In total, the duo had 34 singles chart hits on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, seven RIAA platinum albums, and six RIAA gold albums. Because of that chart success, Billboard Magazine named them the most successful duo of the rock era, surpassing even The Everly Brothers. In 2003, they were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. They were also placed #15 on the Billboard Magazine list of the 100 greatest artists of all time and the #1 duo, while VH1 placed the duo as #99 on their list of the 100 greatest artists of all time.
From their first hit in 1974 onwards, Daryl Hall and John Oates' smooth, catchy take on Philly soul brought them commercial successโ including six number one singles and six platinum albums as referred to before. Hall & Oates' music was well-constructed and produced; at their best, their songs were filled with strong hooks and melodies that adhered to soul traditions without being a slave to them by incorporating elements of arena rock and new wave.
Daryl Hall, born on October 11, 1946, began performing professionally while he was a student at Temple University. In 1966, he recorded a single with Kenny Gamble and the Romeos; the group featured Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, and Thom Bell, who would all become the architects of Philly soul. During this time, Hall frequently appeared on sessions for Gamble and Huff. In 1967, Hall met John Oates, a fellow Temple University student. Oates was leading his own soul band at the time. The two students realized they had similar tastes and began performing together in an array of R&B and doo wop groups. By 1968, the duo had parted ways, as Oates transferred schools and Hall formed the soft rock band Gulliver; the group released one album on Elektra in the late '60s before disbanding.
After Gulliver's breakup, Hall concentrated on session work again, appearing as a backup vocalist for The Stylistics, The Delfonics, and The Intruders, among others. Oates returned to Philadelphia in 1969, and he and Hall began writing folk-oriented songs and performing together. Eventually they came to the attention of Tommy Mottola, who quickly became their manager, securing the duo a contract with Atlantic Records. On their first records โ Whole Oates (1972), Abandoned Luncheonette (1973), War Babies (1974) โ the duo were establishing their sound, working with producers like Arif Mardin and Todd Rundgren and removing much of their folk influences. At the beginning of 1974, the duo relocated from Philadelphia to New York. During this period, they only managed one hit โ the number 60 "She's Gone" in the spring of 1974.
After they moved to RCA in 1975, the duo landed on its successful mixture of soul, pop, and rock, scoring a Top Ten single with "Sara Smile." The success of "Sara Smile" prompted the re-release of "She's Gone," which rocketed into the Top Ten as well. Released in the summer of 1976, Bigger than the Both of Us was only moderately successful upon its release. The record took off in early 1977, when "Rich Girl" became the duo's first number one single.
Although they had several minor hits between 1977 and 1980, the albums Hall & Oates released at the end of the decade were not as successful as their mid-'70s records. Nevertheless, they were more adventurous, incorporating more rock elements into their blue-eyed soul. The combination would finally pay off in late 1980, when the duo released the self-produced Voices, the album that marked the beginning of Hall & Oates' greatest commercial and artistic success. The first single from Voices, a cover of Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling," reached number 12, yet it was the second single, "Kiss on My List" that confirmed their commercial potential by becoming the duo's second number one single; its follow-up, "You Make My Dreams" hit number five. They quickly released Private Eyes in the summer of 1981; the record featured two number one hits, "Private Eyes" and "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)," as well as the Top Ten hit "Did It in a Minute." "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)" also spent a week at the top of the R&B charts โ a rare accomplishment for a white act. H20 followed in 1982 and it proved more successful than their two previous albums, selling over two million copies and launching their biggest hit single, "Maneater," as well as the Top Ten hits "One on One" and "Family Man." The following year, the duo released a greatest-hits compilation, Rock 'N Soul, Pt. 1, that featured two new Top Ten hits โ the number two "Say It Isn't So" and "Adult Education."
In April of 1984, the Recording Industry Association of America announced that Hall & Oates had surpassed Everly Brothers as the most successful duo in rock history, earning a total of 19 gold and platinum awards. Released in October of 1984, Big Bam Boom expanded their number of gold and platinum awards, selling over two million copies and launching four Top 40 singles, including the number one "Out of Touch." Following their contract-fulfilling gold album Live at the Apollo with David Ruffin & Eddie Kendrick, Hall & Oates went on hiatus. After the lukewarm reception for Daryl Hall's 1986 solo album, Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine, the duo regrouped to release 1988's Ooh Yeah!, their first record for Arista. The first single, "Everything Your Heart Desires," went to number three and helped propel the album to platinum status.
However, none of the album's other singles broke the Top 20, indicating that the era of chart dominance had ended. Change of Season, released in 1990, confirmed that fact. Although the record went gold, it only featured one Top 40 hit โ the number 11 single, "So Close." The duo mounted a comeback in 1997 with Marigold Sky, but it was only partially successful; far better was 2003's Do It for Love and the following year soul covers record Our Kind of Soul.
Jingle Bell Rock
Hall & Oates Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Jingle bells swing and jingle bells ring
Snowin' and blowin' up bushels of fun
Now the jingle hop has begun
Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock
Jingle bells chime in jingle bell time
Dancin' and prancin' 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 ridin' in a one-horse sleigh
Giddy-up jingle horse, pick up your feet
Jingle around the clock
Mix and mingle in the jinglin' feet
That's the jingle bell rock
Jingle bells chime in jingle bell time
What a bright time, it's the right time
To rock the night away
Jingle bell time is a swell time
To go glidin' in a one-horse sleigh
Giddy-up jingle horse, pick up your feet
Jingle around the clock
Mix and mingle in the jinglin' beat
That's the jingle bell
That's the jingle bell
That's the jingle bell rock
The lyrics to "Jingle Bell Rock" by Hall & Oates describe a festive celebration of Christmas time through music and dance. The jingle bells symbolize the joyful spirit of the holiday season, with their swing and ringing sounds. The opening verse sets the scene of a winter wonderland with snow and excitement all around. The "jingle hop" refers to an energetic dance filled with fun and spirit.
