I SAW THREE SHIPS

Music and text: English carol
Arrangement: Mack Wilberg

There are numerous textual variants of this whimsical carol about ships sailing into land-locked Bethlehem. Originally the lyrics may have referred to the wise men arriving on camels or “ships of the desert,” with the Magi gradually being replaced over time by the Holy Family. But the peculiar oddities of the lyrics are more than compensated for by the jaunty melody (most likely of English origin, from the early 17th century) and the easily-learned verse form, which have helped ensure the song’s enduring reputation as a classic.