Why Is The Tune Of Jingle Bells So Addictive?

[FayetheADHDsquirrel]

Does anyone else come up with alternative versions (sometimes sung aloud and others just cycling in your head)?
For example, walking or skipping past the chicken pens while they are clucking
"Bock, bock, bock,
Bock, bock, bock
All around the clock"
Or when extracting keys from pocket to unlock a door
"Jingle keys
Jingle keys
Open that door please "
Often accompanied by an urge (sometimes acted on and other times not to toss the keys into the air and catch them.

 

[Hazel_1914]

It is an interesting tune and originally was titled "Sleigh-Ride Party" when it was composed in the late 19th century. It also was originally associated with Thanksgiving Day as far as I can remember, but I may be slipping a little bit.

 

[AGXStarseed]

Honestly, I find a lot of Christmas Music to be obnoxiously catchy - not just Jingle Bells.

 

[RemyZee]

As soon as the chipmunks come out I turn off the Christmas music. But I used to go to the Unitarian church where the man who wrote Jingle Bells was music director.

https://www.savannahnow.com/gcdn/pr...320&height=880&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp

 

[Jumpinbare]

I had no idea it was addictive. I guess I'm immune to that one. Though I did like one variant as a kid:

Jingle Bells, Batman smells
Robin laid an egg
Batmobile lost a wheel
And Joker got away

 

[FayetheADHDsquirrel]

@Jumpinbare Your comment caused me to Google "Do bats have a stinky smell ".

Smelly Bats and Bats that Smell

 

[AGXStarseed]

I had no idea it was addictive. I guess I'm immune to that one. Though I did like one variant as a kid:

Jingle Bells, Batman smells
Robin laid an egg
Batmobile lost a wheel
And Joker got away

The variation my family used to sing instead said "Robin flew away" rather than him laying an egg.

 

[FayetheADHDsquirrel]

As soon as the chipmunks come out I turn off the Christmas music.

I am assuming that you listen to the radio. Have you considered getting CDs that have the songs you do like?

 

[Judge]

Kirk: "Spock, is Jingle Bells addictive to Vulcans?"
Spock: "Whaaaaaat? Uh.....no, Bill. Besides, I'm Jewish."

Shatner: "I knew that, Leonard."
Nimoy: "Glad you noticed, Bill."

Chekov: "Jingle Bells ? It was inwented in Russia !"

Shatner: "Oh shut up, Walter !
Nimoy: "What he said."

Nurse Chapel: "Ok guys, can we get back to the script ?"
Bones: "That will be all, Chapel."

Majel Barrett: "Wanna make a bet, Dee ? GENE ! They're outta control- again!"

Scotty: "The Haggis is in the fire for sure. After all, she married the boss."
Spock: "Indeed, Commander. Flawlessly logical."
Bones: "In a pig's eye!"

Just another day in the Star Trek Universe....

 

[vergil96]

I personally find this song annoying

 

[Aspychata]

Drummer Boy can sit on repeat in my head at times.

 

[Masked Man]

My local stores start playing Christmas music the day after Halloween. I'm not personally a fan of Christmas music and I avoid it. It's overkill.

 

[AGXStarseed]

My local stores start playing Christmas music the day after Halloween. I'm not personally a fan of Christmas music and I avoid it. It's overkill.

Depends on the song for me as to whether I can listen to it multiple times or not.

Ironically, the songs can sound pretty interesting when you see artists make them using a different style, like this version of "Carol of the Bells" which has a darker, 'Epic' tone to it,
(Honestly, the way it sounds and the image of the Santa it uses makes it feel less like Santa is coming down the chimney to give good children presents and more like he's preparing to march off to war):

 

[Masked Man]

Depends on the song for me as to whether I can listen to it multiple times or not.

