Little Drummer Boy

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"The Little Drummer Boy" is a Christmas song from 1958 (words and music by Katherine K. Davis, Henry Onorati and Harry Simeone). The best-known and most standard version is by the Harry Simeone Chorale. It is also known as "Carol of the Drum".

The Harry Simeone Chorale's original 1958 version was issued on 20th Fox Records' 45-121 with a 45rpm picture sleeve, then on their LP called "Sing We Now of Christmas", which became an enormous bestseller. In 1963 the company, now known as 20th Century Fox Records, retitled and reissued their album. It was now called "The Little Drummer Boy: A Christmas Festival", in order to boost sales even higher, as the 45-rpm single had continued to be a seasonal hit. The album was first issued only in mono, then in stereo a year later. Harry Simeone signed to Kapp Records in 1964 and recorded a new version of "The Little Drummer Boy" in 1965 on Kapp K-711 with a 45rpm picture sleeve. This version came from his new album "O' Bambino-The Little Drummer Boy" Kapp 1450(mono) / 3450(stereo).

Contents 1 Synopsis 2 Lyrics 3 Recording history 4 Television special 5 Special Notes 6 External links

Synopsis

The lyrics tell the apocryphal story of a poor young boy who, unable to afford a gift for the infant Jesus, plays his drum for the newborn with the Virgin Mary's approval. The story is somewhat similar to an old twelfth-century legend retold by Anatole France as Le jongleur de Notre-Dame (The Juggler of Notre Dame), which was adapted into an opera in 1902 by Jules Massenet. In the French legend, however, a juggler juggles before the statue of the Virgin Mary. In The Little Drummer Boy, a drummer boy plays on his drum for the newborn Baby Jesus.

Lyrics

The following are the lyrics to the song:

Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum.

Our new born King to see, pa rum pum pum pum.

Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum,

To lay before the King, pa rum pum pum pum,

rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

So to honor Him, pa rum pum pum pum,

When we come.

Baby Gesu, pa rum pum pum pum

I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum.

I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum,

That's fit to give our King, pa rum pum pum pum,

rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum,

On my drum?

Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum.

The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum.

I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum.

I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum,

rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum

Me and my drum.

Recording history

The Little Drummer Boy has become a Christmas-time standard covered by numerous artists in various musical styles. Some notable covers include:

Bing Crosby's version for his 1962 LP album "I Wish You A Merry Christmas", and he later performed it as a duet with David Bowie, adding new lyrics (see Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy).

Frank Sinatra's version, accompanied by Fred Waring & His Pennsylvanians, for his 1964 LP album Twelve Songs Of Christmas.

"Merry Christmas" album by the Supremes in 1965.

Joan Baez's version on her 1966 album Noël.

José Feliciano 1970, recorded the song for his Christmas Album and also put this on the B-Side of his hit single Feliz Navidad. In December 1995 Jose Feliciano was also invited by Pope John Paul II to perform "Little Drummer Boy" for the special Christmas concert in Vatican City. Bob Seger recorded a rock version for the A Very Special Christmas compilation CD, benefitting the Special Olympics.

Rocker Joan Jett recorded her own cover for her 1981 album "I Love Rock'n'Roll" (the song was only present on pre-Christmas pressings of the album. Later pressings substituted "Oh Woe is Me"). This version was also included on the soundtrack of the 1983 film Class.

Drag queen RuPaul released a disco version of the song as a single in 1993.

The Flaming Lips on the EP Due to High Expectations... the Flaming Lips Are Providing Needles for Your Balloons (1994)

Jars of Clay released a version of the song on their EP of the same name in 1995.

Finnish cello-rock band Apocalyptica recorded a cello version of the song in 1996.

The Wave Benders with a surf-version on their album Surfin' Christmas (1996)

Vanessa L. Williams has a version on the album Star Bright (1996)

The Dandy Warhols released it as a single in 1997.

Low (1997)

The first track on Chicago's 1998 album Chicago XXV: The Christmas Album

Mannheim Steamroller has a version on the album A Fresh Aire Christmas (1988)

Ringo Starr recorded a version on his 1999 Christmas album I Wanna Be Santa Claus.

Crash Test Dummies. 2002

Lonestar on their 2000 Christmas album.

Bright Eyes on A Christmas Album, 2002.

2004, Jessica and Ashlee Simpson recorded a duet of the song.

An Icelandic version called "Litli trommuleikarinn" by Eivør Pálsdóttir, Ragnheiður Gröndal and Védís Hervör appears on the Icelandic christmas album Frostrósir II (2004).

A German version called "Der Trommelmann" by Marlene Dietrich.

Cherish the Ladies performed it on their 2004 album On Christmas Night.

A Sufjan Stevens' version in his collection of "Songs for Christmas" 2005 Vol. IV (2006)

"Little Drummer Boy" is also the title of the live album by Mark Kozelek (Red House Painters) (2006)

Joseph Arthur and the Lonely Astronauts recorded their version Christmas 2006.

Alternative rock band Hinder covered the track in 2006. It appears on Kevin & Bean's Super Christmas, the 2006 installment of their annual Christmas album released by Los Angeles Radio station KROQ

Most recently it has been put on the New Christmas album released by Celtic Woman, named Celtic Woman: A Christmas Celebration

Television special

In 1968, Rankin-Bass produced a stop motion animated Christmas television special based on the song. The film, which expands the song's storyline to include events before the birth of Jesus, stars the voices of Greer Garson as "Our Storyteller", and Jose Ferrer as Ben Haramad. It aired for many years on NBC (under original sponsorship of the American Gas Company) before entering syndication. It currently airs in the U.S. on the ABC Family cable channel. A television sequel, titled The Little Drummer Boy Book II, premiered in 1976, also on NBC, again sponsored by the American Gas Company, again narrated by Greer Garson, and also currently airing on ABC Family. This time the sequel co-starred Zero Mostel as the voice of Ben Haramad.

Special Notes

• The Trapp Family Singers, whose life story provided some inspiration for Rodgers & Hammerstein in their musical "The Sound of Music", recorded a song entitled "Carol of the Drum", identified on the Decca record jacket as a "Czech carol", prior to their 1955 retirement. This song has the same melody as "The Little Drummer Boy", and the text is the same as that given in the main article, except for the line "The ox and lamb kept time". The TFS recording has "The ox and ass kept time", instead. This is curious in light of its 1958 copyright by K.Davis et al.

• This song was reportedly the favorite Christmas carol of President Richard Nixon. (See Christmas at the White House.)

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