Jingle Bell Rock
André Rieu & Johann Strauss Orchestra Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Dashing through the snow
On a one-horse open sleigh,
Over the fields we go,
Laughing all the way;
Bells on bob-tail ring,
Making spirits bright,
What fun it is to ride and sing
A sleighing song tonight

Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way!
O what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh

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;
He got into a drifted bank,
And we, we got upsot.
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way!
What fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.

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 as there
I sprawling lie,
But quickly drove away.
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way!
What fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.

Now the ground is white
Go it while you're young,
Take the girls tonight
And sing this sleighing song;
Just get a bob-tailed bay
Two-forty as his speed
Hitch him to an open sleigh
And crack! you'll take the lead.
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way!

What fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.

Overall Meaning

André Rieu's rendition of Jingle Bells is a classic version of the holiday song. One of the reasons for its success is its depiction of the holiday spirit through fun and laughter-filled sleigh rides with friends, family, and loved ones. The song speaks of the joy and freedom that come with dashing through the snow on a one-horse open sleigh. The singer is laughing with his friends as bells jingle on the sled, making their spirits bright. Even though the horse is lean and lank, and misfortune may come, the group still finds joy in the experience.

The song continues with more lively fun-filled verses. The story that the singer must tell is about falling on his back whilst out snowdrifting. He meets a gentleman riding a one-horse open sleigh, who laughs at him and drives away quickly. Finally, the singer encourages listeners to enjoy themselves and take a ride on an open sleigh while they're young, and to take the lead with a bob-tailed bay and the speed of 2.40.

Fact 1: The song was written by James Lord Pierpont in 1857
Fact 2: Jingle Bells was originally called "One Horse Open Sleigh"
Fact 3: The song was written for Thanksgiving, not Christmas
Fact 4: It became one of the most sung Christmas carols of all time in 1965.
Fact 5: The song was reportedly the first to be broadcast from space in 1965 by astronauts Tom Stafford and Wally Schirra
Fact 6: The original lyrics of the song didn't contain all the verses we know today
Fact 7: The Boston Sunday Herald printed the song in 1857
Fact 8: Pierpont wrote the song for children celebrating Thanksgiving.
Fact 9: Jingle Bells has been recorded by several notable artists such as Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and Diana Ross
Fact 10: The song was originally published under the name "The One-Horse Open Sleigh".

Chords (in the key of C):
Verse: C F C G C C F C G C
Chorus: C C C G C C F C G C.

Line by Line Meaning

Dashing through the snow
Quickly traveling through the snow

On a one-horse open sleigh,
Riding on a sled pulled by a single horse

Over the fields we go,
Traveling across the fields

Laughing all the way;
Enjoying the ride and having fun

Bells on bob-tail ring,
The bells attached to the horse's tail are ringing

Making spirits bright,
Increasing happiness and joyfulness

What fun it is to ride and sing
Riding and singing is a great and enjoyable experience

A sleighing song tonight
This song is perfect for a sleigh ride tonight

Jingle bells, jingle bells,
The bells attached to the sled are jingling

Jingle all the way!
The bells keep ringing all the way