Jingle Bells

This is the original One Horse Open Sleigh, 1859.
words and music by James Pierpont

This song sold for 25 cents when it was presented with a plain cover in 1857. The famous jingle-bell chorus was eventually transformed by popular use into a different tune. The verses and their melody have remained virtually intact as originally published.

The sheet music:

Jingle-Bells – Sheet MusicDownload

Accompaniment by Werner Tomaschewski:

Jingle-Bells – MIDIDownload

Lyrics

  1. Dashing thro’ the snow, in a one horse open sleigh
    O’er the hills we go, laughing all the way
    Bells on bobtail ring, making spirits bright
    Oh what sport to ride and sing, a sleighing song tonight

Chorus:
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way
Oh! what joy it is to ride, in a one horse open sleigh
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way
Oh! what joy it is to ride, in a one horse open sleigh

  1. A day or two ago, I thought I’d take a ride
    And soon Miss Fannie 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
  2. A day or two ago, a 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
  3. 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

Sung here by Fred Feild: