'Jingle Bell Rock': Everything you want to know about Bobby Helms' Christmas hit

As 2021 rolls into December, the Christmas classic "Jingle Bell Rock" can be heard on the radio, in one's favorite holiday playlist or simply hummed by a nearby loved one in the spirit of the season.

While you may know every lyric by heart, check out these pieces of trivia that you can whip out at your next holiday party.

Who wrote 'Jingle Bell Rock'?

The question of the song's authorship remains mired in a bit of debate to this day.

Joseph Carleton Beal and James Ross Boothe are credited as the songwriters of "Jingle Bell Rock" on the record label and by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. The holiday hit, recorded first by famous and familiar Hoosier Bobby Helms, saw immediate success in radio play in 1957 and it is now firmly placed in the repertoire of Christmas music for many holiday playlists, movie soundtracks and more.

Helms has famously claimed to have written part of "Jingle Bell Rock" despite never receiving songwriter credits. When Beal and Boothe presented the song to Helms, he said he didn't think it was even worth recording at first.

"I really didn't want to cut it because it was such a bad song. So me and one of the musicians worked on it for about an hour putting a melody to it and we put a bridge to it," Helms told The Indianapolis Star about the song in a 1992 interview.

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More than half a century after its release, Jingle Bell Rock continues to break records. In January 2019, Helm's "Jingle Bell Rock" entered the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time by reaching No. 8. With this achievement, Helms broke the record for the longest wait of an artist to be within the Hot 100's top 10 spots after their first appearance on the chart — a little over 60 years.

On Jan. 4, 2020, Helms' record peaked again, this time No. 3, on the Hot 100 chart.

The single has since been covered by many legendary artists such as Wayne Newton, George Strait and Hall and Oates.

Where was Bobby Helms from?

Helms was born in Bloomington, Indiana, on Aug. 15, 1933 (some sources say the birth was actually in nearby Helmsburg in Brown County). Helms began his career in music as a country duo with his brother, Freddy, who accompanied him on guitar. The so-named "Helms Brothers" saw regional success and were asked to appear on Bloomington's Hayloft Frolic television show.

Helms eventually saw a meteoric rise as a solo performer. Helms' debut country single, “Fraulein,” hit No. 1 on the country charts in April 1957 with his second No. 1 hit, “My Special Angel” releasing in October of that same year. That December, Helms released "Jingle Bell Rock," cementing his legacy in country music and beyond.

Helms spent many of his later years living in nearby Martinsville, Indiana. Suffering from emphysema and asthma in his later years, he died in 1997 at the age of 63.

Has the 2021 Jingle Bell Rock already been found?

No, it has not, but the contest is only days away from starting.

Every year, Nevada-based radio station, 96.3 KKLZ, hosts a scavenger hunt for the Jingle Bell Rock, a medium-sized rock slab with KKLZ's logo printed on one side. In early December, the rock is hidden in plain sight somewhere in Clark County, Nevada. Whoever finds the rock will win $10,000.

In the lead up to the hunt, the Mike & Carla Morning Show on KKLZ gives five hints each weekday of the rock's location.

People can begin hunting for the rock Friday, Dec. 10. Facebook groups and fan-run websites have sprouted out from this annual competition.

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Is 'Jingle Bell Rock' a royalty-free song?

No, "Jingle Bell Rock" is still currently under copyright protection, so no one can use it without the author or owner's permission. The person who wants to use a song under copyright protection is usually charged royalties in exchange for that permission.

Song recordings from 1957 to 1972, such as "Jingle Bell Rock," will enter the public domain in 2067, according to the Music Modernization Act.

Did 'Mean Girls' perform 'Jingle Bell Rock'?

In a now iconic scene of the 2004 cult classic "Mean Girls," the titular girl group performs a rendition of "Jingle Bell Rock" during their high school's winter talent show. The scene is one of the most memorable from the film with one clip of the performance boasting 67 million views alone on YouTube.

Helms' "Jingle Bell Rock" has appeared in many films over the years such as "Lethal Weapon" and "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York."

Contact Rachel Smith at rksmith@heraldt.com or @RachelSmithNews on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: 'Jingle Bell Rock': Bobby Helms hit enjoys continual Christmas play