The Twelve Days of Christmas
Jeremy Blandford (organ) Clare College Singers and Orchestra Lyrics
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my true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree.
On the second day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the third day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the fourth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the fifth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the sixth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the seventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the eighth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the ninth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the tenth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the eleventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the twelfth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Twelve drummers drumming,
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree!
"The Twelve Days of Christmas" is a traditional Christmas song that describes a series of increasingly grand and extravagant gifts that someone receives from their true love each of the twelve days leading up to Christmas Day. It begins with a relatively simple gift of a partridge in a pear tree on the first day, and each subsequent day adds a new gift while also including all of the previous gifts in each subsequent verse, building up to a grand total of 364 gifts by the twelfth day.
As the song progresses, the gifts become more and more lavish, including turtle doves, French hens, calling birds, golden rings, geese a-laying, swans a-swimming, and even lords a-leaping and drummers drumming. While the literal meaning of the song has been debated over time, some have suggested that it was originally a memory game where each singer would have to remember all of the previously mentioned gifts before adding their own.
Overall, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" remains a beloved Christmas classic, and its catchy melody and playful lyrics continue to delight children and adults alike each year during the holiday season.
Line by Line Meaning
On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me A partridge in a pear tree.
My true love gave me a partridge nestled in a pear tree on the first day of Christmas.
On the second day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the second day, in addition to the partridge in a pear tree, my true love also sent two turtle doves.
On the third day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the third day, my true love sent me three french hens, two turtle doves, and another partridge in a pear tree.
On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the fourth day, my true love sent me four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and another partridge in a pear tree.
On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the fifth day, my true love sent me five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and another partridge in a pear tree.
On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the sixth day, my true love sent me six geese laying eggs, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and another partridge in a pear tree.
On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the seventh day, my true love sent me seven swans gracefully swimming, six geese laying eggs, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and another partridge in a pear tree.
On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Eight maids a-milking, Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the eighth day, my true love sent me eight maids milking cows, seven swans gracefully swimming, six geese laying eggs, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and another partridge in a pear tree.
On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Nine ladies dancing, Eight maids a-milking, Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the ninth day, my true love sent me nine ladies gracefully dancing, eight maids milking cows, seven swans gracefully swimming, six geese laying eggs, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and another partridge in a pear tree.
On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Ten lords a-leaping, Nine ladies dancing, Eight maids a-milking, Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the tenth day, my true love sent me ten lords leaping gracefully, nine ladies dancing, eight maids milking cows, seven swans gracefully swimming, six geese laying eggs, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and another partridge in a pear tree.
On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Eleven pipers piping, Ten lords a-leaping, Nine ladies dancing, Eight maids a-milking, Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the eleventh day, my true love sent me eleven pipers energetically playing music, ten lords leaping gracefully, nine ladies dancing, eight maids milking cows, seven swans gracefully swimming, six geese laying eggs, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and another partridge in a pear tree.
On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Twelve drummers drumming, Eleven pipers piping, Ten lords a-leaping, Nine ladies dancing, Eight maids a-milking, Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree!
On the twelfth day, my true love sent me a dozen drummers energetically drumming, eleven pipers energetically playing music, ten lords leaping gracefully, nine ladies dancing, eight maids milking cows, seven swans gracefully swimming, six geese laying eggs, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and another partridge in a pear tree - an overwhelming collection of gifts given with love!
Lyrics © Roba Music, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: FREDERIC N AUSTIN, JOHN D'ANDREA, CORY CHARLES N LERIOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind