Davis first composed the words and music for "Carol of the Drum" (ostensibly transcribed from a traditional 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).
The lyrics tell the Apocrypha l 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 .
''The Little Drummer Boy'' has become a Christmas-time standard covered by numerous artists in various musical styles. Some notable covers include:
- Danish metal musician King Diamond used excerpts of the song for his horror themed album The Puppet Master
- Tori Amos recorded a live version of the song in 1992.
- Finnish cello-rock band Apocalyptica recorded a Cello version of the song in 1996.
- Joseph Arthur and the Lonely Astronauts recorded their version Christmas 2006.
- Joan Baez 's version on her 1966 album '' Noël ''.
- Bright Eyes on '' A Christmas Album '', 2002 .
- Most recently it has been put on the New Christmas album released by ''.
- Cherish The Ladies performed it on their 2004 album '' On Christmas Night ''.
- The first track on ''.
- Crash Test Dummies 2002
- 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 ).
- The Dandy Warhols released it as a single in 1997.
- A German version called "Der Trommelmann" by Marlene Dietrich .
- 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.
- The Flaming Lips on the EP '' Due To High Expectations... The Flaming Lips Are Providing Needles For Your Balloons '' ( 1994 ).
- Alternative rock band Hinder covered the track in 2006. It appears on '' class="copylinks">Kevin & Bean's Super Christmas ''], The 2006 Installment Of Their Annual Christmas Album Released By Los Angeles Radio Station [[KROQ .
- Jars Of Clay released a version of the song on their EP of the same name in 1995.
- 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 ''.
- "Little Drummer Boy" is also the title of the live album by Mark Kozelek ( Red House Painters ) (2006)
- Lonestar on their 2000 Christmas album.
- Low (1997)
- Mannheim Steamroller has a version on the album '' A Fresh Aire Christmas '' ( 1988 )
- New Kids On The Block has their own version on '' Merry, Merry Christmas '' ( 1989 )
- An Iceland ic version called "Litli trommuleikarinn" by Eivør Pálsdóttir , Ragnheiður Gröndal and Védís Hervör appears on the Icelandic christmas album ''Frostrósir II'' (2004).
- Drag Queen RuPaul released a disco version of the song as a single in 1993.
- Bob Seger recorded a Rock version for the '' A Very Special Christmas '' compilation CD, benefitting the Special Olympics .
- 2004 , Jessica and Ashlee Simpson recorded a duet of the song.
- Frank Sinatra 's version, accompanied by Fred Waring & His Pennsylvanians, for his 1964 LP album ''Twelve Songs Of Christmas''.
- Ringo Starr recorded a version on his 1999 Christmas album '' I Wanna Be Santa Claus ''.
- A Sufjan Stevens ' version in his collection of ''Songs for Christmas'' 2005 Vol. IV (2006)
- '' Merry Christmas '' album by The Supremes in 1965.
- The Wave Benders with a surf-version on their album ''Surfin' Christmas'' (1996)
- Kiri Te Kanawa has included this carol on her 1984 Christmas album ''Christmas with Kiri''.
- Vanessa L. Williams has a version on the album ''Star Bright'' ( 1996 )
- Andreas Vollenweider recorded an instrumental version for his Christmas album, '' Midnight Clear '' ( 2006 )
- Vince Guaraldi rearranged the tune as "My Little Drum" for his soundtrack to '' A Charlie Brown Christmas '' in 1965 .
- Aly & AJ recorded the song for their 2006 album Acoustic Hearts Of Winter .
- The Three Tenors on their 2000 Christmas album ''The Three Tenors Christmas'', recorded as part of Sony Classical 's ''Christmas in Vienna'' series of recordings. This carol has appeared in two other installments of this series throughout the whole series of recordings, as a solo in Spanish by Alejandro Fernandez on the 1999 release and as a duet between Jose Carreras and Diana Ross for the 1993 release '' Christmas In Vienna ''.
- The Hampton String Quartet recorded their arrangement of the song twice, on their album ''What If Mozart Wrote Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas'' and recently on the album ''HSQ Does Christmas Again''.
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.
- The Trapp Family Singers , whose life story provided some inspiration for Rodgers and 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 song was reportedly the favorite Christmas carol of President Richard Nixon ; see '' Christmas At The White House ''.
- A phrase from this song "pah rum pum" is the catch phrase of Stephen Colbert's metafictional futuristic space hero Tek Jansen of Alpha Squad Seven. The phrase recurs in every episode of the cartoons shown on the Colbert Report.
- Jack Halloran's daughter, Dawn Halloran Charouhas, has disputed Harry Simeone's co-authorship credit for the song. http://www.jerryosborne.com/12-10-01.htm
- http://www.carols.org.uk/little_drummer_boy.htm
- Little Drummer Boy'' at Keyframe - The Animation Resource
- Most recently published arrangement 2006 by Michael E. Ekbladh published by Moon of Hope Publishing under print contract with Alfred Publishing. http://www.michael.ekbladh.com
|
