Jingle Bell Rock

Vorlage:Refimprove Vorlage:Infobox single "Jingle Bell Rock" is a popular Christmas song first released by Bobby Helms in 1957. It has received frequent airplay in the United States during every Christmas time since then. "Jingle Bell Rock" was composed by Joseph Carleton Beal (1900–1967), and James Ross Boothe (1917–1976).

Beal was a Massachusetts-born public relations man and longtime resident of South Ocean Avenue in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Boothe was a Texan writer in the advertising business.

Helms recordings

"Jingle Bell Rock" has been performed by many, but Helms' version is the most known in the world. Its title and some of its lyrics are takeoffs on the old Christmas standard, "Jingle Bells." It makes brief references to other popular songs of the 1950s, such as "Rock Around the Clock," and mentions going to a "Jingle hop." An electric guitar played by Hank Garland can be heard playing the first notes to the chorus from "Jingle Bells."

Despite being titled a Jingle Bell "Rock", Helms' version of the song was performed in the crossover style known as rockabilly.

Bobby Helms' original version on Decca 9-30513 from 1957, was re-recorded by him on Kapp K-719 in 1965 and yet again in 1967 on Little Darlin' LD-0038. In 1970, Helms recorded an entire album titled "Jingle Bell Rock" on Certron C-7013, releasing from the album the title track on Certron C-10021 with a picture sleeve. In yet another re-recording, Helms released a version on Ashley AS-4200 (year unknown). In 1983, Bobby Helms released his last recording of "Jingle Bell Rock" on Black Rose 82713.

Chart performance

Helms's original version charted at number 13 on Billboard's Most Played C&W by Jockeys chart, a predecessor to Hot Country Songs. After it was featured on the soundtrack to the 1996 film Jingle All the Way, the original version returned to the country charts in late 1996-early 1997, reaching a peak of number 60.

Bobby Helms

Chart (1956)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Most Played C&W By Jockeys	13
U.S. Billboard Best Sellers in Stores	6
Chart (1996-1997)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks	60
U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks	18

George Strait

Vorlage:Singlechart

Chart (2000)	Peak position

Aaron Tippin

Vorlage:Singlechart

Chart (2002)	Peak position

Rascal Flatts

Vorlage:Singlechart

Chart (2008-09)	Peak position

Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert

Vorlage:SinglechartVorlage:Singlechart

Chart (2012)	Peak position

Other recordings

A notable cover version of the song was recorded by Bill Haley & His Comets in 1968 for United Artists records. Intended for a seasonal single release, it was not released and it was considered lost for nearly 30 years until it was finally issued in the mid-1990s.

Brenda Lee released a version of "Jingle Bell Rock" which made the Billboard Christmas singles chart in both 1964 and 1967.

Other artists to have covered the song include: Vorlage:Colbegin

• Aaron Tippin
• Aly & AJ
• Amy Grant
• Arcade Fire
• Ashanti
• Ashley Tisdale
• Avant
• Billy Gilman
• Billy Idol
• Bobby Sherman
• Bobby Vee
• Bond
• Brenda Lee
• The Brian Jonestown Massacre
• The Brian Setzer Orchestra
• The Brothers Cazimero
• Cascada
• Charice
• Chet Atkins
• China Anne McClain
• Chris Brown
• Chubby Checker with Bobby Rydell
• The Chipmunks
• Connie Talbot
• Dion
• Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem
• Eddie Rabbitt
• Eddy Arnold
• Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
• The Fall
• Frankie Ford
• Gary Lewis and the Playboys
• Geoff Moore and the Distance
• George Strait
• Geri Halliwell
• Girls Aloud
• Glee Cast
• Hall & Oates
• Herb Alpert
• Hilary Duff
• Gary Hoey
• Hollyridge Strings (medley with "Jingle Bells")
• Hot Chelle Rae
• Jelly
• Jessica Simpson
• Jeremy Camp
• Jillian Hall
• John Anderson
• John Roderick
• John Williams & the Boston Pops Orchestra
• Johnny Mathis
• Jonas Brothers
• Jonathan Coulton
• Julianne Hough
• k.d. lang
• Kylie Minogue
• Larry Norman
• Lindsay Lohan & Mean Girls Cast
• Los Campesinos!
• Los Straitjackets
• Lou Rawls
• Ludwig Von Drake
• Lynn Anderson
• Mary Wells
• Max Bygraves
• McClain Sisters
• Michael Bublé & Carly Rae Jepsen (medley with "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree")
• Mike Love
• Mitchel Musso
• Neil Diamond
• NewSong
• The Newsboys
• Piccolo Coro dell'Antoniano
• The Platters
• Point of Grace
• Ralf Mackenbach
• Randy Travis
• Rascal Flatts
• Tatsuro Yamashita
• Taylor Horn
• Teresa Brewer
• Thousand Foot Krutch
• Vanessa Hudgens
• The Ventures
• Victoria Justice
• Wayne Newton

In popular culture

• It is the opening theme from the 1987 film Lethal Weapon.
• Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem performed the song in the 1987 Christmas television special A Muppet Family Christmas.
• Helms' original recording is featured in the film Cookie (1989).
• The song was featured in the 1992 film Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.
• Jingle Bell Rock is an animated Christmas special first seen in 1995 on ABC, which was produced by DIC Enterprises and featured Milton Berle as one of the voice actors.
• In the 2004 Lindsay Lohan comedy Mean Girls the song is performed by Cady Heron, Regina George, Gretchen Weiners, and Karen Smith in their annual Christmas talent show.
• It was used in the 2008 Christmas episode of Chuck.
• In a season 7 episode of Two and a Half Men, Alan and Evelyn sing the song, as Charlie Harper plays the piano.
• In the fourth season Christmas episode of Glee, the song is performed by Chord Overstreet in character as Sam Evans.

External links

• Lyrics to Jingle Bell Rock