The first Christmas song that must come into your mind is “Jingle Bells”. The Cheerful classic song has become a universal recognition. It became the icon of Christmas along with Santa Claus.
“Jingle Bells” was written by James Lord Pierpont in 1857. It was not quite in the form that we hear now. It was originally published under the title of “The One- Horse Open Sleigh” with slightly different lyrics. It had a different melody and chorus.
James Lord Pierpont
James Lord Pierpont was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1822. His father was a paster and also a poet. He served in the US Navy until he was 21. Later he moved to New England and got married and settled in Medford, Massachusetts. He had three children. Later leaving his family, he moved to California and started new businesses. it all became burned down. After the death of his wife Millicent, he became an organist with his brother. It was the time he began to write music. The first work was published in 1852, named “The Returned Californian”. It explained his bitter experience with Californian Gold Rush and broken business.
Five years later, in August 1957, James published the song that would later be known as Jingle Bells.
This is how it appeared in its original version:
The One-Horse Open Sleigh
Dashing thro’ the snow,
In a one-horse open sleigh,
O’er the hills we go,
Laughing all the way;
Bells on bob tail ring,
Making spirits bright,
Oh what sport to ride and sing
A sleighing song to night.
Jingle bells, Jingle bells,
Jingle all the way;
Oh! what joy it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh.
Jingle bells, Jingle bells,
Jingle all the way;
Oh! what joy 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 Fannie Bright
Was seated by my side,
The horse was lean and lank;
Misfortune seemed his lot,
He got into a drifted bank,
And we, we got upsot.
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.
Now the ground is white
Go it while you’re young,
Take the girls to night
And sing this sleighing song;
Just get a bob tailed bay
Two forty as his speed.
Hitch him to an open sleigh
And crack, you’ll take the lead.
Later its popularity increased, the song became simply known as “Jingle Bells”. It was first recorded in 1889 on an Edison cylinder.