"Rum-Pum-Pum-Pum," Darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               This Christmas classic, girls, which was first known as "Carol Of The Drum," when it was first written, by music instructor, and composer, Katherine Kennicott Davis, in 1941, and recorded by the Trapp Family Singers (yes, darlings, those very "Sound Of Music" ones!!!) had been bouncing around for a long time, until was definitively crystallized by the recording of the Harry Simeone Chorale, which first appeared in 1958.

                              Which was how I came to know the song, which I used to entitle "Rum-Pum-Pum-Pum."  The counterpoint of that sound to the choral singers themselves was haunting, and I recall owning a 45 RPM, with a jacket much like the above, but in bright holiday colors--nighttime blue/black, red, yellow and green.

                                  At least, that is how I remember it.

                                  And I recall years later, the Greer Garson narrated puppet animated version  of the story, sometime in the Sixties, with the most cruel emotional manipulation.  Things turn out OK, but there was one incident, which, when I first saw it, devastated me.  I am sure those who do know to what I am referring. It has to do with those we love.

                                   But the song went on to become a classic, and remains so.  Joan Baez does a rendering on her Christmas album; if anything, it is a  little bit up tempo, even for her, and not nearly as haunting as the 1958 recording. But that crystal clear voice, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                      You did not think I was going to let my girls get away, without hearing this classic, now do you?  Here it is, the definitive Harry Simeone Chorale recording, in all its haunting glory.

                                        Seasons Greetings, loves!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!