The Little Drummer Boy

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This article is about the Christmas song. For the movie about a little drummer boy who does not want to grow up, see The Tin Drum (film). For the 1968 stop motion animated film, see The Little Drummer Boy (TV special).

"The Little Drummer Boy"

Single by Harry Simeone Chorale
B-side	"Die Lorelei" (20th Fox) "O' Holy Night" (20th Century-Fox) "Hallelujah" (Kapp) "O' Bambino (One Cold and Blessed Winter)" (Kapp Winners Circle;MCA)
Released	1958
Format	7-inch
Genre	Christmas, Pop
Length	3:03
Label	20th Fox 45-121 20th Century-Fox 429 20th Century-Fox 6429 Kapp 711 Kapp Winners Circle 86 MCA 65030
Writer(s)	Harry Simeone K.K. Davis Henry Onorati

K.K. Davis' "The Little Drummer Boy" was first recorded in 1955 as "Carol of the Drum"

Modern-day "Little Drummer Boy" reenactment actor, from the show "Data-Driven Drumming."

"The Little Drummer Boy" (originally known as "Carol of the Drum") is a popular Christmas song written by the American classical music composer and teacher Katherine Kennicott Davis in 1941.^[1] It was recorded in 1955 by the Trapp Family Singers ^[2] and further popularized by a 1958 recording by the Harry Simeone Chorale. This version was re-released successfully for several years and the song has been recorded many times since.^[3]

In the lyrics the singer relates how, as a poor young boy, he was summoned by the Magi to the nativity where, without a gift for the infant Jesus, he played his drum with the Virgin Mary's approval, remembering "I played my best for Him" and "He smiled at me."

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· 1Origins

· 2Other versions

o 2.11950s

o 2.21960s

o 2.31970s

o 2.41980s

o 2.51990–1999

o 2.62000–2009

o 2.72010–present

· 3Covers in other languages

· 4References