A Ballad of a Drum
The Austrians at Arcola
(The fight had lasted long),
The Austrians at Arcola—
Some fifty thousand strong—
Assailed the bridge whereto the French
(A fourth their strength) had come,.[1]
With menace dire, and murderous fire;
Then fled before a drum!
For Estienne at Arcola—
Heroic little lad!—
Seeing the carnage on the bridge,
With soul grown sick and sad,
Had sworn that he, at least, would pass
Beyond the sanguine tide,
And beat his drum, whate'er should come,
Upon the farther side.
So Estienne at Arcola—
No fear had he to die!—
With one brave Sergeant, swam the stream,
His precious drum held high,
And from the river dripping rose
Amid the battle's hum,
A French refrain, with might and main,
To pound upon his drum.
The Austrians at Arcola
Seemed fifty thousand strong,
But many were the raw recruits
Among that mighty throng,
Who hearing Frenchmen in the rear,
Listened, confused and dumb,
Then gave a shout,—"We 're hemmed about!"
And fled—before a drum!
The courage shown at Arcola
By André Estienne—
The lesson taught at Arcola
Is wholesome now as then.
Needs there a moral to the tale?
Then read in this its sum:
The greatest strength may yield at length,
When sounds a hero's drum!
poem by Florence Earle Coates from Mine and Thine (1904)
Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
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Can You Hear It
Drum, drum, tipi tap, tong,
I like that beat as it comes along.
It’s the same beat and the same tune,
we all know it’ll be here soon.
Drum, drum, tipi tap, tong,
fast or slow it’s a catchy song.
I kind of look forward to its day
and it's a shame when it goes away.
Drum, drum, tipi tap, tong,
It's getting closer and it won’t be long.
At last it's coming down our street
with its catchy drumming beat.
Drum, drum, tipi tap, tong,
it's so simple I can’t go wrong.
It's getting louder as it comes near,
the people watching give it a cheer.
Drum, drum, tipi tap, tong,
the beat’s blasting out loud and strong.
The man inside this sweeping machine
sings as he works to keep the streets clean.
Drum, drum, tipi tap, tong,
the sounds are fading as it goes along.
But it's nice to know as he sweeps the curb,
his drum, drum, tipi tap, tong, has the final word.
poem by Orlando Belo
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The Red Drum
The red drum beats
when every other drum stops beating
every soul dance to the rhythm of life
from the pulsating ethos of the red drum
the red drum not only beats
when you listen, the red drum is talking
every stony heart has a sheath for a knife
from a gush on the tempo of the red drum
the red drum by nature is sexy
when your heart flutter and in frenzy
every stolen glance from your heartthrob
from the blushes irrigated by the red drum
the red drum is jealous and vindictive
when retrospect’s stab is aggressive
every soft spot, love and pardon flee
from dirges the red drum goes on spree
the red drum you should know is the heart
when in our short lives destiny plays its part
every promise given not to stray our drumsticks
from where we are identified as God’s handpicks
poem by Dela Bobobee
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Prelude
BY sunny market-place and street
Wherever I go my drum I beat,
And wherever I go in my coat of red
The ribbons flutter about my head.
I seek recruits for wars to come -
For slaughterless wars I beat the drum,
And the shilling I give to each new ally
Is hope to live and courage to die.
I know that new recruits shall come
Wherever I beat the sounding drum,
Till the roar of the march by country and town
Shall shake the tottering Dagons down.
For I was objectless as they
And loitering idly day by day;
But whenever I heard the recruiters come,
I left my all to follow the drum.
poem by Robert Louis Stevenson
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The Little Drummer Boy (feat. Ashlee Simpson)
(duet with Ashlee Simpson)
Come they told me, pa rum pa pum pum
Our newborn King to see, pa rum pa pum pum
Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pa pum pum
To lay before the King, pa rum pa pum pum,
Rum pa pum pum, rum pa pum pum,
So to honor Him, pa rum pa pum pum,
When we come...
Little Baby, pa rum pa pum pum
I am a poor boy too, pa rum pa pum pum
I have no gift to bring, pa rum pa pum pum
To lay before the King, pa rum pa pum pum,
Rum pa pum pum, rum pa pum pum,
Shall I play for you, pa rum pa pum pum,
On my drum?...
