Lyrics RUDOLPH, THE RED-NOSED REINDEER In 1939, Montgomery Wards asked one of their copywriters to come up with a promotional gimmick. The gentleman, Robert May, came up with a coloring book featuring a reindeer named Rudolph. (May had been shy as a child and based the story on his remembered feelings of alienation.) Management was a bit worried about a story featuring a reindeer with a red nose sinces red noses are associated with drinking and drunkenness. May asked a friend from the art department, Denver Gillen, to sketch some reindeer and the resulting pictures won over the boss. Thus was the story of Rudolph born! Gene Autry recorded Rudolph in 1949 and sold 2 million copies. The song went down in history as one of our favorite Christmas tunes! You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid and Donder 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 him 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 how the reindeer loved him, As they shouted out with glee, "Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer, You'll go down in history!"