When my grandpa was a boy, he went down to the general store.
Saw a picture book of whales, shootin' his spout and flashin' his tail.
Then he go, a sailor's dream, cruisin' around on the salty sea.
Joinin' up with a fisher crew go out and get him a whale or two.
Tell me what kind of men are these that sail upon the salty seas.
Lovin' and drinkin' in the afternoon, swabbin' the deck and sharpnin' harpoons.

Hooray, up she rises. Hooray, up she rises. Hooray, up she rises.
So early in the morning.

Lots of whales in the deep blue sea, we kill them for the companies.
Drag 'em alongside and chop 'em in two, melt them down and sail it to you.
There hardly is a sailor alive, who can keep a tear from his eye.
Cause he remembers the good old days when there were no whales to save.
Thank the Russians and the Japanese for scouring the deep, blue sea.
Lookin' for ivory and perfume, all the light you'll ever need.

Hooray, up she rises. Hooray, up she rises. Hooray, up she rises.
So early in the morning.

Shanghi got a lot on the move, put out from Boston in the middle of June.
Thirty-six months out at sea is nothing but death and misery.
Set off on a three year cruise, Union ship and a Union crew.
And after six months he began to see, whalin' not what it used to be.
A modern ship and a modern crew, occalascopes and explodin' harpoons.
A mechanical boat made of steel,
A floatin' machine just to kill all the whales.

Hooray, up she rises. Hooray, up she rises. Hooray, up she rises.
So early in the mornin'.

When my grandpa was a boy, he went down to the general store.
Saw a picture book of whales, shootin' his spout and flashin' his tail.
Then he got a sailor's dream, cruisin' around on the salty sea.
Joinin' up with a fisher crew go out and get him a whale or two.
Tell me what kind of men are these that sail upon the salty seas.
Lovin' and drinkin' in the afternoon, swabbin' the deck and sharpnin' harpoons.

Hooray, up she rises. Hooray, up she rises. Hooray, up she rises.
So early in the morning.