"Silver Bells" is a classic Christmas song, composed by
Jay Livingston and Ray Evans. It was first performed by
Bob Hope and Marilyn Maxwell in the motion picture The
Lemon Drop Kid, filmed in July–August 1950 and
released in March 1951. The first recorded version was
by Bing Crosby and Carol Richards, released by Decca
Records in October 1950. After the Crosby and Richards
recording became popular, Hope and Maxwell were called
back in late 1950 to refilm a more elaborate production
of the son...(+)
"Silver Bells" is a classic Christmas song, composed by
Jay Livingston and Ray Evans. It was first performed by
Bob Hope and Marilyn Maxwell in the motion picture The
Lemon Drop Kid, filmed in July–August 1950 and
released in March 1951. The first recorded version was
by Bing Crosby and Carol Richards, released by Decca
Records in October 1950. After the Crosby and Richards
recording became popular, Hope and Maxwell were called
back in late 1950 to refilm a more elaborate production
of the song.
"Silver Bells" started out as the questionable "Tinkle
Bells." Said Ray Evans, "We never thought that tinkle
had a double meaning until Jay went home and his first
wife said, 'Are you out of your mind? Do you know what
the word tinkle is?'" This song's inspiration has
conflicting reports. Several periodicals and interviews
cite the writer Jay Livingston stating that the song
inspiration came from by the bells used by Santa
Clauses and Salvation Army people on New York City
street corners. However, an interview with co-writer
Ray Evans to NPR said that the song was inspired by a
bell that sat on Ray and Jay's shared office desk.
In the original version the lyrics were "Hear the snow
crunch, see the kids bunch, this is Santa's big day"
but was later changed to "Here the snow crunch, see the
kids bunch, this is Santa's big scene". I created this
arrangement for English Handbells.
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