Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, a Singable Picture Book

Posted by: Sing Books with Emily on: December 30, 2011

In: Art of Singing a Song | Case for Singable Books | Heartfelt Musings | Lyrics | SBWE Sing-Along Program for Classrooms and Families | Sing Books with Emily Sing-Along Materials | Singable Book Title | Song History | SPB List for Special Occasion | Vocal Tracks
Comment!

“Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” is a Singable Picture Book SURE THING. I haven’t met a kid yet who didn’t love to sing “Rudolph.”

*

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Words and Music by Johnny Marks
Published by World International Publishing Limited, Great Britain, 1989
ISBN #: 7235-8891-0

This is the only copy I’ve ever found of “Rudolph” the SONG. All other Rudolphs I’ve found have been the original story book by Robert L. May (the story upon which the song is based). It will be great fun to sing the song with the youngsters. They are going to love it!

To view or print this book, click here:
rudolph spb
This book is for home, library or classroom use only.

*

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Original Story by Robert L. May
Written for Montgomery Ward Department Store in 1939
Illustrated by Denver Gillen
Set to Music by Johnny Marks (1948)
(I created a sing-along book for Johnny Mark’s tune with the Denver Gillen Illustrations. Fun to sing!)

To view or print a Singable Picture Book with these vintage pictures and the text of the song, click here:
rudolph song with original story pix (2)

This book is for home, library or classroom use only.

**********************

RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED REINDEER
Words and Music by Johnny Marks
Based on the Character Created by Robert L. May

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?

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 all the reindeer loved him
As they shouted out with glee,
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer,
You’ll go down in history!

**********************

Kids also enjoy singing the song with extra “comments” and actions.

Here are the lyrics and “comments” that kids can sing in (RED) and actions in (GREEN) italic

RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED REINDEER
(with comments and movements)
Words and Music by Johnny Marks
Based on the Character Created by Robert L. May

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?

Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer
(REINDEER)
(Put hooked first two fingers up behind your head like antlers)

Had a very shiny nose.
(LIKE A LIGHT BULB)
(Flash fingers in front of your nose, from fist to jazz hands)

And if you ever saw him,
(SAW HIM)
(Put your hand up over your eyes like it is a sunny day and you’re looking off the side of the boat like a sailor)

You would even say it glows.
(LIKE A LIGHT BULB)
(Flash fingers in front of your nose, from fist to jazz hands)

All of the other reindeer
(REINDEER)
(Put hooked first two fingers up behind your head like antlers)

Used to laugh and call him names.
(LIKE PINOCCHIO)
(Pinch the end of your nose and draw hand back to mimic Pinocchio’s growing nose when he lied)

They never let poor Rudolph
(RUDOLPH)
(Put hooked first two fingers up behind your head like antlers)

Join in any reindeer games.
(LIKE MONOPOLY)
(Pretend you are moving game pieces around on a game board in the air)

Then one foggy Christmas Eve
Santa came to say:
(HO HO HO)
(Round your arms out in front of you like Santa with a big round belly, and keep doing this until the next movement)
“Rudolph with your nose so bright,
Won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?”

Then all the reindeer loved him
(LOVED HIM)
(Put your hands over your heart)

As they shouted out with glee,
(YIPPEE!)
(One arm “Yippee” gesture)

Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer,
(REINDEER)
(Put hooked first two fingers up behind your head like antlers)

You’ll go down in history!
(LIKE COLUMBUS)
(Salute)

**********************

My son Mo’s depiction of Rudolph pulling Santa’s sleigh,

Santa & Rudolph by Morgan Philip Gleichenhaus, 2009-2011
Santa, Rudlph, my son Mo and the coming of Christmas…

**********************

An informative wiki article about the song, here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolph_the_Red-Nosed_Reindeer

Click here for an interesting set of facts about the song (including that Johnny Marks was the brother-in-law of Robert L. May),
http://bussongs.com/songs/rudolph_the_red_nosed_reindeer.php

Lots of info in this wiki about the Rankin Bass Stop Action Animation that I grew up with and still love to watch with my kids:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolph_the_Red-Nosed_Reindeer_(TV_special)

More great info here:
http://www.rankinbass.com/rudolphhome.html

Link to 2006 New York Times article about the re-discovery of the puppets from 1960 Rankin Bass special and their restoration:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/23/arts/television/23rudo.html

**********************
*
Gene Autry sings “Rudolph,”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6OC7Y4n3xs

*
The Temptations sing “Rudolph,”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcuvlIgSj0Y

Burl Ives sings “Ruldolph,” (plus, this video has sing-along lyrics)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io0Wh6urZbY

**********************
Related Posts

CHRISTMAS
A Collection of Singable Picture Books that celebrate CHRISTMAS!
http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/2010/11/28/singable-picture-books-for-christmas/

SANTA SONGS
For a post dedicated to Singable Picture Books about Santa (with sing-along track suggestions and YouTubes), click here:
http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/2010/12/17/may-i-suggest-sing-about-santa/

FROSTY THE SNOWMAN, A SINGABLE PICTURE BOOK
Another SPB “Sure Thing”
http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/2011/12/27/frosty-the-snowman-a-singable-picture-book/

Santa, Rudolph, my son Mo and the coming of Christmas…
http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/2011/10/23/santa-rudlph-my-son-mo-and-the-coming-of-christmas/

SINGABLE PICTURE BOOKS OF THE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK
http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/2011/09/10/american-songbook-singable-picture-books-and-michael-feinsteins-foundation-for-the-preservation-of-the-great-american-songbook/