SVG’s Little Drummer Boy

Ah love dem Christmas Carols dat have interesting or controversial stories. Top ah my list would be “O Holy Night” rated as one ah de world’s most popular Christmas Songs. It was written by ah Frenchman who was ah Lawyer/Poet.

He unfortunately lost an arm when he was ah child. He was also ah Wine Merchant and best or worst of all, he was an Athiest. And de Musical Composer of de song was Adolphus Adams, ah Jew and non church-goer as well. Jews would tell yuh dey doh believe dat Jesus Christ was de Son of God. While “O Holy Night” was mashing down de church all over Europe, dem hypo-crits in de church discovered bout its Athiest-Jewish origin, de writer and musical composer combination, so dey banned it!

Another Anecdote about dis One-dah-full Christmas Carol “O Holy Night” was during de Franco-Prussian War of 1871, on Christmas Eve in de middle ah de night, during battle, a French soldier suddenly stood up in his trench and faced the perplexed Germans unarmed and started singing “O Holy Night.” De Legend goes dat de Germans responded by singing ah Carol of their own, de hostilities were subsequently ceased for 24 hours , and soldiers from both sides celebrated Christmas. De day after Christmas dey took up dey weapons and started back to kill each other.

De Little Drummer Boy

The last three lines in de Christmas Carol, “The Little Drummer Boy” states: “I played my Drum for Him, I played my best for him and He smiled at me, me and my Drum”.; Dis Gem of ah Carol was written by Katherine Davis in 1941 de year of my birth. One night, she had to get up and put pen to paper wid dis Song. She pictured “The Little Drummer Boy”; a poor young boy, looking at all these strange visitors gathering in Bethlehem, obviously dey was ah Feast, All de Hotels, Guest Houses Inns were booked out :” No room in de Inn!” Dat’s when Mary and Joseph had to take refuge in ah Manger, some say in ah Cave where she would deliver Jesus, de New Born King. Among de visitors were Three Kings/Magi/Wise Men riding on Camels (big ride) laden wid expensive Gifts suitable only for ah King. On seeing de lickle Drummer, the Magi summoned him to the Nativity of Jesus. But he had No Gift foh de Infant Christ, except his Little Drum. He played so beautifully dat not only did he win Jesus’ mother, Mary’s favor; but De Baby Jesus smiled. “I played my best for him” and “He smiled at me”.

Dis is ah serious message. Jesus does not want our Gold or Myrrh or Frankincense. He came foh all Rich and Poor. Thank You Sean Sutherland for your Free Christmas Concert to One and All next Tuesday. You are de Nations Little Drummer Boy for 2023.

Christmas Long Ago

Just like how Katherine Davis couldn’t sleep till she got up and penned Lickle Drummer Boy, I too had to get up and write my Christmas Long Ago.

Verse 1: “Christmas long ago was better by FAR, salaries were Low but Jobs were REGULAR. Our Country is in Trouble, way behind all ALONE, We fighting to fix World Problems but can’t fix we Own.

Chorus: We war Peace foh Mad-euro and Ali, but dey’s no Peace at Home We want peace foh Guy-Anna But no Peace wid Fry-dey we very OWN.

Verse 2: Christmas long ago No Gangs ruled de TOWN; no High-man- tenance women were even AROUND. Gangsters on de loose, left five youths GUNNED-DOWN, while de toughest man on Crime, like he absent all de TIME.

Verse 3: Christmas Long ago we all sang TOGETHER, but dey change de song Sheet, we singing foh we SUPPER. We singing foh Jesus, foh Love and foh Peace, We waiting foh Christmas Bonus we want ah salary increase. And wid dat is gone ah gone again. Merry Christmas everybody.

One Love Bassy

Bassy Alexander is a land surveyor, folklorist and social commentator.