In 1950, songwriting partners Jay Livingston and Ray Evans wrote what they thought would be a huge hit song about the tinkly bells that department store Santas and Salvation Army volunteers ring at Christmastime.
They called it "Tinkle Bells."
Well, they did until Livingston went home and told his wife, Lynne. Her response? "Are you guys insane? Don't you know what tinkle is slang for?" Livingston and Evans quickly changed it to "Silver Bells," which was first sung by Bob Hope and Carol Richards in the film "The Lemon Drop Kid."
The song became an instant Christmas classic, so we can all thank Lynne Livingston for the fact that we don't have to sing "Tinkle Bells" each year.
Click on the player below to listen to each entry in Dan's series "The Forgotten History of Our Favorite Christmas Carols."