A couple more songs about the ringing of the horse drawn carriages for Xmas.
Jane Hutton big bands up the saccharine silliness of “Song of the Sleigh Bells.” It’s a whirlwind of tympani.
Charity Shop Sue drives through her “Sleigh Bell Time (Again)” with an insistent increasing tempo garage backbeat that suggests you better defuse that bomb–NOW!
Another luscious li’l nugget, this time from The Benefit, who unfairly grouse about having their beach blanket bingo song ruined by the addition of “
The mainstream delivers ‘Sleigh Ride’ every holiday season, an instrumental from The Boston Pops (1949) first with words from The Andrew Sisters (1950). Yeah, it’s a Christmas mainstay, but –yawn– it doesn’t –ho hum– help with the –what was i talkin’ about–?
A couple of versions you should add to your novelty collection spun out from this joyride are inspired by the vapidness of the added words. Mojo Nixon plays around with the nonsense syllables, and Barenaked Ladies just scat. Take that, wordsmiths!
You should also know, Anthony Daniels (following orders) makes this non-denominational number a lesson for robots (Star Wars and otherwise) to learn the spirit.
Parodies don’t bring it either. I can do without John Valby‘s tasteless BLUE ALERT schtick. Joshua Gilyard‘s Queen of the Ratchet neither amuses about gossipy girls. The Bible gets a fun synopsis to this melody by Jacob Manning. Jason, however, explains why school band members don’t like this tune.
We know Santa’s sleigh has bells, ‘cuz it’s a sleigh. Guess who else’s sleigh has bells–everyones! Sing that to a pipe, city slicker!
The Cricketones are back from that album i grew up with playing “Ding-a-Ling Dong, the Sleigh Bell Song.” Which means you can sing-along all you want, ‘cuz that’s the whole set of lyrics pretty much. Kidsong gleefulness.
Some kids’ toon showcased some dumb plodding tune perhaps called “Snowflakes Fall, Sleigh Bells Ring.” We’ll get into it later, but this laundry list of Xmas details does not a carol create, gang.
Here’s one you might know: Gene Autry intros and burbles through “Sleigh Bells.” It’s so happy and all that it feels like you’ve been eating too much sugar.
I guess a little ring-dingy is just what the comical ordered when it comes to trolling the tropes of Christmas. Santa + Bells = mad libs funny. Here, here, i’ll show you:
“Jen de Melo’s Jingle Bells” twists up Lady Gaga.
Jim Jim takes on Lizzo for FM 104 in “Santa’s Bell Song.”
Scrooty Mcboog modulates his flat stylings in “Sleighbells Ring.”
Joel Kopischke does more of an homage than an actual parody with “Ring a Ding Ding It’s Santa.” Still worth it.
Who needs a studio full of equipment?! The Withers deliver again with “Jingle Jingle Jingle.” Parody without the sauce still smacks my lips.
I remember an ancient comedy bit with Paul Reubens as Pee Wee Herman on David Letterman’s The Late Show. He shook a coffee can full or rocks (or summat) and chanted the acerbic host’s name again and again with every rattle. That constant noise brings madness. So with Santa having to listen to that gay get-out-of-the-way chiming of the bells from his sleigh all night.
Be Your Own Boss Entertainment irks out some rapping with “You Hear Them Bells Go.” Santa’s not so happy now.
The Soundtrack of Our Lives retros a blazing ’60 Invasion beat with “Jingle Hell (Stuck in a Chimney).” I’m not following the lyrics all that much, but i gotta share this monster mash.
Sleigh bells mean Christmas most exactly when they are attached to Santa’s ride. Say, now that you contention that… can’t say as i recall those pimp nodules extending from Big Red’s vehicular contraption. I mean, i can hear that sound–but, is it magic or music?
The Kelly Girls swing the answer with “Jingle Jingle, Mr. Kringle.”
Enter Santa, cue the bells. And dance!
