in tow
>
>
>
> {Chorus}
>
>
>
> For forty days or even more
>
> the line went slack then tight once more
>
> All boats were lost, there were only four
>
> And still that whale did go
>
>
>
> {Chorus}
>
>
>
> As far as I've heard, the fight's still on
>
> The line's not cut, and the whale's not gone
>
> The Wellerman makes his regular call
>
> to encourage the captain, crew and all
>
>
>
> {Chorus x2}
>
>
>
>

## Recordings

#### Streaming/Purchase

* Amazon Music (Between Wind and Water version)
* Amazon Music (Commodore 1864 version)
* Amazon Music (feat. The Longest Johns Community Project)
* Amazon Music (feat. Strings Of The London Symphony Orchestra)
* Amazon Music (trap remix)
* Apple Music/iTunes (Between Wind and Water version)
* Apple Music/iTunes (Commodore 1864 version)
* Apple Music/iTunes (feat. The Longest Johns Community Project)
* Apple Music/iTunes (feat. Strings Of The London Symphony Orchestra)
* Apple Music/iTunes (trap remix)
* Bandcamp (Between Wind and Water version)
* Deezer (Between Wind and Water version)
* Deezer (Commodore 1864 version)
* Deezer (feat. The Longest Johns Community Project)
* Deezer (feat. Strings Of The London Symphony Orchestra)
* Deezer (trap remix)
* Pandora (Between Wind and Water version)
* Pandora (Commodore 1864 version)
* Pandora (feat. The Longest Johns Community Project)
* Pandora (feat. Strings Of The London Symphony Orchestra)
* Pandora (trap remix)
* Spotify (feat. The Longest Johns Community Project)
* Spotify (feat. Strings Of The London Symphony Orchestra)
* Spotify (Single release)
* Spotify (Between Wind And Water version)
* Spotify (Commodore 1864 version)

#### Youtube Videos

* Between Wind and Water version
* Commodore 1864 version
* “Can I Sing You A Song?” | Open Crewsing in Sea of Thieves
* The Wellerman | 360 Video in a Forest
* Happy New Year!
* Official Music Video
* Wellerman Community Project | 6500 Singers!
* Tuesday Folk People : The Longest Johns

#### Gig Videos

* Kings Square Gloucester Shanty Festival (27 May 2017)
* Festival Maritim Bremen Vegesack 2019
* Port Isaac Shanty Festival (8 Sep 2019)
* XXXIX Międzynarodowy Festiwal Piosenki Żeglarskiej (22 Feb 2020)
* Latitude 2021
* The Longest Johns at Shrewsbury Folk Festival (27 Aug 2021)
* Shrewsbury Folk Festival (28 Aug 2021)
* The Whelan's Dublin (3 Dec 2021)
* Old Songs (25 Feb 2022)
* Le Poisson Rouge (27 Feb 2022)
* Exeter Phoenix (26 Apr 2022)
* SoTFest (23 Jul 2022
* The Masquerade - Atlanta, GA (28 Oct 2022)
* The Studio at the Factory - Dallas, TX (23 Nov 2022)
* Velvet Underground - Toronto, ON (25 Nov 2022)
* Jimmy's - Liverpool, UK (9 Dec 2022)
* Kraków, Poland (26 Feb 2023)
* Cursus Festival 2023

