<Tr> <Th> Songwriter (s) </Th> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Harry Simeone </Li> <Li> K.K. Davis </Li> <Li> Henry Onorati </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Ul> <Li> Harry Simeone </Li> <Li> K.K. Davis </Li> <Li> Henry Onorati </Li> </Ul> <P> "The Little Drummer Boy" (originally known as "Carol of the Drum") is a popular Christmas song written by the American classical music composer and teacher Katherine Kennicott Davis in 1941 . First recorded in 1951 by the Trapp Family Singers, the song was further popularized by a 1958 recording by the Harry Simeone Chorale; the Simeone version was re-released successfully for several years and the song has been recorded many times since . </P> <P> In the lyrics the singer relates how, as a poor young boy, he was summoned by the Magi to the Nativity of Jesus . Without a gift for the infant the little drummer boy played his drum with Jesus' mother, Mary's approval; recalling, "I played my best for Him" and "He smiled at me ." </P>

When was the little drummer boy song written