I've heard this song since I was a kid and always assumed that it was at least 100 years old when I first heard it, an old Christmas standard. But I was shocked to find out I knew nothing about it's origins after watching TCM the other night. Silver Bells was written by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans (a classic Hollywood songwriting team) for the Bob Hope film "The Lemondrop Kid" in July 1950. The song was also recorded by Hope's nemesis Bing Crosby and released in October 1950. A full 6 months before the film was released. It became an instant hit.
Bob Hope was so upset about Bing releasing "his" song and stealing his thunder that he forced Paramount to reshoot a much more elaborate version of the song which pushed the film's premier to March 1951.
Here's the final "original" version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoekfgmbe-o
