Cody Casey
Pat-A-Pan is a song by American singer-songwriter David Archuleta, from his first Christmas album, Christmas From The Heart. The song is a contemporary and modernised version of a traditional minor-key carol, which is a French telling of the Little Drummer Boy story. The arrangement was done by American composer and arranger Kurt Bestor, with The Prague Philharmonic strings enriching the melody. The song revolves around the birth of Jesus Christ and is told from the perspective of shepherds playing simple instruments—flutes and drums. The onomatopoeic title, patapan, mimics the sound of a drum, and the lyric, tu-re-lu-re-lu, the sound of a flute.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Genre | Christmas Carol |
| Language | French and English |
| Album | Christmas From The Heart |
| Year of Release | 2009 |
| Producers | John Hancock and Kurt Bestor |
| Arranger | Kurt Bestor |
| String Accompaniment | Prague Philharmonic |
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What You'll Learn
The song's arrangement
"Pat-A-Pan" is a traditional minor-key Christmas carol, originally a French song about the birth of Jesus Christ, told from the perspective of shepherds playing flutes and drums. The song's onomatopoeic title, "pat-a-pan," mimics the sound of a drum, while the lyric "tu-re-lu-re-lu" mimics the sound of a flute.
The song has been arranged by American composer and arranger Kurt Bestor, who gave the song a more contemporary feel. The Prague Philharmonic strings enrich the melody of the song.
The song begins with an invitation to play music: "Guillo, prends ton tambourin, Toi, prends ta flute, Robin." This translates to "Willie, bring your little drum, Robin, get your fife and come." The lyrics then continue, encouraging the shepherds to play and sing for the newborn King: "I will sing for the blessed babe on this joyous Christmas day."
The song's chorus celebrates the joy of Christmas day and the praise of the King of Kings, with the shepherds playing their flutes and drums: "Tu-re-lu-re-lu, pat-a-pat-a-pan, they had pipes on which to play, they had drums on which to play."
The final verse returns to the theme of celebration and unity, with the lyrics: "God and man became today, more in tune than fife and drum, so be merry while you play." The song ends with a repetition of the invitation to play and celebrate: "Tu-re-lu-re-lu, pat-a-pat-a-pan, come be merry while you play on this joyous Christmas day."
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The lyrics
"Pat-A-Pan" is a traditional minor-key Christmas carol, included in David Archuleta's first Christmas album, "Christmas From The Heart". The song is a French version of the "Little Drummer Boy" story and is told from the perspective of shepherds playing simple instruments—flutes and drums. The onomatopoeic title, "pat-a-pan", is meant to mimic the sound of a drum, while "tu-re-lu-re-lu" mimics the sound of a flute.
> Guillô, prends ton tambourin,
> Toi, prends ta flûte, Robin
> Au son de ces instruments
> Tu-re-lu-re-lu, pat-a-pat-a-pan
> Au son de ces instruments
> Je dirai Noël, gaiement
> Willie, bring your little drum
> Robin, get your fife, and come
> And be merry while you play
> Tu-re-lu-re-lu, pat-a-pat-a-pan
> We will listen as you play
> For the joy for Christmas day
> When the men of olden days
> Gave the King of Kings their praise
> They had pipes on which to play
> Tu-re-lu-re-lu, pat-a-pat-a-pan
> They had drums on which to play
> For the joy of Christmas day
> God and man became today
> More in tune than fife and drum
> So be merry while you play
> Tu-re-lu-re-lu, pat-a-pat-a-pan
> Come be merry while you play
> On this joyous Christmas day
> While the angels wing
> To the newborn King
> I will sing for the blessed Babe
> On this joyous Christmas day
> God and man became today
> More in tune than fife and drum
> So be merry while you play
> Tu-re-lu-re-lu, pat-a-pat-a-pan
> Come be merry while you play
> On this joyous Christmas day
> While the angels wing
> To the newborn King
> I will sing for the blessed Babe
> On this joyous Christmas day
> Tu-re-lu-re-lu-ra-le.
> Come and hear them patapan.
> Bring your little drum.
> Robin, get your fife and come.
> Tu-re-lu-re-lu-ra-le.
> Come and hear them patapan.
> Men of olden days
> Gave the King of Kings their praise
> On this joyous Christmas.
> Bring your little drum.
> Robin, get your fife and come.
> Come be merry.
> Men of olden days
> Gave the King of Kings their praise
> On this joyous Christmas.
