3 Ships
3 Ships is the fourth solo album by Yes lead singer Jon Anderson, released on Elektra Records in 1985. It includes versions of traditional Christmas carols as well as original material by Anderson. The album title references the carol "I Saw Three Ships". It was dedicated to the organisation Beyond War.
The 'Holiday Card Pack, Jon Anderson Special Edition' came with a personal autograph from Anderson, as well as a set of five Christmas cards. Each card displayed an image of an Anderson watercolour painting.
3 Ships was reissued on compact disc in 2007. This remastered '22nd Anniversary Edition' contains all of the album's original songs, plus five bonus tracks, two of which were previously unreleased. Unlike most CDs that feature bonus tracks, these are not tacked onto the end but are interspersed throughout, leading to a new listening experience for people familiar with the vinyl sequence.
Reception
The album received only a single star from Sounds reviewer Hugh Fielder, who called it a "soppy retreat from realism". Reviewing the album for AllMusic, Dave Connolly wrote: "This is an oddity: a Christmas album incognito. Save a red and green stripe on the back cover, the outside packaging is conspicuously devoid of the usual holiday trappings, leaving the astute person to deduce from the track listing Three Ships' true intent. The Christmas songs are processed with synthesizers, overwhelming Anderson's voice most of the time, and the end result is a disappointing and superficial collection of Christmas classics. As with In the City of Angels, also recorded in Hollywood, fans would do well to let Three Ships sail by."Track listing
All songs are written by Jon Anderson, except where notedPersonnel
- Jon Anderson - vocals
- "Beyond War Philharmonic" – orchestration
- Paul Cheng - concert master
- Conducted by Bob Esty
- Gospel Choir - Calvary Baptist Church, Santa Monica
- Inspirational Choir, courtesy of Pastor Robert de France Jr.
- William Bryant II - choir director
- "Reach for the Stars Singers" - Children's Choir
- Marta Woodhull - choir director
- Children's Choir on "Give Hope - "Millikan Middle School, Sherman Oaks, CA
- Leo Krubsack - choir director
- Sandra Crouch & Friends - directed by Andre and Sandra Crouch & Gary Lanier
- Sandra Crouch - special guest Duet Vocals on "Oh Holy Night"
- Jade Anderson - additional vocals on "Jingle Bells"
- Rhett 'Pepsi' Lawrence - Fairlight CMI
- Mike Marshall GB - keyboards, orchestration
- Trevor Rabin and Elliot Easton - guitar
- Frankie Banali & Ric Parnell - drums & percussion
- Paulinho da Costa - percussion
- Novi Novog - electric viola
Production
- Produced by Roy Thomas Baker for RTB Audio Visual Productions, U.S.A.
- Engineered & Mixed by George Tutko
- Assistant Engineering by Jim McMahon
- Additional Mixing by Brad Gilderman
- Recorded at Crystal Studios, Hollywood CA.
- Production Co-ordination by Bob Keasler, assisted by Freddie Henderson & Jem Scott
- Re-Issue Engineering & Mastering by Mike Pietrini
- Executive Producer: Rob Ayling for Voiceprint Group of Companies
- Musical Arrangements by Bob Esty except track 18, Mike Marshall GB
- Art Direction and Design by KOSH & Larson
- Cartography by Bob Blakeman