After earning a veterinary medicine degree at Auburn University, Dr. Elmo was a veterinarian at Aqueduct, Belmont Park and Saratoga racetracks in New York. He later moved to San Francisco's Bay Area to open his own animal hospital and while moonlighting playing festivals and clubs in a bluegrass band.
In 1979, he introduced 'Grandma' on a San Francisco radio station. It quickly became a regional hit, and the Elmo began playing more holiday gigs around town to support the single. When an activist group, dubbed the Gray Panthers, accused the duo of playing 'ageist music' and showed up to picket one of their shows, the media came out in force, drawing the attention of major labels.
In 1983, MTV began airing the self financed video. A year later their Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer album appeared on Epic and a new 'Grandma' single was released, this time with 'Percy, the Puny Poinsettia' as the B-side.
Dr. Elmo released Twisted Tunes in 1991. Numerous holiday albums would follow, with Dr. Elmo releasing his own Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer album in 2002 on SonyBMG. Dr. Elmo added a Halloween hit to his repertoire in 2006 with the title track to his Redneck Dracula album. In 2007 he released Redneck Santa, in 2009 he released Wild Bluegrass with his band Dr. Elmo & Wild Blue. In 2010 Time Life releases Dr. Elmo's Bluegrass Christmas . Most of Dr. Elmo's songs are co-written by Rita Abrams. Pop historians might remember Rita as the Miss Abrams in Miss Abrams and the Strawberry Point 4th Grade Class, the act behind the 1972 hit 'Mill Valley.'
Dr. Elmo currently tours with his bluegrass band, Wild Blue and each holiday season he conducts a media and concert tour in conjunction with the "Grandma" song.
Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer
Elmo & Patsy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Walking home from our house Christmas eve
You can say there's no such thing as Santa
But as for me and grandpa we believe
She'd been drinking too much eggnog
And we begged her not to go
But she forgot her medication
And she staggered out the door into the snow
At the scene of the attack
She had hoof-prints on her forehead
And incriminating Claus marks on her back
Grandma got run over by a reindeer
Walking home from our house Christmas eve
You can say there's no such thing as Santa
But as for me and grandpa we believe
Now we're all so proud of grandpa
He's been taking this so well
See him in there watching football
Drinking beer and playing cards with cousin Mel
It's not Christmas without Grandma
All the family's dressed in black
And we just can't help but wonder
Should we open up her gifts
Or send them back (send them back)
Grandma got run over by a reindeer
Walking home from our house Christmas eve
You can say there's no such thing as Santa
But as for me and grandpa we believe
Now the goose is on the table
And the pudding made of fig
And the blue and silver candles
That would just have matched the hair on grandma's wig
I've warned all my friends and neighbors
Better watch out for yourselves
They should never give a license
To a man who drives a sleigh
And plays with elves
Grandma got run over by a reindeer
Walking home from our house Christmas eve
You can say there's no such thing as Santa
But as for me and grandpa we believe
Singin' grandpa
Grandma got run over by a reindeer
Walking home from our house Christmas eve
You can say there's no such thing as Santa
But as for me and grandpa we believe
Merry Christmas
The song "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer" is a humorous and playful holiday tune that tells the story of a grandmother who met her untimely demise on her way home from a family Christmas gathering. The song opens with the singer explaining how his grandmother was walking home from their house on Christmas Eve when she was run over by a reindeer. The lyrics suggest that she may have been intoxicated from drinking too much eggnog, leading her to forget her medication and stagger out into the snow. The imagery of hoof-prints on her forehead and incriminating Claus marks on her back provide a tongue-in-cheek tone to the song.
The lyrics also touch on the impact of the grandmother's passing on the family. The singer explains that his grandfather is taking the loss well, but the family is mourning the loss of their beloved matriarch. They cannot help but wonder if they should open her gifts or send them back. The final verse suggests a warning to others to be careful during the holiday season, as the man who drives a sleigh and plays with elves should never be given a license.
Overall, the song is a light-hearted and amusing take on the holiday season. It pokes fun at some of the more absurd aspects of Christmas, while still maintaining a sense of warmth and family togetherness.
Line by Line Meaning
Grandma got run over by a reindeer
Grandma was hit by a reindeer and died on Christmas eve while walking home from our house.
Walking home from our house Christmas eve
Grandma was on her way back to her place on Christmas eve and met with the accident.
You can say there's no such thing as Santa
People may argue that Santa doesn't exist, but my grandpa and I do believe in him.
But as for me and grandpa we believe
My grandpa and I strongly believe that Santa Claus is real.
She'd been drinking too much eggnog
Grandma had too much eggnog to drink, leading to her impaired judgment.
And we begged her not to go
We pleaded with her not to leave and walk back home, but she didn't listen.