> Bring your little drum.
> Robin, get your fife and come.
> Come be merry.
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The melody
"Pat-A-Pan" by David Archuleta is a traditional minor-key carol, featuring an onomatopoeic title meant to mimic the sound of a drum, with the lyric "tu-re-lu-re-lu" mimicking the sound of a flute. The melody is enriched by The Prague Philharmonic strings, arranged by American composer and arranger Kurt Bestor.
The song begins with an upbeat, lively melody, with a strong string presence and a steady, rhythmic drumbeat. The opening lyrics, "Guillo, prends ton tambourin, Toi, prends ta flute, Robin", are sung in French, with a cheerful and festive tone. The melody here is bright and joyful, capturing the spirit of Christmas.
As the song progresses, the melody becomes more intricate, with a blend of instruments creating a rich soundscape. The "tu-re-lu-re-lu" lyrics are repeated throughout, creating a catchy and memorable motif. The melody here is playful and light, with a quick tempo and lively rhythm.
The song then transitions to a more subdued and gentle melody as Archuleta sings, "I will sing for the blessed babe". The strings take a more prominent role here, creating a soft and tender atmosphere. The melody becomes slower and more sentimental, capturing the warmth and emotion of the lyrics.
As the song builds towards its conclusion, the melody becomes more triumphant and celebratory. The drums and flutes, referenced in the lyrics "bring your little drum, Robin, get your fife and come", return with a lively rhythm, encouraging a festive spirit. The final chorus is energetic and vibrant, with a faster tempo and a joyful melody, capturing the happiness and cheer of the Christmas season.
Overall, the melody of "Pat-A-Pan" is dynamic and festive, capturing a range of emotions and atmospheres while staying true to its traditional and cheerful Christmas spirit.
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The album it features on
"Pat-A-Pan" is a track from American singer-songwriter David Archuleta's first Christmas album, 'Christmas From The Heart'. The song is a traditional minor-key carol, based on the French version of the Little Drummer Boy story. The lyrics revolve around the birth of Jesus Christ, told from the perspective of shepherds playing simple instruments—flutes and drums. The onomatopoeic title, "patapan," mimics the sound of a drum, with the accompanying lyric, "tu-re-lu-re-lu," representing the flute.
Archuleta's version includes some lyrics in French, a first for the singer, who admitted he needed help with pronunciation. The song's arrangement was done by American composer and arranger Kurt Bestor, with The Prague Philharmonic strings enriching the melody. Archuleta wanted to give the song a more contemporary feel and modernise it, and Bestor's arrangement achieved that.
'Christmas From The Heart' was released in 2009, and "Pat-A-Pan" is Track 9 on the album. The song has become a popular Christmas carol and a well-loved addition to the festive season's musical repertoire.
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The song's meaning
"Pat-A-Pan" is a French Christmas carol in Burgundian dialect, written in 1700 by Bernard de la Monnoye. The song's title is onomatopoeic, mimicking the sound of a drum, with “tu-re-lu-re-lu" mimicking the sound of a flute. The song revolves around the birth of Jesus Christ and is told from the perspective of shepherds playing these simple instruments.
The song encourages the listener to “be merry while you play" and to “sing for the blessed babe" on this “joyous Christmas day". It also invites Willie and Robin to “bring your little drum" and “get your fife", respectively, to join in the music. The lyrics also refer to the “King of Kings”, who is praised by the “men of olden days".
The song is a celebration of the joy of Christmas, with a particular focus on the music and merriment that the season brings. The carol invites everyone to join in the festivities and to make merry with their instruments, just as the shepherds did when Jesus was born.
"Pat-A-Pan" has become a well-loved Christmas carol, with David Archuleta including it on his first Christmas album, "Christmas From The Heart". Archuleta's version is a contemporary take on the traditional carol, with an original arrangement by American composer and arranger Kurt Bestor, featuring the Prague Philharmonic strings.
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Frequently asked questions
The song is a French version of the Little Drummer Boy story. It revolves around the birth of Jesus Christ and is told from the perspective of shepherds playing simple instruments — flutes and drums.
The onomatopoeic title "pat-a-pan" is meant to mimic the sound of a drum, and the accompanying lyric "tu-re-lu-re-lu" mimics the sound of a flute.
The song was arranged by American composer and arranger Kurt Bestor, with The Prague Philharmonic strings enriching its melody.
