Many songs thought of as Christmas “classics” come out of movies that don’t necessarily shout “Christmas”. The Lemon Drop Kid is one such movie.
Bob Hope is the Lemon Drop Kid, who runs afoul of a mobster and has to raise $10,000 by a Christmas eve “deadline” or face the consequences. He cons all the small-time racketeers to become corner Santa’s to raise money for the Nellie Thursday Home for old dolls, a retirement home he created for Nellie Thursday, a favorite of the racketeers. His intent is to steal the funds after they are raised to pay the mobster.
Silver Bells is the Lemon Drop Kid’s motivational songs to one of the racketeers to help him get people to give more. Watch the video and see what Bob Hope does when he sing “thoughts devotional.”
Silver bells, silver bells, it’s Christmas time, in the city.
Ring a-ling, hear them ring, soon it will be Christmas Day
City sidewalks, busy sidewalks, dressed in holiday style,
In the air there’s a feeling of Christmas.
Children laughing, people passing, meeting smile after smile,
And on every street corner you hear —
Silver bells, silver bells, it’s Christmas time, in the city
Ring a-ling, hear them ring, soon it will be Christmas Day.
Christmas makes you feel emotional,
It may bring parties or thoughts devotional.
Whatever happens or what may be,
Here is what Christmastime means to me –
Strings of street lights, even stoplights
Blink a bright red and green,
As the shoppers rush home with their treasures.
Hear the snow crunch, see the kids bunch,
This is Santa’s big scene,
And above all this bustle you hear –
Silver bells, silver bells, it’s Christmas time, in the city
Ring a-ling, hear them ring, soon it will be Christmas Day.
The movie also has another wonderful musical number, “It doesn’t cost a dime to dream.” It is a beautiful duet between Hope and his co-star, Marilyn Maxwell.
This is classic Bob Hope and classic Christmas, worth a watch if you have never seen it, and worth rewatching if you have already seen it.
At The Rainbow 