Name: I Saw Three Ships
Duration: 3 min 30 s
Channel: Music & Lyrics: Traditional
Description: Free MP3 download. The 6th track of 'A Present From Christmas Past'

I Saw Three Ships

Tobe and Chris Richards

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Free download

The 6th track of 'A Present From Christmas Past'

pop rock folk country christmas chris paul bouzouki frettedfriends

Tobe and Chris Richards

Difficult to classify. Possibly folk, country, rock, pop...who knows?

Tobe A. Richards: Vocals, guitar, keyboards, mandolin, bass, bouzouki, cittern, cuatro, percussion etc. Chris Richards; Vocals Guests: Paul S. Baker: Vocals, keyboards, guitar, bass, autoharp, percussion etc.

Song Info

Genre

Rock • Folk Rock

Charts

Peak #447

Peak in subgenre #39

Author

Music & Lyrics: Traditional

Rights

Transongs 2006

Uploaded

April 09, 2006

Track Files

MP3

MP3 3.2 MB • 128 kbps • 3:30

Story behind the song

I Saw Three Ships was first published in William Sandys' 1833 'Christmas Carols, Ancient and Modern'.  The text seems straighforward enough until you reach for your atlas and discover Bethlehem is completely landlocked, so sailing to this Biblical town would prove a trifle difficult. The first explanation involves the three wise men or Magi travelling by boat to Constantinople and then onto Milan and Cologne. This obviously doesn't directly answer the Bethlehem riddle, though.  A second possible meaning lies in 14th century German imagery where Jesus' arrival is compared with a ship coming into port.  The melody itself is also featured in a number of secular folk songs.

Lyrics

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 in to Bethlehem
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day
O they sailed in to 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

On Playlists

@dominostein

Dominostein's christmas mix 1

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