Jon Anderson: 3 Ships

[Mister Triscuits]

Just gave Mr. Anderson's seasonal album its annual spin. (On vinyl; I never got the CD.) Anyone else listen to this at Christmastime?

[BravadoNJ]

i had the original vinyl and been wanted to get the CD because it has about 5 or 6 bonus tracks.
but i'm not into Christmas music this year.... maybe next year.

Easier Said Then Done is one of my favorite holiday tunes.

[happytheman]

Yeah that one I bought on cassette when it was released.. then years later when he re-released it I got the CD.. I like several of the additional tunes he added but where he inserted them kinda breaks up the flow of the original.. Anyone can light a candle being my favorite of the ones he added..

[Fracktured]

There was an original Japanese cd release which is probably a gazillion dollars by now which may sound good. I heard the anniversary release didn't sound all that great. Not sure because I never heard either. I have the original vinyl I bought which I years ago burned onto cd-r. Sounds good to my ears. I've always enjoyed this album. I think Jon did a great job with it. It's Christmassy but has a unique style to it. Not my favorite Christmas album but I love to pull it out every year for at least once spin if not two or three.

[Scott Bails]

i had the original vinyl and been wanted to get the CD because it has about 5 or 6 bonus tracks.

Wasn't aware of this.

[tales78]

A Christmas staple in our house.

[ronmac]

Just listened to it yesterday. Like Fracktured, I did a needle-drop CD from my vinyl.

[yamishogun]

Wasn't aware of this.

The bonus tracks are scattered throughout the CD for some reason.

wiki:
1. "Give Hope" * 4:37 [recording era of this song is unknown]

3. "Easier Said Than Done" 4:14 (Vangelis)

5. "Candle Song" * 3:32 [from Jon Anderson's Change We Must album, recorded 1993-94]

8. "Hurry Home" * 6:47 [from Jon Anderson's Change We Must album, recorded 1993-94]

12. "Ave Verum" * 3:26 [from Jon Anderson's Toltec album, recorded 1989-90]

18. "Ray of Hope" * 6:11 [J.Anderson/M.Marshall/D.Black] 1991

[Tangram]

I have heard 3 Ships and really liked it. I am a big fan of Jon Anderson and Christmas music so this is one that I keep an eye out for but never have seen it at a reasonable price. Well you guys brought it up and I checked amazon and it lists between $109 and $654. Not happening again this year. I popped over to ebay for the first time in years and they had it $14.99 and 2.99 shipping for the 22nd anniversary issue. I jumped on it! There are still a few discs left from a couple of different sellers at a good price. Christmas just came early for me!

[JKL2000]

but i'm not into Christmas music this year.... maybe next year.

I'm not really feeling the Christmas spirit this year either - there's just too much crazy stuff going on - too many distractions. Maybe when my older son is home from college and my younger son is off from elementary school I can get into it.

That said, I've never listened to this album, so maybe I'll give it a spin on YouTube. I think I've heard one or two songs.

[Paulrus]

Here's your 1985 MTV time capsule for the day:



I had this on VHS plus some other material they shot when Jon visited the MTV studios to promote 3 Ships and hang out with Martha, JJ and the gang.

And then there's this. I also thought it was funny to see Jon yucking it up with Roy Thomas Baker, considering the unkind things JA said about him on the YesYears documentary.



Say what you will, but Elektra (how the heck did Jon end up on Elektra?) put some serious money behind this album. I thought it was OK when it came out but it hasn't aged terribly well. There are a couple Jonsong nuggets it (as in, oh what Yes could have done with this), but otherwise it's not something I pull out very often. Even at Xmas.

[Mister Triscuits]

Here's your 1985 MTV time capsule for the day:

Awesome. I was discussing Jon's appearance on the back cover in a video about Christmas records, and I remarked that if he looked any more '80s he'd have to be wearing shoulder pads and pink leg warmers.

