Jingle bells - John Pierpont

Translated into ASL by David Bar-Tzur

Created 2 August 2004, links updated monthly with the help of LinkAlarm.

EXPLANATION OF THE GLOSSING SYSTEM
(to understand how I describe the signs in this translation).

1. SNOW, WE DASH-AWAY
INSIDE ONE HORSE OPEN SLEIGH.
COUNTRY~THEREABOUTS WE ZOOM.
BELLY-LAUGH WHILE WE #GO, #HA++.
HORSE HAVE BELL BELL-RATTLE.
#ALL-OF-US SPIRIT BRIGHT*.
CRAZY-FOR F-U-N (<) RIDE, (>) SING,
ABOUT SLEIGH RIDE TONIGHT.

Refrain: ||: BELL-TOLLS, BELL-TOLLS
CONTINUE"over time" WHILE WE RIDE.
CRAZY-FOR F-U-N (<) RIDE, (>) SING,
ABOUT SLEIGH RIDE TONIGHT. :||

2. (<) YESTERDAY, (>) TWO-DAY-AGO
I THINK, WHY~NOT RIDE.
AND SOON MY FRIEND
SIT SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH ME.
HORSE LOOK WEAK, SICK.
HIS LIFE SEE HARD UP-TO-NOW.
SUDDEN-WRONG HORSE HIT SNOW BANK.
TWO-OF-US-rt TAKE-A-SPILL. Refrain

3. (<) YESTERDAY, (>) TWO-DAY-AGO,
TELL-STORY INFORM-you ME MUST.
ME WALK ON I-C-E.
HIT* SLIP (1h)AWFUL*.
GENTLEMAN RIDE PASS
INSIDE ONE HORSE OPEN SLEIGH.
HE LAUGH++ ME LIE"over time".
ME LOOK-UP HELP!
BUT HE FAST SNAP-REINS
ZOOM GONE THAT'S-ALL. Refrain

4. NOW GROUND WHITE LAYER.
ENJOY WHILE YOU YOUNG.
DATE GIRL TONIGHT.
SING WITH ME THIS SONG.
FIND YOURSELVES HORSE
MAKE SURE RUN FAST CAN.
CONNECT TO OPEN SLEIGH.
CRACK-WHIP ZOOM. Refrain


Notes: DASH-AWAY - [V:], PO down, FO away, moves away in a curved pattern.

SLEIGH - (2h)[V:], POs up, make a curlique like sleigh runners starting from the inside curl and ending with the flat runners.

ZOOM - [G], PO > NDS, FO up, moves directly away rapidly while closing to a [bO].

#GO - [G], PO > NDS, FO up, moves slightly to side while closing to a [bO].

#ALL-OF-US - [A], PO > NDS, FO up touches DS shoulder then [L^], PO > signer touches NDS shoulder.

CRAZY-FOR - [5:], PO > singer, FO up, is shaken slightly from side to side.

The signs between "||:" and ":||" are to be repeated.

BELL-TOLLS - [O^], PO down, FO away, strikes NDH [B], PO > DS, FO away, and then shakes as it travels > DS.

SIDE-BY-SIDE - (2h)[V:], POs down, FOs away, descend slightly while side by side.

SUDDEN-WRONG - [Y], PO > NDS, FO up, twists until PO is > signer and strikes chin to show an unexpected (negative) result.

BANK - Hand moves in a curving pattern to show what the snow bank looks like. (Use your imagination!)

TAKE-A-SPILL - Use the classifiers to show two people at first sitting in a sleigh but then being throw forward and upwards and then down with a plop.

HIT* - An emphatic form of HIT to show a sudden unexpected result.

SNAP-REINS - (2h)[bX], POs > signer, FOs ><, hold onto imaginary reins and snap them to make the horse move faster.

THAT'S-ALL - FINISH with the mouthing "that's all".

LAYER - [C], PO away, FO up, moves to show a horizontal layer.

CRACK-WHIP - [bX], PO > NDS holds onto an imaginary whip and snaps it.

OFF-YOU-GO - [5], PO > signer, FO up, moves away suddenly and closes to a [O^].

Lyrics:

1. Dashing through the snow
In a one-horse open sleigh
Through the fields we go
Laughing all the way.
Bells on bob-tail ring
Making spirits bright
What fun it is to ride and sing
A sleighing song tonight.

Refrain: Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way,
Oh what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh, O
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way,
Oh what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.

2. A day or two ago
I thought I'd take a ride
And soon Miss Fanny Bright
Was seated by my side;
The horse was lean and lank
Misfortune seemed his lot,
We ran into a drifted bank
And there we got upsot.

3. 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 at me as
I there sprawling laid
But quickly drove away.

4. Now the ground is white,
Go it while you're young,
Take the girls along
And sing this sleighing song.
Just bet a bob-tailed bay,
Two-forty as his speed,
Hitch him to an open sleigh
and crack! You'll take the lead.

treble clef as a symbol for musicTo hear the music (without words), go to Christmas sing: Jingle bells. (I hope you like country music!)

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