Christmas Music
The song “The Little Drummer Boy” was originally called “Carol of The Drum.” It was written in 1941 by composer and teacher Katherine Kennicott Davis. The song is based on a traditional Czech carol. The Trapp Family Singers (yes, the ones who inspired The Sound of Music) recorded it in 1955. Then in 1957, the Jack Halloran Singers recorded it with a slightly different arrangement. One of the most popular versions was done by The Harry Simeone Chorale, first in 1958. Simeone, an arranger, composer, and conductor, altered that arrangement and titled it “The Little Drummer Boy” on his Sing We Now of Christmas album. He also released it as a single, and in 1958 it went to #13 on the U.S Billboard Hot 100. The song had many years of charting success and is performed frequently.
There have been numerous covers, including those by The Ray Conniff Singers, Bing Crosby, Johnny Cash, Johnny Mathis, Andy Williams, Marlene Dietrich (in German), Jo Stafford, The Supremes, The Vince Guaraldi Trio, Joan Baez, Henry Mancini, Lou Rawls, Kenny Burrell, Stevie Wonder, Bing Crosby/David Bowie, Emmylou Harris, Anne Murray, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Mannheim Steamroller, New Kids on the Block, The Three Tenors, Whitney Houston and Bobbi Kristina, Destiny’s Child, Vanessa Williams, Celtic Woman, Josh Groban, and so many more.
