little drummer boy

Child with drum

A little drummer boy is a young boy who plays a drum, especially one marching in a parade or accompanying soldiers.

The phrase is most familiar from the Christmas song "The Little Drummer Boy," in which a poor child offers his drumming as a gift to the newborn Jesus: She dressed her son as a little drummer boy for the nativity play.

Related

manger · gift · shepherd · Bethlehem · rhythm · peace · nativity · humble · poor boy · child · beating · offering · stable · innocent · worship · Mary · star · sticks

Categories
Opposites
musical role/instrument type

little drummer boylead vocalist

Primary singer in group

prima donna · symphony conductor · orchestral conductor · harpist · violinist

cultural/symbolic register

little drummer boythree wise men

Trio of learned counselors

Magi · King Herod · Balthazar · Melchior · Caspar

Family

little, drummer, drum, drummed, drumming, littler, littlest

Familiarity
Top 200,000
Profile
Known to kids · Timeless · Concrete · Positive · Everyday, not technical · Rated G