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Elle, I have just googled Harry Belafonte l'enfant au tambour and I don't think he sang it - or at least not on his own; but there are a lot of instances where Nana and Harry got together on various shows etc... so perhaps once, on a show, they did sing it together.

BTW the French words are not really 'Christmassy' - If I remember rightly it is more the story about a child with a small drum who goes looking for his father /brother during a war (that is if my memory serves me well)

Hi, Pigale !
I've just looked up the French words to "Little Drummer Boy" , and you are quite correct- it is about a boy searching for his father who had died in the war.
He wanted to exchange his drum for his father coming alive again.
It is nothing at all like the English version which is about the Nativity.
How surprising!
Btw, apparently they are sung to the same tune!

Hi, Rusty!
Nor can Bing do wrong in MY eyes! We are agreed on that!
You know, I'm sure we have had this conversation before about Bing's being a keen golfer? I have a strong sense of deja vue!
(I cannot do the accents and the circumflex!)
I remember talking about his song "Straight Down the Middle " - I think believed to be the first ever song about golf ?
I think he died after completing the round and on the way back to the clubhouse?
How can a horse be best " 'sportsman' of the year"! Good decision though!

oh yes, definitely the same tune and the words sound perfectly adapted to the music even though it is rather sad.

Hello, Elle et Pigale!
The French version makes more sense, I think!
Yet, it was originally called Carol of the Drum.
Carol suggests Christmas?
And no mother would want a drummer playing near her baby.
But "Mary nodded". Strange.

'Allo,
The French novelist Georges Coulonges adapted the song in the 60's to exactly what Pigale said.
It is associated with Nana Mouskouri.
The original was a Christmas song, but not sure why a drummer boy gets in the story.

No, Rusty, it's not clear from the lyrics why a drummer boy should be there, other than his wishing to play for the baby Jesus as he had no other gift to bring.

I came across this quote.....
"The most notable rendition (of the Little Drummer Boy) was created by the most unlikely combination of Bing Crosby and David Bowie. This version of Little Drummer Boy was a massive hit for the artists and was in fact Bing Crosby's most successful recording since the legendary 'White Christmas' "

Hi, Rusty!
Did you come across this recording of Bing, singing "Little Drummer Boy" solo?

See if this link works...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv7tQ0kPjjI

Hello, Elle,
That did not work.
I think Bowie should stay well away from Bing.
He is not nearly good enough to sing with him.
Bing was a master.
I still prefer Boney M's version.
Pa-rum pum pum pum!

It should work, Rusty?

I've just clicked on it and it played for me?
It's the best recording I've found so far of the "Little Drummer Boy"- pure unadulterated Bing!! (no David Bowie in sight! ...or sound!)

Try again?