The chorus repeats the line "Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock" and emphasizes the importance of dancing and prancing during the holidays. The mention of the "jingle bell square" paints a visual of people gathering and socializing in a festive atmosphere. The second verse highlights the idea of family traditions and the spirit of togetherness during the holiday season - "Jingle bells time is a swell time to go ridin' in a one-horse sleigh."
The bridge of the song encourages the listener to move and dance in time to the music, with the giddy-up jingle horse picking up its feet and the mix and mingle of people's jingling feet. The song finishes strong, emphasizing the message of the jingle bell rock as a necessary and lively part of the holiday season. Overall, the lyrics to "Jingle Bell Rock" evoke a joyful and positive spirit of Christmas celebration.
Line by Line Meaning
Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock
Let's hear the sound of the jingle bells on this festive rock song
Jingle bells swing and jingle bells ring
The jingle bells are swinging and ringing, producing a sweet melody
Snowin' and blowin' up bushels of fun
The snow is coming down and there's a lot of fun to be had despite the cold weather
Now the jingle hop has begun
Let's start dancing and hopping to the jingle bell rhythm
Jingle bells chime in jingle bell time
The jingle bells are chiming, indicating it's time to dance and celebrate
Dancin' and prancin' in jingle bell square
Everyone is dancing and having fun in the middle of the square, surrounded by the sweet sounds of jingle bells
In the frosty air
Despite the cold weather, people are still out and enjoying the festive spirit
What a bright time, it's the right time
The festive season is the perfect time to have fun and let loose
To rock the night away
Let's dance and have fun until the night is over
Jingle bell time is a swell time
The sound of jingle bells is a sign that it's time to have a great time
To go ridin' in a one-horse sleigh
Let's hop on a sleigh and enjoy the winter wonderland
Giddy-up jingle horse, pick up your feet
Let's keep moving and keep the festive spirit alive
Jingle around the clock
Let's dance and jingle non-stop all day and all night
Mix and mingle in the jinglin' feet
Everyone is mixing and mingling together while moving their feet to the jingle bell sound
That's the jingle bell rock
This song embodies the festive spirit of the jingle bell season, so let's keep the party going!
Lyrics ยฉ Kanjian Music, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Joseph Beal, James Boothe
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Marcys Helen0509
LYRICS
Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock
Jingle bells swing and jingle bells ring
Snowin' and blowin' up bushels of fun
Now the jingle hop has begun
Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock
Jingle bells chime in jingle bell time
Dancin' and prancin' in Jingle Bell Square
In the frosty air
What a bright time, it's the right time
To rock the night away
Jingle bell time is a swell time
To go glidin' in a one-horse sleigh
Giddy-up jingle horse, pick up your feet
Jingle around the clock
Mix and a-mingle in the jinglin' feet
That's the jingle bell rock
Jingle bells chime in jingle bell time
What a bright time, it's the right time
To rock the night away
Jingle bell time is a swell time
To go glidin' in a one-horse sleigh
Giddy-up jingle horse, pick up your feet
Jingle around the clock
Mix and a-mingle in the jinglin' feet
That's the jingle bell
That's the jingle bell
That's the jingle bell rock
โค๏ธโ๐ฅโค๏ธโ๐ฅโค๏ธโ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ
Sunman
"Jingle Bell Rock" is an American popular Christmas song first released by Bobby Helms in 1957 (after it was recorded in October of that year). It has received frequent airplay in the United States during every Christmas season since then. "Jingle Bell Rock" was composed by Joseph Carleton Beal (1900โ1967) and James Ross Boothe (1917โ1976). Beal was a Massachusetts-born public relations professional and longtime resident of South Ocean Avenue in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Boothe was an American writer in the advertising business."
~https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jingle_Bell_Rock
"Hall & Oates released a version in 1983 as a non-album single which peaked at number 30 on the Hot 100 Recurrents chart in 2005, it also reached number 6 on the Billboard's Holiday Airplay chart on December 13, 2008 and number 24 on the Hot Holiday Songs chart on December 10, 2011."
~https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jingle_Bell_Rock#Hall_&_Oates_version
Daryl's Version
"...the duo released a promotional only single called "Jingle Bell Rock" in the early 1980s that had each of them separately singing the lead vocals on either side of the 45."
~https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_for_Christmas_(Hall_%26_Oates_album)
Santa's Tipsy Tunes Playlist
~https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mNDaIqRhz_O3ew9kjLnKpkv4Kv0zT4LLE
Ron Lenz
So many music acts take themselves so seriously they would never do a video like this. Thanks, Daryl and John.
AdamG1983
A lot of their stuff is self consciously dorky and I love it
Red In Tooth
Dergfyf
Red In Tooth
โSรhy
Neeli Singh
67
Michelle Chan
This remains my favourite rendition of this song. I like Hall and Oates. Amazing music. There is no one that has a voice like Daryl Hall.
michelle menter
so true you speak only facts
Darth Brooks
Nope. Oates version was better.
Lynda Griggs
Watched this a million times when Mtv first came on.
G Michael Gold
Regardless of who sings (I prefer Daryl) - it's GE Smith's guitar that really 'rocks' !!!