Die Akkorde und der Text von Jingle Bells stammen vom amerikanischen Komponisten James Lord Pierpont. Jingle Bells bedeutet auf Deutsch etwa soviel wie „Klimpert, ihr Schellen“ und meint damit das Klimpern der Schellen am Pferdegeschirr von winterlichen Pferdegespannen.
Ursprünglich wurde es unter dem Titel „The One Horse Open Sleigh“ komponiert und 1857 veröffentlicht. Interessanterweise wurde das Lied ursprünglich für das Thanksgiving-Fest und nicht für Weihnachten geschrieben.
Die Melodie ist fröhlich und eingängig, und der Text erzählt von einer lustigen Schlittenfahrt. Obwohl es heutzutage stark mit der Weihnachtszeit assoziiert wird, erwähnt der Liedtext selbst kein Weihnachten.
G [3 2 0 0 0 3]
C [x 3 2 0 1 0]
Am [x 0 2 2 1 0]
D7 [x x 0 2 1 2]
A7 [x 0 2 0 2 0]
[Verse]
G C
Dashing through the snow, in a one-horse open sleigh,
Am D7 G
O'er the fields we go, laughing all the way.
C
Bells on bob-tails ring, making spirits bright,
Am G D7 G D7
What fun it is to ride and sing a sleighing song tonight. Oh!
[Chorus]
G C G
Jingle bells, jingle bells, Jingle all the way!
C G
O 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
O what fun it is to ride
D7 G
In a one-horse open sleigh
[Verse]
G C
A day or two ago, I thought I'd take a ride
Am D7 G
And soon Miss Fanny Bright was seated by my side
C
The horse was lean and lank, Misfortune seemed his lot
Am G D7 G D7
We ran into a drifted bank and there we got upsot. Oh!
[Chorus]
G C G
Jingle bells, jingle bells, Jingle all the way!
C G
O 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
O what fun it is to ride
D7 G
In a one-horse open sleigh
[Verse]
G C
A day or two ago, the story I must tell
Am D7 G
I went out on the snow and on my back I fell
C
A gent was riding by in a one-horse open sleigh
Am G D7 G D7
He laughed at me as I there lay but quickly drove away. Oh!
[Chorus]
G C G
Jingle bells, jingle bells, Jingle all the way!
C G
O 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
O what fun it is to ride
D7 G
In a one-horse open sleigh
[Verse]
G C
Now the ground is white, go it while you're young
Am D7 G
Take the girls along and sing this sleighing song
C
Just bet a bobtailed bay, Two forty as his speed
Am G D7 G D7
Hitch him to an open sleigh and crack! You'll take the lead. Oh!
