Little Drummer Boy
Johnny McEvoy Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Come, they told me pa-rum pum pum pum
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
Little Baby pa-rum pum pum pum
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

Overall Meaning

The Little Drummer Boy is a song about a young boy who is summoned by the Magi to go to Bethlehem to meet the newborn King. The Magi asked him to bring his drum along, but the boy felt like he had nothing to offer in comparison to the gifts that the Magi had brought. In spite of this, the boy chose to play his drum for the baby Jesus as his gift.


The song is a humble tribute to the spirit of giving and how each person can contribute with what they have, regardless of how insignificant it may seem. The lyrics highlight the importance of giving one's best, just like how the little drummer boy decided to play his drum with all his heart and soul, and how he was rewarded with a smile from the infant Jesus.


Line by Line Meaning

Come, they told me pa-rum pum pum pum
They came to me and said pa-rum pum pum pum


Our newborn King to see, pa-rum pum pum pum
To see the newborn King who has just arrived, we came pa-rum pum pum pum


Our finest gifts we bring pa-rum pum pum pum
We brought our finest gifts, pa-rum pum pum pum


To lay before the King pa-rum pum pum pum
So that we could present them to the King and place them before Him, pa-rum pum pum pum


Rum pum pum pum. rum pum pum pum
Drumming pa-rum pum pum pum, the sound of the drums pa-rum pum pum pum


So to honor Him pa-rum pum pum pum
We did this to pay homage to Him, pa-rum pum pum pum


When we come
Whenever we come


Little Baby pa-rum pum pum pum
There was a little Baby pa-rum pum pum pum


I am a poor boy too, pa-rum pum pum pum
Like a poor boy, I have nothing to give pa-rum pum pum pum


I have no gift to bring pa-rum pum pum pum
I have no gift that is suitable to bring pa-rum pum pum pum


That's fit to give our King pa- rum pum pum pum
That would be appropriate to give to our King pa-rum pum pum pum


Rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum
Drumming pa-rum pum pum pum, the sound of the drums pa-rum pum pum pum


Shall I play for you, pa-rum pum pum pum
Can I play my drum for you, pa-rum pum pum pum


on my drum?
Playing on my drum?


Mary nodded pa-rum pum pum pum
Mary nodded her head, pa-rum pum pum pum


The Ox and Lamb kept time pa-rum pum pum pum
The Ox and Lamb kept the rhythm, pa-rum pum pum pum


I played my drum for Him 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
I played my very best for Him, pa-rum pum pum pum


Rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum
Drumming pa-rum pum pum pum, the sound of the drums pa-rum pum pum pum


Then He smiled at me pa-rum pum pum pum
He smiled at me, pa-rum pum pum pum


Me and my drum
Just me and my drum




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
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Martin Quinn


on the ballad of jack reilly

Didn’t hear it

Martin Quinn


on the ballad of jack reilly

Personal friend o McEvoy great singer great song but can’t get to hear it anymore

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