Travis was born in Marshville, North Carolina, the second of six children of Bobbie, a textile factory worker, and Harold Traywick, a horse breeder, turkey farmer, and construction business owner. While growing up, Travis was forced to take guitar lessons by his father and began performing at the age of eight with his brother, Ricky. Travis began drinking at the age of 12, and by 14 was a regular marijuana user, who occasionally dabbled in harder drugs. He often fought with his father and soon dropped out of high school. He became a juvenile delinquent and was arrested for various offenses, including auto theft and burglary.
Harold Traywick entered Randy and Ricky in a talent contest at a nightclub called "Country City, USA" in Charlotte, North Carolina. In the meantime, Ricky, who also had brushes with the law, was sentenced to jail and Randy had to complete the contest alone, but he won anyway. The club's manager, Elizabeth "Lib" Hatcher, took an interest in Travis and gave him a job singing at the club. Travis began focusing on music. He first recorded for Paula Records and released two unsuccessful singles — "She's My Woman" and "Dreamin'". Travis' legal troubles continued and he was due in court for probation violations. Hatcher pleaded with the judge and Travis was released in her custody with the warning that if the judge ever saw him again "he'd better bring his toothbrush, because he would be going to jail for a very long time."
Travis moved in with Hatcher. This put further strain on her already fragile marriage. She eventually left her husband and, in 1982, she and Travis moved to Nashville, Tennessee. Travis was soon turned down by every record label in town. His early demo tapes were criticized by Nashville record executives as being "too country." Hatcher took a job as manager of a nightclub, "The Nashville Palace" and hired Travis as a cook and singer. It was during this time that an unlikely romance began to form between the two; Travis said "I think we discovered how much we needed each other."
Career
In 1982, Travis recorded an independent album Randy Ray Live and Lib Hatcher used it to secure a deal with Warner Bros. Records. However, the label said they had to keep their romance a secret, so as not to turn away fans, and changed his stage name from Randy Ray to Randy Travis. In 1985, Warner Brothers released Travis' single, "On the Other Hand," which topped out at 67 on the country charts. His next single, "1982", became a Top 10 hit followed by the re-release of "On the Other Hand" in 1986. The re-release became Travis' first number one hit.
His debut album, Storms of Life, went on to sell more than 4 million copies. In the late 1980s, he had a string of hits, including "No Place Like Home" and "Diggin' Up Bones." A song from his second Warner Brothers album "Always and Forever" titled "Forever and Ever, Amen" arguably launched the neo-traditionalist country era, boosting the popularity of country music beyond its traditional fan base. For two years in a row, Travis won the Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance, for the albums Always & Forever in 1988, and for Old 8x10 in 1989. Off the success of his first two albums, Old 8x10 shipped platinum. Always and Forever was number one for 43 weeks.
Travis and Hatcher married in 1991. That year Travis took part in Voices That Care, a multi-artist project that featured other top names in music for a one-off single to raise money for the allied troops in the Gulf War. The project included fellow singers Garth Brooks, Kenny Rogers and Kathy Mattea. By 1992, Travis was no longer charting high, as Brooks, Clint Black and others had taken over Nashville. He took a break from music to concentrate on acting and landed roles in several Western-genre films. He returned to recording with the 1994 album This Is Me and the hit single "Whisper My Name."
In 1997, Travis parted ways with Warner Brothers. He moved to DreamWorks Nashville and recorded You and You Alone, which produced the top 10 hits "Out of My Bones" and "Spirit of a Boy, Wisdom of a Man." These were followed by 2000's albums Inspirational Journey, 2002's Rise and Shine and 2003's Worship and Faith. The single "Three Wooden Crosses" from the Rise and Shine album reached No. 1 and won the CMA song of the year in 2003. That same year, Travis ranked #13 on CMT's 40 Greatest Men of Country Music. Travis continues to act in film and television; he appeared on the series finale of Touched by an Angel. His second most recent album, Passing Through, was released in November of 2004. It combines the country music of his earlier years, with a little gospel mixed in from more recent albums. After the release of "Glory Train" in 2005 and the Christmas album "Songs of the Season" in 2007, Travis released his brand new single "Faith In You" as a free download from his official website. It heralds the projected summer [2008] release of his forthcoming album, "Around the Bend". Along with the release of the free single, RandyTravis.com has also underwent a complete overhaul, with opportunities for fans to create blogs and join an upcoming official fan club. The new sleek look of the website has attracted throngs of fans. Contributor Anthony Maurizio has recently produced the Digging Up Bones blog series on the website, which has increased website traffic and is considered one of the most esteemed country music articles available for reading.
Jingle Bell Rock
Randy Travis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What fun it is to ride and sing a sleigh song tonight
Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock
Jingle bell swing and jingle bells ring
Snowing and blowing up bushels of fun
Now the jingle hop has begun
Jingle bells chime in jingle bell time
Dancing and prancing 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 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 beat
That's the jingle bell rock
Come on
Snowing and blowing up bushels of fun
Now the jingle hop has begun
Play it again
Dancing and prancing 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 the swell time
To go riding 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 beat
That's the jingle bell
That's the jingle bell
That's the jingle bell rock
("Hey, that was great, can we do it one more time guys?"
