Hark! The Herald Banjo Rings
Christmas 2008
December 17
"The Twelve Days of Christmas" is one of many counting songs associated with Christmas. Others are more religious, but this is probably the most well known. There are many different versions of the twelve gifts, but I ones I list in the lyrics are the same ones used in the PNC Christmas Price Index. I thought this would be difficult to record for several reasons: it is very long if you play all twelve verses, the time signature of the song is not constant, and the melody for the second through fourth gifts changes on the fifth verse. When I actually sat down to record it, however, it actually went quite smoothly and didn't take long at all.
The Twelve Days of Christmas
Words: English traditional
Music: English traditional
On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree.
On the second day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the third day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love sent 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 sent to 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 sent to me
Six geese a-laying,
...
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the seventh day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Seven swans a-swimming,
...
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the eighth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Eight maids a-milking,
...
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the ninth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Nine ladies dancing,
...
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the tenth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Ten lords a-leaping,
...
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Eleven pipers piping,
...
And a partridge in a pear tree.
On the twelth day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Twelve drummers drumming,
...
And a partridge in a pear tree.