Essay #3- Music

Jingle, jingle, jingle. That’s the sound people hear all the time around Christmas. “Jingle Bells” is a song that describes ringing bells, happiness, and fun in the snow. When people hear the Jingle Bells ringing, it’s all about having a merry Christmas. Surprisingly, Jingle Bells originally was not in any way, shape or form meant to be a Christmas song. “First published in 1857 Jingle Bells was to be sung on Thanksgiving- not Christmas” (history.com). It seems like that the song was a miracle. According to BU Today, Jingle Bells became a Christmas standard decades after it was first performed on Washington Street. There were some places that this Christmas song was not played on Earth. Jingle Bells was the first song ever broadcast from space. In our modern-day world, it has gained in popularity over the twentieth century. “Today, Jingle Bells is one of the most recognized melodies.” “It has been recorded thousands of times by everyone from the Beatles to Fiedler and the Boston Pops.” (BU Today). This Christmas Carol, Jingle Bells, explains how people develop excitement.
There is a brief history that ties into how Jingle Bells was made. This song was originally composed by James Pierpont. One downside of Jingle Bells is that it is neither a wholesome song nor about Christmas. While it may seem like that people are celebrating Christmas with this type of song, it would be considered out of theme.
There were many artists that have made covers of Jingle Bells. One of them was first performed for a Thanksgiving service at the church of either Pierpont’s father or brother. According to Liveabout.com, the song was originally titled “One Horse Open Sleigh”, not Jingle Bells. It mentions that the lyrics had to be changed because they were considered too racy. In other words, those lyrics undermine the way everyone celebrates the holidays. Although Jingle Bells is now a Yuletide staple, there is no mention of Christmas or any other holiday in the song. Jingle Bells didn’t become a Christmas standard until decades after it was first performed on Washington Street. That performance spread out all around the globe.

In the 1800s, in Massachusetts, sleigh racing and sleigh rides were common activities.

Jingle Bells doesn’t hit on anything that is considered Christmassy. It is about the wrong holiday and the real lyrics are not suitable for a typical fourth grader. (nowiknow.com) Then over time, it became a Christmas hit. Verse 3 shows how the horse was trying to carry passengers (a guy and a girl) on a ride through the snow. It is a positive thing because relationships like this create happiness for everyone.
It’s all about having to ride on a sleigh that is magically fun. “Just get a bobtailed bay, two forty for his speed” means that the horse is running every mile on average of two minutes and forty seconds. It’s all about making days more fun in the snow because of the speed when sliding in the snow. The faster they slide in the snow, the more fun it gets. It’s like when people are riding on a rollercoaster with twists and turns. The fun would be gone if the horse is too slow.
The lyrics “go it while you’re young” in the final verse of the secular standard is hardly about a holy or silent night. (history.com) Consequently, it still does not mean it is always true.

Some people believe that this favorite Christmas Carol, Jingle Bells is now considered to be racist. One reason according to Caleb Parke from Fox News, would be because
Describing Jingle Bells as a racist song is certainly not really what it is about. There’s more to how Jingle Bells deals with fun in the snow and how thrilling sleigh rides are.