Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle all the Way - On Ukulele
Verse 1
[C]Dashing through the snow
In a one-horse open [F]sleigh,
Across the fields we [G]go,
[G7]Laughing all the [C]way (Ho, Ho, Ho)
Verse 2
[C]Bells on bobtails ring,
Making spirits [F]bright,
What fun it is to [G]ride and sing, a
[G7]sleighing song [C]tonight.
Chorus
[C]Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,
[F]Oh, what fun it [C]is to ride
In a [D]one-horse open [G]sleigh, [G7]hey!
[C]Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,
[F]Oh, what fun it [C]is to ride
In a [G]one-horse [G7]open [C]sleigh.
Verse 3
[C]Dashing through the snow
In a one-horse open [F]sleigh,
Across the fields we [G]go,
[G7]Laughing all the [C]way (Ho, Ho, Ho)
Verse 4
[C]Bells on bobtails ring,
Making spirits [F]bright,
What fun it is to [G]ride and sing a
[G7]sleighing song [C]tonight.
Chorus
[C]Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,
[F]Oh, what fun it [C]is to ride
In a [D]one-horse open [G]sleigh, [G7]hey!
[C]Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,
[F]Oh, what fun it [C]is to ride
In a [G]one-horse [G7]open [C]sleigh.
And a [F]Happy [G7]New [C]Year.
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The Story Behind the Song
“Jingle Bells” was written by American songwriter James Lord Pierpont in the mid-19th century. It was originally published in 1857 under the title “One Horse Open Sleigh.”
Pierpont is believed to have written the song in or near Medford, Massachusetts, a town known for its lively sleigh races during snowy winters. Those local races, where horse-drawn sleighs competed for speed through the snow, are often cited as the inspiration for the song’s upbeat rhythm and imagery of ‘dashing through the snow’.
Interestingly, “Jingle Bells” was not originally intended as a Christmas song. It was more of a general winter or Thanksgiving-season tune meant to capture the fun of sleigh riding and social winter outings. The cheerful chorus and catchy melody made it popular at public performances, especially in minstrel shows of the time.