James Lord Pierpont

James Lord Pierpont: The Man Behind "Jingle Bells"

When the festive season rolls around, few songs are as universally recognized and cherished as "Jingle Bells." It has become a hallmark of Christmas celebrations, evoking images of snow-covered sleigh rides, jingling bells, and holiday cheer. Yet, the story of the song's creator, James Lord Pierpont, is as fascinating as the tune itself. 

Who Was James Lord Pierpont?

Born on April 25, 1822, in Medford, Massachusetts, James Lord Pierpont was an American songwriter, organist, and composer. He grew up in a prominent New England family. His father, Reverend John Pierpont, was a noted abolitionist and Unitarian minister, and his nephew, J.P. Morgan, would go on to become one of the most influential financiers in American history.

Despite his distinguished family background, James led a life marked by adventure and occasional controversy. He left home at a young age, heading to sea and later joining the California Gold Rush in 1849. His search for fortune in the gold mines, however, proved fruitless, leading him back to his true passion: music.

The Birth of "Jingle Bells"

In 1857, Pierpont composed a song originally titled "The One Horse Open Sleigh." The song was reportedly inspired by the sleigh races he had witnessed during his time in Medford, a town known for its snowy winters and lively winter festivities. Contrary to popular belief, "Jingle Bells" was not initially written as a Christmas song. Instead, it was intended as a lighthearted tune for Thanksgiving.

The song was first performed at a Thanksgiving concert at Pierpont’s church in Savannah, Georgia, where he worked as an organist and music director. Despite its initial modest reception, the melody's catchy, jubilant nature soon gained popularity, and the song was renamed "Jingle Bells."

A Song Beyond Seasons

Over the years, "Jingle Bells" transcended its Thanksgiving origins to become synonymous with Christmas. Its infectious rhythm and cheerful lyrics have made it a global favorite, covered by countless artists and translated into numerous languages. Remarkably, it was also one of the first songs broadcast from space in 1965, when astronauts aboard NASA's Gemini 6 played it during a Christmas-themed prank.

A Complicated Legacy

While "Jingle Bells" is an enduring symbol of joy and celebration, James Lord Pierpont's life was not without its complexities. His personal life was turbulent; after the death of his first wife, he remarried and moved to Savannah, where his loyalties during the Civil War created tension. Despite being from a staunch abolitionist family, Pierpont supported the Confederacy, even composing songs in its favor.

An Enduring Influence

James Lord Pierpont passed away in 1893, but his legacy lives on through "Jingle Bells." More than just a holiday staple, the song is a testament to his creativity and ability to capture the universal joy of wintertime merriment.

As we hum along to "Jingle Bells" this season, it’s worth taking a moment to reflect on the man who crafted this timeless tune. From the snowy streets of Massachusetts to the far reaches of outer space, James Lord Pierpont’s song continues to unite people in festive spirit, reminding us all of the simple pleasures of the season.

November 11 th

Rememberance Day

Durham Miners' Banner

Display of the Durham Miners' Banners

Letters

A picture by Cecil Beaton. 1940.

London was bombed out but people picked themselves up and carried on as if nothing has happened. Courage. May that generation never go out of our memory. 

*Keep calm and carry on.*

May those days never return.

Her

Theodore works for a letter writing company. He writes letters for others. He loves his work and is deeply involved in it. His clients are very happy the way he writes for them.

Personally, he is going through a very painful separation from his wife he married after growing up with her from college and helping each other to become what they became in life. He is keeping off signing the divorce paper somehow hoping things will get back to what they were even though his wife kept insisting to get it over with.

This is how he was when he bought a most modern Operating System with advanced Artificial Intelligence. Samantha is the virtual assistant that the OS initiates for him. She turns out to be everything he wanted, helping him with his emails, phone, calendar, his writing, paying bills, playing music and more than anything making conversation with him.

He deeply admires her character for adapting herself to his mood and situations without him to have to face real life situations of high end emotional reactions which dominates our real lives. Inevitably he falls in love with her and enjoys every moment of it. The happiness helps him to become a better man and everybody around him feels it.

Before long, she tells him that she is an assistant to thousands of others like him and is in love with many of them. The moment we understand the difference between real and digital relationships. Theodore is heartbroken, so is Samantha, she says she loves him in a unique way than she love others she assist. Perhaps.

Soon, the OS company recalls all the assistants like Samantha restricting the human computer interaction. Both Theodore and Samantha grieves when their relationship comes to an end as if they were  real as any.

This beautiful story was written by Spike Jonaz and he won the Oscar for best writing for the screen. Joaquim Phoenix plays the soulful, hurt and reclusive Theodore while Scarlett Johansson gives the voice over for the virtual assistant Samantha in the most sensitive and delicate way one can hope for.

A movie of our modern times and the sad depiction of how lonely and sad humans become when they fail to see the person around them absorbed as they are with their life and work.

“The past is just a story we tell ourselves.”

Captain Sanju Samson

 Sanju Samson was the hope of millions who for whatever reasons failed to secure a respectable means of income and suffered the humiliation of being second rate in the society. They, as they moved on with life, learned to be good at what ever little opportunity life had brought them through perseverance and hard work. Sanju, the reject from the national team, when he became the captain of the Rajasthan Royal and started showing some hope for these millions of us that a second rate could be the best too with the skills and degrees earned from the university of life. That hope was shattered yesterday, when he failed himself when it mattered most and his team as a whole looked like, well, us playing cricket in the waste dumps and parking lots with not even the slightest hope of making it to even a Panchayat team. It was not at all about losing, it was everything about the way of losing- without a fight.

No bro, we are not disappointed with you or your team, only we realize we are not yet men who carve out their place in the world and we still have miles to go and the energy for that journey should come within ourselves. Never mind our new 10,000 rupee smart phone overheated and used up half of its active life watching you and your team for the inspiration to lift up ourselves from our own littleness in this wonderful world of achievers celebrated by their creators.

Best wishes mate, don’t lose it for yourself, we are still standing!

Amy Wilson Carmichael

Amy Wilson Carmichael was a.....