Julie Andrews got her big break when her stepfather introduced her to Val Parnell, whose Moss Empires controlled prominent venues in London. Andrews made her professional solo debut at the London Hippodrome singing the difficult aria "Je Suis Titania" from Mignon as part of a musical revue called "Starlight Roof" on 22 October 1947.
Andrews gained fame at a young age in 1950s Britain by acting and singing on light entertainment radio programmes such as "Educating Archie". She rose to international prominence after starring in Broadway musicals such as My Fair Lady and Camelot, as well as musical films like Mary Poppins (1964) and The Sound of Music (1965).
Andrews had a major revival of her film career in the 2000s, in children's films such as The Princess Diaries (2001), its sequel The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004), and the Shrek animated films (2004-2007). In 2005, Andrews made her debut as a stage director with a revival of The Boy Friend, in which she also made her Broadway acting debut in 1954.
She was married with Blake Edwards in 1965 until his death in 2010.
My Ship
Julie Andrews Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The decks are trimmed with gold,
And of jam and spice there's a paradise in the hold.
My ship's aglow with a million pearls
And rubies fill each bin,
The sun sits high in a sapphire sky when my ship comes in.
Till it appears
One fine day one spring,
But the pearls and such
They won't mean much if there's missing just one thing.
I do not care if that day arrives
That dream need never be,
If the ship I sing doesn't also bring
My own true love to me,
If the ship I sing doesn't also bring my own true love to me.
In Julie Andrews's song "My Ship," the lyrics describe an idyllic ship, with sails made of silk, decks trimmed with gold, and a hold filled with a paradise of jam and spices. The ship is also described as being aglow with a million pearls, rubies filling each bin, and sailing under a sapphire sky. The singer anticipates the arrival of this ship, which may take years to appear, but the yearning is worth it, as long as one thing is waiting for her upon its arrival: her true love.
As the singer waits for this ship, she declares that she does not care if the ship never appears so long as it does bring her true love. For her, the treasure and luxury of the ship are not enough to give her satisfaction; rather, she yearns for the ship to bring her the love she longs for. This depth of feeling underscores the emotional stakes of the song: the ship represents a dream, the arrival of something long-desired, but it is the presence of her true love that ultimately makes it meaningful.
It's interesting to note that the lyrics to "My Ship" were written by Ira Gershwin, the younger brother of George Gershwin. The song was composed by Kurt Weill, a German composer best known for his collaborations with Bertolt Brecht, which include The Threepenny Opera. "My Ship" was originally written for the 1941 Broadway musical Lady in the Dark, which starred Gertrude Lawrence. Other notable recordings of the song include those by Barbra Streisand and Ella Fitzgerald. Additionally, the melody to "My Ship" has been described as "haunting" and "lyrical," and the song remains a classic in the American Songbook tradition.
Chords:
Am-B7-Em-B7-Em-B7-E-G#-C#m-F#7-B7-E-Am-B7-Em-B7-Em-B7-E-G#-C#m-F#7-B7-Em-B7-G-Em-Am-B7-Em-B7-Em-B7-E-G#-C#m-F#7-B7-E-Am-B7-Em-B7-Em-B7-E-G#-C#m-F#7-B7-Em-B7-G-Em-Am-B7-Em-B7-Em-B7-E-G#-C#m-F#7-B7-E-Am-B7-Em-B7-Em-B7-E-G#-C#m-F#7-B7-Em-B7-G-Em-Am-B7-Em-B7-Em-B7-E-G#-C#m-F#7-B7-E
Line by Line Meaning
My ship has sails that are made of silk
The ship is grand and luxurious, with sails made from expensive silk.
The decks are trimmed with gold
The ship is adorned with gold decorations and embellishments.
And of jam and spice there's a paradise in the hold
The hold contains a treasure trove of exotic and delicious foods and spices.
My ship's aglow with a million pearls
The ship is lit up with the dazzling shine of countless pearls.
And rubies fill each bin
The ship is loaded with precious gemstones, especially rubies, overflowing from every bin.
The sun sits high in a sapphire sky when my ship comes in
The arrival of the ship is a grand event, occurring on a day of clear blue skies and brilliant sunshine.
I can wait the years
The singer is patient and willing to wait for the arrival of the ship.
Till it appears
The singer will wait until the ship finally arrives.
One fine day one spring
The singer looks forward to the specific day and time when the ship will arrive.
But the pearls and such
Despite the ship's wealth and treasure, the singer realizes something else is more important.
They won't mean much if there's missing just one thing
All the riches in the world don't matter if the singer's true love is not present.
I do not care if that day arrives
The singer is willing to forego the grand arrival of the ship if necessary.
That dream need never be
The dream of the grand ship coming in doesn't matter if there's no one to share it with.
If the ship I sing doesn't also bring
The singer hopes that the ship coming in also brings along their true love.
My own true love to me
The ultimate desire is to be reunited with their true love again.
Lyrics © T.R.O. INC., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: IRA GERSHWIN, KURT WEILL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@AndreinaGarban
Her voice, her rendition of this song... and Robert Wise behind the camera looking at her in total awe. I don't blame him. This is pure perfection!
@palmagino2980
That’s was one of her favourite songs and also mine thank you for posting 💞💞💞🧚🏿♂️🧚🏿♂️🧚🏿♂️🧚🏿♂️
@skreety0455
One of my faves, too... But it has to be sung by Julie😅😅😅 This is tops!!
@skreety0455
Thank you, ROBERT WISE,
for this scene....just so
meaningful for me!!😊
@vgrof2315
This lady, Julie Andrews, is always a delight. Thank you.
@andrewcharley1893
Some have a gift that makes things look so easy to do.
@JennHolt
I’m loving this hairstyle on her
@halledc
I was just reading her book today and she said that she got choked up filming this scene because the song made her think about her failed marriage. Poor Julie❤
@skreety0455
What a magnificent performer!❤
@pedrospohr
Wow! This is fantastic!! I didn’t know this wonderful song. Tk u so much for posting it !!