Song of the Day #5,650: ‘Little Drummer Boy’ – Pentatonix

The 2010s has not been a good decade for Throwback Weekends, as the songs atop the Billboard Hot 100 did not shift much that year. It is also a year I was already blogging, so newcomers to the list have often already been featured here.

This week, at least, the glut of familiar songs among the top ten paid off. I had to drop all the way to #13 to find a song I haven’t written about, and it happens to be a perfect thematic fit on this Christmas Eve — ‘Little Drummer Boy’ by the a cappella group Pentatonix.

It’s quite impressive that this group turned a first place finish on the 2011 season of short-lived competition show The Sing-Off into a lasting career, with 11 studio albums and six EPs under their belt.

At least a half-dozen of those releases are Christmas-themed, and it is on one of those that this little gem appeared.

At #13, this is Pentatonix’s highest-charting song. I figure it must be one of the only a cappella songs to reach the top 20, but I couldn’t locate a definitive list.

I did, however, learn that only one song featuring no instruments other than the human voice has reached #1 on the Hot 100. Bonus points to the first commenter to guess the artist and title.

[Verse 1: Avi, Scott, Mitch, Kirstin]
Come, they told me, pa-rum pum pum pum
A newborn King to see, pa-rum pum pum pum
Our finest gifts we bring, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
To lay before the King, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
Rum-pum-pum-pum, rum-pum-pum-pum
So to honor Him, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
When we come

[Refrain: All]
Pum-pum-pum-pum, pa-rum-pum-pum
Pum-pum-pum-pum, pa-rum-pum-pum
Pum-pum-pum-pum, pa-rum-pum-pum
Pum-pum-pum-pum, ah

[Verse 2: Scott, Kirstin, Mitch, Kevin]
Little baby, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
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 our King, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
Rum-pum-pum-pum, rum-pum-pum-pum
Shall I play for you? Pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
Pa-rum-pum-pum-pum

[Refrain: All]
Pum-pum-pum-pum, ah

[Verse 3: Avi, Mitch, Kirstin]
Mary nodded, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
The ox and lamb kept time, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
I played my drum for Him, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
I played my best for Him, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
Rum-pum-pum-pum, rum-pum-pum-pum
Then He smiled at me, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
Me and my drum

[Refrain: All]
Pum-pum-pum-pum, pa-rum-pum-pum
Pum-pum-pum-pum, pa-rum-pum-pum
Pum-pum-pum-pum, pa-rum-pum-pum
Pum-pum-pum-pum, ah

[Bridge: All]
Oh, oh woah, oh
Oh, oh
Oh, oh woah
Oh woah, oh
Oh, woah, oh
Woah, oh
Woah, oh
Woah, woah

[Outro: Kirstin]
Come, they told me, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
A newborn King to see, pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
Me and my drum
Me and my drum
Me and my drum
Me and my drum
Rum-pum-pum-pum

3 thoughts on “Song of the Day #5,650: ‘Little Drummer Boy’ – Pentatonix

  1. Dana Gallup says:

    My guess would be “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin.

  2. Peg says:

    Wow good job Dana! 👏 nice song for Christmas Eve 🥰

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