“Jingle Bells” is arguably one of the most recognizable and beloved songs around the world, especially during the Christmas season. But beyond its catchy tune and festive spirit, there’s a surprisingly rich and sometimes controversial history behind this holiday staple. Dive into these fun facts and discover the fascinating story of “Jingle Bells,” from its unexpected origins to its journey through space.
1. The Composer of “Jingle Bells” Was the Uncle of a Banking Titan
The man who penned this iconic Christmas tune was James Lord Pierpont, born in 1822. Music and lyrics flowed from his pen, creating a song that would transcend generations. Interestingly, Pierpont’s family tree has a prominent branch in American financial history. His sister, Juliet Pierpont, married Junius Spencer Morgan, a name synonymous with wealth and influence. Their son, John Pierpont Morgan, followed in his father’s footsteps, becoming the famous J.P. Morgan, a dominant figure in finance during America’s Gilded Age. So, the next time you hum “Jingle Bells,” remember it was written by the uncle of one of history’s most powerful bankers!
2. James Lord Pierpont: A Rebellious Spirit and Absent Family Man
While he wrote a song now synonymous with family holidays, Pierpont’s own life was far from traditional family values. His father, Reverend John Pierpont, was a staunch abolitionist and Unitarian minister, but James seemed to chart a very different course early on. At just 14, he ran away from boarding school, seeking adventure on a whaling ship. He spent almost a decade at sea, a world away from his Boston upbringing. Later, the allure of the California Gold Rush in 1849 drew him westward, leaving behind his wife and children in Massachusetts in pursuit of fortune.
Upon returning home, no richer than before, Pierpont once again left his family in 1853. This time, he took a position as an organist at a Unitarian church in Savannah, Georgia, where his brother was a pastor. Tragedy struck when his first wife passed away in 1856. Shortly after, Pierpont remarried, this time to the daughter of Savannah’s mayor. His two children from his first marriage were left in the care of their grandfather back in the North, highlighting a pattern of detachment from his family life.
3. A Confederate Sympathizer Penned a Christmas Classic
Adding another layer of complexity to Pierpont’s story is his strong support for the Confederacy during the American Civil War, a stark contrast to his abolitionist father and brother. When his brother was forced to leave his Savannah church in 1859 due to his anti-slavery sermons, Pierpont stayed and embraced the Southern cause. He enlisted in the 1st Georgia Cavalry as a company clerk when the war erupted. While his father served as a chaplain for the Union Army, Pierpont penned pro-Confederate anthems like “Strike for the South,” “We Conquer, or Die!” and “Our Battle Flag!”. It’s a surprising twist that the composer of a song now associated with peace and goodwill wrote rallying cries for the Confederacy during a bloody civil war.
4. “Jingle Bells” Had a Different Original Title
Believe it or not, the song we all know as “Jingle Bells” wasn’t always called that. When it was first published in 1857 by a Boston music publishing house, it debuted under the title “One Horse Open Sleigh.” It wasn’t until two years later, in a re-release, that the song adopted its now-famous title, “Jingle Bells.” “One Horse Open Sleigh” certainly evokes the imagery of the song, but “Jingle Bells” is undeniably more catchy and memorable, contributing to its enduring popularity.
5. The Birthplace of “Jingle Bells” is Disputed
Two American cities lay claim to being the birthplace of this Christmas carol, adding a touch of local rivalry to the song’s history. Medford, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston, boasts a historical plaque at the former Simpson Tavern (now 19 High Street). The plaque asserts that Pierpont wrote “Jingle Bells” in this tavern in 1850, supposedly while enjoying a drink. This was a year after his father became minister of a nearby Unitarian church.
However, this Medford origin story is contested. Boston University researcher Kyna Hamill’s research suggests Pierpont was still in California during the Gold Rush in 1850, making the 1850 composition date unlikely. Furthermore, it seems improbable that Pierpont would have waited seven years to publish such a song.
Savannah, Georgia, has also staked its claim. In 1985, Savannah erected its own historical marker near the Unitarian church where Pierpont served as music director when the song was published. Savannah’s claim suggests the song was written there shortly before its publication. Hamill proposes a compromise theory: Pierpont might have penned the song in the early summer of 1857 while temporarily residing in a Boston rooming house.
Regardless of the exact location, what’s clear is that the inspiration for “Jingle Bells” came from Pierpont’s memories of snowy sleigh rides and races in Massachusetts, not the warmer climate of Georgia.
6. “Jingle Bells” Wasn’t Originally a Christmas Song
Despite being a Christmas anthem today, “Jingle Bells” contains no explicit mention of Christmas or any other holiday in its lyrics. Some accounts suggest it was initially performed for a Thanksgiving service, possibly at the church associated with Pierpont’s father or brother. However, the song’s themes might have been considered too secular for a church setting.
Pierpont’s rebellious streak shines through in the song’s less-known verses. These verses depict flirtatious encounters, speeding sleigh races, and even a crash. The line “go it while you’re young” in the final verse reinforces the song’s secular, fun-loving spirit, far removed from traditional Christmas themes of piety or quiet reflection. Its initial purpose was likely just a lively winter song, not specifically tied to Christmas.
7. “Jingle Bells” May Have Debuted in Blackface Performance
A potentially uncomfortable aspect of the song’s history is its possible connection to blackface minstrelsy. The first publication of “One Horse Open Sleigh” in 1857 was dedicated to John Ordway, a Boston doctor, composer, and leader of “Ordway’s Aeolians,” a minstrel troupe of white performers in blackface.
After his unsuccessful Gold Rush venture, Pierpont wrote “The Returned Californian” in 1852 for Ordway’s minstrels. It appears that around a dozen of his songs, possibly including “Jingle Bells,” were intended for these blackface performances. Research by Kyna Hamill, reported by BU Today, uncovered a playbill from a September 15, 1857, Ordway’s Aeolians show listing a performance of “One Horse Open Sleigh” by Johnny Pell, described as a “dandy darky” – a term associated with blackface minstrelsy. This connection, while not definitively proven, raises questions about the song’s early performance context and its potential links to racist entertainment forms of the time.
8. “Jingle Bells” Was the First Song Broadcast from Space
In a surprising and heartwarming twist, “Jingle Bells” holds the distinction of being the first song ever broadcast from space. On December 16, 1965, nine days before Christmas, the astronauts aboard Gemini 6, Walter M. Schirra Jr. and Thomas P. Stafford, were in orbit. Having just completed a rendezvous with Gemini 7, they radioed Mission Control with an unusual and initially alarming report.
They described an “unidentified flying object” on a “very low trajectory traveling from north to south,” seemingly about to “reenter soon.” Just as tension mounted, the report broke into the familiar sound of “Jingle Bells.” “Wally” Schirra played a tiny harmonica, accompanied by Tom Stafford shaking small sleigh bells they had smuggled aboard for this very cosmic Christmas prank. This lighthearted moment of holiday cheer, broadcast from the vastness of space, cemented “Jingle Bells”’ place in history in a truly unique and unexpected way.