But she forgot her medication
Grandma forgot to take her medicines before leaving, which could have caused her disorientation.
And she staggered out the door into the snow
Grandma left the house while staggering and was walking in the snow when she met with the accident.
When we found her Christmas morning
We discovered her lifeless body on Christmas morning.
At the scene of the attack
We found her near the location of the accident.
She had hoof-prints on her forehead
Grandma was hit by the reindeer's hooves, leaving their imprints on her forehead.
And incriminating Claus marks on her back
We found some marks that looked like those made by Santa Claus, which made us suspicious.
Now we're all so proud of grandpa
We are proud of my grandpa for staying strong and coping well with grandma's death.
He's been taking this so well
My grandpa has been handling grandma's passing very admirably.
See him in there watching football
He is keeping himself busy by watching football games inside the house.
Drinking beer and playing cards with cousin Mel
My grandpa is drinking and playing cards with his cousin Mel to distract himself from the grief.
It's not Christmas without Grandma
We miss grandma dearly, and it feels like Christmas is not the same without her.
All the family's dressed in black
We are all wearing black clothes as a sign of respect and mourning for grandma.
And we just can't help but wonder
We cannot stop thinking and questioning if we should open Grandma's presents or return them.
Should we open up her gifts
We are not sure if we should open up the presents that grandma left for us.
Or send them back (send them back)
We are considering whether to send the gifts back in respect for grandma or to keep them as a memory of her.
Now the goose is on the table
We have prepared a goose as the main course for our Christmas dinner.
And the pudding made of fig
We have made a fig pudding for dessert.
And the blue and silver candles
We lit blue and silver candles as part of our Christmas decoration.
That would just have matched the hair on grandma's wig
The blue and silver candles would have matched grandma's wig if she were alive.
I've warned all my friends and neighbors
I have advised my friends and neighbors to be cautious and aware during the holiday season.
Better watch out for yourselves
Be careful and alert when going out during Christmas.
They should never give a license
In my opinion, it is not a good idea to give a license to anyone who drives a sleigh.
To a man who drives a sleigh
I do not think it is safe to give licenses to sleigh drivers.
And plays with elves
This is a humorous line, implying that Santa Claus plays with elves and may not be a responsible driver, but ultimately, he is a mythical character who doesn't drive a sleigh in reality.
Singin' grandpa
This line is not meaningful and adds a playful tone to the song.
Merry Christmas
This is a greeting, wishing everyone a happy and joyous Christmas celebration.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: RANDY BROOKS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@nbuehster
@@rocpet3 Two things about that:
1. A parody I made about what really happened:
Slow intro:
Grandma got run over by a reindeer
I am pretty sure you've heard that song
Everybody thought that it was Santa
But I am sad to say that we were wrong
Chorus:
Grandma got run over by fake reindeer
Walking home from our house, Christmas Eve
Grandpa said that it was done by Santa
But that's not what my family believes
Verse 1:
Grandpa got her drunk on eggnog
And he begged for her to go
Then he hid her medication
And he kicked her out the door into the snow
When we found her Christmas morning
We saw something very weird
There were paw prints on her forehead
There were tread marks on her body from Goodyear
Chorus:
Grandma got run over by fake reindeer
Walking home from our house, Christmas Eve
Grandpa said that it was done by Santa
But that's not what my family believes
Verse 2:
Grandpa dressed up just like Santa
Made our car look like a sleigh
Made our eight dogs look like reindeer
Then he waited for us all to hit the hay
Now we all know why our Grandpa
Has been taking it so well
He did away with our dear grandma
Because he wanted to marry cousin Mel (COUSIN MEL?!)
Chorus:
Grandma got run over by fake reindeer
Walking home from our house, Christmas Eve
Grandpa said that it was done by Santa
But that's not what my family believes
Verse 3:
Now our grandpa is in prison
He got twenty-five to life
Mel wants me to be her husband
Kind of weird, but I want her to be my wife
We were eating Christmas dinner
When we got a big surprise
We heard someone ring our doorbell
Can't believe it. Grandma somehow had survived
Chorus:
Grandma got run over by fake reindeer
Walking home from our house, Christmas Eve
Grandpa said that it was done by Santa
But that's not what my family believes
(Sing it, Grandma!)
Chorus: (slightly different)
Grandma got run over by fake reindeer
Walking home from our house, Christmas Eve
Now we know there's no such thing as Santa
Don't care what everyone else believes
Song ends with Grandma saying "Merry Christmas."
I don't know what the title would be. It wouldn't be "Grandma Got Run Over By Fake Reindeer" because that would be too much of a spoiler.
2. I'm pretty sure she couldn't have left the house that late for Santa and his reindeer to run her over. I'm guessing she left between 6 and 9 PM. Plus they're flying reindeer. So unless they were flying very low, or she was very tall, they wouldn't be able to hit her.
