Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" is a popular Christmas story that has been told in numerous forms including a popular song, a television special, and even a feature film.

In the song, Rudolph is one of Santa Claus' reindeer.

Rudolph's biography

Rudolph is one of Santa Claus's nine flying reindeer that pull his sleigh. He has a magical "red nose" that provides a light to guide Santa through the dark night of Christmas eve.

Rudolph's origins

Rudolph's story was originally written in verse by Robert L. May for the Montgomery Ward chain of department stores in 1939 and published as a book to be given to children in the store at Christmas time.

According to this story, Rudolph was the son of Donner, one of Santa's eight original reindeer (who were first mentioned in the famous poem A Visit from St. Nicholas). Rudolph was born with a glowing red nose, which made him a social outcast among the other reindeer. However, one Christmas eve it was too foggy for Santa Claus to make his flight around the world. About to cancel, Santa suddenly noticed Rudolph's nose, and decided it could be a makeshift lamp to guide his sleigh. Since then Rudolph has been said to be a permanent member of Santa's team.

The song

Johnny Marks, May's brother-in-law, decided to adapt May's story into a song, which through the years has been recorded by many artists (most notably by Gene Autry in 1949), and has since filtered into the popular consciousness.

The song contains these 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 all the reindeer loved him

As they shouted out with glee:

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,

You'll go down in history!

In the U.S. the song is sometimes performed (usually by children) in a humorous manner with additional lyrics. These lyrics are to be recited as a sort of response at the end of most of the lines in the song. Sample lyrics follow (responses in bold):

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (reindeer)

Had a very shiny nose (like a light bulb)

And if you ever saw him (saw him)

You would even say it glows (like a lightbulb/flashlight)''

All of the other reindeer (reindeer)

Used to laugh and call him names (like Pinocchio)

''They never let poor Rudolph (Rudolph)

Join in any reindeer games (like Monopoly)

Then one foggy Christmas Eve

Santa came to say (Happy Birthday!), or (Ho-ho-ho!), or (in his underwear!)

"Rudolph, with your nose so bright,

Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?" (alright!)

Then all the reindeer loved him (loved him)

As they shouted out with glee: (Yippee!) or (Hooray!)

''Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, (reindeer)

You'll go down in history! (like George Washington) or (like Columbus) or (like Elvis) or (like Wayne Gretsky) or (like The Flinstones) etc.

Or, as it was sung on The Simpsons:

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Had a very shiny nose

And if you ever saw it

You would even say it glows (like a lightbulb)''

All of the other reindeer

Used to laugh and call him names (like shnozzola!)''

They never let poor Rudolph

Join in any reindeer games (like Strip Poker)

Then one foggy Christmas Eve

Santa came to say:

"Rudolph get your nose over here,

so you guide my sleigh today." - Homer couldnt remember the lyrics correctly and probably just made it up as it came.

Then all the reindeer loved him

As they shouted out with glee:

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

You'll go down in history! - Bart then ends the song with: like Attila the Hun before Homer cuts off Bart's singing by choking him.

The 1960 version produced by Alvin and the Chipmunks is done in a straightforward way, except that Rudolph joins the boys, and it is clear from his voice that he is "stuffed up" with a head cold, as he is unable to say certain words correctly, and this is presumed to be the explanation for his nose being red:

Rudolph with your dose so bright

Won't you guide my sleigh todight?

The popular song "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" in its Finnish translation, Petteri Punakuono, has led to Rudolph's general acceptance in the mythology as Joulupukki's, the Finnish Santa's, lead reindeer. However, Santa's reindeer in the Finnish version do not fly.

Rudolph in the media

Theatrical cartoon short

Rudolph's first screen appearance came in 1948, in the form of a theatrical cartoon short, produced by Max Fleischer for the Jam Handy Corporation, that was more faithful to May's original story than Marks' eventual song.

Animated TV special

Main article: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (television special)

The most famous incarnation of the reindeer debuted on NBC in 1964, when Rankin/Bass produced a stop motion animated TV special of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer that became a popular hit in itself. This version was re-broadcast many times over the years, even after it was finally released on video. CBS now airs it each year, making it the longest running TV special.

It is narrated by Sam the Snowman (Burl Ives), who tells that when Rudolph was first born, he had a red light-up nose. Donner, Rudolph's father, wants to hide it, but Rudolph's not the only one who's different. One elf, Hermey, wants to be a dentist instead of a toy-making elf. Hermey and Rudolph take off together and meet Yukon Cornelius, who is seeking silver and gold. They have to beware of the Abominable Snow-monster (whom Yukon refers to as the Bumble), and stumble upon the Island of Misfit Toys, populated with toys such as a "Charlie-in-the-box", a train with square wheels, and a cowboy who rides an ostrich. They want to stay on the island, but King Moon Racer, ruler of the island, says it is for toys only. Rudolph's family is looking for him, and Hermey, who wants to be a dentist, defeats the Bumble by pulling out all his teeth. When they get back to the North Pole, the toothless Bumble puts the star on top of the tree. When there is a strong fog, Santa relies on Rudolph as a beacon, and Rudolph gets them to the Island of Misfit Toys and at the end, the toys are given homes (they are dropped out of the sleigh behind the credits via umbrellas).

In 2001, a sequel to the Rankin-Bass original special was produced, entitled Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys, produced entirely with computer animation, as opposed to traditional stop-motion animation; however, care was taken to make the computer-generated characters resemble their stop-motion counterparts from the original special as much as possible.

Animated feature-length film

An animated feature film remake of the fictional story of Rudolph was produced in 1998, entitled Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie, but this version of the story paled in comparison with the Rankin-Bass classic, both in terms of quality and box-office revenue. It only saw a limited theatrical release before quickly being sent to home video.

Satirical reference

In his novelty song, Santa Claus is Watching You!, Ray Stevens has the camel named "Clyde" (of A-hab the A-rab fame) leading the reindeer instead, because "Rudolph sprained his hip in a Twist contest!"

External links

Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer Classic TV website with Rankin/Bass Lyrics, Games and Gallery]
History of Rudolph
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Radio
The Legendary Role of Reindeer in Christmas

Gourt Home::Gourt :: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Rudolph's biography

Rudolph's origins

The song

Rudolph in the media

Theatrical cartoon short

Animated TV special

Animated feature-length film

Satirical reference

See also

External links