#### Full Band Streams

* The Longest Johns and Friends, El Pony Pisador! (12 Aug 2018)
* The Longest Johns Impromptu Singing Stream! (17 Nov 2018)
* The Longest Johns Singing Stream from Newcastle (+special guests) (8 Dec 2018)
* Christmas Party with The Longest Johns!!! (19 Dec 2018)
* Surviving the first month of 2019 with The Longest Johns!!! (New donation system) (30 Jan 2019)
* The Longest Johns Streamtember (4 Sep 2019)
* Spooktober Spectacular and Farewell to Anna Livestream (30 Oct 2019)
* TLJ & Friends | Natalie Holmes (27 Nov 2019)
* Welcome to a New Decade with The Longest Johns (22 Jan 2020)
* Longest Johns Livestream | Lockdown Lullabies and Rousing Renditions (15 Apr 2020)
* Last Stream Before Album Launch! (27 May 2020)
* 100k Subscriber Thank You Stream (19 Aug 2020)
* Cary On My Wayward Stream (16 Sep 2020)
* (New Merch) I’m Goin’ Off the Rails on a Crazy Stream (14 Oct 2020)
* I Stream, You Stream, We all Scream for Live Stream (20 Jan 2021 @01:15:22)
* I Stream, You Stream, We all Scream for Live Stream (20 Jan 2021 @03:05:13)
* Nightmare on Elm Stream (27 Oct 2021)
* Desert Bus 2021 (19 Nov 2021)
* THE SING ALONG! JINGLE JAM 2021 - DAY 6! w/ The Longest Johns (9 Dec 2021)
* Official Folk Albums Chart of the Year Show (1 Feb 2022)
* Jingle Jam 2022 (10 Dec 2022)
* Jingle Jam 2023 | Day 4 (4 Dec 2023)

#### Chill Streams

* JD & Andy Chilltime - 13/01/2020
* Welcome to the Chilldome! With Andy - 15/03/2020
* Welcome to Chilltown! With Andy and JD - 23/03/2020
* Come on down to Chillbury Town! With Andy - 26/03/2020
* We all get songs in Chillbury Town! With Andy and JD - 06/04/2020
* Roll on down to Chillbury Town! With Andy - 10/04/2020
* Roll on UP to Chillbury Town! With Andy - 13/04/2020
* It’s a glorious morning in Chillbury Town! With Andy - 17/044/2020
* Welcome to the Chilldome! Playing mostly folk music… - 20/04/2020
* More chilled then a sack of penguins with Andy & JD - 27/04/2020
* Welcome to Chillville! Population: Andy 01/05/2020
* Roll on down to Chillbury Town with Andy & JD - 04/05/2020
* It’s a beautiful morning in Chillbury Town - 08/05/2020
* Look out I’m doing a music! - 22/05/2020
* Friday Morning Super Folk Music Time! - 29/05/2020
* Can you survive the chilldome? Playing mostly folk music… - 26/06/2020
* Super Friday Morning Folk Music Time with Andy - 03/07/2020
* Hold on to your hats! I’m attempting a music! - 28/08/2020
* Hold my herbal tea! I’m doing a music! - 04/09/2020
* Shut the front door! It’s a music! - 19/09/2020
* Bonus music time! GO! - 23/12/2020
* Mostly Folk Music - 8/01/2021
* Just one tired man and a banjo… - 17/01/2021

