“Ship Ahoy” by The O’Jays

The term “ship ahoy” is associated with sailing and, as traditionally used, serves as a greeting when onboard such a vessel. So it isn’t an expression which is inherently negative but rather the opposite. Therefore we can conclude as used in this song, considering that this piece is actually about the Transatlantic Slave Trade, that said phrase is meant to be sarcastic. 

In fact the entire piece serves as an exercise in irony, if you will, as the main sentiment being expressed overtly is sort of like celebrating this excitement which is part and parcel of sailing to new lands, especially one that is built upon the ideology of “liberty”, as is America. But the aspect of the slave trade being specifically alluded to is what is referred to as the Middle Passage, which in reality was a terrible journey.

There are some clues pointing to such mixed in between phrases of maritime enthusiasm. The first one would be the mention of “men, women and baby slaves” in the first verse. But even still, there is this belief that they may “be saved” in “the land of Liberty”.

Also, the transit itself isn’t depicted in detail as being entirely enjoyable. Rather the vocalist, who is a partaker on this journey, is “so tired”. Furthermore, he is able to recognize that his fellow passengers, if you will, are “tired too”. But at the same time, it’s as if he can’t help but to marvel at the splendor of the open sea.

The Poor Slaves

Also in terms of the relating to the passengers, he questions whether the lot of them are “just masts”. A mast is part of a ship, i.e. that pole which protrudes upwards and carries the sails. So of course that above query is a rhetorical one. And what it seems to point to is the narrator implying that the lives of he and his fellow captives are considered more akin to objects than actual people. Indeed in that regard, it is implied, though not explicitly stated, that they are being transported against their will.

In fact outside of the aforenoted mention of “slaves”, it isn’t until quite late in the song that the cat is really let out of the bag. Here, it becomes more obvious that The O’Jays are singing about the Middle Passage and American slavery. Beforehand, “Ship Ahoy” could hastily be concluded as being about American immigration in general, i.e. back in the days when ships were primarily used for said journeys. So this is a bit of an unorthodox tune in a number of ways. 

For instance, it is rare that you see a mainstream act, even a Black one, actually drop an entire song about slavery. Also, as stated earlier, it is by and large sarcastic, depicting America as a hypocritical nation, if you will. It is upon such an idea that we will conclude is the thesis sentiment of this track. Simply put, the O’Jays are noting this contradiction between the ideological American way of thinking and how the nation actually treated its African slaves.

Who wrote “Ship Ahoy”?

American songwriting and production duo, Gamble and Huff , are the official writers of “Ship Ahoy”. Gamble and Huff is made up of Kenneth Humble and Leon Huff.

The “Ship Ahoy” Album

The album bears the same name as the track (“Ship Ahoy”). The album was released on November 10, 1973. Tracks from the album belong to the genres Soul, Funk and Philadelphia soul. 

The Slave Trade

The abduction of Africans was carried out mostly by bands of slavers who sold and resold slaves to several people before they finally reached the coast lasting from the 16th to the 19th century. Most of the captives were kidnapped through ambushes that occurred at gunpoint.

Some captives were taken to slave forts or compounds, where they waited for a slave vessel to arrive. Many of these fortresses still stand on the coasts of Africa as ruined monuments to the cruel economy of years past.

For those captives that were abducted, it was unimaginable horror for them since they had no idea of their fate. To the slave traders, who were mostly Europeans, the slaves were just goods and business supplies.

For most captives, the separation from their villages and families was still fresh, as they were thrust into a hostile world, at the mercy of people who had no compassion.

Upon boarding, they were stripped of their belongings, branded, chained, and sent below decks, where they would be forced to remain for most of the months-long journey. When they arrived in Northern America, they were auctioned off to private individuals who had the free will to use them for anything they wanted.