Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Words and Music by Johnny Marks, based on the poem by Robert May
Copyright ©1949 by Johnny Marks. Renewed 1977.
Words and Music by Johnny Marks, based on the poem by Robert May
Copyright ©1949 by Johnny Marks. Renewed 1977.
Verse: 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?
Comet and Cupid, and Donner* and Blitzen*,
But do you recall,
The most famous reindeer of all?
Chorus: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer had a very shiny nose,
And if you ever saw it, you could 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."
And if you ever saw it, you could 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."
* The original German names for these two reindeer were Dunder and Blixem. Blixem was changed to Blitzen by C. Clement Moore to better rhyme with Vixen, and Dunder to Donder. This was close to the German for "Thunder and Lightning," although Donner is more accurate for Thunder. The change from Donder to Donner by Marks for the song is unexplained, although logically it may have been easier to sing in English. Donner has also been often applied to post-1950 reprints of Moore's poem A Visit From St. Nicholas or The Night Before Christmas as a result of Rudolph, as well as popular films including the antlered gang of eight.
