Ives began his career as an itinerant singer and guitarist, eventually launching his own radio show, The Wayfaring Stranger, which popularized traditional folk songs. In 1942, he appeared in Irving Berlin's This Is the Army and became a major star of CBS Radio. In the 1960s, he successfully crossed over into country music, recording hits such as "A Little Bitty Tear" and "Funny Way of Laughin'". Ives was also a popular film actor through the late 1940s and '50s. His film roles included parts in So Dear to My Heart (1948) and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), as well as the role of Rufus Hannassey in The Big Country (1958), for which he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Ives is often associated with the Christmas season. He did voice-over work as Sam the Snowman, narrator of the classic 1964 Christmas television special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Ives also worked on the special's soundtrack, including the songs "A Holly Jolly Christmas" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", both of which continue to chart annually on the Billboard holiday charts into the 2020s.
Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
Burl Ives Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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 it
You would even say it glows
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
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 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
You'll go down in history
The opening lines highlight the eight original reindeer that have been traditionally associated with Santa Claus - Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen. The song goes on to question whether the listener remembers the most famous one of all – Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer. The next stanza describes Rudolph as having a shiny, glowing red nose that was the subject of ridicule by the other reindeer. He was never allowed to be a part of their games, and he was often made fun of by them.
The song then takes a turn when one foggy Christmas Eve, Santa realizes that he cannot complete his mission without Rudolph's unique ability to light the way with his bright nose. Santa implores Rudolph to lead his sleigh, and the tables turn as the other reindeer begin to appreciate and love Rudolph for his unique gift. They cheer for him, realizing not only his worth as part of their team but also as someone who has gone down in history due to his bravery and uniqueness.
Overall, the song is a heartwarming tale of the underdog who eventually shines through, becoming a hero and earning the love and admiration of those who once ridiculed him. The message of the song is that everyone has something special about them, and that it is important to embrace those differences and accept them.
Line by Line Meaning
You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen
You are familiar with the reindeer Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, and Vixen
Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen
Also, there are other reindeer named Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen
But do you recall the most famous reindeer of all?
However, there's one special reindeer that's more well-known than all the rest
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
This famous reindeer is named Rudolph and he has a bright red nose
Had a very shiny nose
Rudolph's nose shines brightly
And if you ever saw it
If you were to see Rudolph's nose
You would even say it glows
You might even believe that it emits light
All of the other reindeer
Every other reindeer besides Rudolph
Used to laugh and call him names
Mocked and insulted Rudolph because of his unique feature
They never let poor Rudolph
They prevented Rudolph from
Join in any reindeer games
Participating in activities that the other reindeer did together
Then one foggy Christmas Eve
However, on a Christmas Eve when it was foggy
Santa came to say
Santa Claus approached Rudolph and spoke
Rudolph with your nose so bright
Addressing Rudolph's glowing nose
"Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?"
Asked Rudolph to lead his sleigh on that night
Then how the reindeer loved him
After Rudolph led Santa's sleigh, the other reindeer began to admire him
As they shouted out with glee
They expressed their joy by shouting loudly
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
They continued to praise Rudolph as the red-nosed reindeer
You'll go down in history
They believed Rudolph would be remembered for a long time
Lyrics © ST. NICHOLAS MUSIC INC., Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Johnny Marks
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind