A Nursery Song about New Year’s Day – “I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing By”
December 31st, 2005

I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing By

I saw three ships come sailing by,
Come sailing by, come sailing by.
I saw three ships come sailing by,
On New Year’s Day in the morning.

And what do you think was in them then?
Was in them then, was in them then?
And what do you think was in them then,
On New Year’s Day in the morning?

Three pretty girls were in them then,
Were in them then, were in them then.
Three pretty girls were in them then,
On New Year’s Day in the morning.

And one could whistle, and one could sing,
And one could play on the violin,
Such joy there was at my wedding,
On New Year’s Day in the morning.

4 Responses to “A Nursery Song about New Year’s Day – “I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing By””

  1. John Hetland Says:
    July 1st, 2006 at 12:07 pm

    This is similar to a Christmas carol we sing every year; I don’t know the source:

    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… etc.

    Pray whither sailed those ships all three? …

    O they sailed into Bethlehem…

    And all the bells on earth shall ring…

    And all the angels in Heaven shall sing…

    And all the souls on earth shall sing…

    Then let us all rejoice amain!…

  2. John Hetland Says:
    July 1st, 2006 at 12:13 pm

    The above carol is in “The Oxford Book of Carols,” Oxford Univ. Press, 1928/1961.

  3. Carter Arbaugh Says:
    December 30th, 2007 at 7:00 pm

    Jesus did not have a lady! What is that supposed to mean?

  4. Amir Thompson Says:
    June 6th, 2010 at 12:13 am

    That tune is totally brilliant, and I’m not even into that type of music!

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