A Sailor Went to Sea is a popular action nursery rhyme. Besides the core activity of singing, the song includes other actions such as clapping, skipping, and other hand gestures.
The song is quite popular in English-speaking countries.
You’re sure to hear it sung across different playgrounds as children enjoy the singing game you can get from the song.
LYRICS
A Sailor Went to Sea has a core verse with four lines. For subsequent verses, the word sea is replaced with words such as knee, chop, bed, or the name of a sea animal, as you’ll see below.
Lyrics for A Sailor Went to Sea As Sung Today
A sailor went to sea, sea, sea,
To see what he could see, see, see.
But all that he could see, see, see,
Was the bottom of the deep blue sea, sea, sea.
A seahorse!
A sailor went to sea sea sea
to see what she could see see see.
But all that she could see see see
was a seahorse swimming in the sea sea sea.
A jellyfish!
A sailor went to sea sea sea
to see what she could see see see.
But all that she could see see see
was a jellyfish swimming and a seahorse swimming in the sea sea sea.
A turtle!
A sailor went to sea sea sea
to see what she could see see see.
But all that she could see see see
was a turtle swimming, and a jellyfish swimming, and a seahorse swimming in the sea sea sea.
An octopus!
A sailor went to sea sea sea
to see what she could see see see.
But all that she could see see see
was an octopus swimming, and a turtle swimming, and a jellyfish swimming, and a seahorse swimming in the sea sea sea.
A baby shark!
A sailor went to sea sea sea
to see what she could see see see.
But all that she could see see see
was a baby shark swimming, and an octopus swimming, and a turtle swimming, and a jellyfish swimming, and a seahorse swimming in the sea sea sea.
A blue whale!
A sailor went to sea sea sea
to see what she could see see see.
But all that she could see see see
was a blue whale swimming, and a baby shark swimming, and an octopus swimming, and a turtle swimming, and a jellyfish swimming, and a seahorse swimming in the sea sea sea.
You don’t always have to follow the script as far as the replacement words for the sea are concerned. The above lyrics are for a version famous in the US.
Australian Version of a Sailor Went to Sea Sea
Below are the lyrics to a different version of the song famous in Australia.
A sailor went to sea, sea, sea,
To see what he could see, see, see.
But all that he could see, see, see,
Was the bottom of the deep blue sea, sea, sea.
A sailor went to chop, chop, chop
To see what he could chop, chop, chop,
But all that he could chop, chop, chop
Was the bottom of the deep blue chop, chop, chop.
A sailor went to knee, knee, knee
To see what he could knee, knee, knee,
But all that he could knee, knee, knee
Was the bottom of the deep blue knee, knee, knee.
A sailor went to toe, toe, toe
To see what he could toe, toe, toe,
But all that he could toe, toe, toe
Was the bottom of the deep blue toe, toe, toe.
A sailor went to Timbuktu
To see what he could Timbuktu,
But all that he could Timbuktu
Was the bottom of the deep blue Timbuktu.
A sailor went to sea, chop, knee, toe, Timbuktu
To see what he could sea, chop, knee, toe, Timbuktu,
That all that he could sea, chop, knee, toe, Timbuktu
Was the bottom of the deep blue sea, chop, knee, toe, Timbuktu.
You really can use any words you want. Just be sure to add words that will easily rhyme.
Have a look at the many variations of the song here.
THE HISTORY BEHIND A SAILOR WENT TO SEA SEA
Who Wrote a Sailor Went to Sea Sea?
Unfortunately, the song’s writer has disappeared in the mists of time. Little is known about the song’s history and the composer.
Some nursery rhymes dating back centuries usually had their first printed versions in The Mother Goose Melody. However, that’s not the same as A Sailor Went to Sea.
The earliest evidence of the song in published form is from 1972. That version, though, is the rhyme collection efforts of Iona Opie. He doesn’t take credit for the writing of the song.
Therefore, the song could have existed for centuries without documentation. That could also explain why the song has innumerable versions with different words.
The song was first called My Father Went to Sea. However, it is unclear when that name changed to the famous name we’ve come to know today.
It could be that the sentence My Father Went to Sea was in place of A Sailor Went to Sea. We can’t tell for sure what necessitated the change, or even that’s how the original lyrics were because of the obscure origins of the song.
WHAT DO THE WORDS IN A SAILOR WENT TO SEA SEA MEAN? DEFINITIONS
What Does a Sailor Went to Sea Sea Mean?
It literally means a person whose occupation or job or even hobby it was to sail on boats, went out on a boat or ship out on the sea.
The rhyme has no hidden meaning besides the one you get when you read or hear it. The author probably wanted to describe a sailor’s or father’s journey to the sea and the wonders they saw there.
Who is a Sailor?
A sailor is anyone that goes sailing, whether it is as a sport or for recreation.
Sailors are also part of the crew of a commercial or naval ship.
They are usually below the rank of officer on a ship.
What’s The Difference Between Sea and See?
Seas are massive saltwater bodies that cover most of the earth’s surface and are often close to land than oceans. Sometimes they are called oceans, even if oceans are supposed to be larger water bodies than seas are. Examples of seas are the Dead Sea and the Red Sea.
To see is to perceive someone with the help of your eyes. The word see is pronounced the same as sea. Therefore, the two words enhance the rhyme in the song A Sailor Went to Sea.
INTERESTING FACTS & QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Is the Water in Seas Actually Blue?
No, the water in the seas isn’t blue. Instead, it appears blue thanks to the scattering of the sun’s rays when they hit the water.
The scattering of the sun’s rays makes sea water absorb colors of the spectrum in red. That leaves behind the blue part of the spectrum we all see when we look at water in the sea, ocean, and even swimming pools.
So, the water isn’t usually blue. Instead, it’s the reflection of light playing a prank on our eyes, making us see the sea as blue.
You aren’t alone in thinking sea water is usually blue. It took me some time to know that the ocean water wasn’t blue!
What Are the Accompanying Actions For a Sailor Went to Sea Sea?
You can accompany the song with as many actions as you like. Here is a video to guide you on what actions go with each line.
Is A Sailor Went to Sea in The Public Domain?
Yes, A Sailor Went to Sea is in the public domain. That means that no one has the copyright to it and that if you want to use the song in your work, you can.
(Disclaimer: This is a general–not a legally confirmed fact, and you need to do more research into the laws in your jurisdiction/country to confirm you have the right to use this song)
BUT this does not apply to other people’s versions of it–for example, if you made a CD of you singing A Sailor Went to Sea, your version is not public domain, and I cannot resell or use it without your permission.
How Do You Sing a Sailor Went to Sea Sea in Sign Language?
Below is a great resource video that will teach you how to sing A Sailor Went to Sea in sign language.
A SAILOR WENT TO SEA SEA INSPIRED LESSON PLANS
The following is a selection of Lesson Plans based on A Sailor Went to Sea. You need to click on the images to go to the websites to learn more and download the resources.
SHEET MUSIC FOR A SAILOR WENT TO SEA SEA
What is the Time Signature of a Sailor Went to Sea SEA?
A Sailor Went to Sea is typically played in a time signature of 4/4.