Mary nodded, pa rum pa pum pum
The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pa pum pum
I played my drum for Him, pa rum pa pum pum
I played my best for Him, pa rum pa pum pum
Rum pa pum pum, rum pa pum pum
Then He smiled at me, pa rum pa pum pum
Me and my drum...
Me and my drum...
Me and my drum...
Me and my drum...
Me and my drum...
song performed by by Jessica Simpson
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Little Drummer Boy
Come they told me, pa rum pa pum pum
Our newborn King to see, pa rum pa pum pum
Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pa pum pum
To lay before the King, pa rum pa pum pum,
Rum pa pum pum, rum pa pum pum,
So to honor Him, pa rum pa pum pum,
When we come...
Little Baby, pa rum pa pum pum
I am a poor boy too, pa rum pa pum pum
I have no gift to bring, pa rum pa pum pum
To lay before the King, pa rum pa pum pum,
Rum pa pum pum, rum pa pum pum,
Shall I play for you, pa rum pa pum pum,
On my drum?...
Mary nodded, pa rum pa pum pum
The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pa pum pum
I played my drum for Him, pa rum pa pum pum
I played my best for Him, pa rum pa pum pum
Rum pa pum pum, rum pa pum pum
Then He smiled at me, pa rum pa pum pum
Me and my drum...
Me and my drum...
Me and my drum...
Me and my drum...
Me and my drum...
song performed by by Jessica Simpson
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Beat
Drum, drum, hear the drum
beating its beat
for what's to come.
It beats like your heart
a steady boom.
It slows sometimes
and then will resume.
And when the drum beats
can't be heard
and your heart no longer
can be stirred,
the silence reaches where you are
because the drum beat
is too far.
poem by Edwina Reizer
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Beat Of Your Drum
Photograph king, watches you go
Now fashions may change, heaven knows, but you
Still leave a stain on me
Only to go colours may fade
The seasons may change, weather blows, but you still leave a mark on me
Wrong-negative fades-never the twain, reckless and tame
I like the beat of your drum
I like to look in your eyes
I like to look thru your things
Id like to beat on your drum
I like the smell of your flesh
I like the dirt that you dish
I like the clothes that you wear
Id like to beat on your drum
I beat it I beat I beat it
I feel it
Disco brat-follow the pack
Watching you peel, heaven knows, prison cant hold all this greedy intention
Only to go-i picture you now
Music may change-hi-di-ho keen to follow your nose
Wrong-love out of tune
Sweet is the night, bright light destroys me
I like the beat of your drum
I like to look in your eyes
I like to look thru your things
Id like to beat on your drum
I like the smell of your flesh
I like the dirt that you dish
I like the clothes that you wear
Id like to beat on your drum
I beat it I beat cant beat it
I feel it
I like to beat on your drum
I like to beat on your drum
I like your face in the crowd
I like to beat on your drum
I beat it I beat cant beat it
I feel it
Cant beat it
I feel it
Ho beat it
I beat it
Oh yeah
Id like to beat on your drum
Id like to beat on your drum
Id like to yell it out loud
Id like to beat on your drum
Cant beat it cant beat it
I feel it I feel it
Id like to beat on your drum
Id like to beat on your drum
Id like your face in the crowd
Id like to beat on your drum
Yeah yeah yeah
Cant beat it
Cant beat it
I be there
Baet it all out
Beat it all in the crowd
Beat it beat it beat it beat it
I feel it I feel it
Id like to beat on your drum
Id like to beat on your drum
Id like to blow your horne
Id like to beat on your drum
Yeah yeah yeah
Ahhhhhh
song performed by by David Bowie
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Little Drummer Boy
Come they told me our pa ra pa pum pum a newborn King to see pa ra pa pum pum
Our finest gifts we bring pa ra pa pum pum to lay before the King pa ra pa pum pum
Ra pa pum pum ra pa pum pum ra pa pum pum
So to honor him pa ra pa pum pum when we come
Little baby pa ra pa pum pum I am a poor boy too pa ra pa pum pum
I have no gift to bring pa ra pa pum pum that's fit to give a King pa ra pa pum pum
Ra pa pum pum ra pa pam pam ra pa pum pum
Oh shall I play for you pa ra pa pum pum on my drum
(Mary nodded yes pa ra pa pum pum the ox and lamb kept time pa ra pa pum pum
I played my drum for him pa ra pa pum pum
I played my best for him pa ra pa pum pum
Ra pa pum pum ra pa pum pum ra pa pum pum)
Then he smiled at me pa ra pa pum pum me and my drum
Me and my drum me and my drum I played for him on my drum on my drum
song performed by by Dolly Parton
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Bang A Drum
I went to see the preacher
To teach me how to pray
He looked at me and smiled
Then the preacher turned away
He said if you want to tell him something
You ain't gotta fold your hands
Say it with your heart
Your soul and believe it
And I'd say amen
Bang a drum for the sinners
Bang a drum for the sins
Bang a drum for the losers
And those who win
Bang a drum bang it loudly
Or as soft as you need
Bang a drum for yourself son
And a drum for me
I called upon my brother just the
Other day
song performed by by Bon Jovi
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Little Drummer Boy
Come they told me
Pa rum pum pum pum
A new born 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.
