Captain Billy said to the boy, climb the mast and watch for her to blow

Tis a hard, hard life of a sailor  no matter where you go

Climb the mast and wait my mate for the breach will surely come

We will have our whale before this day is done

Tis a hard, hard life of a sailor, no matter where you go

 

Captain Billy said you have got to pull the oars with all your might

It’s a tired, tired sailor man that lays down to greet the night

Aim the harp and throw it right and quickly make the kill

I wish that this was not the way, I wish it wasn’t so

Tis a hard, hard life of a sailor  no matter where you go

 

Captain Billy said the folks at home are waiting for the oil that we hold

They need it for their lights to shine and keep them from the cold

I wish that this was not the way, I wish it wasn’t so

Tis a hard, hard life of a sailor no matter where you go

 

Captain Billy lived his life but that was then and Now is Now

We now have the power of the sun and cheap electricity

But we still kill the whales that roam about the sea

I wish that this was not the way, I wish it wasn’t so

Tis a hard, hard life of a sailor no matter where you go

 

Captain Billy, He’s passed on and all his whales are almost gone

We’ll leave nothing left before our day is done

There will be no more whales, no not one

I wish that this was not the way, I wish it wasn’t so

Tis a hard, hard life of a sailor no matter where you go