#### Gaming Streams

* Adventureson the Sea of Thieves with Andy and JD (29 Aug 2018)
* Anyone for a Shanty? | Sea of Thieves Singing Live stream!! (Part 1) (23 Sep 2020)
* Ocean of Larcenists! - Sailing & Singing with JD, Andy & Dave (21 Feb 2019)
* Sail and Sing! Sea of Thieves Stream - 18/05/2020
* Sing and Sail 2: Damp Boogaloo - 25/05/2020
* It’s sail and sing with special guest KHARITES\_! - 01/06/2020
* Sail & Sing! Lets get damp and sing shanties! - 08/06/2020
* Sing & Sail & Kegs me Skellyboys! - 15/06/2020
* Sea of Thieves Tall Tails Marathon for Charity : Full VOD Part 1 (29 Jun 2020)
* GHOST SHIP! And some singing I guess… 19/06/2020
* Sea of Sings (and probably thieves) - 26/06/2020
* Sea of Sings on a Monday afternoon, oh what a splendid sight to see - 29/06/2020
* Sea of Sings on a Friday evening, oh what a salty sight to sea - 03/07/2020
* Sea of Sings: Sing harder! - 06/07/2020
* Sea of Sings. Tonight we hit the high C’s… - 10/07/2020
* Sea of Sings! Let’s get boaty! - 20/07/2020
* Sea of Sings! Let’s get boaty! - 20/07/2020
* Musical larceny on the big blue wet thing - 10/08/2020
* Hoist Up The Thing - 14/08/2020
* I like big boats and I cannot lie - 17/08/2020
* Boat! Boat! Boat! Boat! Boat! - 21/08/2020
* Sea of Sings, Arena edition! w/ KHARITES\_ & xSHUMBAx - 24/08/2020
* It’s Sea of Sings! Featuring Krotukk! Huzzah! - 28/08/2020
* It’s Sea of Sings! Featuring Krotukk! Huzzah! - 28/08/2020
* Tunes and Topgallant Sails - 31/08/2020
* 4 Sloops 4 Furious - 04/09/2020
* Super Monday Afternoon Singing Time On The Sea! - 07/09/2020
* \*bangs table\* boat boat dogs vaults sing boat! - 11/09/2020
* Musical larceny on the big blue wet thing - 14/09/2020
* Musical larceny on the big blue wet thing - 14/09/2020
* Sing! Sail! Support friends! - 18/09/2020
* It’s boat time! Sea of Sings! 21/09/2020
* Sea of Sings? Sea of chaos! 25/09/2020
* Yarr harr fiddley Dee and all that. Sea of Sings! - 28/09/2020
* SHANT! - 02/10/2020
* Sea of Thieves? Singing? Splendid! - 09/10/2020
* Sea of Thieves? Singing? Splendid! - 09/10/2020
* Singing you say? On the sea you say? Sea of Sings! - 12/10/2020
* Sea of Sings! Yarr and all that… - 16/10/2020
* Sailing, Wailing and Failing with Captain Falcore! - 19/10/2020
* Sea of Sings! Let’s Shant! With Kharites & TeachCourage! - 23/10/2020
* Sea of Sings! 3 2 1 SHANT! - 26/10/2020
* DROPS! Sea of Sings! with BehavingBeardly! SHANT!- 30/10/2020
* Sea of Sings! With AsylumGC8! SHANT! - 31/10/2020
* Sea of Sings! With AsylumGC8! SHANT! - 31/10/2020
* Sea of Sings! With Spammals! SHANT! - 1/11/2020
* Sea of Sings! With Captain\_Falcore SHANT! - 2/11/2020
* Sea of Sings! With KroTukk! SHANT! - 3/11/2020
* Sea of Sings! Welcome to the Shantydome! - 6/11/2020
* Sea of Sings! - 13/11/2020
* All aboard the shant bus… i mean boat… i mean ship - 20/11/2020
* Full Friendship followed by Battle Royale! - 23/11/2020
* Sea of Adventure with BehavingBeardly - 27/11/2020
* Sea of Hijinks with Freyline - 29/11/2020
* Sea of Good Tidings - 30/11/2020
* Welcome to the Shantdome! - 4/12/2020
* Musical larceny on the big blue wet thing - 7/12/2020
* Musical larceny on the big blue wet thing - 7/12/2020
* Let’s do a sing and get int the sea !drops - 11/12/20202
* Let’s do pirate stuff - 12/12/2020
* Music and boat and stuff - 13/12/2020
* Let’s get splashy - 14/12/2020
* Jingle Drops Jingle Drops - 15/12/2020 (@59:58)
* Jingle Drops Jingle Drops - 15/12/2020 (@4:08:48)
* Let’s get splashy - 18/12/2020
* Sea of Sings, ye scurvy dogs! - 4/01/2021
* Get in the sea! It’s Sea of Sings! - 6/01/2021
* Let’s get piratical! Sea of Sings! - 8/01/2021
