After serving in the U.S. Army in World War II (where he worked under Walter Schumann), he was hired by Mitch Miller, then head of A & R at Columbia Records as their home arranger, and he worked with several artists, including Rosemary Clooney, Marty Robbins, Frankie Laine, Johnny Mathis, Guy Mitchell and Johnnie Ray. He wrote a top 10 arrangement for Don Cherry's "Band of Gold" in 1955, a single that sold more than a million copies.
Amongst the hit singles he backed with his orchestra (and eventually with a male chorus) were "Yes Tonight Josephine" and "Just Walkin' in the Rain" by Johnnie Ray; "Chances Are" and "It's Not for Me to Say" by Johnny Mathis; "A White Sport Coat" and "The Hanging Tree" by Marty Robbins; "Up Above My Head," a duet by Frankie Laine and Johnnie Ray; and "Pet Me, Poppa" by Rosemary Clooney. He also backed up the albums Tony by Tony Bennett, Blue Swing by Eileen Rodgers, Swingin' for Two by Don Cherry, and half the tracks of The Big Beat by Johnnie Ray.
In these early years he also produced some similar sounding records for Columbia's Epic label under the name of Jay Raye (which stands for "Joseph Raymond") amongst them a backing album and singles with Somethin' Smith & The Redheads, an American male vocal group.
Because of the success of his backings Mitch Miller allowed him to make his own record, and this became the successful 'S Wonderful, a collection of standards that were recorded with an orchestra and a wordless singing chorus (four men, four women). He released many more albums in the same vein, including Dance The Bop (1957), S Marvelous (1957, gold album), S Awful Nice (1958), Concert in Rhythm (1958, gold album), Hollywood in Rhythm (1958), Broadway in Rhythm (1959), and Concert in Rhythm, Volume II (1959, gold album).
In 1959 he started the Ray Conniff Singers (12 women and 13 men) and released the album It's the Talk of the Town. This group of wordβ not just syllable β singing singers brought him the biggest hit he ever had in his career: Somewhere My Love (1966). The title track of the album was written to the music of "Lara's Theme" from the film Doctor Zhivago, and was a top 10 single in the US. The album also reached the US top 20 and went platinum, and Conniff won a Grammy. The single and album reached high positions in the international charts (a.o. Australia, Germany, Great Britain, Japan) as well. Also extraordinarily successful was the first of four Christmas albums by the Singers, Christmas with Conniff (1959). Nearly fifty years after its release, in 2004, Conniff was posthumously awarded with a platinum album/CD.
Musically different highlights in Conniff's career are two albums he produced in cooperation with Billy Butterfield, an old buddy from earlier swing days. Conniff Meets Butterfield (1960) featured Butterfield's solo trumpet and a small rhythm group; Just Kiddin' Around (after a Conniff original composition from the 1940s), released 1963, featured additional trombone solos by Ray himself. Both albums are pure light jazz and did not feature any vocals.
Jolly Old St. Nicholas
Ray Conniff Singers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lean your ear this way
Don't you tell a single soul
What I'm going to say
Christmas Eve is coming soon
Now, you dear old man
Whisper what you'll bring to me
Tell me if you can
When the clock is striking twelve
And I'm sound asleep
Down the chimney, broad and black
With your pack you'll creep
All the stockings you will find
Hanging in a row
Mine will be the shortest one
You'll be sure to know
(Ah ah ah ah)
(Ah ah ah ah)
Johnny wants a pair of skates
Suzy wants a sled
Nellie wants a picture book
Yellow, blue, and red
Now I think I'll leave to you
What to give the rest
But give little Billy a drum this year
Drum this year
'Cause that's what he like best
(Rum rum rum rum)
Come they told me
Pa rum pum pum pum
A 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
(Rum, rum, pum rum, rum, pum rum, rum pum pum)
Baby Jesus
Pa rum pum pum pum
I am a poor boy too
Pa rum pum pum pum
I have no gifts 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
(Rum, rum)
Shall I play for you
Pa rum pum pum pum
On my drum
(Rum, rum, pum rum, rum, pum rum, rum pum pum)
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
(Rum, pum, ba ba da bum, ba ba da Bum, ba ba da, ba ba da bum)
Then He smiled at me
Pa rum pum pum pum
Me and my drum
(Rum, rum, pum rum, rum, rum rum, pum rum)
(Rum, rum, rum, rum, pum rum, rum)
The lyrics to "The Little Drummer Boy" present a heartwarming and touching story of a poor boy who is unable to bring a physical gift to the newborn King but still chooses to play his drum as his gift to honor Him. The song opens with the boy speaking to Santa Claus, asking him what he wants for Christmas. He asks Santa to bring him a drum as he knows that it will be the best gift for him. The boy believes that he can present a valuable offering to the Baby Jesus by playing his drum for Him. He travels to Bethlehem with the other people who wish to pay their respects to the King, and when he arrives, he plays his drum for Him, bringing a smile to the newborn's face.
The song is a beautiful representation of the true meaning of Christmas β it is about the humble Boy who was born in a manger and was visited by shepherds and the kings from afar. The Boy, in turn, blessed all those who came with love, peace, and grace. The little drummer boy's story is a poignant reminder that gifts don't always have to be material β it is the intention and the heart that counts.
