"Patapan" (or "Pat-a-pan") is a French
Christmas carol
A Christmas carol is a carol (a song or hymn) on the theme of Christmas, traditionally sung at Christmas itself or during the surrounding Christmas holiday season. The term noel has sometimes been used, especially for carols of French ori ...
in
Burgundian dialect, later adapted into English. It was written by
Bernard de La Monnoye
Bernard de La Monnoye (15 June 1641, in Dijon – 15 October 1728) was a French lawyer, poet, philologue and critic, known chiefly for his carols ''Noei borguignon'' ('' Borguignon Christmas'').
Biography
La Monnoye began his studies in Jesuit ...
(1641–1728) and first published in ''Noël bourguignons'' in 1720. Its original title is "Guillô, Pran Ton Tamborin" ("Willie, Bring Your Little Drum" or "Willie, Take Your Little Drum").
The carol revolves around the birth of
Jesus Christ
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
, and is told from the perspective of shepherds playing simple instruments—flutes and drums—the
onomatopoeic sound of which gives the song its name; "patapan" is meant to mimic the sound of the drum, and an accompanying lyric, "tu-re-lu-re-lu," the flute. This is similar conceptually to the carol "
The Little Drummer Boy", with its chorus of "pa-rum-pa-pum-pum."
Burgundian lyrics
French lyrics
English lyrics
Willie, bring your little drum, Robin take your flute and come!
When we hear the music bright we will sing Noel this night,
When we hear the fife and drum, Christmas should be frolicsome.
Thus the men of olden days for the King of Kings to praise,
When they heard the fife and drum, tu-re-lu-re-lu, pat-a-pat-a-pan,
When they hear the fife and drum, sure, our children won't be dumb.
God and man are now become more at one than fife and drum.
When you hear the fife and drum, tu-re-lu-re-lu, pat-a-pat-a-pan,
When you hear the fife and drum, dance and make the village hum.
English rhyming version (Patta-Patta-Pan, Turra-Lurra-Lay, Wisconsin, U.S.)
Billy, bring your new red drum,
Robby
obin
Obin, real name Josephine Komara, is a textile designer from Indonesia. She is sometimes called a "national treasure" due to her passion for and promotion of traditional Indonesian batik techniques. Her work has achieved worldwide recognition, ...
get your fife and come
Fife and drum together play,
Patta-patta-pan, turra-lurra-lay,
Fife and drum together play,
On this joyous Holiday
When the men of olden days
To the King of Kings gave praise,
On the fife and drum did play,
Patta-patta-pan, turra-lurra-lay,
On the fife and drum did play,
So their hearts were glad and gay
There is music in the air
You can hear it everywhere,
Fife and drum together play,
Patta-patta-pan, turra-lurra-lay,
Fife and drum together play,
On this joyous Holiday
God and man today become
More in tune than fife and drum,
Fife and drum together play,
Patta-patta-pan, turra-lurra-lay,
Fife and drum together play,
On this joyous Holiday
See also
*
List of Christmas carols
This list of Christmas carols is organized by country, language or culture of origin. Originally, a "Christmas carol" referred to a piece of vocal music in carol form whose lyrics centre on the theme of Christmas or the Christmas season. The d ...
*
Too Ra Loo Ra Loo Ral
"Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral (That's an Irish Lullaby)" is a classic Irish-American song that was written in 1913 by composer James Royce Shannon (1881–1946) for the Tin Pan Alley musical '' Shameen Dhu''. The original recording of the song, by Chaunc ...
(also known as "Toora Loora")
*
Celtic Thunder ("Toora Loora Lay")
* Patapan - Musikgruppe -
www.Patapan.de
References
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Christmas carols
French-language Christmas carols