The Pogues - Greenland Whale Fisheries: Guitar Chords

Learn to play "Greenland Whale Fisheries" on your guitar with our chord guide. This page provides everything you need to perform this song on the guitar, including lyrics integrated with chords, chord diagrams, and a key transposer to match your vocal range.

G                        D     G
In eighteen hundred and forty-six
    C         G          D
On March the eighteenth day
    G                         C
We hoisted our colors to the top of the mast
G         C        D       G           D
And for Greenland sailed away, brave boys
G         C        D       G
And for Greenland sailed away

The lookout in the crosstrees had stood
With spyglass in his hand
"There's a whale, there's a whale and a whalefish,"
he cried
"And she blows at every span, brave boys
She blows at every span"

The captain stood on the quarter deck
The ice was in his eye
Overhaul, overhaul, let your gibsheets fall
And you'll put your boats to sea, brave boys
And you'll put your boats to sea

The harpoon struck and the line played out
With a single flourish of his tail
He capsized our boat and we lost five men
And we did not catch the whale, brave boys
And we did not catch the whale

The losing of those five jolly men
It grieved our captain sore
But the losing of that fine whalefish
Now it grieved him ten times more, brave boys
Now it grieved him ten times more

Oh Greenland is a barren land
A land that bares no green
Where there's ice and snow, and the whalefishes blow
And the daylight's seldom seen, brave boys
And the daylight's seldom seen

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Guitar Chord Diagrams

C

Guitar chord C

D

Guitar chord D

G

Guitar chord G

Here you can see detailed diagrams for each guitar chord used in the song. Utilize our key transposer to adjust the chords to a key that better fits your singing range. Simply select the desired key, and the chords throughout this page will update automatically, ensuring you can play and sing comfortably.

If you are also interested in learning how to play "Greenland Whale Fisheries" on the ukulele, check out the chords on our sister site: Ukulele Chords for "Greenland Whale Fisheries" by The Pogues.

The Pogues Song List