Jingle Bell Rock

"Jingle Bell Rock" is an American popular Christmas song first released by Bobby Helms in 1957 (after it was recorded in October 1957). It has received frequent airplay in the United States during every Christmas season 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 professional and longtime resident of South Ocean Avenue in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Boothe was an American writer in the advertising business.

Helms recordings
"Jingle Bell Rock" has been performed by many, but Helms' version is the best known. The song's title and some of its lyrics are an extension of 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 of the chorus of "Jingle Bells". Backup singers were the Anita Kerr Quartet.

Helms' original version, on Decca 9-30513 from October 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 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, Helms released his last recording of "Jingle Bell Rock" on Black Rose 82713.

Chart and sales performance
Helms' original version charted at No. 13 on Billboard's Most Played C&W by Jockeys chart, a predecessor to the Hot Country Songs chart. It also crossed to the pop charts, peaking at No. 6 on the Billboard Best Sellers in Stores chart, and at No. 11 on Cashbox magazine's Top 60 on the week ending January 11, 1958.

After the song was featured on the soundtrack album to the 1996 film Jingle All the Way, the original Bobby Helms version returned to the Billboard country singles charts in late 1996 and early 1997, reaching a peak of No. 60.

The Helms version entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart on the week ending December 24, 2016, eventually reaching a peak of No. 29 two weeks later.

As of November 25, 2016, total sales of the digital track of Helms' original Decca recording stand at 780,000 downloads according to Nielsen SoundScan, placing it ninth on the list of all-time best-selling Christmas/holiday digital singles in SoundScan history.

In popular culture
The song is featured in the opening of Lethal Weapon (1987).

Other recordings
A 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.

In 2013, American comedian KopShtick did a parody version entitled "Chanuka Rock".

Other artists to have covered the song include:


 * 1959: Max Bygraves (non-album single)
 * 1961: Chet Atkins on the album Christmas with Chet Atkins
 * 1961: Chubby Checker with Bobby Rydell on the album Bobby Rydell/Chubby Checker
 * 1961: Eddy Arnold on the album Christmas with Eddy Arnold
 * 1962: Bobby Vee on the album Merry Christmas from Bobby Vee
 * 1963: Alvin and the Chipmunks on the album Christmas with The Chipmunks, Vol. 2
 * 1963: The Platters on the album Christmas with the Platters
 * 1968: Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass Christmas Album
 * 1969: Johnny Mathis on the album Give Me Your Love for Christmas
 * 1970: Bobby Sherman on the album Christmas Album
 * 1971: Lynn Anderson on the album The Christmas Album
 * 1983: Hall & Oates (non-album single) and peaked at number 30 on the Hot 100 Recurrents chart in 2005, it also reached number 6 on the Billboard 's Holiday Airplay chart on December 13, 2008 and number 24 on the Hot Holiday Songs chart on December 10, 2011.
 * 1992: Neil Diamond on the album The Christmas Album
 * 1992: Wayne Newton on the album A Merry Little Christmas
 * 1995: Dion on the album Rock 'n Roll Christmas
 * 1999: Amy Grant on the album A Christmas to Remember
 * 1999: George Strait on the album Merry Christmas Wherever You Are
 * 1999: Gina Jeffreys on her album Christmas Wish
 * 1999: Point of Grace on the album A Christmas Story
 * 2000: Billy Gilman on the album Classic Christmas
 * 2002: Aaron Tippin on the album December to Remember
 * 2002: Hilary Duff on the album Santa Claus Lane
 * 2004: Aly & AJ on the album Disneymania Presents: Wow! Christmas
 * 2005: The Brian Setzer Orchestra on the album Dig That Crazy Christmas
 * 2006: Billy Idol on the album Happy Holidays: A Very Special Christmas Album
 * 2006: Kenny G on the album The Greatest Holiday Classics
 * 2008: Julianne Hough on the album Sounds of the Season: The Julianne Hough Holiday Collection
 * 2008: Rascal Flatts on the album Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 (bonus track)
 * 2008: Thousand Foot Krutch on the album X Christmas
 * 2009: Mitchel Musso on the album A Very Special Christmas 7
 * 2010: Newsboys on the album Christmas! A Newsboys Holiday
 * 2011: Deana Martin on her album White Christmas released by Big Fish Records
 * 2011: Michael Bublé on the album Christmas
 * 2011: Rogue Wave on the album This Warm December, A Brushfire Holiday Vol. 2
 * 2012: Robin Lynn on her album Snow Angel
 * 2012: Hot Chelle Rae (non-album single)
 * 2012: Jeremy Camp on the album Christmas: God with Us
 * 2012: McClain Sisters on the album Disney Channel Holiday Playlist
 * 2014: The Vamps on the album Meet the Vamps: Christmas Edition
 * 2016: Laura Pausini, on her album Laura Xmas.
 * 2017: Lindsey Stirling, on her album Warmer In The Winter.