Ironically, the songs can sound pretty interesting when you see artists make them using a different style, like this version of "Carol of the Bells" which has a darker, 'Epic' tone to it,
(Honestly, the way it sounds and the image of the Santa it uses makes it feel less like Santa is coming down the chimney to give good children presents and more like he's preparing to march off to war):

This is precisely the reason why I like the way some central and eastern European countries celebrate Christmas - the ones who incorporate Krampus into the folklore. It's dark and somewhat sinister and to me it balances the sugary sweetness of Christmas.

 

[AGXStarseed]

This is precisely the reason why I like the way some central and eastern European countries celebrate Christmas - the ones who incorporate Krampus into the folklore. It's dark and somewhat sinister and to me it balances the sugary sweetness of Christmas.

Yeah, European countries do have a lot of creepier stuff - not just Krampus but with Iceland having Gryla, her 13 "Yule Lads" and her "Yule Cat", Normandy having festive hobgoblins called "Lutins" (who can be both naughty and nice), Wales having a Zombie Horse called "Mari Llwyd" and Austria having an evil witch named Frau Perchta and her army of Krampus-like "Perchtan" demons among others.

Ironically, Italy and Russia also have a kindly Christmas Witch called La Befana/Baboushka (depending on where you're from) who travels around on a broomstick and leaves cookies and gifts in the houses of well-behaved children, while there are other friendlier characters like Scandanavia's "Tomten" and Sweden's "Yule Goat" among others.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

When thinking of holiday songs my mind goes to Pogo and "Deck us al with Boston Charlie."
Deck us all with Boston Charlie,
Walla Walla, Wash., an’ Kalamazoo!
Nora’s freezin’ on the trolley,
Swaller dollar cauliflower alley-garoo!

Don’t we know archaic barrel
Lullaby Lilla Boy, Louisville Lou?
Trolley Molly don’t love Harold,
Boola boola Pensacoola hullabaloo!

Bark us all bow-wows of folly,
Polly wolly cracker ‘n’ too-da-loo!
Donkey Bonny brays a carol,
Antelope Cantaloupe, ‘lope with you!

Hunky Dory’s pop is lolly,
Gaggin’ on the wagon, Willy, folly go through!
Chollie’s collie barks at Barrow,
Harum scarum five alarm bung-a-loo!

Dunk us all in bowls of barley,
Hinky dinky dink an’ polly voo!
Chilly Filly’s name is Chollie,
Chollie Filly’s jolly chilly view halloo!

Bark us all bow-wows of folly,
Double-bubble, toyland trouble! Woof, woof, woof!
Tizzy seas on melon collie!
Dibble-dabble, scribble-scrabble! Goof, goof, goof!

 

[RemyZee]

I am assuming that you listen to the radio. Have you considered getting CDs that have the songs you do like?

No CD player. This is more my style of Christmas music lol :

 

[FayetheADHDsquirrel]

@RemyZee We actually have a CD that has that song on it as well as that DVD.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

Kirk: "Spock, is Jingle Bells addictive to Vulcans?"
Spock: "Whaaaaaat? Uh.....no, Bill. Besides, I'm Jewish."

Shatner: "I knew that, Leonard."
Nimoy: "Glad you noticed, Bill."

Chekov: "Jingle Bells ? It was inwented in Russia !"

Shatner: "Oh shut up, Walter !
Nimoy: "What he said."

Nurse Chapel: "Ok guys, can we get back to the script ?"
Bones: "That will be all, Chapel."

Majel Barrett: "Wanna make a bet, Dee ? GENE ! They're outta control- again!"

Scotty: "The Haggis is in the fire for sure. After all, she married the boss."
Spock: "Indeed, Commander."

Just another day in the Star Trek Universe....

Re: Star Trek. I am just now reading Redshirts, by John Scalzi about the transporter extras, who get killed on away teams, as in Star Trek, but they find out they are living (and die) in a script of a knock off series.

 

[Dagan]

I wrote my own Christmas song. Oops. I covered another Christmas song once, as well. I put actual jingle bells in the jingle bells tune into the song for a moment...while also whistling it somewhat. Double oops.