The Twelve Days of Christmas
Starlite Orchestra & Singers Lyrics


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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 goldenen 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 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 gave 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 gave 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 gave 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 gave 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 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 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 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 golden rings
Four calling birds
Three french hens




Two turtle doves, and
A partridge in a pear tree

Overall Meaning

"The Twelve Days of Christmas" is a traditional Christmas carol that recounts a series of gifts given by a true love over the span of twelve days. Each verse builds upon the previous ones, resulting in a cumulative list of presents. The song is often sung as part of the festivities during the Christmas season.


In the first verse, the singer receives a partridge in a pear tree on the first day of Christmas. This gift symbolizes the love and care of the singer's true love. The partridge in a pear tree represents the steadfast and loyal nature of their relationship.


As the song progresses, the singer continues to receive additional gifts from their true love. On the second day, they receive two turtle doves, which are known for their gentle nature and symbolize love and peace. These gifts are given in addition to the previous day's gift, the partridge in a pear tree. This pattern continues for each subsequent day, with the singer receiving both the new gift and all the previous gifts.


The gifts mentioned in the following verses include three French hens, four calling birds, five golden rings, 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.


While the gifts themselves hold symbolic meaning, the true significance of the song lies in the notion of increasing generosity and devotion from the singer's true love. The repetition of the gifts emphasizes the love and commitment they have for the singer, as each subsequent day adds to the grandeur and thoughtfulness of the gestures.


Overall, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is a joyful and whimsical song that celebrates the spirit of giving and love during the festive season. It reminds us of the importance of expressing our affection towards others and cherishing the relationships that bring us happiness.


Line by Line Meaning

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me
At the beginning of the holiday season, my beloved bestowed upon me


A partridge in a pear tree
A beautiful bird sitting contentedly on a pear tree branch


On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me
After the initial gift, my true love presented me with another surprise


Two turtle doves, and
Two affectionate doves, symbolizing love and peace, joined by


A partridge in a pear tree
The lovely partridge from before, perched gracefully on a pear tree


On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Continuing the joyful tradition, on the third day my beloved gave me


Three french hens
Three splendid hens, possibly from France, adding charm to my collection


Two turtle doves, and
Additionally, the two turtle doves delightedly nested among


A partridge in a pear tree
The partridge, ever so graceful, still adorning the pear tree


On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
With each passing day, my true love's generosity continued to shine


Four calling birds
Four melodious birds, singing their enchanting tunes gloriously


Three french hens
The three charming hens from France, adding their distinct touch


Two turtle doves, and
The gentle turtle doves, living in harmony amidst the


A partridge in a pear tree
Pear tree where the partridge gracefully resides, serene as ever


On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Halfway through the twelve-days celebration, my beloved bestowed upon me


Five goldenen rings
Five gleaming rings, radiating their golden splendor with elegance


Four calling birds
Accompanied by the joyful chorus of four singing birds


Three french hens
The delightful hens from France, captivating with their presence


Two turtle doves, and
The two turtle doves, forever devoted, nestled beside


A partridge in a pear tree
The serene partridge atop the pear tree, a symbol of harmony


On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
As the days continued to pass, my true love's generosity remained strong


Six geese a-laying
Six geese gracefully laying eggs, signs of new beginnings and abundance


Five golden rings
The five radiant rings, symbolizing endless love and prosperity


Four calling birds
The four melodious birds, serenading the air with their sweet songs


Three french hens
The exquisite hens from France, enhancing the festive atmosphere


Two turtle doves, and
Joined by the loyal turtle doves, sharing their affectionate bond


A partridge in a pear tree
The partridge gracefully perched on the pear tree, a symbol of tranquility


On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me
Amidst the joy and merriment, my beloved continued to surprise me


Seven swans a-swimming
Seven majestic swans, gliding gracefully through the water's embrace


Six geese a-laying
The six geese diligently laying, a testament to fertility and abundance


Five golden rings
The shimmering five rings, a precious token of eternal commitment


Four calling birds
The joyful quartet of birds, announcing their delightful presence


Three french hens
The three french hens, their elegance adding flair to the celebration


Two turtle doves, and
Accompanied by the two devoted turtle doves, cherishing one another


A partridge in a pear tree
The partridge still serenely perched on the pear tree, a symbol of harmony


On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
As the celebration continued, my beloved's kindness knew no bounds


Eight maids a-milking
Eight maids merrily milking, their labor adding nourishment and joy


Seven swans a-swimming
The magnificent swans gracefully gliding, their beauty mesmerizing


Six geese a-laying
The six geese dutifully laying, fostering a sense of abundance


Five golden rings
The five resplendent rings, emblematic of everlasting love's glory


Four calling birds
The four melodious birds, harmonizing the festive atmosphere


Three french hens
The three enchanting hens, their allure enchanting all around


Two turtle doves, and
The devoted turtle doves, exemplifying loyalty and affection


A partridge in a pear tree
The tranquil partridge on the pear tree, fostering peace and serenity


On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
With each passing day, my beloved's generosity only grew stronger


Nine ladies dancing
Nine graceful ladies swirling in a dance, their elegance mesmerizing


Eight maids a-milking
The eight maids diligently milking, their efforts bringing joy and sustenance


Seven swans a-swimming
The seven swans majestically swimming, a sight of sublime beauty


Six geese a-laying
The six geese diligently laying, a symbol of abundance and new life


Five golden rings
The five radiant rings, a treasure of everlasting love and prosperity


Four calling birds
The four melodious birds, announcing their joyous presence to all


Three french hens
The three exquisite hens, adding a touch of French charm to the festivities


Two turtle doves, and
Accompanied by the affectionate turtle doves, sharing a love-filled bond


A partridge in a pear tree
The serene partridge perched upon the pear tree, a symbol of tranquility


On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
As the celebration continued, my true love's thoughtfulness prevailed


Ten lords a-leaping
Ten noble lords joyfully leaping, their spirits lifted in revelry


Nine ladies dancing
The nine graceful ladies twirling and dancing, enchanting all around


Eight maids a-milking
The eight diligent maids milking, their labor contributing to the festivity


Seven swans a-swimming
The majestic swans gliding gracefully, embodying elegance and grace


Six geese a-laying
Six productive geese, symbolizing abundance and fruitful beginnings


Five golden rings
The five resplendent rings, a testament to eternal love's grandeur


Four calling birds
The four melodious birds, harmonizing the atmosphere with their songs


Three french hens
The three enchanting hens, their elegance captivating hearts aplenty


Two turtle doves, and
Accompanied by the devoted turtle doves, their bond unbreakable


A partridge in a pear tree
The serene partridge on the pear tree, a symbol of peace and harmony


On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me
With every passing day, my true love's generosity reached greater heights


Eleven pipers piping
Eleven skilled pipers playing their melodious tunes with exuberance


Ten lords a-leaping
The ten joyful lords leaping, their spirits soaring with delight


Nine ladies dancing
The nine captivating ladies gracefully dancing, spreading joy around


Eight maids a-milking
The hardworking maids, tirelessly milking in cheerful harmony


Seven swans a-swimming
The seven swans, gliding through the water gracefully and magnificently


Six geese a-laying
The six geese dedicatedly laying, symbolizing growth and abundance


Five golden rings
The five shimmering rings, epitomes of infinite love and prosperity


Four calling birds
The four tuneful birds, filling the air with their melodious serenade


Three french hens
The three elegant hens, enchanting the celebration with their allure


Two turtle doves, and
Joined by the devoted turtle doves, their love unchanging and true


A partridge in a pear tree
The tranquil partridge adorning the pear tree, a symbol of serenity


On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me
As the grand finale approached, my true love's generosity reached its peak


Twelve drummers drumming
Twelve skilled drummers beating their drums with resounding triumph


Eleven pipers piping
The friendly pipers playing their merry tunes, uplifting everyone's spirit


Ten lords a-leaping
The ten exuberant lords, leaping and rejoicing in exultation


Nine ladies dancing
The nine graceful ladies, enchanting all with their captivating dance


Eight maids a-milking
The diligent maids, milking with joy and contributing to the festivities


Seven swans a-swimming
The majestic swans, swimming gracefully and captivating all eyes


Six geese a-laying
The six geese diligently laying, symbolizing abundance and fertility


Five golden rings
The precious five rings, representing eternal love's illustrious beauty


Four calling birds
The four singing birds, adding a joyous chorus to the festive air


Three french hens
The three enchanting hens, their allure imbuing the celebration


Two turtle doves, and
Accompanied by the devoted turtle doves, cherishing their eternal bond


A partridge in a pear tree
The tranquil partridge still perched on the pear tree, a symbol of peace




Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Written by: Traditional

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These were instrumental Christmas songs which were used for the Disney Christmas album with Larry Groce and the Disney Children’s Chorus and the Fab Five where they used as vocal tracks along with the instrumental tracks which were overdubs.

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