"Here we go we're rolling")
What a bright time, it's the right time
To rock the night away
Jingle bell time it's a swell time
To go riding on 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 jungle bell
That's the jingle bell
That's the jingle bell rock
(Jingle, jingle, jingle bell rock)
What a bright time
(Jingle, jingle, jingle bell rock)
It's the right time
(Jingle, jingle, jingle bell rock)
Sing it again now
(Jingle, jingle, jingle bell rock)
Come one now
(Jingle, jingle, jingle bell rock)
Jingle, bell time
(Jingle, jingle, jingle bell rock)
It's swell time
The song "Jingle Bell Rock" by Randy Travis is a festive tune that captures the essence of the holiday season. The opening phrase, "Bells on bobtails ring, making spirits bright," refers to the jingle bells hanging from a horse's harness and the joy that they bring to people during the winter season. The use of the word "bobtail" refers to a horse with a tail that has been cut short or docked, which was common practice for working horses in earlier times. The phrase "making spirits bright" suggests that the holiday season has the power to lift people's moods and bring joy and happiness.
The chorus of the song, "Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock," is a catchy refrain that captures the upbeat and festive vibe of the song. The lines "snowing and blowing up bushels of fun / now the jingle hop has begun" refer to the fun and excitement of winter activities, such as sledding, ice skating, and dancing. The jingle hop is a reference to a fun and lively dance, which is often seen at holiday parties.
The overall message of the song is that the holiday season is a time for joy, laughter, and celebration. The lyrics encourage people to embrace the spirit of the season, to enjoy the festivities, and to spread happiness and cheer.
Line by Line Meaning
Bells on bobtails ring, making spirits bright
The sound of jingling bells hanging from horses' tails makes people happy and cheerful
What fun it is to ride and sing a sleigh song tonight
Riding in a sleigh while singing Christmas songs is enjoyable and festive
Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock
The chorus of the song, emphasizing the sound of jingling bells
Jingle bell swing and jingle bells ring
The rhythm of the song involves the swinging and ringing of jingle bells
Snowing and blowing up bushels of fun
It's snowing and the weather is perfect for outdoor winter activities
Now the jingle hop has begun
The festive mood has taken over and people are ready to dance and have fun
Jingle bells chime in jingle bell time
The bells are ringing in perfect time with the song
Dancing and prancing in jingle bell square
People are dancing joyfully in the town square, surrounded by jingle bells
In the frosty air
The cold winter air creates a crisp and refreshing atmosphere
What a bright time, it's the right time
This is the perfect time of year to celebrate and have fun
To rock the night away
The festive spirit encourages people to dance and sing all night long
Jingle bell time is a swell time
The jingling of bells creates a buoyant and lively atmosphere
To go riding in a one-horse sleigh
Riding in a sleigh pulled by a single horse is a quintessential winter experience
Giddy-up jingle horse, pick up your feet
The horse should move faster and step higher, adding to the festive mood
Jingle around the clock
The celebration continues all day and all night
Mix and a-mingle in the jingling beat
The rhythm of the jingling bells encourages people to mix and mingle with each other
That's the jingle bell rock
This song is all about the lively and joyful spirit of the holiday season
Snowing and blowing up bushels of fun
It's still snowing and everyone is having a great time
Now the jingle hop has begun
People are enjoying the festive mood and are dancing and singing even more now
Come on
Join in and be a part of the joyful celebration
What a bright time, it's the right time
This is the best time of the year to be happy and celebrate with loved ones
Sing it again now
Let's keep the celebration going with another round of the song
Come one now
Everyone is invited to join in the fun
It's swell time
The festive spirit is at its peak and everyone is joyful and happy
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Joseph Beal, James Boothe
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
John Kranick
"That was great ....Can we do it one more time guys?" BEST VERSION!!!
Claire Amer
This is the best version of the song ever! Randy did great on that one ♥️🎶👏🏻love it
Mussolinni never go well
This song reminds me of 2008 when I used to listen this with my mother, in car. Such magic!
Eve Gtz
Thank you so much Mr. Rogers for sharing this timeless classic, very enyojable in Randy's voice, I love it!!!!
Daniel Cronan
It surely is a beautiful day in the neighborhood whenever I listen to this!!!!!!
Art Connor
So many artists have done it over the years, and it's been hard to top Bobby's original. But when I heard Randy's version all of those years ago now, I really loved his version. The drummer on the track really "rocked" it. Randy was great in his day. Thanks for posting this and Merry Christmas all!
STUCATZOMARINE
Art Connor I’m thinking the drummer was Paul Leim but I’m not sure .
Ariel Russo
What a wonderful version of Jingle Bell Rock!
Patrick Rollock
Best song ever luv Randy Travis keep it up
Patrick Michael Langan
Randy sounded a little more soulful on this version of "Jingle Bell Rock" than Bobby Helms did on the original; but both it and this are AWESOME!