Jingle Bells

The second piece we played during our handbell rehearsal at St. Mike’s was Jingle Bells.  I introduced this piece by saying this next piece was about a different type of bell that we often associate with this time of year.  Many of the residents could remember jingle bells ringing on their sleighs as they went for a hayride in the winter time.

Legend says the song first appeared in Medford, Massachusetts.  It was composed by James Lord Pierpont.  When it was written in the 1850s, Pierpont originally named the song, ‘One Horse Open Sleigh’. Later Pierpont copyrighted it as ‘Jingle Bells, or the One Horse Open Sleigh.’

James Lord Pierpont was an American songwriter, arranger, organist and composer.  He was also a Confederate States soldier.  ‘Jingle Bells’ was not intended to be a Christmas song.  Pierpont wanted to write something to commemorate Medford’s annual sleigh races around Thanksgiving.  

‘Jingle Bells' was first recorded by Will Lyle on October 30, 1889.  It was recorded on an Edison cylinder but no surviving copies are known to exist.  The earliest surviving recording was made by the Edison Male Quartette in 1898 as part of a Christmas medley titled ‘Sleigh Ride Party.’

Here are the words to the first verse and chorus which I remember learning as a kid in school.

Verse 1:                                                     Chorus:

Dashing through the snow                 Jingle bells, jingle bells 

In a one-horse open sleigh                 Jingle all the way 

O'er the fields we go                            Oh, what fun it is to ride

Laughing all the way                            In a one-horse open sleigh, hey! 

Bells on bobtail ring                             Jingle bells, jingle bells

Making spirits bright                            Jingle all the way

What fun it is to ride and sing            Oh, what fun it is to ride 

A sleighing song tonight!                     In a one-horse open sleigh!

A one horse open sleigh by definition is a board used to slide along the snow, without a roof and pulled by a horse. In the song some people wonder if the horse had a name.  Often misheard as Bells on Bob’s tail or Bells on Bobtail, the line is actually bells on bobtail ring.  Bobtail refers not to the horse’s name but to the style of the horse’s tail.  A bobtail means the horse’s tail was cut short or gathered up and tied in a knot.  You can see this style of tail in dressage events.

Although ‘Jingle Bells’ was not intended to be a Christmas song, it is now a Yuletide staple.  There is no mention of Christmas or any other holiday in the song. Going for a sleigh ride is a fun way to enjoy spending time with family and friends. Have you ever been for a sleigh ride?

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