The Twelve Days of Christmas
The Galway Christmas Singers Lyrics
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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
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
The lyrics of The Twelve Days of Christmas tell the story of a person receiving gifts from their true love over the course of twelve days. The first day begins with a simple gift of a partridge in a pear tree, and each subsequent day adds a new gift in addition to all the previous ones. By the twelfth day, the person has received an abundance of gifts, including drummers drumming, pipers piping, lords a-leaping, ladies dancing, maids a-milking, swans swimming, geese laying, calling birds, golden rings, french hens, turtle doves, and another partridge in a pear tree.
One interpretation of the lyrics is that they represent a secret message for Catholics in England during a time when the religious practices of Catholics were banned. Each gift has a hidden meaning: the partridge in a pear tree represents Jesus Christ, the two turtle doves represent the Old and New Testaments, the three french hens represent the three theological virtues (faith, hope, and love), the four calling birds represent the four gospels, the five golden rings represent the five books of the Torah, the six geese laying represent the six days of creation, the seven swans swimming represent the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the eight maids milking represent the eight beatitudes, the nine ladies dancing represent the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit, the ten lords leaping represent the ten commandments, the eleven pipers piping represent the eleven apostles (excluding Judas), and the twelve drummers drumming represent the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostles' Creed.
Line by Line Meaning
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me
A partridge in a pear tree
On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave me the gift of a partridge sitting 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 second day of Christmas, my true love gave 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 third day of Christmas, my true love gave 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 fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave 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 fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave me five golden 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 sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave 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 seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave 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 eighth day of Christmas, my true love gave 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 ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave 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 tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave 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 eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave 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
On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave 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.
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Written by: Traditional
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