A ship is a large watercraft that travels the world’s oceans and other sufficiently deep waterways, carrying goods or passengers, or in support of specialized missions, such as defence, research, and fishing. Ships are generally distinguished from boats, based on size, shape, load capacity, and purpose. In the Age of Sail a “ship” was a sailing vessel defined by its sail plan of at least three square rigged masts and a full bowsprit.
“Sloop John B” (originally published as “The John B. Sails“) is a Bahamian folk song from Nassau. A transcription by Richard Le Gallienne was published in 1916, and a version was included in Carl Sandburg’s The American Songbag in 1927. Since the early 1950s there have been many recordings of the song with variant titles including “I Want to Go Home” and “Wreck of the John B“. The 1966 adaptation by the Beach Boys was produced and arranged by bandleader Brian Wilson and served as the lead single off their 11th studio album, Pet Sounds. The song peaked at number three in the US on the Billboard chart, number two in the UK, and number one in several other countries. It remains one of the group’s most successful recordings of their mid-1960s period, containing an elaborate a cappella vocal section not found in other pop music of the era.
“When the Ship Comes In” is a song by Bob Dylan, released on his third album, The Times They Are a Chagin’, in 1964. Joan Baez states in the documentary film No Direction Home that the song was inspired by a hotel clerk who refused to allow Dylan a room due to his “unwashed” appearance (he was not famous outside of the folk movement at this time). The song then grew into a sprawling epic allegory about vanquishing the oppressive “powers that be”. Another inspiration was the Bertolt Brecht/Kurt Weill song, “Pirate Jenny”. Peter, Paul and Mary released “When the Ship Comes In” as a single in 1965. Billboard described this version as an “exciting rouser from the pen of Bob Dylan with an outstanding performance by the trio.”
“Wooden Ships” is a song written and composed by David Crosby, Paul Kantner and Stephen Stills, of which versions were eventually recorded both by Crosby,Stills and Nash and by Jefferson Airplane; Kantner was a founding member of the latter group. It was written and composed in 1968 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on a boat named the Mayan, owned by Crosby, who composed the music, while Kantner and Stills wrote most of the lyrics.
“Proud Mary” is a song written by John Fogerty and first recorded by his band Creedence Clearwater Revival. It was released as a single from the band’s second studio album, Bayou Country, which was issued by the same record company and is generally considered to have been released in early January 1969, although one source states that it came out just before Christmas 1968. The song became a major hit in the United States, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard in March 1969, the first of five singles to peak at No. 2 for the group.
A cover version by Ike and Tina Turner, released two years later in 1971, did nearly as well, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard and winning a Grammy Award.
“The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” is a 1976 song written, composed and performed by Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot to commemorate the sinking of the bulk carrier SS Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior in November 1975. Lightfoot considers this song to be his finest work. The single version hit number 1 in his native Canada in November 1976, barely a year after the disaster. In the United States, it reached number 2 for two weeks in the Billboard.
“Ship of Fools” is a song by British duo Erasure, released in 1988 as the lead single from their third studio album The Innocents. It was written by Vince Clarke and Andy Bell, and produced by Stephen Hague and Dave Jacob. The song, which reached number six in the UK, was the duo’s eighth single overall and their fourth UK Top 10 single.
“Ship to Wreck” is a song by Florence and the Machine from their third studio album (2015). It was released in April 2015 as the album’s second single. The track premiered on BBC Radio 1 and the accompanying music video was released later in April following the narrative of band’s previous two videos. “Ship to Wreck” was met with critical acclaim, with critics praising frontwoman Florence Welch’s vocals, as well as the song’s production. The song received nominations for Best Rock Video at the 2015 MTV VIdeo Music Awards.
