Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(Aus.) a piece of information, esp. a racing tip; often constr. with the and in phr. give (someone) the drum.

1922		C. Drew Rogues and Ruses (1923) 88: ‘I got the drum on the way out to the races’.
1926		Advertiser (Adelaide) 7 May 13/2: To have the ‘office’ or the ‘drum’ was to have word the police were coming.
1941		Williamstown Chron. (Vic.) 12 Nov3 May 6/2: If yer don’t ‘smack a tumble’ to who they are I’ll give you the ‘drum’.
1944		L. Glassop We Were the Rats 36: ‘I thought you refused Old Joe’s invitation?’ ‘I did, but that was before I got the drum, as Spike would say, that Margaret might be going.’.
1955		D. Niland Shiralee 86: I don’t want to be quizzy, Mac, but, if it’s a fair question what’s the drum?
1957		‘Nino Culotta’ They’re a Weird Mob (1958) 76: ‘How do we do that?’ ‘Come over ’ere an’ I’ll give yer the drum.’.
1960		J. Walker No Sunlight Singing (1966) 22: Look mate, I’ll give yer the drum [...] don’t expect nothin’ at this place.
1968		D. O’Grady A Bottle of Sandwiches 7: Decent bloke, the old boss. [...] Gave us the drum on where to get hold of the particular rifles we had our eyes on.
1977		in K. Gilbert Living Black 220: I’ll give you the right drum why they don’t wanna work.
1982		G. Newbold Big Huey 61: Taylor gave me the usual drum on the rules of the block.
1996		Ozwords Oct. 🌐 not to run a drum In the early twentieth century the term drum in Australian English came to mean ‘a reliable piece of information’, probably deriving from the signal given out by the percussion instrument. It often appears in the phrases to get the drum or to give the drum, and usually in racing contexts.
1998		Bug (Aus.) 24 Feb. 🌐 I’m willing to give Matt Sears the full drum.
2003		McGill Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. 69: drum 1. A horseracing tip, or any information, from drum as a means of signalling. Also a tip-off or warning. ANZ C20.
2009		P. Temple Truth 311: ‘The worry for us,’ said Searle, ‘is if Moorcroft’s got the drum.
2012		(con. 1943) G.S. Manson Irish Fandango [ebook] He’d got quite a lot more of the drum on the lovely Mrs C.