‘Tis the Season – for Blog Caroling

I haven’t ever participated in blog caroling before, but I’ve seen several posts this week so I thought I would jump right in.

There has always been one song that I absolutely loved and it always put me in the Christmas spirit – The Little Drummer Boy. However, it couldn’t be just any version, it had to be by the Harry Simeone Chorale. I learned a few things while researching the background of this song.

Harry Moses Simeone (1911-2005), like me, was born in New Jersey. He co-authored a little-known song with friend Henry Onorati, which was titled Carol of the Drum. Harry changed its title to The Little Drummer Boy when he recorded it for his 1958 album, Sing We Now of Christmas.

Here are the lyrics:

Come they told me
Pa rum pum pum pum
A 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

Little baby
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

You can listen to the original version on YouTube.
Many years after I began listening to this song, I heard a take off of it done by what I still consider to be one of the oddest pairings of singers – Bing Crosby and David Bowie – who sang The Little Drummer Boy (Peace on Earth) on Bing’s last Christmas special, taped shortly before he died. It was introduced during a short sketch on the show, with Bing answering the door and finding David Bowie standing there.

Come they told me
Pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
A new born king to see
Pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
Our finest gifts we bring
Pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
Rum-pum-pum-pum
Rum-pum-pum-pum

Peace on earth, can it be
Years from now, perhaps we’ll see
See the day of glory
See the day when men of good will
Live in peace, live in peace again

Peace on earth, can it be

Every child must be made aware
Every child must be made to care
Care enough for his fellow man
To give all the love that he can

I pray my wish will come true
For my child and your child too
He’ll see the day of glory
See the day when men of good will
Live in peace, live in peace again

Peace on earth, can it be
Can it be

Both songs are now firm favorites of mine. I hope you enjoy them, too. Merry Christmas to All!

 

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