Code Golf: Print the entire “12 Days of Christmas” song in the fewest lines of code

Answer 1

Here's an erlang version (~586 chars):

-module (xmas).
-export ([xmas/0]).
xmas() ->
    W = ["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 gold rings, ",
    "four calling birds, ",
    "three french hens, ",
    "two turtle doves, and ",
    "a partridge in a pear tree."],
    io:format(lists:foldl(
    fun(X,Acc) -> Acc ++ X ++ "~n" end, "",
    ["On the " ++ day_str(Q) ++ 
    " day of Christmas, my true love gave me " ++ 
    lists:foldl(
        fun(X,Acc)-> Acc++X end,
        "", lists:nthtail(12-Q,W)) || 
        Q <- lists:seq(1,12)]),[]).
day_str(Q) ->
    case Q of
        1 -> "1st";
        2 -> "2nd";
        3 -> "3rd";
        N -> erlang:integer_to_list(N,10) ++ "th"
    end.