Malvina Reynolds: Song Lyrics and Poems  

The Whale

Notes: words and music by Malvina Reynolds; copyright 1974 Schroder Music Company, renewed 2002.

The whale, the whale,
The citizen of the sea,
He has the right to live
And so does she.
In the ocean, in the wild,
She moves peaceful with her child
Till the harpoon wounds her young,
And she hovers to protect it,
And she's done.

The whale, the whale,
The citizen of the sea,
He sings his sonic song
And so does she.
He finds his mating ground
Till the whaler tracks him down,
Every quarter hour, they say,
One great whale is done away,
Done away.

The humpback and the blue,
The bowhead and the right,
Every quarter hour
Day and night.
Ocean creatures large and small,
There was room enough for all,
Till there came the rule of man,
Now the gentle whale is dogmeat
In the can.

The whale, the whale,
Four millions used to be
Their rightful population In the sea.
Few thousands now remain
And we harry them again,
As the whale goes, and the dolphin,
And the ocean, and the forest,
So will we.

Malvina Reynolds songbook(s) in which the music to this song appears:
---- The Malvina Reynolds Songbook
---- There's Music in the Air: Songs for the Middle-Young

Other place(s) where the music to this song appears:
---- Broadside No. 131 (April-June 1976)

Malvina Reynolds recording(s) on which this song is performed:
---- Held Over
---- Magical Songs

Recordings by other artists on which this song is performed:
---- Dragseth Duo: Vundaag [as "De Wal"] (Mor Akka Records 8701, 1987)