Jingle Bells

James Lord Pierpont published this song in Boston in 1857 under the title “One Horse Open Sleigh.” It is a winter sleighing song and never mentions Christmas, but it has been sung at Christmas for well over a century. Clint’s first Christmas songbook lists it as “In a One Horse Open Sleigh (Jingle Bells).”

The chorus is the place to start. It uses only holes 7, 8, and 9, and most of it is the same note repeated, so you can learn it in a few minutes. The verse climbs one step higher, to a 10 draw on “sleigh-ing.”

Harmonica tabs

Verse 1

6     8   -8      7   6     6  6 6    8     -8 7   -6
Dash- ing through the snow, in a one- horse o- pen sleigh,

-6   -9  8      -8 -7  9      9   -9  -8  8
O'er the fields we go, laugh- ing all the way.

6     8  -8   7    6     6    8   -8    7   -6      -6
Bells on bob- tail ring, mak- ing spir- its bright, what

-6  -9 8  -8 9    9   9    9 -10     9   -9   -8  7
fun it is to ride and sing a sleigh- ing song to- night!

Chorus

8    8   8      8    8   8      8    9   7   -8  8
Jin- gle bells, jin- gle bells, jin- gle all the way!

-9  -9   -9  -9 -9 8  8    8  8 8    -8    -8 8   -8      9
Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one- horse o- pen sleigh, hey!

8    8   8      8    8   8      8    9   7   -8  8
Jin- gle bells, jin- gle bells, jin- gle all the way!

-9  -9   -9  -9 -9 8  8    8  8 9    9     -9 -8  7
Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one- horse o- pen sleigh!

The two halves of the chorus are identical until the last five notes. The first half ends on 9 (“hey!”) and the second comes down to 7 to finish the song.

Playing tips

• Keep the repeated 8s short and bouncy. A light “tah” with your tongue on each one makes the bells ring.
• This tune sits high on the harmonica, in holes 6 to 10. Blow and draw gently up there; the top holes need less breath than the middle ones.
• The 10 draw in the verse comes only once. If it squeaks, play the line once slowly, then go back to tempo.
• Lyrics: James Lord Pierpont, 1857. Public domain.