Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer (song)
"Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" | |
---|---|
![]() Gene Autry single cover | |
Single by Gene Autry | |
B-side | "If It Doesn't Snow on Christmas" |
Published | January 12, 1949 (1949-01-12) by John David Marks (self-published)[1] May 9, 1949 by St. Nicholas Music Publishing Co.[1] |
Released | September 1949[2] |
Recorded | June 27, 1949[2] |
Genre | Christmas |
Length | 3:10 |
Label | Columbia 38610 |
Songwriter(s) | Johnny Marks |
"Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" is a song by songwriter Johnny Marks based on the 1939 story Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer published by the Montgomery Ward Company.[3] Gene Autry's recording hit No. 1 on the U.S. charts the week of Christmas 1949.
History
In 1939, Marks' brother-in-law, Robert L. May, created the character Rudolph as an assignment for Montgomery Ward, and Marks decided to adapt the story of Rudolph into a song.[4] English singer-songwriter and entertainer Ian Whitcomb interviewed Marks about the creation of the song in 1972.[5]
The song had an added introduction, paraphrasing the poem "A Visit from Saint Nicholas" (in the public domain by the time the song was written), stating the names of the eight reindeer: "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?"
The song was first introduced live on New York Radio (WOR) by crooner Harry Brannon in November 1949.[6][7] Gene Autry recorded the song on June 27, 1949,[8] and it was released as a children's record by Columbia Records in September 1949.[9] By November, Columbia had begun pushing the record to the pop music market. It hit No. 1 in the US charts during Christmas 1949.
The song had been suggested as a "B" side for a record Autry was making. He first rejected it, but his wife convinced him to use it. The official date of its No. 1 status was the week ending January 7, 1950, making it the first No. 1 song of the 1950s.[10] Autry's version of the song also holds the distinction of being the only chart-topping hit to fall completely off the chart after reaching No. 1. The success of the Christmas song gave support to Autry's subsequent popular Easter song, "Here Comes Peter Cottontail".[citation needed]
The song was also performed on the December 6, 1949, Fibber McGee and Molly radio broadcast by Teeny (Marian Jordan's little girl character) and the Kingsmen vocal group. The lyrics varied greatly from the Autry version.[11] Autry's recording sold 1.75 million copies its first Christmas season and 1.5 million the following year.[12] In 1969, it was awarded a gold disk by the RIAA for sales of 7 million, which was Columbia's highest-selling record at the time.[13] It eventually sold a total of 12.5 million. Cover versions included, sales exceed 150 million copies, second only to Bing Crosby's "White Christmas".[14][15]
Autry recorded another version of the song in the fall of 1957, and released it the same year through his own record label, Challenge Records. This version featured an accompaniment by a full orchestra and chorus. This was the only other version of the song Autry recorded and released on an album.[16]
In 1959, Chuck Berry released a recording of a sequel, "Run Rudolph Run" (sometimes called "Run Run Rudolph"), originally credited to Berry but subsequent releases are often credited to Marks and Marvin Brodie.
In December 2018, Autry's original version entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 36, nearly 70 years after it first charted. It climbed to No. 27 the week ending December 22, 2018.[17] and peaked at No. 16 the week ending January 5, 2019.[18]
In 2024, Gene Autry's recording was inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being ''culturally, historically or aesthetically significant''.
Other notable recordings
- 1950: The song was recorded by Bing Crosby on June 22, 1950[19] with John Scott Trotter and his Orchestra. His version reached No. 6 on Billboard's Best Selling Children's Records chart and No. 14 on Billboard's pop singles chart that year.[20]
- 1950: Spike Jones and his City Slickers released a version of the song that peaked at No. 7 on Billboard's pop singles chart and No. 8 on Billboard's Best Selling Children's Records chart.[21]
- 1951: Red Foley and The Little Foleys released a version of the song that peaked at No. 8 on Billboard's Best Selling Children's Records chart.[22]
- 1956: The Cadillacs released a doo-wop version of the song that peaked at No. 11 on Billboard's Rhythm & Blues Records chart.[23]
- 1959: by Dean Martin is a very popular cover of the song every year. From the album A Winter Romance.
- 1960: David Seville and the Chipmunks recorded a popular cover for their album Around the World with The Chipmunks that charted at No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100. In their version, Rudolph himself sang with the Chipmunks, his vocals indicating suffering from a cold (hence the red nose). This particular version would be reused for their 1961 album Christmas with The Chipmunks with another version for the 1994 album A Very Merry Chipmunk being a duet with Gene Autry.
- 1960: The Melodeers released a doo-wop version of the song that peaked at No. 72 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart.[24]
- 1964: Burl Ives recorded the song for the soundtrack of the holiday TV special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. The soundtrack album containing Ives's version reached No. 92 on the Billboard 200 albums sales chart.[25] He would re-record the song the following year for his holiday album Have a Holly Jolly Christmas.