* Sea of Sings in the morning! - 11/01/2021 (@48:47)
* Sea of Sings in the morning! - 11/01/2021 (@4:11:04)
* Sea of Sings! Pirate malarkey afoot! - 15/01/2021 (@1:19:27)
* Sea of Sings! Pirate malarkey afoot! - 15/01/2021 (@1:31:58)
* Virtual Pirate Concert with Krotukk - 16/01/2021
* Boo! Surprise Sea of Sings! - 21/01/2021
* It’s yarr time! Sea of Sings!set sails to 100% - 22/01/2021
* Sea of Sings! Seasons or something! 29/01/2021
* Sea of Sings! Yarr? - 01/02/2021
* Game Dev stream! Yarrs for everyone! - 05/02/2021
* Sea of Sings! Let’s get splashy! 06/02/2021
* Sea of Sings with Azuki and HappyKrakenX - 08/02/2021 (@1:16:48)
* Sea of Sings with Azuki and HappyKrakenX - 08/02/2021 (@3:39:27)
* Sea of Sings with Teachcourage and TheSneakyBeagle - 09./02/2021
* Sea of Sings! Let’s get splashy! - 12/02/2021
* Sea of Sings LIVE | The Longest Johns Sea of Thieves Stream (31 Mar 2021)
* Sea of Sings! Boats and stuff! - 15/02/2021
* Sea of Sings - It’s boat time - 22/02/2021
* It’s Friday Funtimes! Let’s get in the sea! 26/02/2021
* Giveaway giveaways - Let’s get in the sea - 01/03/2021
* Sea of Sings! With Dave, JD and @Krotukk - 05/03/2021
* Sea of Sings! With JD, Dave, Robbie, and WIREDmag! - 08/03/2021
* Give it away, give it away, give it away now! | Sea of Sings - 15/03/2021
* Sea of Sings with Kharites\_! Let’s help her celebrate reaching 7k followers! 19/03/2021 S
* We give you drops, we give pirates treasure, we give you giveaways! - 22/03/2021
* Singing and Sailing in Sea of Thieves! With @RobRaven - 20/03/2021
* Giveaway Giveaways on the Waves! - 12/04/2021
* It’s time to get in the sea and do a music! - 30/04/2021
* How many pirates does it take to change THE MUSIC INDUSTRY AS WE KNOW IT?!? - 07/05/2021
* Four men and a baby. (The baby is our ship) - 10/05/2021
* Let’s get in the sea and do a music! 14/05/2021
* Safe and sound at home again, let the waters roar, chat! - 24/05/2021
* Help me, Bob, we’re bullies in a galley! - with Kharites\_ & Krotukk - 28/05/2021
* Roll on up, roll on down. We all get songs in Streaming Town - 31/05/2021
* A stream! Ho! Stream away, we’ll Sea of Thieves together, with Kharites - 04/06/2021
* Sea of Sings LIVE | The Longest Johns Sea of Thieves Stream (11 Aug 2021)
* The seas are alive, with the sound of cannons! With Kharites\_ and Krotukk - 30/07/2021
* Sing and Sail with Friends! Joined by @brionykay - 09/08/2021
* Friday funtime happy murder party! With Kharites & Krotukk - 13/08/2021
* Singing and a’Sailing with RobRaven - 16/08/2021
* \*\*Insert Stream Title Here\*\* - Sea of Sings with SneakyBeagle - 30/08/2021
* Set feet, Kro! Set feet, Kro! Set feet, Kro! Set feet, Kro! - 03/09/2021
* STREAM Stream stream… 27/09/2021
* To the boatmobile! There’s DROPS! - 01/10/2021
* Sailing with friends and singing shanties? I’d ship that! With Krotukk - 15/10/2021
* Too many gosh darned BUCKETS!!!!… - 18/10/2021
* SING OF THIEVES! JINGLE JAM 2021 - DAY 14! THE LONGEST JOHNS (17 Dec 2021)
* Bananas! Boil ‘em, mash ‘em, stick ‘em in a stew… - 25/10/2021
* Say “A shoddily shod ship” 3 times fast… 29/10/2021
* We’re Back!! First Sing & Sail of 2022 - 10/01/2022
* New things?!? Well, new to us anyway. Now with added Spammals!! - 28/03/2022
* Two SoT streams in one week?!? What is this, 2020? - 01/04/2022

1. ↑ https://www.fresnostate.edu/folklore/ballads/Colq010.html
2. ↑ https://journals.kvasirpublishing.com/af/article/download/192/264
3. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wellerman#The\_Longest\_Johns\_version
4. ↑ https://mudcat.org/@displaysong.cfm?SongID=5480
5. ↑ https://folksong.org.nz/soon\_may\_the\_wellerman/index.html