Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr., (John Denver) was born in Roswell, New Mexic… Read Full Bio ↴Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr., (John Denver) was born in Roswell, New Mexico, to Erma Louise Swope and Henry John Deutschendorf, Sr., an Air Force officer and flight instructor of German ancestry. At the age of 12, Denver received a 1910 Gibson acoustic jazz guitar from his grandmother. He learned to play well enough to perform at local clubs by the time he was in college. He adopted the surname "Denver" after the capital of his favorite state, Colorado. Attending high school in Fort Worth, Texas was a distressing experience for the alienated Denver. In his third year of high school, he took his father's car and ran away to California to visit family friends and pursue a musical career. His father flew to California to retrieve him, and Denver returned to finish high school. Denver dropped out of the School of Engineering (Architecture) at Texas Technological College (now Texas Tech University) in Lubbock, Texas, in 1963, and moved to Los Angeles, California, where he sang in the smoky underground folk clubs. In 1965, Denver joined the Chad Mitchell Group, a folk group that had been renamed "The Mitchell Trio" prior to Chad Mitchell's departure and before Denver's arrival, and then "Denver, Boise, and Johnson" (John Denver, David Boise, and Michael Johnson). In 1969, Denver abandoned the band life to pursue a solo career, and released his first album for RCA Records, Rhymes and Reasons. It was not a huge hit, but it contained "Leaving On A Jet Plane," which was recorded by Peter, Paul and Mary two years prior when Mitchell Trio manager Milt Okun had brought the unrecorded Denver song to the high-profile folk group. Soon after the John Denver version was released, the Peter, Paul and Mary version hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Although RCA did not actively promote the album with a tour, Denver himself embarked on an impromptu supporting tour throughout the Midwest, stopping at towns and cities as the fashion took him, offering to play free concerts at local venues. When he was successful in convincing a school, college, American Legion Hall, or local coffee-house to let him play, he would spend a day or so postering the town and could usually be counted upon to show up at the local radio station, guitar in hand, offering himself for an interview. With the foot-in-the-door of having authored "Leaving On A Jet Plane," he was often successful in gaining some valuable promotional airtime, usually featuring one or two songs performed live. Some venues would let him play for the "door"; others restricted him to selling copies of the album at intermission and after the show. After several months of this constant low-key touring schedule, however, he had sold enough albums to convince RCA to take a chance on extending his recording contract. He had also built a sizable and solid fan base, many of whom remained loyal throughout his career. His album Poems, Prayers, and Promises (released in 1971), was a breakthrough for him in the U.S., thanks in part to the single "Take Me Home Country Roads," which went to #2 on the Billboard charts despite the first pressings of the track being distorted. Its success was due in part to the efforts of his new manager, future Hollywood producer Jerry Weintraub, who signed Denver in 1970. Weintraub insisted on a re-issue of the track and began a radio-airplay campaign that started in Denver, Colorado. Denver's career flourished from then on, and he had a series of hits over the next four years. In 1972, Denver scored his first Top Ten album with Rocky Mountain High, with its title track reaching the Top Ten in 1973. Between 1974 and 1975, Denver experienced an impressive chart dominance, with a string of four #1 songs ("Sunshine On My Shoulders," "Annie's Song," "Thank God I'm A Country Boy," and "I'm Sorry"). Denver was also a guest star on The Muppet Show, the beginning of a lifelong friendship between Denver and Jim Henson that spawned two television specials with The Muppets.

12 Days of Christmas
John Denver & the Muppets Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

On the first day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
A partridge in a pear tree

On the second day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree

On the third day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Three French hens
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree

On the fourth day of Christmas
My true love gave 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 gave to me
Five gold 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 gave to me
Six geese a-laying
Five gold 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 gave to me
Seven swans a-swimming
Six geese a-laying
Five gold 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 gave to me
Eight maids a-milking
Seven swans a-swimming
Six geese a-laying
Five gold rings
Four calling birds
Three French hens
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree

On the ninth day of Christmas
Me me me me me me
Nine ladies dancing
Eight maids a-milking
Seven swans a-swimming
Six geese a-laying
Five gold rings, badam-pam-pam
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 gave to me
Ten lords a-leaping
Nine ladies dancing
Eight maids a-milking
Seven swans a-swimming
Six geese a-laying
Five gold rings, badam-pam-pam
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 gave 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 gold rings, badam-pam-pam
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 gave 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 gold rings, badam-pam-pam
Four calling birds
Three French hens

Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "12 Days of Christmas" tell the story of a person receiving extravagant gifts from their true love over 12 days. Each day, the gifts continue to stack up until they have received a total of 12 unique items. The first day of Christmas starts with a partridge in a pear tree, and the second day adds two turtle doves to the collection. The third day includes three French hens alongside the first two gifts, leading up to the fourth day with four calling birds in addition to the previous three.

The song continues like this, adding more gifts each day, including five gold rings and six geese a laying, seven swans a swimming, eight maids a milking, nine ladies dancing, ten lords a leaping, eleven pipers piping, and finally, twelve drummers drumming. The repetition of the previous gifts adds to the overall structure and builds anticipation for the next addition. The grand total of gifts received by the end of the song is significant, but the emphasis remains on the overwhelming outpouring of love and generosity from the true love.

