Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer

    Artist: Jack Johnson

    You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen,

    Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen,

    But do you recall?

    The most famous reindeer of all?

    Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

    Has a very shiny nose

    And if you ever saw it

    You would even say it glows.

    All of the other reindeers

    Used to laugh and call him names

    They never let poor Rudolph

    Join in any reindeer games

    Then one foggy Christmas Eve,

    Santa came to say,

    Rudolph with your nose so bright,

    Won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?

    Then all the reindeers loved him,

    And they all shouted out with glee,

    Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

    You’ll go down in history!

    Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

    Had a very shiny nose

    And if you ever saw it,

    You would even say it glows,

    And all of the other reindeers

    Used to laugh and call him names,

    They never let poor Rudolph

    Join in any reindeer games,

    Then one foggy Christmas Eve,

    Santa came to say,

    Rudolph with your nose so bright,

    Won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?

    Then all the reindeers loved him,

    As they shouted out with glee,

    Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,

    You’ll go down in history!

    Background

    “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” is a song written by Johnny Marks based on the 1939 story “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” published by the Montgomery Ward Company. Marks was a radio producer who also wrote several other popular Christmas songs. The song was sung commercially by crooner Harry Brannon on New York City radio in early November 1949, before Gene Autry’s recording hit No. 1 in the U.S. charts the week of Christmas 1949. The popular Christmas song has been recorded many times. Jack Johnson recorded it in 2008 for his record label’s holiday compilation album, “This Warm December.”