"Jingle Bell Rock" has been performed by many, but Helms' first version from 1957 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. He again recorded the song for Gusto Records, it was subsequently released on their "Power Pak" label. In yet another re-recording, Helms released a version on Ashley AS-4200. In 1983, Helms released his last recording of "Jingle Bell Rock" on Black Rose 82713. D-TV set this version to the Disney shorts, Once Upon a Wintertime from Melody Time and On Ice.
Authorship controversy
Helms, as well as session guitarist on the song Hank Garland, both claimed until their deaths, that it was they, not Beal and Boothe, who wrote the song. They claimed that the original song by Beal and Boothe was called Jingle Bell Hop, and that it was given to Helms by a Decca executive to record. This song, according to Helms and Garland, had little to no resemblance to the current song. Helms did not like it, and as a result, they both proceeded to work on it, changing the music, lyrics, and tempo, and also giving it a previously-missing bridge. This new song, they claimed, was the one that is known today. However, neither of them received writing credit or subsequent writing royalties. Billy Garland, brother of Hank Garland, maintains his deceased brother's story, and has long been involved with and vocal about the issue.
Chart and sales performance
Helms' original version charted at No. 13 on Billboards 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 BillboardBest 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 filmJingle 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, and hit No. 29 two weeks later. In January 2019, the song entered the Hot 100's top 10 for the first time reaching No. 8. With this feat, Helms broke the record for the longest wait to the Hot 100's top 10 as he achieved this in 60 years, four months and two weeks after his first entry back in 1958. Helms' recording reached a new peak of No. 3 on the chart dated January 4, 2020. According to Nielsen SoundScan, the digital track of Helms' original Decca recording was ninth on the list of all-time best-selling Christmas/holiday digital singles in SoundScan history in 2016 with 780,000 downloads. As of December 2019, it has sold 891,000 copies in the United States.
Bobby Helms
George Strait
Aaron Tippin
Rascal Flatts
Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert
Various artists version
Hall & Oates version
released a version in 1983 as a non-album single which 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.
Weekly charts
Max Bygraves UK version
released a version in 1959 with the Eric Rogers Orchestra which peaked at number 7 in the UKTop 30, released on Decca: F11176
& Bobby Rydell recorded and released a version in 1961 which reached No. 21 on the BillboardHot 100 singles chart and No. 40 on the UK Singles Chart. It was issued on Cameo Parkway C205.
