The popular Christmas carol “Jingle Bells” has an interesting history that remains a topic of debate even now. Written by New England native James Lord Pierpont, “Jingle Bells” was never intended to be a Christmas song, and in fact does not even mention Christmas or any other holiday. In addition, the song’s birthplace is disputed, so much so that there are two commemorative plaques in two different cities, each of which claims to be the place where Pierpont purportedly wrote the song in the 1850s. One plaque is in Medford, Massachusetts, where Pierpont is said to have written the song from a tavern while watching sleigh races taking place outside. The other plaque is in Savannah, Georgia, where locals believe Pierpont wrote the lyrics prior to leading a sing-along of the song at a local church in 1857.
“Jingle Bells”
(Extended version)
Dashing through the snow
In a one-horse open sleigh
O’er the fields we go
Laughing all the way
Bells on bobtail 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.
A day or two ago
I thought I’d take a ride
And soon, Miss Fanny Bright
Was seated by my side,
The horse was lean and lank
Misfortune seemed his lot
He got into a drifted bank
And then we got upsot.
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.
A day or two ago,
The story I must tell
I went out on the snow,
And on my back I fell;
A gent was riding by
In a one-horse open sleigh,
He laughed as there I sprawling lie,
But quickly drove away.
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way,
Oh what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way,
Oh what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.
Now the ground is white
Go it while you’re young,
Take the girls tonight
and sing this sleighing song;
Just get a bobtailed
Two forty as his speed
Hitch him to an open sleigh
And crack! you’ll take the lead.
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way,
Oh what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way,
Oh what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.
Lyrics written by James Lord Pierpont
Lyrics courtesy of Digital Music
