What do you get when you take the tune of a Czech carol that no one has ever been able to accurately identify, write lyrics that vaguely resemble a 12th century French tale, and arrange it strictly for voices – save for a keyboard part listed as “for rehearsal only”? “Carol of the Drum” by Katherine Kennicott Davis!
Davis was a musical prodigy, writing her first piece of music at age 15. By the time she attended Wellesley College in 1910, she was already gaining notoriety as a talented and prolific composer and won the school’s prestigious Billings Prize, “given in recognition of an outstanding contribution to the community through the performance of music.” After graduation, she remained at Wellesley to become a piano and music theory teacher. During this time she also studied at the New England Conservatory for Music before heading to France to study with notable conductor and composer Nadia Boulanger. Throughout her career, she also found time to teach at the Concord Academy in Concord, Massachusetts, and at the Shady Hill School for Girls in Philadelphia. Despite this rigorous work schedule, she somehow managed to compose over 600 pieces of music, many of which were written for her schools’ choirs.
Her most famous piece is “Carol of the Drum” (later called, “The Little Drummer Boy”), written in 1941. Knowing her music teaching background, it isn’t hard to see why this piece suits young voices so well. Deceptively simple in structure and melody, the song tells a story of a child summoned to visit the newborn Jesus. With no money to buy gifts, he chooses to play his drum for the baby, and the baby and his mother approve. Interestingly, the story of the song resembles “Le Jongleur de Notre Dame” – “Our Lady’s Juggler.” In that story, a juggler performs a juggling routine for a statue of the Virgin Mary, who smiles in appreciation. Perhaps Davis heard this legend while studying in France and later repurposed it as a more holiday-appropriate story.
This is a pretty great Christmas song, but it is somewhat surprising to learn it is one of the most-covered Christmas songs of all time, with over 200 recorded versions in over 7 languages. The list is as impressive as it is unexpected: Johnny Cash, Marlene Dietrich, Jimi Hendrix, and The Toasters are among the list of “The Little Drummer Boy” devotees.
In 1958, The Harry Simeone Chorale recorded a version that I believe to be the best. Done completely without the aid of instruments, except for the memorable triangle hits, the recording builds and builds quiet tension until it is released on the line, “Then he smiled at me.” It’s meditative and stirring, hypnotic and nervy, all at once.
A very close second-place belongs to Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, whose cover is just as tense, but bursting with punk rock energy.
I would be remiss if I did not mention the following rarely heard “cover.” In 1996, Geffen Records released, “Just Say Noel,” a grab bag of off-center holiday songs by a small roster of the label’s alternative artists. Among songs from Aimee Mann and The Roots is “The Little Drum Machine Boy” by Beck. A completely irreverent song mostly “about” Hanukkah, Beck uses the melody of the original to sing his hilarious lyrics before going into an even more bizarre rap section.
“Now, get this shit lit like a menorah.”
Merry 