☝️ Key Points
- The story is about a poor boy who is invited to play the drum at the birth of Jesus Christ.
- The boy has no material gift for the newborn and instead offers to play his drum.
- When the boy is given permission to play, even the ox and the lamb keep the beat.
- The boy plays his best for Jesus, who smiles in response.
- The message of the song emphasizes the importance of heart attitude and commitment over material gifts.
Interpretation
The lyrics of 'Little Drummer Boy' tell the story of a poor boy who was invited to play the drum at the birth of Jesus Christ. The recurring words 'pa rum pum pum pum' symbolize the rhythm of his drum.
The boy is poor and has no material gift to bring to the newborn king. Nevertheless, he wants to honor the king and asks if he can play his drum for him (‘I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum / I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum / That's fit to give a King, pa rum pum pum pum / Shall I play for You, pa rum pum pum pum / On my drum?’).
When he receives permission and starts playing, even the ox and lamb keep the beat (‘Then He nodded, pa rum pum pum pum / The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum’). The boy plays his best for the king (‘I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum / I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum’) and in the end, Jesus smiles at him (‘Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum’).
The song conveys the message that it's not about material gifts, but about the attitude of the heart and the willingness to give the best one has, even if it's just a simple drumming.