Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Written by	Johnny Marks
Date	1949
Publisher	St. Nicholas Music Inc.

Johnny Marks adapted Robert Mays' story of Rudolph into the popular children's Christmas song, "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer". The song, which tells the story of outcast Rudolph and his glowing nose which allows Santa to see to deliver his toys on a foggy Christmas night, has been recorded by numerous artists, most famously by Gene Autry in 1949. It is frequently sung with the addition of humorous echoes and/or responses to the lines by children. An example of this would be the final line "You'll go down in history!", to which the response might be "like George Washington!"

The character of Rudolph has become so iconic that he was ranked on Animal Planet's 50 Greatest TV Animals, along with Big Bird and Kermit the Frog.

Covers

• A version by Grover, Cookie Monster, Big Bird and the cast is included on the 1984 album Sesame Street Christmas Sing-Along.

• A version by Big Bird and Mr. Snuffleupagus is included on the 1998 album Elmo Saves Christmas: Holiday Favorites.

• On December 1, 2011, Kermit the Frog sang the holiday tune onstage with Santa Claus (performed by Brad Oscar) for The National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony.

References

• After a backstage accident in It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie, a fly pulley hurls Rizzo the Rat into a brick wall, making his nose glow red. Johnny Fiama and Sal Minella make fun of him quoting the song, "It's so shiny you could even say it glows." Gonzo sparks a new idea for an act in the show, "Frosty the Snow Rat." Kermit is surprised he didn't go with "Rizzo the Red-Nose Rat Deer."