Jingle Bells的詞曲作者詹姆斯·羅德·皮爾彭特(James Lord Pierpont,25 April 1805 - 5 August 1886)畢業於耶魯大學,他遵照祖父的意願,做了一名教師。由於他對學生總是慈祥寬容而缺乏嚴厲,保守的教育界就把他擠走了。皮爾彭特又當了律師,他渴望用自己的努力來維護法律的公正,他不屑於當時美國律師界流行的“誰有錢就為誰服務”的原則,看到好人受到不公正的待遇,他總是不計報酬地為之奔忙,而如果當事人是惡棍,即使酬金豐厚,他也不予理睬。其他律師對於皮爾彭特這樣的做法,自然是無法容忍的,很快,他只好又離開了律師的職位,做了一名推銷紡織品的商人。可是,在競爭殘酷的生意場上,他總是因為心地仁慈而使對手獲利、讓自己吃虧。最後,他只好又當了牧師,想引導人們的心靈走向善良。然而,由於他極力支持禁酒和反對奴隸制而得罪了教區信徒,只好被迫辭職。
與之前所有人的共識不同,約翰·皮爾彭特並不是這首曲子的作者,並且也沒有很坎坷的經歷。現有的故事是來自Robert Flughum的"It Was on Fire When I Lay Down on It"(2006年出版),但該故事面世伊始就遭到了強烈的抨擊——因為作者為了達到感人的效果而不惜歪曲歷史,將約翰·皮爾彭特先生寫成一個失敗者(相關資料見附錄)。事實上,皮爾彭特先生是一個才華橫溢的詩人與聲名遠播的教育家(參見維基百科),只有他晚年的生活不甚如意。故事裡寫他早年就窮困潦倒,這不符合史實——1821年時他就因在Boston's English Classical School建立過程中做出的貢獻而受到全國的關注,同時他也並非耶魯大學畢業——先在巴爾的摩讀書,後來到了哈佛。另外,在文學方面他也並非平庸之輩:他的宣揚廢除奴隸制的詩歌經常被人朗誦,同時他與人合著的劇本也受到了熱烈歡迎。
中英文歌詞
英文歌詞
Dashing through the snow In a one- horse open sleigh Over the fields we go Laughing all the way Bells on bobtails ring Making spirits bright What fun it is to ride and sing A sleighing song tonight
OH,Jingle bells, jingle bells, Jingle all the way Oh,what fun it is to ride In a one-horse open sleigh Jingle bells,jingle bells Jingle all the way Oh,what fun it is to ride In a one-horse open sleigh
A day or two ago I thought I take a ride And soon Miss Fanny Bright was seated by my side The horse was lean and lank Misfortune seemed his lot He's got into a drifted bank And we, we got upsot
OH,Jingle bells, jingle bells, Jingle all the way Oh,what fun it is to ride In a one-horse open sleigh Jingle bells,jingle bells Jingle all the way Oh,what fun it is to ride In a one-horse open sleigh
A day or two ago, The story I must tell I went out on the snow, And on my back I fell; A gent was riding by In a one-horse open sleigh, He laughed as there I sprawling lie, But quickly drove away.
OH,Jingle bells, jingle bells, Jingle all the way Oh,what fun it is to ride In a one-horse open sleigh Jingle bells,jingle bells Jingle all the way Oh,what fun it is to ride In a one-horse open sleigh
Now the ground is white Go it while you're young, Take the girls tonight And sing this sleighing song; Just get a bob-tailed bay two-forty as his speed Hitch him to an open sleigh And crack! you'll take the lead.
OH,Jingle bells, jingle bells, Jingle all the way Oh,what fun it is to ride In a one-horse open sleigh Jingle bells,jingle bells Jingle all the way Oh,what fun it is to ride In a one-horse open sleigh
那篇感人肺腑但是謬誤百出的故事原文標題為"The Failure Story of John Pierpont" ”皮爾彭特失敗的故事”(By Robert Fuglem 作者:羅伯特·Fuglem),在故事的最後刊登者寫了一個附註,原文如下:
"PS: An inaccuracy
It seems that the facts of the above story are not quite right and I have received more than one email informing me of the mistake. The latest, received 9 April 2004, reads:
Mr. Fulghum is totally inaccurate in the facts he used in his story.
Poor research = poor author!!
My great grandfather, James Lord Pierpont is the composer of "Jingle Bells". John Pierpont was his father, my great great grandfather. He was hardly considered a failure. If you will research his life, you will find you are wasting your sympathies!
Very truly yours,
Constance Turner
The inaccuracy somewhat dimishes the value of the story of John Pierpont. But since storythis essay is about how the affected me, I've decided to retain it here."