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‘Jingle Bells’ is one of the best known Christmas songs in the world yet it is history tells us that is not distinctively a Christmas song. Known today as a fun and laughter filled Christmas song and it is standard as the subject of parody. James Lord Pierpont in the first place wrote the song in 1857 and it was copyrighted at the time as ‘One Horse Open Sleigh’. The song was reprinted in 1859 with the revised title of ‘Jingle Bells’. Pierpont wrote the song for a Thanksgiving program at a church in Savannah, Georgia in the USA where he was the resident organist.
The tune of ‘Jingle Bells’ has been employed in German and French songs to celebrate winter fun. Lyrics are wholly unrelated to the ones we all know and love. For example, Francis Blanche wrote the French song ‘Vive Le Vent’ meaning ‘Long Live the Wind’ with references to new year’s day.
In 1898 ‘Jingle Bells’ was primary recorded by the Edison Male Quartette in the USA. It has since been recorded by a lot of outstanding artists including Bing Crosby and The Andrew Sisters. In 2006 when Kimberley Locke sang it, it became a number one hit on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.
Here is a fun fact. In 1965, December 16th ‘Jingle Bells’ was the original song broadcast from outer space. Wally Schirra and Tom Stafford, the astronauts aboard Gemini 6 played a prank. They relayed to mission control that they saw a UFO with eight littler UFO’s in front. Their reports followed that the pilot in the more prominent command module UFO was wearing a red suit. The prank concluded with the astronaut duo playing ‘Jingle Bells’ on a harmonica accompanied by sleigh bells that they had smuggled on board. Today at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum both instruments are on display. Interestingly, they are considered the original musical instruments to be played in space!
‘Jingle Bells’ has also been the subject of parody. The best known homage to the initial song is ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ by Bobby Helms. In the 1960′s children in the USA normally sang the verse ‘Jingle bells, Santa smells, Easter’s on it is way. Oh what fun it is to ride in a beat up Chevrolet.’ Here is another parody of ‘Jingle Bells’, a verse which adults and children similar loved and carry on to love to sing while enjoying a few laughs along the way ‘Dashing through the snow, on a pair of broken skis, crashing into trees, and a piece of moldy cheese Ha Ha Ha, the snow is turning red, I think I’m closely dead, please rush me to the hospital before I lose my head. Ha Ha Ha.’
‘Jingle Bells’ proceeds to be a Christmas favored song whether sung in it is basi form or whether by parody, it is still frequent allround the world today. A song that brings families and communities together sharing good cheer and holiday fun at Christmas time each year!
French Christmas Music
A French Christmas is a 14 song album of intimate and traditionalisti carols sung in French by an American singer. Former Epic Records artisan CC Couch, has toured in France, opened at the Zenith for Yannick Noah and Carl Perkins, and was featured at the Salle Georges Brassens. All guitar work and productions are by Teddy Irwin, an Emmy winning musician, who has toured with Petula Clark, Bette Midler, Doc Severinsen, Demis Roussos, B.J. Thomas and Roy Buchanan, as well as having performed on records of artists such as Neil Young, John Lennon, Jimmy Buffett, and Randy Travis. Teddy has formulated and played on his own Christmas album called Three Guitars-A Guitar Christmas. A French Christmas was arranged and orchestrated by Jack Cortner, who has done orchestrations for Barry Manilow, Marvin Stamm and Johnny Mercer s Dream on Broadway. He also wrote the theme song, which ran for seventeen years, for the television show, As the World Turns. He has since freed two jazz CDs of initial and standard compositions, Fast Track and Sound Check.
- Amazon Sales Rank: #31384 in Music
- Released on: 2000-06-01
- Number of discs: 1
| About the ArtistC. C. Couch is a former Epic Records artisan who has toured in Normandy in France and opened for Yannick Noah and Carl Perkins at the Zenith Theater in Caen. She has also co-written and performed assorted children’s albums, “Twelve Fables,” “Kiddancercise,” “Calendar Kids,” and “Let There Be Light” as well as a CD to instruct French called “Oh Là Là, Sing Your Way to French.”
PerformersAll guitar work and productions are by Teddy Irwin, an Emmy winning musician, who has toured with Petula Clark, Bette Middler, Doc Severson, Demis Roussos, B.J. Thomas and Roy Buchannan among others, as well as performing on the records of artists such as Neil Young, John Lennon, Jimmy Buffett and Randy Travis. It was arranged by Jack Cortner who has done orchestrations for Barry Manilow, Johnny Mercer’s “Dream” on Broadway and Marvin Stamm amongst others as well as writing the theme song for the television show,”As The World Turns,” which ran for seventeen years.
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French Christmas Music Image
French Christmas Music Photo
French Christmas Music Image
French Christmas Music Pic
French Christmas Music Pic
French Christmas Music Picture
34 of 35 people found the following review helpful.
 Gentle, Joyful, Beautiful Christmas Music
By A
The reviewer from Franklin, TN, said it very well, but this album is good enough that I want to add my praise. Ms. Couch has a rich, sweet voice, and the accompaniments are beautiful, joyful, and gentle. (I think this CD will appeal to young children as well as adults.) I don’t know enough about French carols to know how many Ms. Couch had to choose from, but I appreciate her focus on the real substance of the Christmas celebration. For those who speak French, or who care to look through a French-English dictionary, these songs’ lyrics include some very moving proclamations of the wonderful love, joy, and hope embodied in Jesus’ birth. This CD has really enriched my Christmas experience, and I wish I could translate some of the French verses to sing along with the English words I know so well.
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful.
True Holiday Spirit
By A
The CD combines the rich alto voice of Ms. Couch with traditional Christmas carols. The modern arrangements with guitar, flute, oboe etc.. makes for very pleasant and enjoyable listening. I actually enjoy this CD throughout the year. My favorite is “Il Le Ne Le Divin Enfant”.
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful.
 Very French
By A
I enjoyed this album. I especially enjoyed the carols that were uniquely French, such as Noël nouvelet and Entre le bœuf et l’âne gris. I love the song Il est né le divin Enfant, but I found the musical arrangement on this album a little too cotton-candyish. It has many carols know to Angle-phones (English Speakers), and so this can be throughly enjoyed by anyone who does not speak French. Generally a good album
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