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
Thats 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
On my drum.
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
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.
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
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
Me and my drum
Me and my drum
Me and my drum
Me and my drum
Me and my drum
Me and my drum
song performed by by Boney M.
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Beat the plowshare
Pound the drum
Of war to come
Rhythm on steel
Red from the forge
Forms the sword
To carry to war
The sledge makes beat
On thinning edge
As it pounds
pounds
pounds
pounds
It sounds the drum
Of war to come
Soon it will be echoed
By marching men
cries of battle
Sounds of war
The sword will lead
Before the flag
Followed by the sound
Of drums
Pounding
Pounding
To war
Today, I beat my plowshare
And I listen to the drum
poem by James Timothy Jarrett
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Dad bought me a toy drum one Christmas, and I eventually destroyed it. I wanted a real drum and he bought me a snare drum. Dad continued to buy me one drum after the other.
quote by Keith Thibodeaux
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Dont Bang The Drum
Here we stand
In a special place
What are you gonna do here?
Now we stand
In a special place
What will you do here?
What show of soul
Are we gonna get from you
It could be deliverance
Or history under these skies
So blue
Could be something true...
...but if I know you
Youll bang the drum like monkeys do
Here we are in this fabulous place
What are you you gonna dream here?
We are standing in this fabulous place
What will you play here?
I know you love the high life
You life to leap around
You love to beat your chest
And make your sound
But not here man
- this is sacred ground
With a power flowing through...
..and if I know you
Youll bang the drum like monkeys do
Here we stand
On a rocky shore
Your father stood here before you
I can see his ghost explore you
I can feel the sea implore you
Not to pass on by
Not to walk on by
Not to try...
...just let it come
Dont bang the drum
Just let it come
Dont bang the drum
Just a-let it come
Dont bang the drum
Do you know how to let it come now?
Dont bang the drum now...
Just let it come now
Dont bang the drum
Just let it come
Dont bang the drum...
song performed by by Waterboys
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Dont Bang The Drum
Here we stand
In a special place
What are you gonna do here?
Now we stand
In a special place
What will you do here?
What show of soul
Are we gonna get from you
It could be deliverance
Or history under these skies
So blue
Could be something true...
...but if I know you
Youll bang the drum like monkeys do
Here we are in this fabulous place
What are you you gonna dream here?
We are standing in this fabulous place
What will you play here?
I know you love the high life
You life to leap around
You love to beat your chest
And make your sound
But not here man
- this is sacred ground
With a power flowing through...
..and if I know you
Youll bang the drum like monkeys do
Here we stand
On a rocky shore
Your father stood here before you
I can see his ghost explore you
I can feel the sea implore you
Not to pass on by
Not to walk on by
Not to try...
...just let it come
Dont bang the drum
Just let it come
Dont bang the drum
Just a-let it come
Dont bang the drum
Do you know how to let it come now?
Dont bang the drum now...
