Jingle bells x-mas song question

Nuuska

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Hello

My friend approached me with a question.

In finnish version we have part A + part B/chorus + part C

He is going to entertain a party, where finnish and english people can sing along.

English lyrics with part C afe not found.


So finally the question : Is there a part C in any english version? Or is it our own addendum?

thx
 

dreadnut

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A day or two ago
I tho't I'd take a ride
And soon Miss Fannie Bright
Was seated by my side.
The horse was lean and lank
Misfortune seemed his lot
He got into a drifted bank
And we—we got upsot.
 

Nuuska

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Hello

I found all kind different text versions - but they all had just verses and choruses - no part C - history of that song shows long text with at least 4 verses.
 

Brad Little

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On a slight veer, the melody commonly sung today is not the one composed by Pierpont:

Brad
 

Nuuska

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Fine - I was not thinking about inserting youtube link to show what I mean.

Here goes - at 0.50 starts what I was referring as "Part C"

 

GuildFS4612CE

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Nuuska, as I'm in a noisy public environment at the moment listening and comparing was a bit difficult.

Thank you for the link...I suspected what you meant by part C was a different melody.

It's part of the folk process...when in Canada I sat in on many sessions with the Quebecois folk society musicians...a lot of the old time fiddle tunes originated in Celtic countries and came over with the Irish potato famine orphans that were adopted by Quebecois farm families in the 1800's...the orphans were allowed to keep their Celtic names and their music...the tunes all had a Quebecois accent, but were recognizable as Celtic descent.

Lots of the old tunes/songs have as many as 5 or more parts...most people don't know all of them, just the popular versions.
It's possible that the linked 'original' version is not the complete as written but the version published in the past that the video used.

Brad's link shows that we use the same verse melody as written originally, and a different, likely easier to sing/play melody for the chorus...no 'third part', part C melody...mostly the same or similar words as the original...doubt you will find an English version of a C part.

While not understanding the Finnish words and not knowing whether you're starting with a chorus or the verse in the recording, guessing it's a verse, it sounds like you're using a variation on the original chorus melody for the verse, different from what we commonly use...the same 'jingle bells' chorus melody that we use, not the original as written, and, yes, you do use a third part that we do not use...at least not commonly...that was not in the original written version, at least in the video.

I don't read music so someone with an education and good research skills might be able to solve the riddle.

My suggestion is to go with the folk process flow...to accommodate all the guests, you could play the third part, part C, as an instrumental break when you're singing the English version, the Finnish guests can sing along to that part if they wish and know the words...the English can listen to that part and maybe learn some Finnish language...doesn't matter, they'll all be bouncing along to the tune in any language...it's a party.:very_drunk:

kudos for trying to accommodate everyone.:watermelon::watermelon::watermelon:
 

JohnW63

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I may have heard a version, in English, with the part C "break" part. The cadence of the Finish words is different, so it throws me off. I feel like I am missing something by not speaking another language, now.
 

fronobulax

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I listened. I hear a verse, chorus/refrain and understand what Part C is although I am not sure whether it "extends" the chorus or is a "bridge".

In any event, the melody is recognizable but it is not identical to what I sing. The chorus (or first part depending upon what Part C really is) is pretty much what I sing. I have never heard Part C before.

If I were at a party and someone started singing what was in the video, I would find enough that was familiar that I would join in and have a good time. I would not get everything right but I would have fun.

To veer, this talk of song structure reminds me of one of my favorite pieces of humor, a paper by Knuth on "The Complexity of Songs". (PDF here). To really get the joke you need to understand the almost god-like status of Knuth in Computer Science in the 70's, have some understanding of "algorithmic complexity", not be afraid of mathematical notation and vocabulary and have some interest in folks songs.
 

Nuuska

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I did not understand the math - but the joke was fine - thx
 

GuildFS4612CE

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To veer, this talk of song structure reminds me of one of my favorite pieces of humor, a paper by Knuth on "The Complexity of Songs". (PDF here). To really get the joke you need to understand the almost god-like status of Knuth in Computer Science in the 70's, have some understanding of "algorithmic complexity", not be afraid of mathematical notation and vocabulary and have some interest in folks songs.

Thanks, Jamie...the math is way over my head...the joke is not...I have enough folk music knowledge to 'get it'...and it's very funny.
 
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