Shortly after that, with Kenny's assistance, Joan formed the backing group "The Blackhearts" with three obscure New York area musicians: Gary Ryan on bass, Eric Ambel (replaced shortly thereafter by Rick Byrd) on guitar and Lee Crystal on drums. After almost a year of touring, Joan's first album with The Blackhearts, entitled I Love Rock'N'Roll came out in December of 1981. The album included a version of "Little Drummer Boy" on the pre-Christmas editions. The album's impact on the music scene was immediate with the LP reaching the Top Five, while the single "I Love Rock'n'Roll" hit the very top of the Billboard's Charts on March 20, 1982 and stayed #1 for 7 weeks. Joan Jett had come back from nowhere.
A string of Top 40 hits followed, as well as sellout tours with The Police, Queen, and Aerosmith, among others. Jett was the second American act of any kind to perform behind the Iron Curtain, the first one being Blood, Sweat & Tears in Romania in 1969. She was among the first English-speaking rock acts to appear in Panama and the Dominican Republic.
Forced label changes in the 80's led to a decline in popularity. Despite the follow-up albums "Album" and "Glorious Results of a Misspent Youth" being praised by her devout fans, neither got the attention or radio play the first two albums received.
After receiving her own MTV New Year's Eve special, Jett beat out a number of contenders to appear in the movie Light of Day with Michael J. Fox. It was about this time that Ryan and Crystal left the Blackhearts. They were soon replaced by the powerful rhythm section of Thommy Price and Kasim Sulton. Later that year, Jett released "Good Music", which featured appearances by The Beach Boys, The Sugarhill Gang and singer Darlene Love. The album only spawned two minor singles which received little airplay. This label decided the band had to either take in outside help or they would lose their contract.
And so they did. Her next release, Up Your Alley, went multi-platinum and was followed by "The Hit List", which was an international hit. Popular songwriter/producer Desmond Child was brought in, resulting in the release of album "Up Your Alley". This album brought the band a resurgence in popularity, with top 10 singles "I Hate Myself for Loving You" and "Little Liar".
This return to the spotlight would be short-lived, however. Follow-up album "The Hit List", an all-cover songs release, spawned only a minor hit with Jett's version of AC/DC's "Dirty Deeds".
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts became the first rock band to perform a series of shows at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on Broadway, breaking the record at the time for the fastest ticket sell-out ever.
1991 and 1994 had two more releases, "Notorious" and "Pure & Simple". But radio had started looking to grunge by this time, and neither album got the attention they deserved.
In the 1990s, Jett and Laguna released "Flashback", a compilation of her career so far on their own Blackheart Records. Her next release, "Notorious" (which featured The Replacements' Paul Westerberg) was the last with Sony/CBS as Jett switched to Warner Brothers.
In 1994, the Blackhearts released the well received Pure and Simple, which featured tracks written with Kat Bjelland (Babes in Toyland), Donita Sparks (L7) and Kathleen Hanna (Bikini Kill).
While a slew of hits packages, some with an occasional new or previously unreleased track were released following this, it would be 10 years before a new studio album would appear.
This would be 2004's "Naked", and thus far has been a Japan-only release. The album sees Jett returning to a more raw and experimental sound, closer to that of her first 4 releases than the polished material that began with "Good Music".
Failing to get "Naked" released in other markets, Jett released on a more international level "Sinner" in June 2006, on Blackheart Records, her own label.. This album featured many remixed tracks from "Naked", and a complete rewrite of "Stuck in the Middle" to new version "Riddles". Lead-off single and video was a cover of "A.C.D.C." by Sweet.
To support the album, the band appeared on the 2006 Warped Tour, and embarked on a Fall 2006 tour with Eagles of Death Metal.
After a long break from recording, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts released a 6-song EP of new material, "Mindsets," in June 2023.
Wynnewood
Little Drummer Boy
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Our newborn King to see, pa-rum pum pum pum
Our finest gifts we bring pa-rum pum pum pum
To lay before the King pa-rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum. rum pum pum pum
So to honor Him pa-rum pum pum pum
When we come
I am a poor boy too, pa-rum pum pum pum
I have no gift to bring pa-rum pum pum pum
That's fit to give our King pa- rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum
Shall I play for you, pa-rum pum pum pum
on my drum?
Mary nodded pa-rum pum pum pum
The Ox and Lamb kept time pa-rum pum pum pum
I played my drum for Him pa-rum pum pum pum
I played my best for Him pa -rum pum pum pum
Rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum
Then He smiled at me pa-rum pum pum pum
Me and my drum
The song "Little Drummer Boy" talks about a little drummer boy who wishes to visit the newborn king with his family. He does not have any gifts to bring other than his humble drumming talents. The song goes on to describe how the drummer boy plays his drum for the baby Jesus and how the animals in the manger keep time with him. The baby smiles at him, and the drummer boy feels blessed that he could offer his talents to the son of God.
Line by Line Meaning
Come, they told me pa-rum pum pum pum
We were informed to come and see the newborn King by someone, with the sound of the drum
Our newborn King to see, pa-rum pum pum pum
To witness our newly born King, which inspired us with the sound of the drum
Our finest gifts we bring pa-rum pum pum pum
We brought our most valuable gifts to present for the King, with the drum's rhythmic beat
To lay before the King pa-rum pum pum pum
Present our offerings to the King in front of Him with the accompaniment of the drum
So to honor Him pa-rum pum pum pum
We humbly offered these gifts to show our respect and admiration for the King, with the drum's beat
When we come
We will arrive to meet the King
Little Baby pa-rum pum pum pum
The King's newborn child, announced by the sound of the drum
I am a poor boy too, pa-rum pum pum pum
I have very little to present as a gift to the King, as indicated by the drum's beat
I have no gift to bring pa-rum pum pum pum
I have nothing worthy enough to offer as a gift to the King, as played by the drum
That's fit to give our King pa- rum pum pum pum
I have no presents suitable for our King's status and importance, harmonized by the drum
Rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum
Drum's rhythmic sound
Shall I play for you, pa-rum pum pum pum on my drum?
May I play my drum for our King in honor of his arrival?
Mary nodded pa-rum pum pum pum
Mary gave her approval to play the drum, indicated by the drum's beat
The Ox and Lamb kept time pa-rum pum pum pum
Other animals also continued to beat a rhythm with the drum, like the Ox and Lamb
I played my drum for Him pa-rum pum pum pum
I played the drum in honor of Him, and because of Him, as symbolized by the drum's beat
I played my best for Him pa-rum pum pum pum
I played the drum with all of my heart, giving my best in honor of Him
Rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum
Drum's rhythmic sound
Then He smiled at me pa-rum pum pum pum
The King smiled at me, acknowledging and appreciating the drum's rhythm and my tribute to Him
Me and my drum
I departed with only my humble drum, with no other possessions but the honor of my moment with the King
Lyrics © INTERNATIONAL KORWIN CORP, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Harry Simeone, Henry V Onorati, Katherine Kennicot Davis, Lorenzo Definti
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Космос West
А мне понравилась песня!!!
Frank Houston
True Joan Jett slaying guitar. Badass chic luv it
drfporvida
Classic !