Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Not about the birth of our Savior, but still a good Christmas story

Dec 26, 2024

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published

“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” was recorded 75 years ago by the country-music singer and movie star Gene Autry, and quickly rocketed off on a flight that’s yet to land. It spent the last week of December 1949 as Billboard’s best-selling pop single and children’s record, and fourth best-selling country and western record; it was that week’s third most-played song on the radio and the fourth among jukeboxes, according to the magazine….

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published

Stars including Ella Fitzgerald, Dolly Parton, Ray Charles, the Temptations, DMX and the Chipmunks have stretched the song in all directions. It has been bebopped, soul-infused, tranquilized, saddled with twang, rocked, rapped and made to cha-cha….

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published

“If I told you today how much money I made on Rudolph,” [Rudolph songwriter Johnny Marks] told The Associated Press in 1958, “my kids would be kidnapped tomorrow.”

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published

FULL STORY HERE.