Jingle Bells Facts

Jingle Bells is one of the most well-known Christmas carols in the world.


Originally wrote in the autumn of 1857 by James Lord Pierpont, and was published under the title “One Horse Open Sleigh”.


James composed this song in 1850 at Medford, in Massachusetts.


Jingle Bells also became the very first song to be broadcast from out in space!


copyrighted under its original title September 16, 1857.


"Jingle Bells" was originally written for Thanksgiving!


Song was inspired by the popular sleigh races of 1800s.


Retitled Jingle Bells, or The One Horse Open Sleigh in 1859.


Music composed by: James Lord Pierpont


As a prank, Gemini 6 astronauts sent the following message to Mission Control on December 16, 1965:


We have an object, looks like a satellite going from north to south, probably in polar orbit... I see a command module and eight smaller modules in front. The pilot of the command module is wearing a red suit... The astronauts then produced a smuggled harmonica and sleigh bells and broadcast a rendition of "Jingle Bells".


Both instruments are now on display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and considered the first musical instruments played in space.


The song was so well accepted that it was again sung on Christmas day and since then became one of the most popular Christmas carols.


Jingle Bells has also been the subject of several parodies, including this one that is almost universally known by children.


Jingle Bells was intended to be a Thanksgiving song celebrating Thanksgiving in America


The song was re-published in 1857 and was given the title we all know today. Neither version made any impression on the public—it took several generations for “Jingle Bells” to become a holiday favorite.

Lyrics
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 laugh and sing (or What fun it is to ride and sing)
A sleighing song tonight.

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.

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.

Now the ground is white
Go it while you're young,
Take the girls along
and sing this sleighing song;
Just get a bobtailed bay
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.