From “Do You Hear What I Hear” to “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Let it Snow,” you’ll be taken back by the surprising histories of the carols you thought you knew.
Many classical Christmas carols were not created out of fun, but during war, in the summer, for the Church, or to include in a movie. The majority of early Christmas tunes have a Christian background, but I tried to find the most diverse and unique histories of the Christmas songs we all love and grew up listening to.
"Jingle Bells"
A song that is passed down generations to generations since the 1850’s, was surprisingly not written with Christmastime in mind. Written by James Lord Pierpont, it is believed to be a song about youthful memories of winter sleigh races.
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way.
Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh.
The song was published in the summer of 1857 titled, “One Horse Open Sleigh,” but later changed the title to “Jingle Bells.” Pierpont served the Confederacy during the Civil War and composed several patriotic songs for the military. Thirteen years before his death, his son successfully renewed the copyright to “Jingle Bells,” to his father.
"Go Tell It On the Mountain"
If you have grown up in the church, then you remember singing this song as a child around Christmastime. Although many don't consider this a Christmas song, it describes the scene of the birth of Jesus.
"Go Tell It On the Mountain" was a spiritual song possibly written by a slave or ex-slave in the 1860s. The composer is unknown however, John Wesley Work Jr., in the early 1900s, kept the song safe and later published it. Work learned Latin, Greek, and music and later became known as the first African-American collector of Negro spirituals, published in two of his books.
The song illustrates the Nativity story describing the shepherds, angels, and Jesus’ birth.
Go, tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere. Go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is born.
"Silver Bells"
A personal favorite, this song was written by songwriter Ray Evans and composer Jay Livingston for a movie called “The Lemon Drop Kid.” The movie was set in New York during Christmastime and starred Bob Hope, in the 1950s.
Doubtful of success, they composed the song originally called, “Tinker Bell,” considering Santa Claus and Salvation Army workers tinkling or ringing their bells on street corners. Thanks to Evans’ wife, the title was later changed to “Silver Bells.”
Sung by Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, the once doubtful Christmas song soon turned into a big hit bringing in about $600,000 annually in royalties. Evans and Livingston are credited for writing the TV themes for “Bonanza” and “Mister Ed,” as well as the song “Que Sera, Sera.”
"Silent Night"
Like many Christmas songs, "Silent Night" was created outside of the U.S., in Mariapfarr, Austria, in 1816 and later translated into English. The song was written by a priest, Joseph Mohr, for the Christmas service at St. Nicholas church. His friend, Franz Xaver composed the melody for the organ and later for the guitar.
A silent night seems to also bring a silent legend, saying that while practicing the song, the organ broke and the children’s choir involved had to sing the song to a guitar. At Midnight Mass, the choir sung the now famous carol. The earliest manuscript and lyrics exists in the Carolino Aususteum Museum in Salzburg. In German, the song title is translated as “Stille Nacht.”
The carol was sung during World War I during the first Christmas truce in 1914, as it was the only song that both the English and German soldiers knew. It was a silent night, or moment, as they sung and listened to the peaceful lyrics of “Silent Night.”
"Do You Hear What I Hear"
"Do You Hear What I Hear" has one of the most fascinating history stories for a Christmas song. Set during the Cuban Missile Crisis, the song was a plea for peace amongst battle rather than the expected quiet and serene environment you may imagine while listening to the carol.
Noel Regney, the carol’s songwriter, studied classical music in Strasbourg, Salzburg and Paris, France. He was drafted into the Nazi army despite being a Frenchman.
He secretly worked with the Frenchman while disguised as a German solider, sharing secrets to protect his people.
During the time of the Crisis in the 1950s, there was a sense of sadness that filled the air. Regney was asked by a record producer to create a hit single. His ideas came to him line by line as his wife, Gloria Shayne, wrote the accompanying music. Usually Shayne wrote the lyrics and Regney the melody, but this unique carol was composed the other way around. Together, the famous carol “Do You Hear What I Hear” was created.
Unfortunately, this beautiful song has a sad beginning and a sad ending for its writers. The words broke Regney and Shayne up as the threat of war was too heavy bringing their relationship to a divorce.
Said the king to the people everywhere, ‘listen to what I say. Pray for peace, people, everywhere. Listen to what I say. The Child (Jesus), the Child, sleeping in the night, He will bring us goodness and light, He will bring us goodness and light.’
"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"
Rudolph was created by Robert May who was an advertising executive working in a department store. The store asked him to create a poem for the store’s Santa to give away to the children. With a past of being teased for his short stature and his shyness, May connected personal experiences to a children-friendly reindeer that was also teased for being an anomaly. May considered the names Rolo and Reginald but settled on Rudolph.
With an ability for words, May’s creative poem was quickly commissioned by the Montgomery Ward department store and printed approximately 2.5 million copies. In 1949, singer Gene Autry recorded the musical version of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” which also was a success, landing number one on the hit music charts and sung by kids and adults alike throughout the nation.
"I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day"
Similar to “Do You Hear What I Hear” this sincere and honest carol is written in the midst of sadness, yet unlike “Do You Hear What I Hear,” it ends with the hope and remembrance for the hope not found in the holiday, but in the reason for the holiday.
With a heavy heart, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was struggling to press on for the holiday season with the recent passing of his wife, the Civil war, and his son returning home from war with severe wounds. The happy sound of church bells did not reflect the feelings Longfellow felt.
In 1863, he wrote a poem called "Christmas Bells." A few verses of his lyrics do not currently appear in the song we sing today. They describe the misery of the Civil War and of Longfellow:
And in despair I bowed my head; ‘there is no peace on earth,’ I said. ‘For hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, goodwill to men.
The beauty of the carol is found in the last verses, for the bells have rung and they rung with the sound of joy and hope. Longfellow found courage and peace in the midst of a dark time when he remembered the sovereignty and hope his God provides.
“Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: ‘God is not dead, nor doth He sleep. The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, with peace on earth goodwill to men.”
"All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth"
One of the few comical Christmas songs is a short and lighthearted Christmas wish list from a child who simply wants their front teeth. Composed by a schoolteacher, Don Gardner (not the vocalist and drummer Don Gardner) and his wife Doris, who taught music at an elementary school in New York.
As Christmas was approaching Gardner was asked to create a song for the school’s holiday concert. The idea came after a fellow teacher asked their students what they wanted for Christmas. Each replied, “all I want for Christmas is…” with a funny whistle sound. Gardner said more than half of the little students were missing their front teeth.
"Let It Snow"
Ironically, this song was not in winter nor was it intended to be a Christmas song. This song was actually written on one of the hottest summer days in Hollywood by lyricist Sammy Cahn and Broadway songwriter Jule Styne in 1945.
“Let It Snow” has no mention of Christmas but is simply associated by the temperature of the season in which Christmas is part of. The songwriters wrote this song on the beach with cooling off and love in mind.
Oh the fire is slowly dying. And my dear, we’re still good-bye-ing, but as long as you love me so, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.
