The Humpback Whale

Fifty six I sailed aboard
 A ship called Byron One
 She's carried trawler men on deck
 And a harpoon whaling gun
 Oh you trawlermen, come on
 Forget your snapper and your prawn
 For it's out of Ballina we'll sail
 Fishing for the humpback whale
 A tractor for a whale winch
 And the ship's an all fair mile
 Twin diesels turn the screws around
 She'll whale in a fine old style
 Oh you trawlermen, come on
 Forget your snapper and your prawn
 For it's out of Ballina we'll sail
 Fishing for the humpback whale
 Keep a sharp look-out my lads
 The whale he's on the run
 And we'll drive him into Byron Bay
 And we'll shoot him with our gun
 Oh you trawlermen, come on
 Forget your snapper and your prawn
 For it's out of Ballina we'll sail
 Fishing for the humpback whale
 The harpoon and the line fly through
 Very deep into the whale
 She split the timbers of the ship
 With a flurry of her tail
 Oh you trawlermen, come on
 Forget your snapper and your prawn
 For it's out of Ballina we'll sail
 Fishing for the humpback whale
 The rugging struts are snapped in two
 We reel beneath the blow
 The gunner fires a killer shot
 And that humpback's sent below
 Oh you trawlermen, come on
 Forget your snapper and your prawn
 For it's out of Ballina we'll sail
 Fishing for the humpback whale
 Make the tail fast to the bows
 We got no more time for bed
 For four and twenty hours each day
 We kept that factory fed
 Oh you trawlermen, come on
 Forget your snapper and your prawn
 For it's out of Ballina we'll sail
 Fishing for the humpback whale
 The friends and men upon the land
 Some had been Jackaroos
 They skin the blubber from the whales
 Like they were skinning kangaroos
 Oh you trawlermen, come on
 Forget your snapper and your prawn
 For it's out of Ballina we'll sail
 Fishing for the humpback whale
 A hundred whales and then fifty more
 Through the factory we did send
 And then the orders came - knock off me lads
 Your season's at an end
 Oh you trawlermen, come on
 Forget your snapper and your prawn
 For it's out of Ballina we'll sail
 Fishing for the humpback whale
 Back in to Ballina we steered
 Tied up and stowed the gear
 All hands headed for the pub
 And we filled ourselves with beer