Paddy and the Whale

Burl Ives - Paddy and the Whale

Chorus:
Caterwaulin', tarpaulin
Harpoonin' and all

Paddy Maloney left Ireland in glee
He had a strange notion to sail the Ross Sea
He shipped in a whalecatcher South Georgia bound
And the way that she pitched made his head go around

Paddy had never been whaling before
It made his heart leap when he heard the loud roar
The lookout he cried that a whale he had spied
Begod, says poor Pat, I'll be ate by and by

Now Paddy run for'ard and reached for the mast
He caught it a gripper and there he held fast
The boat gave a tip and poor Pat lost his grip
And into the whale's belly the silly fool slipped

He was in that whale's belly six months and a day
Till one morning by luck to its throat he made way
The whale gave a hoosh, boys, and then she did blow
And a mile in the air went old Paddy Maloney

Paddy got spat out quite safe on the shore
He swears that he'll not go to sea any more
And the next time he follows a venturesome notion
It'll be when the railway runs over the ocean