[yamishogun]

That said, I've never listened to this album, so maybe I'll give it a spin on YouTube. I think I've heard one or two songs.

I listened to the two best tracks on youtube then listened to 45 minutes of Olias of Sunhillow. There is much better Anderson out there.

[yesstiles]

I've had the old 1980's Japanese disc (32XD) for ages. I used to listen to it all the time, and the LP before that.

Need to dig it out. Side 2 is really wonderful!

Jon was in a really happy place during this time. Before the business and stress of the "new" Yes machine w/Rabin took its toll and tore him a new one.

[happytheman]

The bonus tracks are scattered throughout the CD for some reason.

wiki:
1. "Give Hope" * 4:37 [recording era of this song is unknown]

3. "Easier Said Than Done" 4:14 (Vangelis)

5. "Candle Song" * 3:32 [from Jon Anderson's Change We Must album, recorded 1993-94]

8. "Hurry Home" * 6:47 [from Jon Anderson's Change We Must album, recorded 1993-94]

12. "Ave Verum" * 3:26 [from Jon Anderson's Toltec album, recorded 1989-90]

18. "Ray of Hope" * 6:11 [J.Anderson/M.Marshall/D.Black] 1991

Hurry Home was on City of Angles as well.. He borrowed a lot for the Change We Must release..
You know for a guy who verbally expressed his disdain for "pop" he sure embraced it for this release..

[yamishogun]

Jon was in a really happy place during this time. Before the business and stress of the "new" Yes machine w/Rabin took its toll and tore him a new one.

Yeah. It was tragic to see Anderson's fame and fortune shoot up due to the Trevors.

[Paulrus]

You know for a guy who verbally expressed his disdain for "pop" he sure embraced it for this release..

Yeah, Jon was a real Jekyll and Hyde character in those days. He leaves Yes because they've gotten too poppy and corporate, but then a couple years later puts out City of Angels (switching labels yet again.)

[spellbound]

I found the cassette in a thrift store a few weeks ago. I hadn't known Anderson had a Christmas album. Been playing it in the car since I got it.

[yamishogun]

Yeah, Jon was a real Jekyll and Hyde character in those days. He leaves Yes because they've gotten too poppy and corporate, but then a couple years later puts out City of Angels (switching labels yet again.)

I thought he left was because his contribution to Big Generator was less than he wanted.

[gojikranz]

I have a little stack of Christmas music that I like (or find funny) that I play while my family decorates the tree usually three ships makes the cut (though if time is short I also have the single of three ships and easier said than done)

[Paulrus]

I thought he left was because his contribution to Big Generator was less than he wanted.

I'm sure that was part of it. But the story he told back then (when ABWH was forming) was that Yes was being steered in a more pop-ish direction that he found unsatisfying.

[flatliner]

Played this CD (I have the original release) on my drive to work today. Love it!!! Also have it on vinyl....I’ll be listening to the this weekend. BTW, Trevor R. plays guitar throughout the whole album)....

[Scott Bails]

The bonus tracks are scattered throughout the CD for some reason.

wiki:
1. "Give Hope" * 4:37 [recording era of this song is unknown]

3. "Easier Said Than Done" 4:14 (Vangelis)

5. "Candle Song" * 3:32 [from Jon Anderson's Change We Must album, recorded 1993-94]

8. "Hurry Home" * 6:47 [from Jon Anderson's Change We Must album, recorded 1993-94]

12. "Ave Verum" * 3:26 [from Jon Anderson's Toltec album, recorded 1989-90]

18. "Ray of Hope" * 6:11 [J.Anderson/M.Marshall/D.Black] 1991

Thanks. I have four of those ("Easier Said than Done" is on the album). I'd be interested in reviews of tracks 1 and 18.

[Camelogue]

Had it, sold all my vinyl three years ago.

[Adm.Kirk]

I still have the original vinyl and I play it every year at Christmas. One of my favorite Christmas records.

Bill