From Walt Disney’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
Words and music by Norman Gimbel and Al Hoffman.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment track:
Lyrics
Chorus
Got a whale of a tale to tell ya, lads
A whale of a tale or two
‘Bout the flappin’ fish and the girls I’ve loved
On nights like this with the moon above
A whale of a tale and it’s all true
I swear by my tattoo
1. There was Mermaid Minnie, met her down in Madagascar
She would kiss me, any time that I would ask her
Then one evening her flame of love blew out
Blow me down and pick me up
She swapped me for a trout
2. There was Typhoon Tessie, met her on the coast of Java
When we kissed I bubbled up like molten lava
Then she gave me the scare of my young life
Blow me down and pick me up
She was the captain’s wife
3. Then there was Harpoon Hannah
Had a look that spelled out danger
My heart quivered when she whispered “I’m there, Stranger”
Bought her trinkets that sailors can’t afford
And when I spend my last red cent
She tossed me overboard
Sung here by Vancha March: