Straight No Chaser
The 12 Days of Christmas 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 fourth day of Christ--
On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me, 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, On the eighth day of Christmas
my true love gave to me my true love gave to me
9 ladies dancing 8 maids a milking
8 maids a milking 7 swans a swimming
7 swans a swimming 6 geese a laying
6 geese a laying 5---
Better not shout, you better not cry, you better not-- in a pear tree

On the ninth-- NO!
On the eighth-- NO!

On the seventh day of Christmas deck the halls
my true love gave to me with boughs of holly
7 swans a swimming here we come a wassailing
6 geese a laying among the leaves so---
5 golden rings Faaa-laaa-la-la-la
4 calling birds
3 french hens
2 turtle doves here we come a wassailing
The boar's head in hand bear I among the leaves so green
Bedeck'd with bays

and partridge in a pear tree

On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me
11 pipers piping (ding)
10 lords a leaping (dong)
9 ladies dancing (ding)
8 maids a milking (dong)
7 swans a swimming (ding)
6 geese a laying (dong)
5 golden rings
4 calling birds
3 french hens
2 turtle doves
and--rudolph the red nosed reindeer!

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me--

I have a little dradle, I made it out of clay, and when it's dry and ready, my dradle I shall play
Oh dradle... dradle... dradle...(sorry)

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me--

doo doo do do doot dooooooo-(do de do de do de do de do de)
doo doo do do doot dooooooo-(do de do de do de do de do de)

On the twelfth day my true love gave to me
12 drummers drumming like olympus upon the serengeti
11 pipers piping, 10 lords a leaping

9 ladies dancing they were dancing for meeee
8 maids a milking they were milking just for me

I had Christmas down in Africa
I had Christmas down in Africa
I had Christmas down in Africa (5 golden rings)
I had Christmas down in Africa (5 golden rings)
I had Christmas down in Africa (5 golden rings)
couldnt take the halls into the things we never had

doo doo do do doot dooooooo-(do de do de do de do de do de)
doo doo do do doot dooooooo-(do de do de do de do de do de)




partridge in a big pear tree-(do de do de do de do de do de)
partridge in a big pear tree

Overall Meaning

The song "The 12 Days of Christmas" is a traditional Christmas carol that lists the gifts given by a person's "true love" each day for 12 days straight. Straight No Chaser's version of the song starts with a partridge in a pear tree on the first day of Christmas and goes on to feature several other gifts that become increasingly extravagant each day, like five golden rings and nine dancing ladies. The song ends with a comical version that includes Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the lyrics "I had Christmas down in Africa."


The lines "on the first day of Christmas... on the second day of Christmas" and so on signify the consecutive days starting from Christmas Day, up until the 5th of January, which is also known as the twelfth night when Christmas celebrations end. Each day, the true love of the singer gives them new gifts, and the list repeats the previous days' gifts as well. Interestingly, the song was not originally a Christmas Carol but a game sung by children during the 18th century. The lyrics varied from region to region and people to people, but the basic structure remained the same.


Line by Line Meaning

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me, a partridge in a pear tree.
My love gave me a partridge in a pear tree on the first day of Christmas.


On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me, two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree.
My love gave me two turtle doves and another partridge in a pear tree on the second day of Christmas.


On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me, five golden rings four calling birds, three french hens, two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree
My love gave me five golden rings, four calling birds, three french hens, two turtle doves and yet another partridge in a pear tree on the third day of Christmas.


On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me with boughs of holly 7 swans a swimming here we come a wassailing 6 geese a laying among the leaves so--- 5 golden rings Faaa-laaa-la-la-la 4 calling birds 3 french hens 2 turtle doves here we come a wassailing The boar's head in hand bear I among the leaves so green Bedeck'd with bays and partridge in a pear tree
My love gave me with boughs of holly, seven swans a swimming, and six geese a laying among the leaves. We went wassailing and I also received 5 golden rings, 4 calling birds, 3 french hens, 2 turtle doves, and the boar's head among the leaves. And of course, another partridge in a pear tree.


On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me 11 pipers piping (ding) 10 lords a leaping (dong) 9 ladies dancing (ding) 8 maids a milking (dong) 7 swans a swimming (ding) 6 geese a laying (dong) 5 golden rings 4 calling birds 3 french hens 2 turtle doves and--rudolph the red nosed reindeer!
My love gave me 11 pipers piping, 10 lords a leaping, 9 ladies dancing, 8 maids a milking, 7 swans a swimming, 6 geese a laying, 5 golden rings, 4 calling birds, 3 french hens, 2 turtle doves, and rudolph the red-nosed reindeer on the eleventh day of Christmas.


On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me-- doo doo do do doot dooooooo-(do de do de do de do de do de) doo doo do do doot dooooooo-(do de do de do de do de do de)
On the twelfth day of Christmas, my love gave me some music which goes like doo doo do do doot dooooooo-(do de do de do de do de do de) doo doo do do doot dooooooo-(do de do de do de do de do de).


On the twelfth day my true love gave to me 12 drummers drumming like olympus upon the serengeti 11 pipers piping, 10 lords a leaping 9 ladies dancing they were dancing for meeee 8 maids a milking they were milking just for me I had Christmas down in Africa I had Christmas down in Africa I had Christmas down in Africa (5 golden rings) I had Christmas down in Africa (5 golden rings) I had Christmas down in Africa (5 golden rings) couldnt take the halls into the things we never had doo doo do do doot dooooooo-(do de do de do de do de do de) doo doo do do doot dooooooo-(do de do de do de do de do de) partridge in a big pear tree-(do de do de do de do de do de) partridge in a big pear tree
On the twelfth day of Christmas, my love gave me 12 drummers who drummed like they were Olympus upon the Serengeti. There were also 11 pipers piping, 10 lords a leaping, 9 ladies dancing just for me, 8 maids a milking, and I had Christmas down in Africa with 5 golden rings. Unfortunately, we couldn't bring the halls with us, so we had to make do. And finally, my love gave me a partridge in a big pear tree on the twelfth day of Christmas.




Contributed by Dominic C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@lisaperry4095

"The 12 Days Of Christmas"

On the 1st day of Christmas my true love gave to me
A partridge in a pear tree
On the 2nd day of Christmas my true love gave to me
2 turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree

On the 4th day of Chris

On the 3rd day of Christmas my true love gave to me
5 golden rings!
4 calling birds, 3 french hens, 2 turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree

On the 9th day of Christmas my true love gave to me
(On the 8th day of Christmas my true love gave to me)
9 ladies dancing, 8 ladies dancing
(8 maids a-milking, 7 maids a-milking)
7 ladies dancing, 6 ladies dancing
(6 maids a-milking)
5!
Better not shout, you better not cry
You better not, in a pear tree

On the 9th
No!
On the 8th
No!

On the 7th day of Christmas my true love gave to me
(Deck the halls with boughs of holly)
7 swans a-swimming, 6 geese a-laying
(Here we come a-wassailing, among the leaves so)
5 golden rings!
(Fa la la la)

4 calling birds, 3 french hens, 2 turtle doves
(Here we come a-wassailing among the leaves so green)
The boar's head in hand bear I bedeck'd with bays
And partridge in a pear tree

On the 11th day of Christmas my true love gave to me
11 pipers piping, 10 lords a-leaping
(Ding, dong)
9 ladies dancing, 8 maids a-milking
(Ding, dong)
7 swans a swimming, 6 geese a laying
(Ding, dong)
5 golden rings, 4 calling birds
3 french hens, 2 turtle doves
And Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer!

On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me
I have a little dreidel, I made it out of clay
And when it's dry and ready, a dreidel I shall play
Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel
Sorry...

On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me

On the 12th day my true love gave to me
12 drummers drumming like Olympus upon the Serengeti
11 pipers piping, 10 lords a-leaping!

9 ladies dancing they were dancing for me
8 maids a-milking, they were milking just for me
I had Christmas down in Africa
I had Christmas down in Africa

I had Christmas down in Africa
(5 golden rings!)
I had Christmas down in Africa
(5 golden rings!)
I had Christmas down in Africa
(5 golden rings!)
Gonna deck the halls and do the things we never had

Partridge in a big pear tree
Partridge in a big pear tree



All comments from YouTube:

@Randy_Stine

As of November 15, 2017, we have over 40 shows publicly on sale on our "Speakeasy Tour" all over the US.
Please visit our website for tour dates: http://www.SNCmusic.com/tour

@sarabeth641

Randy of Straight No Chaser This is so wonderful

@chelsiecotten995

Please come to Florida!

@user-si6lu6oy3y

Loved the song!

@asdfffytr

I'm leaning that song for are school play

@italianlovecake

Someone on Tumblr linked to this video so I had to see this for myself

@OfeliaCohenOdiaga

"You'd better not shout, you'd better not cry, you'd better not --- in a pear tree"

@Mr402TA

Harmony is hard enough, but organizing chaos so perfectly is freakin amazing.

@JoshBG20

"I had Christmas down in Africa, FIVE GOLDEN RINGS!" That falsetto is amazing, love it!

@ashuhlea

The fact that when I first heard this I cringed like "oh damn they messed up," now I can't hear Africa by ToTo without singing Christmas in Africa.

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