Key: G

[Verse 1]

Dashing through the snow, in a one-horse open sleigh,

O'er the fields we go, laughing all the way.

Bells on bob-tails ring, making spirits bright,

What fun it is to ride and sing a sleighing song tonight. Oh!

[Chorus 1]

G                                  C       G

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way!

C              G

Oh what fun it is to ride

     A7             D7

In a one-horse open sleigh, hey!

G                                  C       G

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way!

C              G

Oh what fun it is to ride

     D7             G

In a one-horse open sleigh!

[Verse 2]

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

We ran into a drifted bank 

and there we got upsot. Oh!

[Verse 3]

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 at me as I there lay 

but quickly drove away.  Oh!

[Verse 4]

Now the ground is white, 

go it while you're young.

Take the girls along and 

sing this sleighing song.

Just bet a bobtailed bay, 

two forty as his speed.

Hitch him to an open sleigh and crack! 

you'll take the lead. Oh!

[Chorus]

G                                  C       G

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way!

C              G

Oh what fun it is to ride

     A7             D7

In a one-horse open sleigh, hey!

G                                  C       G

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way!

C              G

Oh what fun it is to ride

     D7             G

In a one-horse open sleigh!

The song "Jingle Bells" is one of the most famous and frequently sung songs in the world, though its origins and initial purpose are not what many people assume.

📜 History and Backstory

• Composer:
  The song was written and composed by James Lord Pierpont (1822–1893).

• Original Title and Date: It was originally published on September 16, 1857, under the title "The One Horse Open Sleigh." 

• The title was revised to "Jingle Bells, or The One Horse Open Sleigh" in 1859.

• Original Purpose:
  Contrary to popular belief, the song was not originally a Christmas song.
  It was a secular song intended to celebrate the popular winter activity of sleigh riding (sleigh racing).
  The original lyrics, which include additional verses not commonly sung today, detail a youthful sleigh ride where the narrator takes a girl, Miss Fanny Bright, for a ride, and they "get upsot" (overturn the sleigh) in a snowdrift.
  Some accounts suggest Pierpont wrote it for a Thanksgiving program at a church in Savannah, Georgia.

• Contested Origin Location:
  The exact location where Pierpont wrote the song is disputed.

  • Medford, Massachusetts, claims he wrote it in 1850 while sitting in a local tavern, inspired by the town's sleigh races.

  • Savannah, Georgia, where Pierpont worked as an organist, also claims the song's origin, dating it to 1857 before its publication.
    Historical research suggests the Boston/Savannah dates are more likely than the 1850 Medford claim.

• First Performance:
  Historical records indicate its first documented performance was on September 15, 1857, at Ordway Hall in Boston by a blackface minstrel performer.

• Christmas Association:
  "Jingle Bells" did not become widely associated with Christmas until the 1860s and 1870s, decades after its initial publication.

• Broadcast from Space:
  In a playful move, the Gemini 6 astronauts, Tom Stafford and Wally Schirra, performed "Jingle Bells" on a harmonica and actual jingle bells they had smuggled aboard on December 16, 1965, making it the first song broadcast from space.

🎶 Music Theory Details

While various arrangements and keys exist, here are the typical music theory details for the standard version of "Jingle Bells":

• Time Signature: The song is most commonly written in 4/4 time (four quarter-note beats per measure). The rhythmic pattern of the chorus, "Jingle Bells," is often quarter note, quarter note, half note (1-2-3-4).

• Key: It is often performed and published in the keys of C Major or D Major. These are relatively simple keys, making it accessible for singing and arrangement.

• Form: The song follows a straightforward strophic form with a repeating chorus (AABA, where A is the verse and B is the chorus, repeated).

• Melody: The melody is largely diatonic, staying within the notes of the major scale. It is also an excellent example of conjunct motion (stepwise movement) with clear, memorable leaps. The characteristic repeated notes and simple rhythm make it very easy to sing along with.

• Tempo: The song's tempo is generally quick and lively (often described as allegro or a quick march) to imitate the rhythm of a trotting horse and its bells. A common tempo is around 150-170 beats per minute (BPM).