- 1968: The Temptations released a version of the song that peaked at No. 12 on Billboard's special, year-end, weekly Christmas Singles chart (this same version later got as high as No. 3 on the same chart in December 1971).[26] Their version of the song was also included on the group's 1970 Christmas album, The Temptations Christmas Card.
- 2001: American girl group Destiny's Child recorded the song for their Christmas album, 8 Days Of Christmas.
Charts
Dean Martin versionWeekly charts
Certifications and sales
Burl Ives versionWeekly charts
All-time charts
| Gene Autry & The Pinafores versionWeekly charts
All-time charts
|
See also
References
- ASCAP Work ID: 480058686 (ISWC T0701273995)
- ^ a b Library of Congress. Copyright Office. (1949). Catalog of Copyright Entries 1949 Published Music Jan-Dec 3D Ser Vol 3 Pt 5A. United States Copyright Office. U.S. Govt. Print. Off.
- ^ a b "GeneAutry.com: Music, Movies & More - The Essential Gene Autry, 1931-1953". Autry.com. Archived from the original on December 6, 2017. Retrieved December 6, 2017.
- ^ Bloom, Nate (December 11, 2011). "Shining a Light on the Largely Untold Story of the Origins of Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer". InterfaithFamily.com. Archived from the original on December 13, 2019. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
- ^ Kim, Wook (December 17, 2012). "Yule Laugh, Yule Cry: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Beloved Holiday Songs". Time. Archived from the original on December 21, 2014.
- ^ "Ian Whitcomb Interviews Johnny Marks". YouTube. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
- ^ US Census Bureau, Census History Staff. "December 2019 - History - U.S. Census Bureau". Census.gov. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
- ^ "Tim McGraw and Faith Hill's Daughter Gracie Showers off in Scenic Ocean Shot". Country Music. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
- ^ George-Warren, Holly (May 7, 2007). Public Cowboy No. 1 The Life and Times of Gene Autry. Oxford University Press. pp. 250–251. ISBN 978-0195177466.
- ^ Billboard Magazine Sep. 24, 1949, page 37
- ^ Casey Kasem American Top 40 April 8, 1979
- ^ Video on YouTube
- ^ Green, Abel (December 20, 1961). "Alltime Yule Money Songs". Variety. p. 1.
- ^ "Goldisk Finally To Autry's 'Rudolph'". Variety. December 24, 1969. p. 2.
- ^ Badger, Reid; Salem, James (December 22, 1996). "America's Holiday Sound– Distinctive artists". The Tuscaloosa News. Retrieved October 17, 2013.
- ^ Jackson, Kenneth T. (August 15, 1998). The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Volume 1. Gale. p. 550. ISBN 9780684804927. Retrieved October 17, 2013.
, while Autry's version of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" sold more than 12.5 million copies
- ^ "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer Song Information". Geneautry.com. Gene Autry Entertainment. Archived from the original on December 5, 2019. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
- ^ "Gene Autry". Billboard.com. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
- ^ "US Top 40 Singles Week Ending January 5, 2019". Top40Weekly.com. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
- ^ "A Bing Crosby Discography". BING magazine. International Club Crosby. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004). Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 31. ISBN 0-89820-161-6.
- ^ Whitburn p. 43
- ^ Whitburn p. 36
- ^ Whitburn p. 25
- ^ Whitburn p. 49
- ^ "Burl Ives - Chart history|Billboard". billboard.com. Archived from the original on April 12, 2016. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
- ^ Whitburn p. 61
- ^ "Dean Martin – Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
- ^ "Dean Martin – Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
- ^ "Billboard Global 200: Week of January 6, 2024". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
- ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
- ^ "2023 52-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. December 29, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
- ^ "Dean Martin – Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
- ^ "Dean Martin – Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
- ^ "Dean Martin – Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
- ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Dean Martin; 'Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
- ^ "British single certifications – Dean Martin – Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
- ^ "Burl Ives Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
- ^ "Burl Ives – Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
- ^ "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Burl Ives | Official Charts". OCC. Archived from the original on December 30, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
- ^ "Burl Ives Chart History (Holiday 100)". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 30, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
- ^ "Burl Ives Chart History (Country Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 30, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
- ^ "Burl Ives Chart History (Country Streaming Songs)". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 30, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
- ^ a b "Greatest of All Time Holiday 100 Songs". Billboard. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
- ^ "Gene Autry Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
- ^ "Gene Autry Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
- ^ "Gene Autry Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
- ^ "Gene Autry Chart History (Holiday 100)". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 30, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
- ^ "Gene Autry Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
- ^ "Gene Autry Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
External links
- "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" performed by Gene Autry on YouTube
- Interview with Johnny Marks writing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
- Interview with Johnny Marks in International Songwriters Association's "Songwriter Magazine"
- v
- t
- e
- "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
- "Run Rudolph Run"
adaptations
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1948 film short)
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964 TV special)
- Rudolph's Shiny New Year (1976 TV special)
- Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July (1979 TV film)
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie (1998 film)
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys (2001 made-for-video film)
- Christmas
- Robert L. May
- Santa Claus's reindeer
- Video game
- Rankin/Bass