“Jingle Bells” by Michael Bublé ft. The Puppini Sisters, Sunday, December 15, 2024
“Jingle Bells” is perhaps one of the most quintessential Christmas carols. Penned in 1850 by James Lord Pierpont, the song was written in 1850 and published as “One Horse Open Sleigh” in 1857. There is nothing specific in the lyrics that makes it a Christmas song, but it has been included as a Christmas standard due to its snowy images. It’s one of the most performed, recorded, and recognized secular Christmas songs since its first 1889 recording, now lost. The song was first recorded by banjoist Will Lyle and became a Christmas favorite after the Hayden Quartet recorded it in 1902. Other notable versions of the song are the 1935 Benny Goodman version, the 1943 Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters version, and the 1951 Les Paul version, which became a radio hit for the guitarist’s use of multi-tracking. Today’s version comes from contemporary Christmas crooner Michael Bublé, whose classic 2011 album Christmas featured covers of holiday tunes reminiscent of the Sinatra era.
OH, WHAT FUN IT IS TO RIDE IN A ONE-HORSE OPEN SLEIGH! The third track on Michael Bublé’s Christmas “Jingle Bells” features the vocal trio The Puppini Sisters. The three singers are unrelated but chose their name as a tribute to The Andrews Sisters. Founded in Trinity College of Music, the group imitates the sound popular in the 1940s, yet with lyrics that are sometimes more subtly provocative to evoke a contemporary feel in their somewhat burlesque style. The group was founded in 2004 and has released five studio albums, including their 2010 Christmas with The Puppini Sisters. Just like Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters, The Puppini Sisters and Michael Bublé’s musical styles go well together. Bublé has become somewhat of a “Chestnut Roaster,” what Chris Molanphy talked about on a holiday issue of his podcast Hit Parade as an artist whose Christmas music overshadows their non-Yuletide offerings. Likewise, The Puppini Sisters are probably best known for contributing to Bublé’s album. Nothing Bublé does is particularly original; he’s a handsome impersonator of a bygone era in music. That’s not to say that the genre couldn’t be reexamined or reinterpreted, but Bublé has found a very successful niche of repackaging something we’ve bought before.
BELLS ON BOBTAIL RING. The flamboyance that The Puppini Sisters bring to Michael Bublé’s “Jingle Bells” helps to make the album a classic but is perfectly expected on Christmas. While the album is a go-to holiday classic, for me, it was released after the novelty of Michael Bublé had worn off. I loved his 2003 self-titled breakthrough, liked It’s Time, tolerated Call Me Irresponsible, and spun his 2003 Let It Snow! EP. By 2011’s Christmas Bublé was mostly background music to me, but to a larger listening public, he had become essential listening for the holiday season. The enthusiasm for Bublé’s Christmas album has gone worldwide, making an appearance this year in my classroom. One of my second-year middle school students is quite feminine and always chooses show tunes to sing along with. He’s one of the bravest students I’ve ever taught, unapologetically flamboyant in a Christian school in the most conservative area in the country. Most of the other kids roll their eyes at his antics. There were times of bullying and slurs, but this kid is resilient, even flirting with the boys who pick on him. So when I let my kids listen to Christmas music, of course, he picked out Michael Bublé’s “Jingle Bells” and of course, he sang along not with the hands of Michael Bublé, but with the Puppini sisters, he had all of their parts memorized and the display was glorious. I really hope for a better world for him, but something tells me that he’s going to make it for himself.
Comments
Post a Comment