Patapan Lyrics & Chords By Bernard De La Monnoye

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.
Men of olden days
Gave the King of Kings their praise.
On this joyous Christmas

Another version:
Willie, get your little drum,
Robin, bring your flute and come.
Aren’t they fun to play upon?
Tu-re-lu-re-lu, pat-a-pat-a-pan;
When you play your fife and drum, How can anyone be glum?

When the men of olden days
Gave the King of Kings their praise,
They had pipes to play upon.
Tu-re-lu-re-lu, pat-a-pat-a-pan;
And also the drums they’d play,
Full of joy, on Christmas Day.

God and man today become
Closely joined as flute and drum.
Let the joyous tune play on!
Tu-re-lu-re-lu, pat-a-pat-a-pan;
As the instruments you play,
We will sing, this Christmas Day.

Another version:
Take thy tabor and thy flute,
None today must e'er be mute:
With such jolly shepherd toys,
Tu-re-lu-re-lu, pa-ta-pa-ta-pan;
To the sound of this shrill noise,
Let us raise a Noel, Boys!

Long ago our fathers sang
Such a song on this same day:
'Twas of Bethlehem, their lay,
Tu-re-lu-re-lu, pa-ta-pa-ta-pan;
Where wise kings and shepherds stray
To the stars their music rang.

As we join our choicest airs,
In a hymn that upward fares:
Earth and heaven seem near our prayers:
Tu-re-lu-re-lu, pa-ta-pa-ta-pan;
Vanish all our daily cares
While we dance and sing Noel.

Another version:
Willie, take your little drum,
With your whistle, Robin, come.
When we hear the fife and drum,
Tu-re-lu-re-lu, pat-a-pat-a-pan;
When we hear the fife and drum:
Christmas should be frolicsome.

Thus the men of olden days
Loved the King of Kings to praise;
When we hear the fife and drum,
Tu-re-lu-re-lu, pat-a-pat-a-pan;
When we hear the fife and drum:
Sure our children won't be dumb!

God and man are now become
More at one than fife and drum.
When you hear the fife and drum,
Tu-re-lu-re-lu, pat-a-pat-a-pan;
When you hear the fife and drum:
Dance, and make the village hum!