I Saw Three Ships facts for kids
Quick facts for kids I Saw Three Ships |
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|---|---|
| Genre | Christmas |
| Language | English |
| Published | 1833 |
"I Saw Three Ships (Come Sailing In)" is a well-known Christmas carol from England. It's listed as number 700 in the Roud Folk Song Index, which is a huge collection of traditional songs.
The oldest printed version of this carol dates back to the 1600s, possibly from a place called Derbyshire. It was also published by William Sandys in 1833. People believe the song was originally known as "As I Sat On a Sunny Bank." It was especially popular in Cornwall, a county in southwest England.
Contents
Understanding the Lyrics
The words we sing today come from a version published in 1833 by William Sandys, who was an English lawyer and historian. The song has nine verses.
I saw three ships come sailing in
On Christmas day, on Christmas day;
I saw three ships come sailing in
On Christmas day in the morning.
And what was in those ships all three,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day?
And what was in those ships all three,
On Christmas day in the morning?
Our Saviour Christ and his lady,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day;
Our Saviour Christ and his lady,
On Christmas day in the morning.
Pray whither sailed those ships all three,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day?
Pray whither sailed those ships all three,
On Christmas day in the morning?
O they sailed into Bethlehem,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day;
O they sailed into Bethlehem,
On Christmas day in the morning.
And all the bells on earth shall ring,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day;
And all the bells on earth shall ring,
On Christmas day in the morning.
And all the Angels in Heaven shall sing,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day;
And all the Angels in Heaven shall sing,
On Christmas day in the morning.
And all the Souls on Earth shall sing,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day;
And all the Souls on Earth shall sing,
On Christmas day in the morning.
Then let us all rejoice amain,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day;
Then let us all rejoice amain,
On Christmas day in the morning.
What the Ships Mean
The lyrics mention ships sailing into Bethlehem. This is a bit puzzling because Bethlehem is far from any large body of water. The nearest sea is the Dead Sea, about 20 miles away.
People have different ideas about what the "three ships" might represent:
- Some think it refers to the three ships that carried the supposed treasures of the Biblical Magi (the wise men) to Cologne Cathedral in the 1100s.
- Another idea is that the "ships" are actually the camels used by the Magi. Camels are often called "ships of the desert" because they travel across vast sandy areas.
How the Song Was Collected
Many traditional versions of "I Saw Three Ships" have been collected over the years. Because it's a folk song, different people sang it with different tunes and slightly different words.
Early Collections
In the early 1900s, English folk music experts Cecil Sharp and Janet Blunt wrote down the tunes and lyrics of many versions. They found most of these in the south of England.
Recorded Versions
Several recordings of the song have been made:
- In the 1930s, American folk song collector James Madison Carpenter recorded different English versions. You can listen to these online. Many were recorded in Cornwall.
- In 1956, Peter Kennedy recorded a man named John Thomas singing the song in Camborne, Cornwall.
American Connections
The famous Appalachian musician Jean Ritchie sang a traditional version in 1949. She learned it from her family in Kentucky, whose ancestors likely brought the song from England. Jean Ritchie later recorded the song on her album Carols of All Seasons in 1959.
While visiting the British Isles in 1952, Jean Ritchie and her husband met an Irish singer named Elizabeth Cronin. Elizabeth sang a version of the song called "The Bells of Heaven."
Different Musical Versions
Many composers and musicians have created their own musical versions, called "arrangements," of "I Saw Three Ships." An arrangement is when someone takes an existing song and changes it slightly to make it sound new or fit a certain style.
- An arrangement by Martin Shaw is in the Oxford Book of Carols.
- The Carols for Choirs books include arrangements by Sir David Willcocks and John Rutter.
- Organist Simon Preston and Sir Philip Ledger have also written arrangements. These have been performed by the Choir of King's College, Cambridge.
- Composer Richard Fox also created a choral arrangement.
- The song is even featured in the musical Caroline, or Change.
- John Renbourn made a guitar version.
- Nat King Cole included an arrangement on his 1960 Christmas album.
Other Interesting Versions
There's a 19th-century version of the song that changes the lyrics to "I saw three ships come sailing by on New Year's Day." This version talks about three pretty girls on the ship who entertain at a wedding held on New Year's Day.
Popular Recordings
Many famous artists have recorded their own versions of "I Saw Three Ships":
- English musician Sting recorded a version for the album A Very Special Christmas 3 in 1997.
- Progressive rock singer Jon Anderson released a version as the title track of his album 3 Ships in 1985.
- Keyboardist Keith Emerson recorded an instrumental rock version on The Christmas Album (1988).
- In 1995, Glen Campbell recorded the song on his album Christmas with Glen Campbell.
- Barenaked Ladies recorded the song on their 2004 Christmas album Barenaked for the Holidays.
- Blackmore's Night included the song on their 2006 Christmas album Winter Carols.
- Lindsey Stirling released her version on her holiday album Warmer in the Winter.
See also
