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3 Ships

Field	Value
name	3 Ships
type	Album
artist	Jon Anderson
cover	3ships.jpg
released	18 November 1985
recorded	1984–85
genre	Progressive rock, pop, Christmas
length	39:41 (1985 Original Release)
63:54 (2007 CD Remaster)
label	Elektra LP
Opio Media CD
producer	Roy Thomas Baker
prev_title	Animation
prev_year	1982
next_title	In the City of Angels
next_year	1988

63:54 (2007 CD Remaster) Opio Media CD

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 (including one of the lamest versions of "O Holy Night" on record). 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 noted

Personnel

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

Charts

Chart (1985)	Peak
position

References

"Music Week".
Connolly, Dave. (2011). "Three Ships - Jon Anderson {{pipe}} AllMusic". allmusic.com.
Fielder, Hugh (1985) "Jon Anderson '3 Ships'", ''[[Sounds (magazine). Sounds]]'', 14 December 1985, p. 28
Connolly, Dave. "Jon Anderson: Three Ships: AllMusic Review".

Info: Wikipedia Source

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