Line by Line Meaning

On the first day of Christmas
At the very start of the twelve days of Christmas celebration

My true love gave to me
My significant other bestowed upon me a present

A partridge in a pear tree
A bird called a partridge perched on a tree producing pears

On the second day of Christmas
One day after the start of the celebration

Two turtle doves
Two birds of species called turtledoves

And a partridge in a pear tree
Along with the bird present from the previous day

On the third day of Christmas
Three days since the start of the holiday

Three French hens
Three chickens from France

Two turtle doves
Another two turtledoves to add to the previous pair

And a partridge in a pear tree
And the same partridge on the same pear tree from day one

On the fourth day of Christmas
Four days after the beginning of the festivities

Four calling birds
Four birds known for their pleasant songs

Three French hens
The three French chickens from the day before

Two turtle doves
Also, the two turtledoves from two days ago

And a partridge in a pear tree
Again, adding the partridge and its pear tree to complete the gift

On the fifth day of Christmas
Five days since the commencement of the celebration

Five gold rings
Five shiny bands made of gold

Four calling birds
The four birds famous for their melodious calls

Three French hens
Still the same French chickens from day three of the occasion

Two turtle doves
As well as the two turtledoves gift from two days ago

And a partridge in a pear tree
Also, the same partridge in its pear tree from Christmas' first day

On the sixth day of Christmas
Six days after the start of the twelve-day holiday

Six geese a laying
Half a dozen geese laying eggs

Five gold rings
Still retaining the five gold rings gifted from the previous day

Four calling birds
The same set of euphonious birds from day four

Three French hens
The trio of French chickens received as a present on day three

Two turtle doves
As well as the same two turtledoves given on the second day

And a partridge in a pear tree
Not forgetting the initial partridge present in its pear tree on day one

On the seventh day of Christmas
Seven days have elapsed since the festivities began

Seven swans a swimming
Seven large waterfowls moving gracefully on water

Six geese a laying
Also keeping the six egg-laying geese from day six

Five gold rings
Still having the five golden rings received five days ago

Four calling birds
Those same birds with melodies from day four of the holiday

Three French hens
The identical group of three French hens that came on day three

Two turtle doves
And the two turtledoves, also from the second day

And a partridge in a pear tree
Finally, the ever-present bird and tree combo gifted on day one

On the eighth day of Christmas
Eight days have gone by since the beginning of the occasion

Eight maids a milking
Eight women extracting milk from cows

Seven swans a swimming
The seven swimming swans from the previous day

Six geese a laying
The six geese fruitfully laying eggs from day six

Five gold rings
The quintet of gold rings gifted five days ago

Four calling birds
The same four singing birds from day four

Three French hens
The exact group of French chickens given as a present on day three

Two turtle doves
The equivalent two turtle doves given on the second day

And a partridge in a pear tree
Don't forget the one partridge in its pear tree that started it all

On the ninth day of Christmas
Nine days into the twelve-day celebration

Me me me me me me
A humorous interjection by John Denver in the song

Nine ladies dancing
Nine women rhythmically moving to music

Eight maids a milking
The eight cow-milking maids present on day eight

Seven swans a swimming
The seven graceful swans that swam on day seven

Six geese a laying
The six egg-laying geese from day six

Five gold rings, badam-pam-pam
The same set of gold rings given on day five with a drum sound effect

Four calling birds
The calling birds that sang on day four

Three French hens
The French hens that arrived on day three

Two turtle doves
The two turtledoves given on the second day

And a partridge in a pear tree
And the single partridge in its pear tree that started the sequence

On the tenth day of Christmas
Ten days since the start of the holiday season

Ten lords a leaping
Ten jumping men of noble standing

Nine ladies dancing
Nine women dancing famously

Eight maids a milking
The milkmaid octet from day eight

Seven swans a swimming
Seven elegant swans that were swimming the day before

Six geese a laying
The same six geese, busy laying eggs from day six

Five gold rings, badam-pam-pam
The exact five gold rings with a drum sound effect, gifted five days ago

Four calling birds
The four melodic birds from day four

Three French hens
The identical French hens from day three

Two turtle doves
The equivalent two turtledoves from day two

And a partridge in a pear tree
Not forgetting the single partridge residing in its pear tree

On the eleventh day of Christmas
Eleven days of the twelve-day Christmas festival have come and gone

Eleven pipers piping
Eleven people playing traditional musical pipes

Ten lords a leaping
The ten noble men leaping from day ten

Nine ladies dancing
Still the nine women dancing famously from day nine

Eight maids a milking
The same eight milkmaids from day eight

Seven swans a swimming
The seven elegant swans who swam on day seven

Six geese a laying
The six geese who laid eggs on day six

Five gold rings, badam-pam-pam
The unchanged five golden rings with a drum sound effect, from day five

Four calling birds
The same set of four singing birds from day four

Three French hens
The identical trio of French chickens from day three

Two turtle doves
The equivalent two turtledoves from day two

And a partridge in a pear tree
Like in every other verse, the single partridge from day one in a pear tree

On the twelfth day of Christmas
Last day, after the twelve days of Christmas celebration

My true love gave to me
The exact phrase from the beginning of the song, denoting gift-giving

12 drummers drumming
Twelve people playing drums loudly and rhythmically

Eleven pipers piping
The eleven skilled musicians playing the piped instruments from yesterday

Ten lords a leaping
The ten jumping nobles from day ten

Nine ladies dancing
The nine famously dancing women from day nine

Eight maids a milking
The eight milkmaids who milked cows on day eight

Seven swans a swimming
The seven waterfowls gracefully swimming from day seven

Six geese a laying
The six egg-laying geese from day six, producing eggs all the time

Five gold rings, badam-pam-pam
The same set of five golden rings with a drum sound effect, gifted on day five

Four calling birds
The set of four melodious birds from day four, continuing to sing beautifully

Three French hens
The trio of French hens from day three are still part of the gifts

Two turtle doves
The same turtle doves from day two, invariably in the doves' section of the gifts

And a partridge in a pear tree
As always, the partridge in a pear tree gift from day one, still relevant on this final day

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