When my grandpa was a boy, he went down to the general 
store.
Saw a picture book of a whale, shootin' his spout and 
slappin' his tail.
Then he got a sailor's dream, cruisin' around those 
salty sea.
Joinin' up with a fishin crew, go out and get him a 
whale or two.
Tell me what kind of men are these that sail across 
salty seas.
Up in the rigging in the afternoon, swab the decks and 
sharpen harpoons.
Hooray, up she rises. Hooray, up she rises. Hooray, up 
she rises.
Early in the morning.
Lots of whales in the deep blue sea, and we kill them 
for the industry.
Drag 'em alongside and cut 'em in two, melt them down 
and sell ‘em to you.
Hardly is a sailor alive, who can keep the tears from 
his eyes.
As he remembers the good old days when there were no 
whales to save.
Now we can thank the companies, for scouring the deep, 
blue seas.
Lookin' for ivory and perfume, oil to light your living 
rooms.
Hooray, up she rises. Hooray, up she rises. Hooray, up 
she rises.
Early in the morning.
Shanghi'd by the light of the moon, put out of Boston 
in the middle of June.
After six months you begin to see nothing but death and 
misery.
Set out on a three year cruise, a Union ship and a 
Union crew.
After six months you began to see, whalin's not what it 
used to be.
Modern ship, modern crew, sonar scopes and explodin' 
harpoons.
A mechanical boat built out of steel,
A floatin' machine built to kill 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 a whale, shootin' his spout and 
slappin' his tail.
Then he got a sailor's dream, cruisin' around those 
salty sea.
Joinin' up with a fishin crew go out and get him a 
whale or two.
Tell me what kind of men are these that sail across the 
salty seas.
Up in the rigging in the afternoon, swab decks and 
sharpen harpoons.
Hooray, up she rises. Hooray, up she rises. Hooray, up 
she rises.
So early in the morning.