Line by Line Meaning
Jolly old Saint Nicholas
A happy depiction of Saint Nicholas
Lean your ear this way
Listen closely to what I am going to say
Don't you tell a single soul
Keep my secret safe and do not tell anyone else
What I'm going to say
The artist has something to share
Christmas Eve is coming soon
The holiday of Christmas is approaching
Now, you dear old man
Addressing Saint Nicholas respectfully
Whisper what you'll bring to me
Speak quietly about the gift that you will give me
Tell me if you can
Asking Saint Nicholas to confirm whether it is possible to fulfill the request
When the clock is striking twelve
At midnight
And I'm sound asleep
Deeply and completely asleep
Down the chimney, broad and black
Saint Nicholas descends into the home through the fireplace
With your pack you'll creep
Stealthily place gifts from his sack
All the stockings you will find
The stockings hung for Saint Nicholas to fill
Hanging in a row
Arranged in a line
Mine will be the shortest one
The singer's stocking is the smallest in size or length
You'll be sure to know
Saint Nicholas will recognize the artist's stocking
Johnny wants a pair of skates
One child, Johnny, has a specific request for a Christmas present
Suzy wants a sled
Another child, Suzy wants a specific present - a sled
Nellie wants a picture book
A third child, Nellie, desires a picture book
Yellow, blue, and red
The colors of the picture book desired by Nellie
Now I think I'll leave to you
Leaving the decision for the rest of the children's presents to Saint Nicholas
What to give the rest
Determining which present to give each remaining child
But give little Billy a drum this year
A specific request for Little Billy's present - a drum
Drum this year
Reiterating that a drum is the only present Little Billy wants this year
Come they told me
An invitation to see the arrival of a newborn King
Pa rum pum pum pum
The sound of a drum beat
A newborn King to see
Witnessing the arrival of the baby King
Our finest gifts we bring
Bringing the best gifts to honor the King
To lay before the King
Placing the gifts before the King
So to honor him
Honoring the newborn King
When we come
Upon our arrival
Baby Jesus
The newborn King is the baby Jesus
I am a poor boy too
The artist is also poor
I have no gifts to bring
The artist lacks the means to present any gifts to the King
That's fit to give our King
Nothing is appropriate for presenting to the King
Shall I play for you
Asking the King if a drum solo would be an acceptable gift
On my drum
The singer's drum would be the only possible present
Mary nodded
Mary, mother of Jesus, acknowledged the request
The ox and lamb kept time
The singer's drum playing was accompanied by the sounds of an ox and lamb
I played my drum for Him
The artist played the drum as a sign of homage for the King
I played my best for Him
The artist played the drum with their most significant effort
Then He smiled at me
The pleased King smiled at the singer
Me and my drum
The only present the singer had to offer was their drumming
Lyrics Β© INTERNATIONAL KORWIN CORP, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Harry Simeone, Henry Onorati, Katherine Davis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
perpetual61
LYRICS:
Jolly old Saint Nicholas
Lean your ear this way
Don't you tell a single soul
What I'm going to say
Christmas Eve is coming soon
Now, you dear old man
Whisper what you'll bring to me
Tell me if you can
When the clock is striking twelve
And I'm sound asleep
Down the chimney, broad and black
With your pack you'll creep
All the stockings you will find
Hanging in a row
Mine will be the shortest one
You'll be sure to know
Johnny wants a pair of skates
Suzy wants a sled
Nellie wants a picture book
Yellow, blue, and red
Now I think I'll leave to you
What to give the rest
But give little Billy a Drum this year
Cause that's what he likes best
perpetual61
LYRICS:
Jolly old Saint Nicholas
Lean your ear this way
Don't you tell a single soul
What I'm going to say
Christmas Eve is coming soon
Now, you dear old man
Whisper what you'll bring to me
Tell me if you can
When the clock is striking twelve
And I'm sound asleep
Down the chimney, broad and black
With your pack you'll creep
All the stockings you will find
Hanging in a row
Mine will be the shortest one
You'll be sure to know
Johnny wants a pair of skates
Suzy wants a sled
Nellie wants a picture book
Yellow, blue, and red
Now I think I'll leave to you
What to give the rest
But give little Billy a Drum this year
Cause that's what he likes best
Maria Tewari
I LOVE THIS CHRISTMAS SONG!!!
Happy New Year 2020 to all!!!
Sheldon J Plankton
It was a bad year lol
Bella Virginia
Mom played this song version when I was little..Mom has passed away but always remember her every Christmas with this song
Thedaveyht3
same here :(
jensmom604
That's sweet!
Noel D
I know this feeling all too well. My late dad had a Ray Connif Christmas album that he used to play every year. Listening to this reminds me of my childhood Christmases when my parents were still alive and when life was very different.
Bella Virginia
Still hear this song this Yearπ my Christmas full of my childhood memoryππ π..Mery Christmas
James Leopard
I'm sorry to hear that
Rebecca Marsh
Memories of my mama........she loved this song........reminds me of Christmas when I was a little girl.