Just let it come now
Dont bang the drum
Just let it come
Dont bang the drum...
song performed by by Waterboys
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Ill Be With You Tonight
Words and music by rick nielsen, bun e. carlos, robin zander, and tom petersson
Tonight, tonight, Ill be with you tonight.
Tonight, tonight, Ill be with you tonight, tonight, tonight.
You got me burnin, burnin with desire,
You got me burnin, burnin like a fire, oh yeah.
You got me thinkin, thinkin what Ill do,
No doubt about it, I want it with you.
Though youre not my first love,
You just might be my last.
My heart is poundin like a drum, drum, drum, drum, drum, drum, drum, yeah.
Tonight will be the first night that Ive been in love with you.
You get me so excited, Im not sure what Im gonna do.
Tomorrow you wont be here, and I dont expect you to.
Tonight is all I really want, I really want from you.
Tonight, tonight, Ill be with you tonight.
Tonight, tonight, Ill be with you tonight.
Tonight, tonight.
Everything about you is more than everything
You make me crazy, Im doin crazy things, oh yeah.
Tonight when I first saw you I knew it had to be,
Whyd you have to be so right for me?
Though youre not my first love, you just might be my last.
My heart is poundin like a drum, drum, drum, drum, drum, drum, drum, yeah.
Tonight will be the first night that Ive been in love with you.
You get me so excited, Im not sure what Im gonna do.
Tomorrow you wont be here, and I dont expect you to.
Tonight is all I really want, I really want from you.
Tonight, from you, from you.
(chorus)
Oo, tonight, be with ya, Ill be with ya, Ill be with ya, Ill be with ya tonight, tonight.
Ill be with ya.
(repeat to coda)
song performed by by Cheap Trick
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Little Drummer Girl
To me it seems like Christmas is lost
'Cuz it's not about celebrating anymore
It's just about giving to receive
And the illest thing to me about the little drummer boy
Or the little drummer girl in my case, I mean
Is that all that Shorty had was her drum, that's it
And through her drum, she gave Jesus her soul
There ain't no amount of riches that could ever amount to that
You know what I'm sayin'?
Ba dee ah, ba dee ah
Come on, they told me
A new born king to see
Our finest gifts we bring to lay before the king
So here we come
Oh, ra pum pum pum pum
Baby Jesus, I am a poor girl too
I have no gift to bring
That's fit to give a king
Shall I play for you on my drum?
Mary nodded
The ox and lamb kept time
I played my drum for Him
I played my best for Him
Then he smiled at me, me and my drum
Me and my drum
Rum pum pum pum
Pa rum pum pum pum
Pa rum pum pum pum (oh yeah)
Pa rum pum pum pum (oh)
Pa rum pum pum pum
Pa rum pum pum pum (come on they told me)
Pa rum pum pum pum (a new born king to see)
Pa rum pum pum pum (can I play my drum for him)
Pa rum pum pum pum
song performed by by Alicia Keys
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Little Drummer Boy
Come they told me pa rum pa pum pum
Our new born king to see pa rum pa pum pum
Our finest gifts we bring pa rum pa pum pum
To lay before the king pa rum pa pum pum
Rum pa pum pum,rum pa pum pum
Little baby pa rum pa pum pum
I am a poor boy too pa rum pa pum pum
I have no gift to bring pa rum pa pum pum
To lay before the king pa rum pa pum pum
Rum pa pum pum,rum pa pum pum
So to honor him pa rum pa pum pum
I played my drum for him pa rum pa pum pum
I played my best for him pa rum pa pum pum
And then he smiled at me pa rum pa pum pum
Me and my drum,me and my drum,me and my drum,me and my drum
song performed by by Cyndi Lauper
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Dean & I
Hum drum days
And a hum drum ways
Hey kids, let me tell you how I met your mom
We were dancin and romancin at the senior prom
It was no infatuation
But a gradual graduation
From a boy to a man
Let me tell you while I can
The soda pop came free
Hey sis, one kiss, and I was heaven bound
Now who would have guessed miltons paradise lost could
Be found
But in the eyes of the dean, his daughter
Was doin what she shouldna oughta
But a mans gotta do
What a mans gotta do
The consequence should be
Church bells, three swells
The dean, his daughter and me
They were dating in the park
They were smooching in the dark
Of a doorway for two
She whispered I love you -
Ooh, you know I never felt this way before
Ooh, you know the elevator in my heart
Has gone awol, awol, awol, awol
And then I kissed her
And when I kissed her
Its a wonderful world
When youre rolling in kisses
Now, the paint is peeling
(hum drum days and hum drum ways)
Now, and when the chips are down
(hum drum days and hum drum ways)
Now, you kinda lose all feeling
(hum drum days and hum drum ways)
Now, your head goes round and round
(hum drum days and hum drum ways)
Round and round and round and round and round
Im throwing myself off this train
Hum drum days
And a hum drum ways
Hum drum days, hes got
Hum drum ways, oh boy
Hey, you know Im really earning now
My ship came in with a cargo of dollars
My names lit up on the prow
Its a wonderful world
When youre rolling in dollars
Now!
