Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy
Bing Crosby & David Bowie Lyrics
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A newborn 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? (Come they told me pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
Years from now, perhaps we'll see? (A newborn king to see pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
See the day of glory (our finest gift we bring pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
Live in peace, live in peace again (rum-pum-pum-pum)
Peace on Earth (so to honor him pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
Can it be (when we come)
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 (little baby pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
For my child and your child too (I stood beside him there pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
He'll see the day of glory (I played my drum for him pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
See the day when men of good will (I played my best for him pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
Live in peace, live in peace again (rum-pum-pum-pum)
Peace on Earth (then he smiled at me pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
Can it be (me and my drum)
Can it be
that after all the strife and chaos of this world, there could ever be peace on earth? This is the question posed in the iconic duet of Bing Crosby and David Bowie's "Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy". The song begins with the classic lines of "Little Drummer Boy", telling the story of the three wise men who came to see the newborn king and brought gifts to honor him. However, the song takes a turn when the familiar "pa-rum-pum-pum-pum" beat is interrupted by Bowie's haunting question of peace on earth.
The lyrics then shift to a plea for love and understanding. "Every child must be made aware, every child must be made to care," Crosby sings, emphasizing the importance of empathy and compassion in creating a better world. He prays that this wish will come true for all children, and that they will see the day when men of goodwill live in peace again. The "rum-pum-pum-pum" beat becomes a hopeful anthem for a future where humanity can coexist in harmony.
An interesting fact about the song is that it was not originally written as a duet but was a mashup of two songs, "The Little Drummer Boy" and "Peace on Earth." The arrangement of the two pieces was made specifically for David Bowie and Bing Crosby's rendition on Crosby's Christmas TV special in 1977. Another fascinating aspect is the unlikely pairing of the two artists, as they come from vastly different musical backgrounds and generations. The performance has become an iconic and beloved Christmas classic, with over 120 million views on YouTube.
Additionally, the original "Little Drummer Boy" was written in 1941 by Katherine K. Davis, while "Peace on Earth" was written by Ian Fraser, Larry Grossman, and Alan Kohan in 1955. Apart from Bowie and Crosby's version, the song has been covered by several artists over the years, including Bob Seger, Whitney Houston, and Pentatonix.
The chords for "Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy" are as follows:
Am/C - Gsus - D - D7 - F - C - G - E7 - Am
Overall, "Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy" is a timeless testament to the hope for peace and love in the world that remains as relevant today as it was when it was first performed over 40 years ago.
Line by Line Meaning
Come they told me pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
They said to me, 'come along and play your drum.'
A newborn king to see pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
There's a new king to visit and pay our respects to.
Our finest gifts we bring pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
We've brought our best presents to honor the occasion.
Rum-pum-pum-pum, rum-pum-pum-pum
The beat of my drum serves as backing music to our visit.
Peace on Earth, can it be? (Come they told me pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
We can hope for peace on Earth, but is it possible?
Years from now, perhaps we'll see? (A newborn king to see pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
Maybe in the future, we'll witness a glorious time.
See the day of glory (our finest gift we bring pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
Witnessing a great moment is a gift in itself.
See the day, when men of good will (to lay before the king pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
One day, the good-hearted will come before the king.
Live in peace, live in peace again (rum-pum-pum-pum)
To live in harmony with one another is the ultimate goal.
Peace on Earth (so to honor him pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
Having peace on Earth is how we honor this occasion.
Can it be (when we come)
We're hopeful that it's possible.
Every child must be made aware
It's important that every child is informed.
Every child must be made to care
It's crucial that every child learns to care.
Care enough for his fellow man
We should care enough for our fellow human beings.
To give all the love that he can
We ought to give as much love as possible.
I pray my wish will come true (little baby pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
I'm hopeful that my wish will be granted.
For my child and your child too (I stood beside him there pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
This wish is not just for my child but for everyone's kids.
He'll see the day of glory (I played my drum for him pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
He'll witness a momentous event, and I'll be there to play my drum.
See the day when men of good will (I played my best for him pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
Witness the day when kind-hearted people come together.
Live in peace, live in peace again (rum-pum-pum-pum)
We would be at peace once more.
Peace on Earth (then he smiled at me pa-rum-pum-pum-pum)
Having peace on Earth would undoubtedly bring joyous reactions.
Can it be (me and my drum)
We fervently hope so.
Lyrics © Capitol CMG Publishing, Songtrust Ave, Peermusic Publishing, PHRASER MORTON MUSIC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Alan W Kohan, Ian Fraser, Lawrence A Grossman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@laurensavard6506
Thank you for sharing, John! Your words really resonated with me and my own sentiments regarding this song, and I wondered if you might appreciate an additional fact on it.
In late 2020, I learned through an ordinary internet search for facts about this song that it was recorded on September 11, 1978. To think that exactly 24 years to the day before 9/11 occured, two men from two different generations and countries would get together and sing such a beautiful song praying for peace on earth and goodwill among humanity gets me every time it comes to mind!
Something that especially touches me is when David Bowie shares before they sing that his son was 6 at the time they recorded the song, and he soon sings the line that his child would see a "day when men of goodwill would live in peace again." Interestingly, I've felt called to serve in response to 9/11 longer-term and plan to move from my home in Maryland to greater NYC (likely North Jersey) to do so. Since I was born in 1995, I was the age his son was on 9/11 (age 6). I've started listening to this song year-round as my sense of calling has developed, as it reminds me to do my part to work towards the vision Bing Crosby and David Bowie sang about all those years ago and to do what I can to encourage others to do the same thing.
While I've always loved it, this song has become so dear to me with these thoughts in mind over the past two years. I hope and pray their masterpiece can help many others in their own ways! 💙🙏🏻🇺🇸🇬🇧🌏
Best wishes and blessings for you and your loved ones from Harford County, MD, for Christmas, 2023, and always! 🙏🏻🎄☃️
@dorisblack7631
This song touches my soul everytime I hear it! Still listening in 2023! Two phenomenal artists. May they both rest in peace!!
@bottletree33
Yeah it’s beautiful. I try to listen to it every year. Great voices coming from two very different worlds.
@christinehughes6928
So magical love it ❤
@majorthumbsup8563
The finest!
@72mossy
It was like passing the old to new,
@DeborahAbelha
Me too 😢😢😢❤❤love
@EriksAngel15
Whoever came up with the idea to pair these two singers together was an absolute genius.
@bren4061
Took the word's out of my head
@I_Am_The_Paulrus
Bing Crosby's kids apparently
@stone1andonly
It was the combination of a couple very quirky tv producers and Bowie's mother's love of Bing Crosby that made it happen. They get the credit for putting together the icons of two different ages to create one of the holiday season's most immortal duets, one that will outlive us all. I was fortunate enough to be watching that show that night.