Discover the Magic: Top 13 Fun Facts About Carol of the Bells You Never Knew!

1. From well-wishing swallows to Yuletide bells

Once upon a time in a chilly land far, far away, a spirited folk tune decided it was tired of wishing people well and longed for a lyrical makeover: Enter "Carol of the Bells," the globally renowned tune that started its life in 1916 as "Shchedryk," a Ukrainian winter well-wishing song. Its enchanting melody was conjured by Mykola Leontovich, brought to life by a quirky choir director named Oleksander Koshyts, and later given an English-language facelift by American composer Peter Wilhousky, thus ringing in its fame across the globe.
Source => news.rice.edu

2. New Year's Eve party crasher

Before the swallows traded in their wings for sleigh bells and became the Yuletide heralds we know today, they had a different gig as New Year's Eve party crashers: Originally, the Ukrainian song "Shchedryk" wasn't a Christmas carol at all, but rather a tune sung on New Year's Eve to celebrate the Feast of Epiphany. The song featured a swallow swooping into a home, delivering a message of wealth and prosperity for the upcoming year. Although "Carol of the Bells" borrowed the catchy melody from "Shchedryk," the lyrics switched up the script, ditching the spring vibes and swallows for that signature bell-ringing crescendo we know and love.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

Did you know there's a 639-year-long concert happening in a medieval church in Germany? With rare chord changes like a G-sharp scheduled for February 2022, this performance truly tests the limits of time and music! 🎵⏳

=> Fun Facts about Music

3. Ukrainian folk banger takes the world stage

"Ukraine in the membrane, Ukraine in the brain!" Contrary to what you may have believed, "Carol of the Bells" owes its existence to a Ukrainian folk banger: Who knew that this beloved Yuletide earworm stems from the traditional Ukrainian song "Shchedryk," arranged by Mykola Leontovych in 1916? Performed by the Ukrainian National Chorus at Carnegie Hall in 1922 while touring the world, this melodious number soon found its way to the American choral director Peter Wilhousky, who crafted a snazzy new English version now known as the "Carol of the Bells." Ding, dong, history!
Source => slate.com

4. The blockbuster tune with a somber twist

If the Carol of the Bells were a multi-genre movie star, it'd boast a blockbuster resume that'd make Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson sing with envy: From its humble Ukrainian folk beginnings as Shchedryk in 1916, Mykola Leontovych transformed this melody into a versatile Christmas anthem that's rocked everything from Home Alone to The Simpsons and jammed in pop, rock, jazz, and R&B. But behind the fame and jingles, a somber twist remains: Leontovych was tragically assassinated in 1921, a dedicated Ukrainian patriot murdered by an undercover Soviet agent during a robbery in his parents' home.
Source => musopus.net

5. Of swallows, spring, and carol transformations

Before it decked the halls with boughs of holly, "Carol of the Bells" was singing a different tune – quite literally one without the jingle of holiday cheer: The melody, originally known as "Shchedryk," was a Ukrainian folk song about New Year celebrations, penned by Mykola Leontovych in 1916, and only morphed into the iconic Christmas theme after Peter Wilhousky's English lyrics and arrangement for the NBC Symphony Orchestra in 1936.
Source => godtube.com

6. A musical "Game of Thrones"

When musical chairs meets "Game of Thrones": Carol of the Bells has been decked out in classical, metal, jazz, and pop, but its origin story lies in a Ukrainian folk chant called "Shchedryk", a New Year celebration ditty from pre-Christian times. This catchy tune was eventually transformed into an English Christmas carol when composer Peter J. Wilhousky added a dash of lyrics, making it a holiday hit for years to come.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

7. Evolving genres and waiting for a techno remix

Before the bells jingled all the way for Santa, they chimed in the spring for Ukrainians: Carol of the Bells actually originated as a Ukrainian folk chant called "Shchedryk," which celebrated the coming of spring. Composer Mykola Leontovych turned it into a choral composition in the early 20th century, and it later transformed into the festive English song we know today – though we're still waiting on the techno remix and the heavy metal version to complete the transformation!
Source => theatlantic.com

8. Home Alone's unofficial caroler

Back in 1990, the mischievous Kevin McCallister was not only busy setting booby traps for dimwitted burglars, but he was also playing the role of an unofficial caroler: "Carol of the Bells", an iconic Christmas song, was featured on the "Home Alone" soundtrack alongside other festive favorites like "O Holy Night" and "White Christmas," courtesy of the magical composition skills of John Williams and released by Sony Music Entertainment, making our holiday season a little more nostalgic and musically enchanting ever since.
Source => discogs.com

9. The undercover New Year's Eve song

Hold your reindeer, folks: "Carol of the Bells" might jingle its way into your Christmas playlist, but it's actually an undercover Ukrainian New Year's Eve party crasher! The big reveal: Originally known as "Shchedryk," it was a "winter well-wishing song" for a prosperous year ahead and only slid down the American chimney as a Christmas classic after Peter Wilhousky rewrote the lyrics, turning the holiday's dial up to 'very merry.' But back in Ukraine, the song still rings in the Julian New Year more than it decks the halls!
Source => news.rice.edu

10. The versatile life-of-the-choir-party

If the "Carol of the Bells" were a person, it would be the life of every choir party, dipping its toes into jazz and pop, while having an all-boys' night out: This festive favorite has not only been featured in numerous songbooks and arrangements for SAB, mixed voices, and women's pop groups, but also performed by the American Boychoir, though, alas, there's not a single report of an all-animal choir rendition.
Source => singers.com

11. Carol of the Bells: from Ukraine to Beyoncé

Who needs stairway to heaven when we have carol of the bells? A thunderous jam with melodic licks sweeter than mama's Christmas pudding, rocked our ears out from Ukraine to Beyoncé: In 1922, "Carol of the Bells," originally known as "Shchedryk," first performed by the Ukrainian National Chorus in Carnegie Hall, received a festive lyrical makeover by Peter J. Wilhousky in 1936 and has since been interpreted by an array of artists, from symphonic rock bands to pop violinists.
Source => nytimes.com

12. Santa's Ukrainian musical taste

Who knew Santa Claus had a penchant for Ukrainian music? He must have jingled all the way to the Eastern European nation to find this yuletide treasure: "Carol of the Bells," composed in 1914 by Mykola Leontovych, quickly became a Christmas classic and is often performed instrumentally, known alternatively as the "Ukrainian Bell Carol."
Source => cw33.com

13. Spring wish and national pride turned Christmas classic

Before there was Mariah's "All I Want for Christmas," there was Ukraine's "All I Want is Spring and National Pride": "Carol of the Bells," originally a Ukrainian folk song called "Shchedryk," celebrated the arrival of spring and church bells' joyful ringing more than a century before becoming America's favorite jingle bell tune. It only found its way to the U.S. in 1921, when an American choir director was moved by its performance in Ukraine and transformed it into the Christmas classic we know today.
Source => nytimes.com