I Saw Three Ships

MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY NEW YEAR
This year's xmas carol is a really interesting one under mutliple aspects:
For starters, it is a perfect example for the antropomorphisms in religion. The narrative of the song tells us that the baby Jesus and Mary sail to Bethlehem onboard of one of those three ships (Josef got lost in translation, for his sake we assume he is the captain...). Now, we know that Bethlehem is not anywhere near the sea or even a lake (like e.g. the dead sea). The narrative disposes of the constraints of reality and places the christmas-story in the heart of England's own seafaring world. As Bavaria's tradition with the cradle surrounded by snow (which is just as unlikely in Bethlehem), every culture has their own adopted version of the Christmas story.
The second aspect is of musical nature: As for a real seafaring song, the rhythm of the first seven verses points clearly to its Shanty origins. It therefore clearly counterpoints the usually more poetic nature of Christmas songs by having a distinct rhythm and a structure that would garner any sailor-drinking-song just as well. The last verse however, shows the early adoption of the song into the English baroque choral music culture because, in its harmonies and complex voicing structure, it sounds much more like a Haendel oratorium.
The third aspect is one for musicologists: This song clearly has a so called "call & response"-Pattern. A phenomenon that musicologists claim as an invention of the African American gospel and blues tradition. Obviously, it has been around in England since the early baroque times....

THE 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 Savior Christ and His lady
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day
Our Savior Christ and His lady
On Christmas Day in the morning

Pray, wither sailed those ships all three
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day
Pray, wither 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 and sing
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day
Then let us all rejoice as sing
On Christmas Day in the morning

Видео I Saw Three Ships канала tubemaxie