Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
Adam Harvey Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

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
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
And they shouted out with glee
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer
You'll go down in history
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
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
You'll go down in history

Overall Meaning

Adam Harvey’s version of the classic Christmas song “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” tells the tale of an outcast reindeer with a unique and special feature. Rudolph’s shiny red nose makes him stand out from the other reindeer, causing them to laugh and call him names. Rudolph’s lack of acceptance among his peers is palpable as he is excluded from any reindeer games. However, on one foggy Christmas Eve Santa Claus sees Rudolph’s potential and invites him to guide his sleigh with the bright light of his nose. The other reindeer immediately accept Rudolph when they witness his indispensable value as a leader. In this sense, the song is about overcoming adversity, accepting others’ unique differences, and realizing the value of diversity.


Furthermore, the song reinforces the notion that everyone has something special and unique to offer the world. Rudolph’s “flaw” was actually a gift that he shared with others in order to help them. This can be interpreted to mean that even those who feel like outcasts or who are mocked by others have something valuable to offer. We should focus on embracing everyone’s unique qualities and cherishing what makes each one of us special. Ultimately, through the story of Rudolph, the song teaches a lesson about the importance of acceptance and valuing diversity.


Line by Line Meaning

Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer
Introducing the central character, Rudolph, a reindeer with a red nose


Had a very shiny nose
His nose was very bright and shiny


And if you ever saw it
If you ever saw his nose


you would even say it glows
His nose was so bright it looked like it was glowing


All of the other reindeer
All the other reindeer who lived with Rudolph


Used to laugh and call him names
Used to make fun of him and call him names


They wouldn't let poor Rudolph
They excluded Rudolph


Join in any reindeer games
From playing any reindeer games


Then one foggy Christmas eve
On one Christmas Eve when there was a lot of fog


Santa came to say
Santa Claus came and said to Rudolph


"Rudolph, with your nose so bright Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?"
"Rudolph, your bright nose can help me guide my sleigh tonight, will you?"


Then how the reindeer loved him
How the other reindeer started to love him


And they shouted out with glee
And they shouted with joy


Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer
Repeating the title of the song


You'll go down in history
This moment will be remembered in history


You'll go down in history
Repeating the previous line




Writer(s): Johnny Marks

Contributed by Eliana A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions