Susan Boyle Performs Poignant Rendition Of 'Little Drummer Boy' – With A Spin

Nov 08, 2020

In 2013, Scottish singer Susan Boyle performed her rendition of Little Drummer Boy on the Paul O'Grady Show.

It's hard to forget Boyle's angelic voice. Even those who weren't really fans of Britain's Got Talent in 2009 repeatedly heard how Boyle stole the show. She amazed the hosts, and she endeared herself to the fans. Her now-famous rendition of I Dreamed A Dream has been heard around the globe.

During the time the Paul O'Grady Show ran (from 2004 to 2015), Susan Boyle delighted the world again as a guest on that show. In 2013, at Paul O'Grady's invitation, Boyle shared a favorite Christmas carol. And although we'd heard the song before, we were not disappointed.

Joined by backup singers, Boyle began quietly in her beautiful, clear voice. The background hum and the reverent beginning set the tone for the song we know and love. During the second stanza, real drummer boys join the music. As the song goes on, its quaint tone and familiar rhythm are extremely comforting. 

In an interesting yet unsurprising twist, bagpipes join the scene in the middle of the song. A brief bagpipe solo suddenly feels right at home. At first, the bagpipes seem unexpected, but why? After all, Boyle is Scottish. And the piper in his kilt provides just the solemnity and impressive tone that fits the middle of the song. 

When Boyle resumes singing along with the bagpipes, the backup singers move from their introductory hum to full singing. The rich sound lends a triumphant atmosphere that's impossible to ignore.

With the final stanza's words, "Then He smiled at me ... me and my drum", the song returns to the quiet reverent tone of the beginning. It's meditative, humble, peaceful, thought-provoking, and beautiful. Susan Boyle entered into stardom later in life, and we find her story inspiring because she seems so relatable.

And if we think about it, isn't the Little Drummer Boy's story a little like that? He was a regular guy, humbly presenting what he had. Susan and Drummer Boy: we thank you both for using your resources and talents to enrich lives!

For those of us who are a bit older, the Christmas song The Little Drummer Boy reminds us of our childhoods. The song, for those who don't know, came out in its most popular incarnation in December of 1958. Katherine Kennicott Davis, a teacher and musician, wrote the song in 1941 based on a traditional Czech song. Mysteriously, historians have never been able to identify the original song upon which Drummer Boy was based. Moreover, if it weren't for the Trapp Family Singers, who were the first to record the track in 1951, Davis' version might have also fallen into obscurity. With that said, the song's most popular version didn't come out until Harry Simeone saw widespread success in the late 1950s with his rendition. The song was featured on Simeone's Christmas album, and both the song and record were a massive success. The single hit the top 40 charts, re-appearing on the charts for years thereafter.

Since then musicians from across different genres have covered the popular Christmas tune. In fact, there are more than 220 known versions of the song, which is quite amazing considering its humble origins as an unknown track from a school teacher. Though there are too many amazing covers of the song to list here, some of the most notable musicians to have covered the track include Bing Crosby in 1962, Johnny Cash in 1963, Marlene Dietrich in 1964, The Supremes in 1965, Jimi Hendrix in 1969, and Susan Boyle in 2013.

There are even covers in different languages! In Spanish-speaking countries, the song is called El niño del tambor (The boy of the drum) or El tamborilero whereas the French version is L'enfant au tambour (The boy with a drum). Again, to think that all of these covers originated from a Czech folk song decades ago is unfathomable given that some of the world's best musicians have gone on to cover it. Katherine Kennicott Davis, the original composer, would probably be astounded if she were still alive today. While much of her music remains undiscovered, another famous track that Davis composed is Let All Things Now Living, which is also based on another traditional song — the Welsh tune The Ash Grove.

In any case, Susan Boyle will keep Davis' memory alive with her incredible rendition of The Little Drummer Boy, which you can watch below.

Paul O'Grady described Susan Boyle as a "singing sensation" and an "international star." Do you agree with O'Grady? Tell us what you think and inspire your friends with the richness of this beautiful music.