Jingle Bells facts for kids
Quick facts for kids "Jingle Bells" |
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Title page of "The One Horse Open Sleigh"
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| Song | |
| Language | English |
| Published | September 16, 1857, by Oliver Ditson & Co., Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Genre | Christmas |
| Songwriter(s) | James Lord Pierpont |
| Originally titled as "The One Horse Open Sleigh" | |
"Jingle Bells" is a very famous American song. It is one of the most popular Christmas songs sung all over the world. James Lord Pierpont wrote this cheerful tune. The exact time and place where he wrote it are a bit of a mystery.
The song was first published in September 1857. Its original title was "The One Horse Open Sleigh". Even though it wasn't first written for Christmas, people started connecting it with winter and Christmas in the 1860s and 1870s. It quickly became a favorite in songbooks and at colleges. The very first recording of "Jingle Bells" was made in 1889. It was on an Edison cylinder, but that recording is now lost. However, a recording from 1898 by Edison Records still exists today.
Some people thought the song was for Thanksgiving or a different kind of gathering. But there isn't strong proof for these ideas. What we do know is that it became a beloved song for winter fun and the holiday season.
Contents
The Story Behind "Jingle Bells"
How the Song Was Written
James Lord Pierpont officially registered his song on September 16, 1857. He called it "The One Horse Open Sleigh." He was listed as both the writer and composer. It took many years for it to become known as a Christmas song. Pierpont dedicated his song to John P. Ordway, who led a performing group called "Ordway's Aeolians."
There's a friendly debate about where Pierpont first wrote "Jingle Bells." A special plaque in Medford, Massachusetts, says he wrote it there in 1850. People in Medford believe the town's exciting sleigh races inspired the song. However, some researchers think he wrote it in Boston before moving to Savannah in 1857.
In 1859, the song was re-released with a new title: "Jingle Bells; or, The One Horse Open Sleigh." The cover of the music sheet showed sleigh bells. These bells were tied to horses to make a cheerful "jingle, jangle" sound as they moved.
The first public performance of "Jingle Bells" was on September 15, 1857. It happened at Ordway Hall in Boston. The song was part of a popular style of music called "sleighing songs." Pierpont's lyrics were similar to other popular songs about sleigh rides at the time.
Around the time the song was published, Pierpont had moved to Savannah, Georgia. He worked there as a music director for a church. He married Eliza Jane Purse, whose father was the mayor of Savannah. Pierpont stayed in Savannah and never moved back north.
Famous Recordings and Performances
"Jingle Bells" became one of the most popular holiday songs ever. People sing it not just in the United States, but all around the world. Because of this, James Lord Pierpont was honored in the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
The very first recording of "Jingle Bells" was in 1889. A banjo player named Will Lyle recorded it on an Edison cylinder. Sadly, no copies of this first recording exist today. The oldest recording we still have is from 1898. It was made by the Edison Male Quartette. They included "Jingle Bells" in a Christmas mix called "Sleigh Ride Party." The song became a true Christmas favorite in the early 1900s.
Many famous artists have recorded "Jingle Bells." In 1935, Benny Goodman and His Orchestra had a popular swing version. Glenn Miller and His Orchestra also had a big hit with their version in 1941. In 1943, Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters recorded a version that sold over a million copies! Later, Les Paul made a cool guitar version in 1951. More recently, Kimberley Locke had a number one hit with the song in 2006.
The First Song in Space!
"Jingle Bells" was one of the very first songs ever played from space! This happened during a fun Christmas prank by Gemini 6 astronauts Tom Stafford and Wally Schirra. On December 16, 1965, while they were orbiting Earth, they sent a strange message to Mission Control.
They reported seeing a "satellite" that looked like it was about to re-enter Earth's atmosphere. Then, suddenly, the sound of "Jingle Bells" filled the radio! The astronauts had secretly brought a harmonica and sleigh bells with them. Schirra played the harmonica, and Stafford shook the bells. Mission Control was very surprised and amused!
The harmonica they used was a tiny Hohner "Little Lady." It was only about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long. Schirra later gave this special harmonica to the Smithsonian in 1967.
Understanding the Lyrics
The word jingle in the song's title means to make a light, ringing sound. In the past, during winter in New England, people put bells on their horses' harnesses. This was important because sleighs moving on snow make almost no sound. The bells helped prevent accidents at busy intersections. The song's rhythm sounds a lot like the bells of a trotting horse.
Jingle Bells
Dashing through the snow
In a one-horse open sleigh
O'er the fields we go
Laughing all the way
Bells on bob tail ring
Making spirits bright
What fun it is to ride and sing
A sleighing song tonight!
Oh! Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way.
Oh! what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh. Hey!
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way;
Oh! what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.
The other verses of the song tell a fun story. In the second verse, the singer goes for a ride with a girl named Miss Fanny Bright. They have a little adventure when their horse gets stuck in a snowdrift, and they "upsot" (meaning they tipped over!).
In another verse, the singer falls out of the sleigh. Someone else riding by laughs at him before driving away.
Finally, the last verse gives advice to a friend. It suggests finding a fast horse and taking a sleigh ride with friends while singing this fun song.
Changes in the Original Lyrics
The first two stanzas and the chorus of the 1857 original song were a little different from what we sing today. We don't know who changed the words to the modern version. For example, the original said "O'er the hills we go," which later became "O'er the fields we go." Also, "Oh what sport to ride and sing" changed to "What fun it is to ride and sing." In the chorus, "Oh! what joy it is to ride" became "Oh! what fun it is to ride."
The Melody of "Jingle Bells"
The original 1857 version of the chorus had a slightly different tune. The way the chords moved in the original chorus was a bit more complex. However, the verses have mostly kept the same melody over the years. The simpler, modern chorus tune has been around since at least 1898. That's when the oldest surviving recording of the song was released.
The "Jingle Bells" tune is also used in songs in other languages, like French and German. These songs have different lyrics, but they still celebrate the fun of winter, just like the English version. For example, the French song "Vive le vent" means "Long Live the Wind."
Fun Parodies and Tributes
Because "Jingle Bells" is so catchy and popular, many people have created funny versions or parodies of it. One very well-known parody, since the 1960s, is "Jingle Bells, Batman Smells." This version has many different lyrics. It has even appeared in official Batman cartoons, like Batman: The Animated Series. It also showed up in the first episode of The Simpsons, "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire".
Other artists have made funny or unique versions of "Jingle Bells." These include "Yingle Bells" by Yogi Yorgesson and "Aussie Jingle Bells" by Bucko and Champs. There's even a Halloween version called "Pumpkin Bells," which celebrates the "Great Pumpkin."
The Australian "Aussie Jingle Bells" changes the song to fit their summer Christmas. It talks about a Holden ute (a type of truck) and an Kelpie (a dog breed).
The song "Jingle Bell Rock" by Bobby Helms is a tribute to "Jingle Bells." It uses some of the original song's lyrics but has a completely different melody. "Jingle Bell Rock" has also become a classic Christmas song.
Sometimes, the first few notes of the "Jingle Bells" chorus are added into other Christmas songs. You can hear them at the beginning and end of Bing Crosby's "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas." A guitar part at the end of Nat King Cole's "The Christmas Song" also uses these notes. Even Joni Mitchell's 1971 song "River" starts with a sad piano version of the chorus.
See also
In Spanish: Jingle Bells para niños
