His first musical success was Rosemary Clooney's "Come on-a My House", which he based the lyrics on dialogue from his famous cousin William Saroyan's novel The Human Comedy. He had a moderate hit in 1956 under the name Alfi & Harry with the novelty record "The Trouble With Harry." As David Seville, he had another #1 record in his song, "The Witch Doctor", which was also his first experiment with the technique of speeding up the playback of an audio track to get the "most-distinctive" higher pitched squeaky comical sound. This success led to his recording of "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)" with The Chipmunks.
Bagdasarian also appeared in minor film roles, including Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window (1954), in which he plays an obsessed, piano-playing songwriter who composes, plays, and sings a song called "Lisa." Bagdasarian's dialogue is not clearly heard, and he appears only in long shots, but he is the only other person seen during Hitchcock's notorious cameo appearance. He also had bit parts in The Greatest Show on Earth (1952), Viva Zapata! (1952), Destination Gobi (1953), Stalag 17 (1953), Alaska Seas (1954), The Proud and Profane (1956), Three Violent People (1956), Hot Blood (1956), The Deep Six (1957), and The Devil's Hairpin (1957).
He also provided the voice for the David Seville character in the Chipmunks' 1961 animated television series The Alvin Show.
Bagdasarian died of a heart attack at the age of 52. He was subsequently cremated at the Chapel of the Pines Crematory in Los Angeles, California. His son, Ross Bagdasarian, Jr., continued to release Chipmunks recordings and took over as the voice for the Chipmunk characters in subsequent iterations of the cartoon.
JINGLE BELLS
David Seville Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Jingle bells swing and jingle bells ring
Snowing and blowing up bushels of fun
Now the jingle hop has begun
Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock
Jingle bells chime in jingle bell time
Dancing and prancing in jingle bell square
What a bright time, it's the right time
To rock the night away
Jingle bell time is a swell time
To go riding in a one horse sleigh
Giddy-up jingle horse, pick up your feet
Jingle around the clock
Mix and a-mingle in the jingling feet
That's the jingle bell rock
What a bright time, it's the right time
To rock the night away
Jingle bell time is a swell time
To go riding in a one horse sleigh
Giddy-up jingle horse, pick up your feet
Jingle around the clock
And then mingle in the jingling feet
That's the jingle bell
That's the jingle bell
That's the jingle bell rock
The song "Jingle Bell Rock" by David Seville and The Chipmunks is a classic Christmas song that describes the joy and fun of the holiday season. The lyrics start by describing the sound of the jingle bells swinging and ringing, as the snow begins to fall and the festivities begin. The "jingle hop" has begun, and everyone is enjoying the cheerful atmosphere.
The second verse continues with the description of the jingle bell chime and the joyous dancing and prancing in the "jingle bell square." The winter air adds to the magical ambiance of the season, making it a great time to enjoy a one-horse sleigh ride, surrounded by the bright and cheerful atmosphere. It's a time to "rock the night away" and make memories that will last a lifetime.
Overall, the song is all about having fun and enjoying the holiday season to the fullest. It's a time for family and friends to come together, celebrate and make memories that will last forever. The jingle bells ringing add to the festive and magical vibe, and the song reminds us to enjoy all the joy and cheer that Christmas has to offer.
Line by Line Meaning
Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock
The sound of bells jingling is the rhythm of the rock and roll music.
Jingle bells swing and jingle bells ring
The bells swing in a rhythmical manner and make such a pleasant ringing sound.
Snowing and blowing up bushels of fun
Despite the cold and snow, there's still plenty of fun to be had.
Now the jingle hop has begun
The dance party begins with the jingling bells hopping to the rhythm of the music.
Jingle bells chime in jingle bell time
The bells chime in unison with the music, creating an upbeat and lively sound.
Dancing and prancing in jingle bell square
Everyone's enjoying themselves, moving rhythmically and almost gracefully in the dance floor.
In the frosty air
The chilly temperature is felt in the air.
What a bright time, it's the right time
This is the perfect time to have lots of fun and enjoy the festive season.
To rock the night away
To dance and sing all night long without a care in the world.
Jingle bell time is a swell time
The rhythm of the jingling bells and the music makes everything lively and enjoyable.
To go riding in a one horse sleigh
Travel through the snow in style in a romantic one-horse sleigh ride.
Giddy-up jingle horse, pick up your feet
The horse needs to keep up with the lively and festive mood and not slow down.
Jingle around the clock
Keep dancing and enjoying the lively rhythm all night long.
Mix and a-mingle in the jingling feet
Everybody is moving and dancing their feet while mixing with the lively sound of the jingling bells.
That's the jingle bell rock
This is how the jingling bells and rock and roll music come together in a festive and lively way.
Lyrics © DistroKid, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Joseph Beal, James Boothe
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind