Christmas songs for guitar--I Saw Three Ships
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GUITAR TECHNIQUE TIP OF THE MONTH Your classical guitar lesson |
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We have a Printer Friendlier (PDF) version of this article on Christmas guitar music
and Douglas Niedt's classical guitar arrangement of the Christmas carol, I Saw Three
Ships that's also easier on the eyes. It's SO much easier to read a printed article than
to read it from the computer screen.
and Douglas Niedt's classical guitar arrangement of the Christmas carol, I Saw Three
Ships that's also easier on the eyes. It's SO much easier to read a printed article than
to read it from the computer screen.
| A Christmas Gift For You. I Saw Three Ships Christmas sheet music for guitar Standard notation for classical guitar and Christmas guitar tab |
By Douglas Niedt
Copyright Douglas Niedt, All Rights Reserved. This music may be reprinted, but please be
considerate and give credit to Douglas Niedt.
You are on DouglasNiedt.com
For my November technique tip, I always enjoy giving a little Christmas gift to my fellow
guitarists. It is a classical guitar arrangement of the Christmas song, I Saw Three Ships. I have
made it easy enough that it won't be too much of a struggle to learn by Christmas. Unlike
some easy or watered down classical guitar arrangements, I think this one has some nice
twists and sounds really good.
The words of this English carol (its alternate title is On Christmas Day in the Morning) were
first published in 1666. The wonderfully bouncy tune in 6/8 is thought to be a traditional
English melody. Historians love to debate the symbolism found within the different versions
(there are many) of the lyrics. Most believe the three ships were meant to represent the three
Wise Men. The "three ships" refers to the belief that there were three Wise Men--the number
three coming from the number of gifts brought to the Christ child. However, the number of
Wise Men has been estimated from two to twelve over the centuries.
Over the passage of time, the Holy Family was substituted for the Magi as symbols for the
"three ships" in the lyrics. Others hypothesize the three ships are references to the Holy
Trinity. Still others contend the three ships are a reference to 1 Corinthians 13:13 (King
James Version), "And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these
is charity.”
No matter the interpretation, it one of the most delightful and enduring Christmas carols of all
time.
To be honest, I never paid much attention to the lyrics of this carol. The words "I saw three
ships" never connected with me or aroused my curiosity. I just liked the energy and lilt of the
melody. But it turns out the background to the lyrics is fascinating.
The many variant texts of this carol can be attributed to the Mediterranean journeys of the
"relics" (skeletal remains--skulls, possibly nearly entire skeletons) of the Magi. Some
historians say it was the Empress Helena (Saint Helen), mother of Constantine the Great, who
carried the relics to Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) in the 4th century. They were taken to
Milan by St. Eustathius in 344. They were finally given to the Archbishop of Cologne, Germany
in 1164.
A shrine to hold the relics was finished circa 1225. It is a large gilded and decorated triple
sarcophagus or casket:
Here is another view:
Construction of the present Cologne Cathedral was begun in 1248 to house this important
shrine containing the relics. The cathedral took 632 years to complete and is now the
largest Gothic church in northern Europe. Have a look:
Here is the interior:
On July 20, 1864, the shrine was opened, and the remains and 2000-year-old clothes of the
Three Kings were examined. An eyewitness report of the time reads:
One version of the carol includes these, in light of the above, amazing lines:
I axed 'em what they'd got on board
They said they'd got three crawns (skulls)
I axed 'em where they was taken to
They said they was ganging to Coln upon Rhine (Cologne, Germany)
I axed 'em where they came frae
They said they came frae Bethlehem
You are on DouglasNiedt.com
It is likely that in English versions of the song, the voyage to Cologne has been fused and
confused with the idea of the three ships symbolizing the magi (arriving at a landlocked
Bethlehem!), and later the Holy Family.
I Have Three Versions of this guitar Christmas song
I have included three versions of this Christmas guitar song, each in standard notation AND
as a Christmas guitar tab:
For this classical guitar arrangement, I chose the key of A major to keep the melody in a
higher range and because the melody could be played in natural harmonics in this key.
The fingering choices in the Christmas song were made to keep the melody on the first string
for an even tone quality.
All the versions of this energetic Christmas song contain natural harmonics at the 9th fret
(Version 2 also has a harmonic at the 4th fret). On most classical guitars, harmonics at those
frets are slightly out of tune. Don't try to fix them--you will only throw off the tuning of the other
strings. I think the slightly off intonation gives the passages a charming music box effect.
Speaking of harmonics, in the standard notation staves, I used diamond-shaped notes to
indicate natural harmonics. These diamond-shaped notes are NOT the pitches that come out
of the guitar! They are notations of where you place your fingers to produce the harmonics.
Remember, on the classical guitar, to get a clear and loud natural harmonics, always
pluck the strings 1-3 inches from the bridge--not at the soundhole.
There is no one tempo for any of these versions. You can even adopt a freely changing
tempo. Do what sounds good to you and what you can play well. The Basic Version is
especially versatile in terms of tempo choice.