Surely you recall “Jingle Jingle Jingle” from the 1964 Bass Rankin stop motion ‘Rudolph’. Stan Francis sings as Santa in a show tune way that has imprinted on many a child.
Most spell-binding is the gentle country folk of Isaac Stancill’s “Jingle Jingle Twinkle Twinkle.” Both a lullaby and a horrorshow, this midnight encounter with Master Claus will leave a lasting impression–or will it?
I won’t admit to getting my party pants on when i hear ‘Jingle Bells,’ but i guess it oughter be included with any but the most cynical Christmas bash (and i would accept an invitation to that). So let’s explore the connection of jingling with jubilating:
Stephen Colbert clashes his “Jingle Jingle Santa Party” with Run the Jewels pointing out that an urban man today gots more to worry about than silly fun.
Private Eye Music swings the instructions in “Jingle Jangle Mingle,” the short list of how-to let the hair down and funkalize. Getting together has a nice ring to it….
If i say Jungle Bells you don’t say -wha? You say -oh, a Jingle Bells takeoff. How many musicians pursue this wordplay you ask?
The Superions conga out in “Christmas Conga (Jungle Bells)” about the Santa shenanigans you usually see in The National Enquirer. Not so much with the jingling, however.
Tubba3ply mash up the ska and the electronic for a mystical night of “Jungle Bells.” It’s downright pagan-tastic.
Succumbing to the primitivism of modern-madness, GattuZan also UK-punks up the pop a bit with another “Jungle Bells.” But there’s no escape from the fa-la-la refrain.
Full reggae mad, Skindred rocks out “Jungle Bells” with a master backbeat. YEAHH!!
South African Blues Broers have more literal claim to their “Jungle Bells,” a litany of the animals (not exactly) adapting to the holiday spirit. A little rockabilly, a little folk-pop. Just a little.
Vincent Cardinale just goes hokey folk with his kidding “Jungle Bells.” Plenty to grunt along with here. And a lesson.
Best up is the repeated entry “Jungle Bells (Dingo-Dongo-Day)” by Les Paul and Mary Ford. Catchy as malaria! Thanks, 1953!
The ‘Jingle Bells’ juggernaut has bestowed upon us an industry of songs that aren’t the standard. And you can’t have an engaging story without some conflict. So let’s look at the broken bells a bit. Cry amongst yourselves.
“Ding-a-Ling the Christmas Bell” fell and broke his harmony, according to Lynn Anderson. 1971 was full of such ugly duckling lessons: don’t judge his horrid noise! He saves Santa!!
“The Bell that Couldn’t Jingle” was a 1962 number from Paul Evans, penned by Burt Bacharach. This time the handicapped kid gets a magic fix. And probably got an office job with people who invited him to their backyard bar-be-cues. Bobby Vinton tried this in 1964 with more talent (the same year The Baby Dolls swaddled it in bubble gum), Bobby Helms takes it down to country moroseness in ’65, then the Burt Bacharach Singers make a mess of it in 1968 (the same year Herb Alpert’s players enfolds it into cartoon fun)… hoo-boy let’s leave it at that.
Okay, okay ONE more. (It’s who i am.) The diva-like devotion to the over-orchestrated overly serious Catherine McKinnon version out-camps them all. Are you serious?! Just listen:
Add the word JINGLE to your number and Xmas hits the spot. Bells may be implied.
Andy Beck and Brian Fisher bring you another kids’ assembly pageant with “Jingle Bells Jukebox.” Jumping and shaking to follow.
“Jingle Down the Christmas Tree” is PJ Parker’s sultry euphemism for the best gift ever–the oldest form of dance there is.
Michael Hurtt & His Haunted Hearts cowboy up the slide guitar with “Jingle Bells Boogie,” a quite danceable honky tonk wonder. Asleep at the Wheel don’t quite bring it to their tired version.
Almost a word-for-word rendition, Wayne Newton manages to demolish the family joy of this traditional song with his smarmy lounge version “Jingle Bell Hustle.” Only one word has been added to the original. Can you spot it? Should you?