About The Song
Gene Autry’s rendition of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” achieved significant popularity, hitting No. 1 on the U.S. charts in Christmas week 1949. The song was written by Johnny Marks based on the 1939 story published by Montgomery Ward Company. Autry first performed the song on his CBS Radio program, Melody Ranch, on October 8, 1949.
Autry’s rendition quickly became a Christmas classic, selling 2.5 million copies within a year. The song’s popularity further increased with its adaptation into a children’s TV special in 1964, narrated by Burl Ives, expanding the story with new elements like the Island Of Misfit Toys.
Video
Lyrics
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
Had a very shiny nose
And if you ever saw it
You would even say it glows
All of the other reindeer
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 how the reindeer loved him
As they 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
All of the other reindeer
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 how the reindeer loved him
As they shouted out with glee
“Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer
You’ll go down in history!”