We are divided throughout the holidays between those who love Christmas music and those who are a little less jolly when it comes to the music of the season. It’s not just the use of bells jingling in every other song, it’s also the lyrics that include phases that we never use any other time of year. So here is our guide to decoding the lyrics.
Bobtails
“Bells on bobtails ring, making spirits bright” is a line many sing without knowing what a bobtail is. A bobtail is a short tail of an animal, usually a horse or dog. When riding in that “one-horse open sleigh,” the horse has a shortened bobtail decorated with bells.
Figgy Pudding
The song “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” includes the lyric, “Oh, bring us some figgy pudding.” In England 800 years ago in England, figgy pudding was a dish made with beef, mutton, raisins, prunes, wine, and spices.
Hark
Ever since it was written in 1739, “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” has been one of the most popular Christmas Carols. “Hark” is from the Old English verb “hearken,” which means “listen.”
Yuletide
In the song “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” the line “Make the Yuletide gay” essentially means “to make the Christmas season cheerful.” The word “Yule” itself is an Old English word that refers to Christmas Day. Instead of just referring to Christmas Day, now yule refers to the holiday season.
And finally, there’s “TATER TOTS WITH THEIR EYES ALL AGLOW…”