song performed by by 10 Cc
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Toy Band
A Song of the Great Retreat
Dreary lay the long road, dreary lay the town,
Lights out and never a glint o' moon:
Weary lay the stragglers, half a thousand down,
Sad sighed the weary big Dragoon.
"Oh! if I'd a drum here to make them take the road again,
Oh! if I'd a fife to wheedle, Come, boys, come!
You that mean to fight it out, wake and take your load again,
Fall in! Fall in! Follow the fife and drum!
"Hey, but here's a toy shop, here's a drum for me,
Penny whistles too to play the tune!
Half a thousand dead men soon shall hear and see
We're a band!" said the weary big Dragoon.
Rubadub! Rubadub! Wake and take the road again,
Wheedle-deedle-deedle-dee, Come, boys, come!
You that mean to fight it out, wake and take your load again,
Fall in! Fall in! Follow the fife and drum!"
Cheerly goes the dark road, cheerly goes the night,
Cheerly goes the blood to keep the beat;
Half a thousand dead men marching on to fight
With a little penny drum to lift their feet.
Rubadub! Rubadub! Wake, and take the raod again,
Wheedle-deedle-deedle-dee, Come, boys, come!
You that mean to fight it out, wake and take your load again,
Fall in! Fall in! Follow the fife and drum!
As long as there's an Englishman to ask a tale of me,
As long as I can tell the tale aright,
We'll not forget the penny whistle's wheedle-deedle-dee
And the big Dragoon a-beating down the night,
Rubadub! Rubadub! Wake and take the road again,
Wheedle-deedle-deedle-dee, Come, boys, come!
You that mean to fight it out, wake and take your load again,
Fall in! Fall in! Follow the fife, and drum!
poem by Sir Henry Newbolt
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The Drummer Boy
A drummer boy dressed in white tapped his drum as he passed by my bed,
he never looked at me, and not a word was said.
Tippy tap drum, tippy tap drum, tippy tap drum, was his marching beat.
There was blood from a wound, but he kept to his feet.
As he marched back and forth it looked as though he was going to fall,
but he continued to beat his drum, as he walked through the wall.
On his departure the sound of a bugle was heard above the drum,
whistling rifle shots and cannon fire added to the battle’s hum.
A boy dressed in red and white, blowing a bugle marched passed my bed,
he had suffered a wound, and blood was flowing from his head.
Blowing with all his might I could see the determination on his face,
he seemed to be running out of breath, as he slowly lost the pace.
The drummer boy came up beside him and marched by his side,
the bugle boy stood up straight, and blew the charge as he cried.
Another drummer boy passed my bed followed by two more,
the bugle boy stood and looked ahead, and then fell to the floor.
Several soldiers charged pass, with bayonets fixed for attack,
passing the drummer boy one yelled, “Keep playing and don’t look back.”
With the sound of bullets in the air and shells exploding all around
soldiers charged and fell by my bed to the now distant drumming sound.
It suddenly all went quiet as everyone disappeared through the wall,
except for the drummer boy who played as he stood tall.
Tippy tap drum, tippy tap drum, tippy tap drum; a much softer beat,
he then looked at me with tears in his eyes, as he faded at my feet.
poem by Orlando Belo
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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