Did you know what popular song was written for Thanksgiving?
We have always been doing numerous activities just because our ancestors passed them down to us in the name of culture, but shouldn’t we take a step back to find out where these practices originated? One origin story may shock you, and it’s related to Christmas—the festival of joy, peace, and happiness.
Did you start hearing “Jingle bells” in the background? Sure you did. If not, you’ll begin to sing now:
“Jingle bells, Jingle bells,
Jingle all the way;
Oh! What joy it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.” [repeat as much as you like]
So, was “Jingle Bells” always meant for Christmas? That was not the case, as it was never written for Christmas. Jingle Bells was originally written by James Lord Pierpont in 1857 for his father’s Sunday school class on Thanksgiving. Mark Twain said,” Accident is the name of most significant inventors.” Thus, a song inspired by the sleigh races in Medford, Massachusetts, became a prominent song that resembled the magical sleigh of Santa Claus. So, let’s learn more about Jingle Bells – the popular Christmas song written for Thanksgiving.
1. The Composer: James Lord Pierpont
James Lord Pierpont was born in 1822 in Massachusetts, the son of an abolitionist and a poet. His mother’s name was Mary Sheldon Lord, which resembles the connection between Lord Jesus and James. In the 1850s, he moved to Savannah, Georgia, and, along with his brother John, started working as an organist and music director in the Unitarian church.
James was also the uncle of the American financier and banker John Pierpont Morgan, or, as he is commonly known, “J.P. Morgan”.
1.1. Inception of James’ Career
In 1852, James Lord Pierpont published his composition “The Returned Californian” in Boston by E. H. Wade of 197 Washington Street. The song narrates his experiences during the California Gold Rush and his San Francisco business failure. It was originally sung by S.C. Howard of Ordway’s Aeloians and was written expressly for them. Then, in 1857, he went on to write Jingle Bells, which became the most performed and recognized secular song, for which he was voted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
It was first performed at Ordway Hall in Boston by blackface minstrel Johnny Pell.
1.2 Other Compositions
Some of the other compositions of James Lord Pierpont include:
“The Colored Coquette”, a minstrel song, 1853
“Ring the Bell, Fanny”, 1854
“Geraldine”, 1854
“We Conquer or Die”, 1861
“Oh! Let Me Not Neglected to Die!”
Exploring these compositions may give you a whole picture of James Lord Pierpont and how he was more than meets the eye.
2. The Composition: “One Horse Open Sleigh.”
Originally the birth name of Jingle Bells is “The One Horse Open Sleigh” composed by James Pierpont in 1857 who was inspired by watching sleigh rides and sleigh races in Medford. The song received the stage name “Jingle Bells” when the Oliver Ditson company published a second edition. From there on, the popularity graph of Jingle Bells has only reached new heights.
The origin place of the song can be debated between the Simpson Tavern in Medford, Massachusetts, and Savannah, Georgia. Both cities have plaques erected, and rights claimed on the song, but the composer remains James Pierpont.
2.1. Jingle Bells Editions – Answer to What Popular Song Was Written For Thanksgiving
Since James created this cheerful song, many editions and covers have been released.
It was first recorded by Will Lyle in 1889 on an Edison cylinder, which was attempted by the Edison Male Quartette in 1898 as a part of a Christmas medley.
Soon, Jingle Bells became synonymous with Christmas. Various recordings were seen in the early twentieth century, such as by Glen Miller and his orchestra in 1941, Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters in 1943, Les Paul’s version on guitar in 1951 and so on.
Further, over the years, numerous transformed versions have also been composed to fit the trend and culture of those years and generations, like the pairing of Andrea Bocelli and the Muppets and their unique versions by Frank Sinatra and Gwen Stefani.
It has also been sung in 12 languages, including English, German, Portuguese, Japanese, Spanish, French, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Danish and Swedish.
2.2. Jingle Bells to Space
Jingle Bells even transcended the boundaries of Earth to become the first song to be broadcast from space. From there, it left its mark on the whole world. It was a Christmas prank on Gemini 6 through a radio transmission report by astronauts Wally Schirra and Tom Stafford using a smuggled harmonica and sleigh bells.
2.3. Single out the Meaning of Jingle Bells
The chorus of Jingle Bells is a celebrated verse worldwide, but generally, only the first verse is known to people, and that’s where Jingle Bells end for them. But according to James, there’s a lot more that he expressed in the song. In the second verse, the narrator loses control of the sleigh, while in the third verse, he falls out of the sleigh. Further, in the final verse, he advises finding a faster horse, taking a chance with life, and living it to the fullest.
It is a fun-loving, youthful song filled with humour and cheerfulness. All the verses combined give us the essence of the music that James wanted to depict, so next time, make sure to sing and listen to all the verses of the song and enjoy.
Whether written for Thanksgiving or Christmas, Jingle Bells is now emotionally connected to bring a smile to our faces and the spirit of happiness in our lives. It has strengthened the feeling of togetherness worldwide as a connection through music. There are many other songs like Jingle Bells, which have a different origin story, go search them out and tell us in the comments.
Last Updated on by Janhavi Ramesh Kowligi