Christmas Music: The Little Red-Nosed Reindeer

Christmas Melody

Origin of the song

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer est un personnage qui a d’abord été créé dans un poème composé en 1939 par Robert L. May, avant de donner birth à la chanson du même titre.

À cette époque, Robert L. May travaillait pour la grande chaîne de magasins Montgomery Ward, qui, chaque année, achetait et donnait des livres à colorier pendant la période de Christmas. Réalisant que l’achat de ces livres coûtait trop cher à l’entreprise, Robert L. May s’était alors vu confier la tâche de créer un livre, et c’est ainsi qu’est né le personnage de Rudolph. Au cours de la première année de publication, 2,4 millions d’exemplaires de ce livre ont été distribués par Montgomery Ward.

In 1949, Johnny Marks, brother-in-law of radio producer and Christmas caroler Robert L. May, decided to adapt the story into a song. It was first performed by crooner Harry Brannon before being formally recorded by Gene Autry.

Interestingly, Gene Autry's version was the only one to reach number one on the charts before disappearing completely after just one week. Nevertheless, it still sold 2.5 million copies in its first year. Subsequent sales of this version reached 25 million, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer remained the second best-selling album until the 1980s.

The song was translated into French by Jacques Larue under the title "Le petit reindeer with a red nose", and the Étienne Sisters were the first to perform it in 1951. Subsequently, Michèle Richard, Henri Dès, Carmen Campagne, Fernand Gignac and Céline Dion recorded it on their respective albums.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer also spawned a cartoon short that first appeared on screen in 1944, before being re-released following the song's appearance.

The Little Red-Nosed Reindeer has been performed countless times by several English-speaking singers, including Chris Isaac, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Bing Crosby, The Jackson Five and The Supremes.

Music video for the song: “The Little Reindeer with the Red Nose” (Youtube)

Music and slideshow

Christmas image scrolling to music

Celine Dion

Children's Choir

Lyrics French version

When snow covers green Finland
And the reindeer cross the moor,
The wind in the night
The flock still speaks of him.

They called him Red Nose
Ah, how cute he was,
The little reindeer with the red nose,
Red as a candle.
His little nose made me laugh
Everyone didn't care much,
We even went so far as to say
That he liked to have a little drink.

A fairy who heard it
Crying in the dark
To console him, he said to him
Come to heaven tonight.
Like an angel Red nose,
You will drive in the sky
With your little red nose
Santa's cart.

When his brothers saw him looking so nimble
To follow the heavenly roads with great dignity.
More than one reindeer was stunned by his antics.

They called him Red Nose
Ah, how cute he was,
The little reindeer with the red nose,
Red as a candle.
Now that he's training
His chariot across the heavens,
He is the king of the reindeer
And his nose is the envy of others.

You girls and boys
For the big night,
If you know your lessons
As soon as midnight strikes.
This little dot that moves
Like a star in the sky,
This is Red Nose's nose
Announcing Santa Claus.

English version lyrics

You know Dasher and Dancer,
Prancer and Vixen,
You know Comet and Cupid,
Donner and Blitzen,
Say, but do you recall
That most important reindeer of all?

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Had a very shiny nose,
And if you ever saw it,
You would even say it glows.
All of the other reindeer
Used to laugh and call him names;
They wouldn't let poor Rudolph
Join in any reindeer games.

But 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.
Rock it, Rudolph

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.