It had to be Grandpa.😁
@nbuehster
@@davesvens8697 Or it was all staged, and Santa wasn't responsible for your death.
A parody I made about what really happened:
Slow intro:
Grandma got run over by a reindeer
I am pretty sure you've heard that song
Everybody thought that it was Santa
But I am sad to say that we were wrong
Chorus:
Grandma got run over by fake reindeer
Walking home from our house, Christmas Eve
Grandpa said that it was done by Santa
But that's not what my family believes
Verse 1:
Grandpa got her drunk on eggnog
And he begged for her to go (hot sure about that line)
Then he hid her medication
And he kicked her out the door into the snow
When we found her Christmas mornin'
We saw something very weird
There were paw prints on her forehead
There were tread marks on her body from Goodyear
Chorus:
Grandma got run over by fake reindeer
Walking home from our house, Christmas Eve
Grandpa said that it was done by Santa
But that's not what my family believes
Verse 2:
Grandpa dressed up just like Santa
Made our car look like a sleigh
Made our eight dogs look like reindeer
Then he waited for us all to hit the hay
Now we all know why our Grandpa
Has been taking it so well
He did away with our dear grandma
Because he wanted to marry cousin Mel (COUSIN MEL?!)
Chorus:
Grandma got run over by fake reindeer
Walking home from our house, Christmas Eve
Grandpa said that it was done by Santa
But that's not what my family believes
3rd verse:
Now our grandpa is in prison
He got twenty-five to life
Mel wants me to be her husband
Kind of weird, but I want her to be my wife
We were eating Christmas dinner
When we got a big surprise
We heard someone ring our doorbell
Can't believe it. Grandma somehow had survived
Chorus:
Grandma got run over by fake reindeer
Walking home from our house, Christmas Eve
Grandpa said that it was done by Santa
But that's not what my family believes
(Sing it, Grandma!)
Chorus: (slightly different)
Grandma got run over by fake reindeer
Walking home from our house, Christmas Eve
Now we know there's no such thing as Santa
Don't care what everyone else believes
Song ends with Grandma saying "Merry Christmas."
I don't know what the title would be. It wouldn't be "Grandma Got Run Over By Fake Reindeer" because that would be too much of a spoiler.
@nbuehster
@@dchawkins84 Grandpa" HAHAHA! I DRESSED UP LIKE SANTA, RIGGED MY CAR TO LOOK LIKE A SLEIGH, AND MADE MY DOGS LOOK LIKE REINDEER!
NOW THAT I DID AWAY WITH MY WIFE, I CAN FINALLY MARRY COUSIN MEL! HAHAHA!
Somebody needs to make a parody of this song about that. I'm thinking about the lyrics.
parody I made about what really happened:
Slow intro:
Grandma got run over by a reindeer
I am pretty sure you've heard that song
Everybody thought that it was Santa
But I am sad to say that we were wrong
Chorus:
Grandma got run over by fake reindeer
Walking home from our house, Christmas Eve
Grandpa said that it was done by Santa
But that's not what my family believes
Verse 1:
Grandpa got her drunk on eggnog
And he begged for her to go
Then he hid her medication
And he kicked her out the door into the snow
When we found her Christmas morning
We saw something very weird
There were paw prints on her forehead
There were tread marks on her body from Goodyear
Chorus:
Grandma got run over by fake reindeer
Walking home from our house, Christmas Eve
Grandpa said that it was done by Santa
But that's not what my family believes
Verse 2:
Grandpa dressed up just like Santa
Made our car look like a sleigh
Made our eight dogs look like reindeer
Then he waited for us all to hit the hay
Now we all know why our Grandpa
Has been taking it so well
He did away with our dear grandma
Because he wanted to marry cousin Mel (COUSIN MEL?!)
Chorus:
Grandma got run over by fake reindeer
Walking home from our house, Christmas Eve
Grandpa said that it was done by Santa
But that's not what my family believes
Verse 3:
Now our grandpa is in prison
He got twenty-five to life
Mel wants me to be her husband
Kind of weird, but I want her to be my wife
We were eating Christmas dinner
When we got a big surprise
We heard someone ring our doorbell
Can't believe it. Grandma somehow had survived
Chorus:
Grandma got run over by fake reindeer
Walking home from our house, Christmas Eve
Grandpa said that it was done by Santa
But that's not what my family believes
(Sing it, Grandma!)
Chorus: (slightly different)
Grandma got run over by fake reindeer
Walking home from our house, Christmas Eve
Now we know there's no such thing as Santa
Don't care what everyone else believes
Song ends with Grandma saying "Merry Christmas."
I don't know what the title would be. It wouldn't be "Grandma Got Run Over By Fake Reindeer" because that would be too much of a spoiler.
