The diamond is a ship my boys, for greenland she is bound
and the quay it is all garnished with bonny lassies 'round
the captain gives the order to sail the ocean wide
where the sun it never sets my lads no darkness dims the tide
Chorus:
so cheer up my lads let your hearts never fail
while the bonnie ship the diamond goes fishin' for the whale
Along the quay at peterhead, the lassies stand around
with their shawls about their heads and salt tears runnin' down
i'll never weep my bonny lad though i'm left behind
for there's not a rose on greenland's ice to make you change your mind
Chorus
Here's a health to the resolution likewise the eliza swan
a health to the battler of montrose and the diamond ship of fame
they wear the trousers of the white the jackets of the blue
when they return to peterhead they'll find that we've been true
Chorus
It'll be bright both day and night when the greenland lads come home
with a ship that's full of oil my lads and money to their name
they'll make the cradles for to rock and the blankets for to tear
and every lass in peterhead sing hush-a-bye my dear
Chorus