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 croonerHarry 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]
1950: The song was recorded by Bing Crosby on June 22, 1950[20] 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.[21]
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.[22]
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.[23]
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).[27] Their version of the song was also included on the group's 1970 Christmas album, The Temptations Christmas Card.
Charts
Dean Martin version
Weekly charts
Weekly chart performance for "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" by Dean Martin