@nbuehster
How can you do that when grandma is dead?
I'd actually question grandpa about it, since he was taking it so well.
He was the mastermind the whole time.
It was all staged. He wanted to marry cousin Mel, which is why he was taking it so well. (drinking beer, and playing cards with her) and the only way he could do that was to do away with Grandma, but he didn't know how. Then he realized it was Christmas Eve, and knew what to do.And he didn't have a hitman. He did the whole thing himself. He got Grandma drumk on eggnog. Then, even though the rest of the family didn't want her to go home, he did. And everyone thought she forgot her medication, but Grndpa stole it from her. Then he dressed up to look like Santa, and rigged up his convertible to look like a sleigh. The only thing he had to do was wait for Grandma to come outside.
And Grandma didn't get hit by reindeer. Grandpa had dogs that looked similar to deer. All he did was put fake antlers on them, and BOOM, fake reindeer.
@nbuehster
@@annamunzar8548 LMAO
Somebody needs to make a parody of this song about what THAT. I'm thinking about the lyrics.
Slow intro:
Grandma got run over by a reindeer
I am pretty sure you've heard that song
Everybody thought that it was Santa
But I am sad to say that we were wrong (I don't know exactly what that line would be.)
Chorus:
Grandma got run over by fake reindeer
Walking home from our house, Christmas Eve
Grandpa said that it was done by Santa
But that's not what my family believes
Verse 1:
Grandpa got her drunk on eggnog
And he begged for her to go (hot sure about that line)
Then he hid her medication
And he kicked her out the door into the snow
When we found her Christmas mornin'
We saw something very weird
There were paw prints on her forehead
There were tread marks on her body from Goodyear
The first part of the next verse would be about how he planned everything.
The second part:
Now we all know why our Grandpa
Has been taking it so well
He did away with our dear grandma
Because he wanted to marry cousin Mel
The third verse would probably be about grandpa going to jail, but then the family would realize that grandma wasn't killed.
@nbuehster
@@annamunzar8548 The parody: (There's still some things I'd need help with.)
Slow intro:
Grandma got run over by a reindeer
I am pretty sure you've heard that song
Everybody thought that it was Santa
But I am sad to say that we were wrong (I don't know exactly what that line would be.)
Chorus:
Grandma got run over by fake reindeer
Walking home from our house, Christmas Eve
Grandpa said that it was done by Santa
But that's not what my family believes
Verse 1:
Grandpa got her drunk on eggnog
And he begged for her to go (hot sure about that line)
Then he hid her medication
And he kicked her out the door into the snow
When we found her Christmas mornin'
We saw something very weird
There were paw prints on her forehead
There were tread marks on her body from Goodyear
Chorus:
Verse 2:
Grandpa dressed up just like Santa
Made our car look like a sleigh
Made our eight dogs look like reindeer
???
Now we all know why our Grandpa
Has been taking it so well
He did away with our dear grandma
Because he wanted to marry cousin Mel (COUSIN MEL?!)
Chorus:
3rd verse:
Now our grandpa is in prison
He got twenty-five to life
Mel wants me to be her husband
Kind of weird, but I want her to be my wife
We were eating Christmas dinner
When we got a big surprise
We heard someone ring our doorbell
Can't believe it. Grandma somehow had survived (hot sure about that line)
Chorus: (slightly different)
Grandma got run over by fake reindeer
Walking home from our house, Christmas Eve
Now we know there's no such thing as Santa
Don't care what everyone else believes
@PopLife-hb3ks
My grandma used to sing this song to us (grandkids) when I was a kid. It always cracked us up. She died 20 years ago. I still think of her every time I hear it. She was the best.
@baguette745
She got run over by a reindeer???
@PopLife-hb3ks
Gaming and other stuff No, but that would have been hella ironic!
@nbuehster
My grandma (my only living grandparent) got run over by a reindeer twice, but somehow survived both incidents. (not even a scratch)
I don't think anything can kill her, and she's immortal, since the last time I saw her, (in 2006) she said she was going to live to be at least a hundred. And she's getting there.
@baguette745
@@nbuehster update me about that one hundred year
@nbuehster
@@baguette745 It will be less than 3 years.
@davet1081AA
Used to work with an Irish girl that couldn't even say the name of this song without laughing herself to tears. Still makes me smile.
@TylerTMG
awwwww
@marcorochapereira6900
I studied in Dublin in the 90's and heard this song on the radios. It's my favourite xmas song ever😂😂😂
@BigtimeJuicer
I remember this song being played on the radio, over and over again during the holidays, when I was a kid. Loved it so much! My whole family is gone now and its pretty rough around the holidays.. This takes me back there, even if its just a minute or two. Merry Christmas if you're reading this.