The Little Drummer Boy
Die Roten Rosen Lyrics

The Little Drummer Boy is a classic Christmas carol that tells the story of a young boy who visits the newborn King Jesus after being summoned by the wise men. The boy is poor and has no gifts to bring to the King, so he decides to play his drums for Him. The first verse sets up the story by saying, "Come they told me, a new born King is here, our finest gifts we bring to lay before our King, when we come." The second verse introduces the boy and his lack of gifts, "Little Baby, I am a poor boy too, I have no gift to give that's fit to give our King, only my drums."

The third verse adds an interesting visual by describing how Mary taps her feet to the beat of the boy's drum, and how even the animals, the ox and the lamb, keep time as well. The boy then plays his drums as best as he can for the King, giving Him the only thing he has to offer. The chorus punctuates the song with "pa rum pum pum pum" after each line, creating a musical rhythm that mirrors the sound of a drum. The overall theme of the song is the idea that the best gift one can give is to offer what they have, no matter how big or small, in honor of Jesus.