My special thanks goes to composer/guitarist Elizabeth Niedt for her valuable assistance with
this classical guitar arrangement.
You are on DouglasNiedt.com
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 who do you think was in them then?
On Christmas day, on Christmas day
And who do you think was in them then
But Joseph and his lady
He did whistle and she did sing
On Christmas day, on Christmas day
He did whistle and she did sing
On Christmas day in the morning
And all the bells on earth did ring
On Christmas day, on Christmas day
And all the bells on earth did ring
On Christmas day in the morning
And all the angels in heaven did sing
On Christmas day, on Christmas day
And all the angels in heaven did sing
On Christmas day in the morning
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
Or, another common version of the Christmas carol:
Source: William Sandys, Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern (London: Richard Beckley,
1833)
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.
Oh, they sailed into Bethlehem,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day,
Oh, 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.
Merry Christmas. Enjoy!
You are on DouglasNiedt.com
Copyright Douglas Niedt, All Rights Reserved. This music may be reprinted, but please be
considerate and give credit to Douglas Niedt.
You are on DouglasNiedt.com
For my November technique tip, I always enjoy giving a little Christmas gift to my fellow
guitarists. It is a classical guitar arrangement of the Christmas song, I Saw Three Ships. I have
made it easy enough that it won't be too much of a struggle to learn by Christmas. Unlike
some easy or watered down classical guitar arrangements, I think this one has some nice
twists and sounds really good.
The words of this English carol (its alternate title is On Christmas Day in the Morning) were
first published in 1666. The wonderfully bouncy tune in 6/8 is thought to be a traditional
English melody. Historians love to debate the symbolism found within the different versions
(there are many) of the lyrics. Most believe the three ships were meant to represent the three
Wise Men. The "three ships" refers to the belief that there were three Wise Men--the number
three coming from the number of gifts brought to the Christ child. However, the number of
Wise Men has been estimated from two to twelve over the centuries.
Over the passage of time, the Holy Family was substituted for the Magi as symbols for the
"three ships" in the lyrics. Others hypothesize the three ships are references to the Holy
Trinity. Still others contend the three ships are a reference to 1 Corinthians 13:13 (King
James Version), "And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these
is charity.”
No matter the interpretation, it one of the most delightful and enduring Christmas carols of all
time.
To be honest, I never paid much attention to the lyrics of this carol. The words "I saw three
ships" never connected with me or aroused my curiosity. I just liked the energy and lilt of the
melody. But it turns out the background to the lyrics is fascinating.
The many variant texts of this carol can be attributed to the Mediterranean journeys of the
"relics" (skeletal remains--skulls, possibly nearly entire skeletons) of the Magi. Some
historians say it was the Empress Helena (Saint Helen), mother of Constantine the Great, who
carried the relics to Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) in the 4th century. They were taken to
Milan by St. Eustathius in 344. They were finally given to the Archbishop of Cologne, Germany
in 1164.
A shrine to hold the relics was finished circa 1225. It is a large gilded and decorated triple
sarcophagus or casket:
Here is another view:
Construction of the present Cologne Cathedral was begun in 1248 to house this important
shrine containing the relics. The cathedral took 632 years to complete and is now the
largest Gothic church in northern Europe. Have a look:
Here is the interior:
On July 20, 1864, the shrine was opened, and the remains and 2000-year-old clothes of the
Three Kings were examined. An eyewitness report of the time reads:
- "In a special compartment of the shrine now there showed-- along with remains of
ancient old rotten or moulded bandages, most likely byssus (a fine-textured linen of
ancient times, used by the Egyptians for wrapping mummies), besides pieces of
aromatic resins and similar substance-- numerous bones of three persons, which under
the guidance of several present experts could be assembled into nearly complete
bodies: the one in his early youth, the second in his early manhood, the third was rather
aged…"
One version of the carol includes these, in light of the above, amazing lines:
I axed 'em what they'd got on board
They said they'd got three crawns (skulls)
I axed 'em where they was taken to
They said they was ganging to Coln upon Rhine (Cologne, Germany)
I axed 'em where they came frae
They said they came frae Bethlehem
You are on DouglasNiedt.com
It is likely that in English versions of the song, the voyage to Cologne has been fused and
confused with the idea of the three ships symbolizing the magi (arriving at a landlocked
Bethlehem!), and later the Holy Family.
I Have Three Versions of this guitar Christmas song
I have included three versions of this Christmas guitar song, each in standard notation AND
as a Christmas guitar tab:
- Christmas sheet music for guitar: Basic version. This is for early intermediate players.
You don't have to do bar chords and most of the execution should be doable in a few
weeks. It can be played slowly and still sound good.
- Listen to me play the Basic Version of the Christmas carol. (A separate window will open
that you can minimize in order to still see the written musical example as you listen.)
- Christmas sheet music for guitar Version 2: This version of the Christmas carol is for
intermediate level and above. It has bar chords and fancier variations and harmonies.
- Listen to me play Version 2. (A separate window will open that you can minimize in order
to still see the written musical example as you listen.)
