The meaning behind the gifts of the the twelve days has been variously interpreted. Religious meanings can be parsed, but the true meanings seem to have been lost over the years. The song follows a culminating pattern, with each verse building on earlier verses. The time signature varies throughout each verse and through the song, creating a sense of action in the final verses.
Several versions of the lyrics to "The Twelve Days of Christmas" exist. In the most common version, the lyrics to the final verse read: On the twelfth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me: "On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love sent to me/Twelve Drummers Drumming/ Eleven Pipers Piping/ Ten Lords a Leaping/ Nine Ladies Dancing/ Eight Maids a Milking/ Seven Swans a Swimming/ Six Geese a Laying/ Five Golden Rings/ Four Calling Birds/ Three French Hens/ Two Turtle Doves/ and a Partridge in a Pear Tree." In the United States, the first line is more commonly "my true love gave to me." (Full lyrics below.)
The song has been recorded by numerous artists in varied styles.
Here is a video of a recording of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" by Tennessee Ernie Ford:
There are almost as many spoof versions as real versions. My favorite is a 1981 version by "Bob and Doug McKenzie" (Rick Moranis and Dave Morris) on their album Great White North.
"The Twelve Days of Christmas" by Bob & Doug McKenzie:
Lyrics to "The Twelve Days of Christmas"
On the first day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
A Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the second day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
Two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the third day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
Three French Hens
Two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the fourth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
Four Calling Birds
Three French Hens
Two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the fifth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
Five Golden Rings
Four Calling Birds
Three French Hens
Two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the sixth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
Six Geese a Laying
Five Golden Rings
Four Calling Birds
Three French Hens
Two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the seventh day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
Seven Swans a Swimming
Six Geese a Laying
Five Golden Rings
Four Calling Birds
Three French Hens
Two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the eighth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
Eight Maids a Milking
Seven Swans a Swimming
Six Geese a Laying
Five Golden Rings
Four Calling Birds
Three French Hens
Two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the ninth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
Nine Ladies Dancing
Eight Maids a Milking
Seven Swans a Swimming
Six Geese a Laying
Five Golden Rings
Four Calling Birds
Three French Hens
Two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the tenth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
Ten Lords a Leaping
Nine Ladies Dancing
Eight Maids a Milking
Seven Swans a Swimming
Six Geese a Laying
Five Golden Rings
Four Calling Birds
Three French Hens
Two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the eleventh day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
Eleven Pipers Piping
Ten Lords a Leaping
Nine Ladies Dancing
Eight Maids a Milking
Seven Swans a Swimming
Six Geese a Laying
Five Golden Rings
Four Calling Birds
Three French Hens
Two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the twelfth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
12 Drummers Drumming
Eleven Pipers Piping
Ten Lords a Leaping
Nine Ladies Dancing
Eight Maids a Milking
Seven Swans a Swimming
Six Geese a Laying
Five Golden Rings
Four Calling Birds
Three French Hens
Two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree
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