G'day all,

This was requested by Arthur Marshall on another (relatively unconnected) thread and I promised to post the words and music. I can't see this on the DigiTrad under its correct name – or as Penguin Eggs or The Humpbacked Whale, names under which is turns up in England. We seem to have discussed this song and Harry Robertson, the author/singer, in another thread back around November 1999 (look for "Humpbacked Whale) but this is Harry's words and his beautiful (and very Scottish) Myxolydian tune.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

BALLINA WHALERS
Words and music by Harry Robertson

In '56 1 sailed on board a ship called Byron One,
She carried trawler men on deck and a harpoon whaling gun.
With a tractor as a whalewinch - the ship an old fairmile,
Twin diesels turned the props aroon - we whaled the Aussie style.
Refrain:
Heigh ho ye trawler men come on, forget the snapper and the prawn
It's out of Ballina we'll sail - a fishing for the humpback whale.

So keep a sharp lookout me lads - for the whale is on the run,
And we'll chase them into Byron Bay and kill them with our gun.
The harpoon and the line fly true - bedding deep into the whale,
And she split the timbers of the ship, with a flurry of her tail,
Refrain:
Heigh ho ye trawler men come on...

The rigging struts were snapped in two, we reeled beneath the blow,
Then the gunner fired a killer shot, and the humpback sank below.
Now make her tail fast to the bow - we've got no time for bed,
For four and twenty hours each day, we kept that factory fed.
Heigh ho ye trawler men come on...

The flensing men upon the land - some had been jackaroos,
But they skinned the blubber off them whales - like they'd skinned the kangaroos.
One hundred whales then fifty more - to the factory we did send,
Till a message said knock off me lads - the season's at an end.
Heigh ho ye trawler men come on...

Back into Ballina we sailed - tied up and stowed the gear,
Then all hands headed for the pub, and we filled ourselves with beer.
Heigh ho ye trawler men come on...
^^
Australian Tradition, VFMC, May 1970, p2

and here is Harry's tune:

ABC format:

X:1
T:
M:2/4
Q:1/4=100
K:C
B,8|E2E2^G,2^G,2|^G,2A,2B,3^G|A2^G2^F2E2|
^F2B,4B,2|E2E2^F2^F2|^G2^G2A4|-A6^G^F|E2^D2B,2^G,2|
B,6B,2|E2E2^G,2^G,2|^G,2A,2B,3^G|A2^G2^F2E2|
^F2B,4B,2|E2E2^F2^F2|^G2^G2A4|-A6^G^F|E2^D2B,2^G,2|
B,6^G2|A3^G^F2E2|^F2B,2B,2B,^C|D2D2^C2B,A,|
^G,2A,2B,3B,|E2E2^F2^F2|^G2^G2A2^G^F|E2^D2B,3^C|
D2^C2B,4|-B,3||

---

Click to play

To play or display ABC tunes, try concertina.net