- Christmas sheet music for guitar Version 3: Again, this version of the Christmas carol is
for intermediate level and above. This one has a little variation in harmonics that is very
fun and a different ending. It also has the more advanced harmonies of Version 2 (the
first four pages are identical).
- Listen to me play Version 3. (A separate window will open that you can minimize in order
to still see the written musical example as you listen.)
For this classical guitar arrangement, I chose the key of A major to keep the melody in a
higher range and because the melody could be played in natural harmonics in this key.
The fingering choices in the Christmas song were made to keep the melody on the first string
for an even tone quality.
All the versions of this energetic Christmas song contain natural harmonics at the 9th fret
(Version 2 also has a harmonic at the 4th fret). On most classical guitars, harmonics at those
frets are slightly out of tune. Don't try to fix them--you will only throw off the tuning of the other
strings. I think the slightly off intonation gives the passages a charming music box effect.
Speaking of harmonics, in the standard notation staves, I used diamond-shaped notes to
indicate natural harmonics. These diamond-shaped notes are NOT the pitches that come out
of the guitar! They are notations of where you place your fingers to produce the harmonics.
Remember, on the classical guitar, to get a clear and loud natural harmonics, always
pluck the strings 1-3 inches from the bridge--not at the soundhole.
There is no one tempo for any of these versions. You can even adopt a freely changing
tempo. Do what sounds good to you and what you can play well. The Basic Version is
especially versatile in terms of tempo choice.
My special thanks goes to composer/guitarist Elizabeth Niedt for her valuable assistance with
this classical guitar arrangement.
You are on DouglasNiedt.com
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 who do you think was in them then?
On Christmas day, on Christmas day
And who do you think was in them then
But Joseph and his lady
He did whistle and she did sing
On Christmas day, on Christmas day
He did whistle and she did sing
On Christmas day in the morning
And all the bells on earth did ring
On Christmas day, on Christmas day
And all the bells on earth did ring
On Christmas day in the morning
And all the angels in heaven did sing
On Christmas day, on Christmas day
And all the angels in heaven did sing
On Christmas day in the morning
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
Or, another common version of the Christmas carol:
Source: William Sandys, Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern (London: Richard Beckley,
1833)
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.
Oh, they sailed into Bethlehem,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day,
Oh, 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.
Merry Christmas. Enjoy!
You are on DouglasNiedt.com
Have a comment?
Question?
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Question?
Suggestion for the website?
We would love to hear from you.
We have a Printer Friendlier (PDF) version of this article on Christmas guitar music
and Douglas Niedt's classical guitar arrangement of the Christmas carol, I Saw Three
Ships that's also easier on the eyes. It's SO much easier to read a printed article than
to read it from the computer screen.
and Douglas Niedt's classical guitar arrangement of the Christmas carol, I Saw Three
Ships that's also easier on the eyes. It's SO much easier to read a printed article than
to read it from the computer screen.
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The Story Behind the Christmas Carol
Fascinating facts about this Christmas song you are dying to know
And now, the Christmas sheet music for guitar
About the key and fingering of this classical guitar Christmas arrangement
Lots of Harmonics
How Fast Should You Play It?
Finally, Here are Two Common Versions of the Lyrics of this Fascinating Christmas Song
My Technique Tips are very detailed and in-depth articles
and high-def videos on how to play the classical guitar.
Need info on classical guitar right hand technique? Guitar
scales? How to play bar chords? Harmonics? Looking for a
classical guitar practicing routine? Tips on performing
onstage? How to tune a guitar? Looking for easy Christmas
arrangements?
Chances are, I have covered it, or will soon.
The tips are by subscription only. However, you can still
access many of my previous tips in my Secret Vault for free.
This tip is a special one. It is a guitar Christmas song, I
Saw Three Ships. This classical guitar arrangement is
fairly easy. It's in standard classical guitar notation and
Christmas guitar tab.
and high-def videos on how to play the classical guitar.
Need info on classical guitar right hand technique? Guitar
scales? How to play bar chords? Harmonics? Looking for a
classical guitar practicing routine? Tips on performing
onstage? How to tune a guitar? Looking for easy Christmas
arrangements?
Chances are, I have covered it, or will soon.
The tips are by subscription only. However, you can still
access many of my previous tips in my Secret Vault for free.
This tip is a special one. It is a guitar Christmas song, I
Saw Three Ships. This classical guitar arrangement is
fairly easy. It's in standard classical guitar notation and
Christmas guitar tab.
Be a better guitar player or teacher!
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A one-year subscription (12 tips) is only $24. That is only $2 per tip.
Purchase a ONE-YEAR SUBSCRIPTION to:
DOUGLAS NIEDT'S GUITAR TECHNIQUE TIP OF THE MONTH
Doug's Guitar Technique Tip of the Month will be sent to you monthly. These are the best on the
Internet. No one else's technique articles and videos even come close. Most of the written tips run
over 20 pages. Most of the videos run from 15-30 minutes. The tips are thorough and the
production is excellent. Check out the free tips in Doug's Vault for a sampling.
A one-year subscription (12 tips) is only $24. That is only $2 per tip.