Artist: Trapp Family Singers
Author: Katherine K. Davis
Label: Decca
Year: 1953
Recorded during sessions for their albums Christmas With The Trapp Family Singers and Yuletide Songs Of Many Lands. This is the real von Trapp Family who's life story inspired musical The Sound Of Music, fleeing their native Austria via Switserland to America, while it was occupied by nazi Germany in '38. That's their picture on this sheet music copy.
Covers:
Jack Halloran Singers [a cappella for Dot on lp Christmas Is A-Comin' (should have been a single for the '57 Christmas season); Henry Onorati, one of the producers, was Harry Simeone's go-between; the Halloran version was unsuccessfully reissued as Little Drummer Boy in the slipstream of the Simeone hit]
Harry Simeone Chorale [as Little Drummer Boy, a christmas hit for five consecutive seasons; credited to himself and Henry Onorati]
Beverley Sisters [idem]
Johnny Cash [idem]
Nana Mouskouri [as L'Enfant au tambour and in German as Johnny Tambour]
Trini Lopez [as El Niño Del Tambor]
Prince Buster [as Wreck A Pum Pum]
Soul Sisters [answer song as Wreck A Buddy]
André Hazes [as Jochie Met Een Trommeltje]
Boney M [as Little Drummer Boy]
Kreuners [as A-Rum-A-Dum-Dum]
Dandy Warhols [debut single]
John Denver [at the Vatican]
Chicago [as Little Drummer Boy]
Ringo Starr [vocal: Timothy B. Schmit]
Blind Boys Of Alabama [with Michael Franti]
An & Jan [as Met De Kleine Trom]
Justin Bieber [as Drummer Boy]
Written in 1941, loosely based on a Czech fairytale. In one of Martin Luther's christmas carols, children play as little drummer boys near newborn Jesus. The tune is related to Spanish song Tamborilero and to French song Le Jongleur (Middle Ages), it also somewhat reminds Ravel's Bolero (1928).
If you noticed blunt omissions, mis-interpretations or even out-and-out errors,
please let me know:
Arnold Rypens
Rozenlaan 65
B-2840 Reet (Rumst)