[TBP]

I agree entirely. This is one of my least favorite Christmas songs. Dave Barry once describes it as "a bunch of people standing around saying pum."

[Daffynition]

I love all the Christmas carols, whoever sings them ....but this one song can get me out of the Christmas spirit faster than seeing hilLIEry’s face.

[CharlesOConnell]

Ebenezer Scrooge’s big sister.

[teeman8r]

In my version of the little drummer boy, the young shephard is about to give his drum as a gift, but joseph as a fast thinking father, suggests he just play a short piece for the babe, instead of joseph having to hear jesus banging on the drum as he learns...

Mary nods because she totally agrees that a gift of a drum is never a good idea for new parents’ children...

The young shephard keeps his drum, and later, when herod’s men are searching for jesus, the drummer boy distracts them by playing his drum... Sadly he is killed by the soldiers.. Pa rumpapum pum.

[impactplayer]

Thanks you - I almost dropped out of the choir when we sang this a couple of years ago.

Nothing in this song makes any sense.

[Politicalkiddo]

I’ve always loved this song, but to each his own.

[Kirkwood]

It could have been worse. It could have been triangle boy and everyone singing ting-a-ling ling.

[Billthedrill]

There are Christmas songs that drive me absolutely round the bend every year, and this is one of them. Ranks up there with Springsteen howling “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” (dear God!) and “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer”. Don’t even start me on “Do They Know It’s Christmas” or I may have to take a fire ax to the next group of carolers who cross my path. I GOTCHER FIGGY PUDDING RIGHT HERE!!!

[CrazyIvan]

Agree. Should have soothed the baby Jesus with bagpipes.

[BluesDuke]

B.B. King, "Christmas in Heaven"

[Daaave]

After seeing this post I had to look up my favorite version and listen to it over and over. As a former drummer, I've always liked this song. Danke

Trommelmann by Marlene Dietrich

Frohe Weihnachten

[Fiji Hill]

I actually like “The Little Drummer Boy” by the Harry Simeone Chorale (1958).

[Fiji Hill]

If you don't like "The Little Drummer Boy," maybe you'll like To the Revolutionary Jesus on His Birthday a Communist Chrietmas carol sung by Ernst Busch, who also sang Stalin, Friend and Comrade and The Song of the [Socialist Unity] Party

[moonhawk]

I’ve always loved the song you bunch of Scrooges.

It’s White Christmas and all those secular songs I don’t like—At least the kid was trying to so something for the baby Jesus—Giving all he had, like the widow in the Temple.

To each his own, I guess.

[eyedigress]

Why would you post this?

My least favorite song is whatever I want it to be.

[Montana_Sam]

Here is the best drumming Christmas song - not drummer boy. This one is fun: Stuck in the Smokehole of Our Teepee

[mountn man]

Later in life this same king had pharisees complain about a similar gift a prostitute gave him, breaking expensive perfume over his feet then wiping them with her hair.

44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” 48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Maybe there wasn't an actual drummer boy in the Bible, but the song is about a young boy giving all the he had. The Bible tells us of an actual woman, thought to be of the lowest ill repute. The "righteous" were offended and yet Christ forgave her because of her act.

Now we have modern day Pharisees complaining that there wasn't an actual drummer boy mentioned in the Bible, so it didn't happen. Or that the little kid was annoying, or that he was self absorbed.

I guess the Pharisees said about as much of the prostitute.

Personally, I find the story of a little drummer boy, to be very Biblical of the heart that Christ calls for in people.

I ALSO find the attitudes of the people complaining on this thread to be very Biblical.

Come they told me
A new born king to see
Our finest gifts we bring
To lay before the king
So to honor him
When we come

Little baby
I am a poor boy too
I have no gift to bring
That's fit to give our king
Shall I play for you
I played my drum for him

I played my best for him

Then he smiled at me...

A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind him at his feet weeping...

Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

Maybe people should spend more time weeping about their unworthiness, like this woman did, than grousing about the supposed unworthiness of a song, about a make believe boy with his unworthy gift.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

I really don’t care for any Christmas music, and “Silver Bells” makes me feel violent. I’ve just heard it all too many times. Even with the cleverest arrangements, I always know the next notes right down to the third part harmony. I don’t listen to any of it!
And those big cinnamon pine cones? Yuck!

[Rastus]

If you don’t find this stirring, I don’t know what to tell you:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJWUcd34SfA

Definitive and beautiful:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqaFVDqV0sc

[raybbr]

Wow! I love this song. Especially the Bowie/Bing version. I honestly don’t get the hate. It’s a song about a boy who recognizes Jesus Christ and has nothing but his talent to offer in homage. It’s like real life - sometimes that’s all someone has to offer and so they do “their best” and people hate it. Pretty sad.

[Theo]

I used to hate the song. Hated it. Then I came to se it as a metaphor of giving my all to Christ, and now the song really resonates with me. FWIW.