Born in Tioga, Texas, Autry was raised in Texas and Oklahoma. Discovered by humorist Will Rogers, in 1929 Autry was billed as "Oklahoma's Yodeling Cowboy" at KVOO in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He gained a popular following, a recording contract with Columbia Records in 1929, and soon after, performed on the "National Barn Dance" for radio station WLS in Chicago. Autry first appeared on screen in 1934 and up to 1953 popularized the musical Western and starred in 93 feature films. In 1940 theater exhibitors of America voted Autry the fourth biggest box office attraction, behind Mickey Rooney, Clark Gable, and Spencer Tracy.
While best known today as the singer of such holiday fare as Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane), Frosty The Snowman, Peter Cottontail, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the second all-time best selling Christmas single of all time, Autry made 640 recordings, including more than 300 songs written or co-written by him. His records are reputed to have sold more than 100 million copies. His recording of That Silver-Haired Daddy Of Mine is reputed to have sold more than 5 million copies. Autry's other significant recordings include:
* You Are My Sunshine (1931)
* A Face I See at Evening (1931)
* The Last Roundup (1933)
* Cowboy's Heaven (1934)
* South of the Border (1934)
* Tumbling Tumbleweeds (1935)
* Mexicali Rose (1935)
* Take Me Back to My Boots and Saddle (1935)
* Gold Mine in the Sky (1937)
* Back in the Saddle Again (1939)
* Blueberry Hill (1941)
* Be Honest With Me (1946)
* Ghost Riders in the Sky (1949)
* Nobody's Darlin' but Mine (1957)
From 1940 to 1956 Autry hosted the weekly Melody Ranch radio show over the CBS Radio Network, featuring Autry's trademark theme song Back In The Saddle Again. In addition, Autry's popularity was apparent during his personal appearance tours. Claimed to have been the first performer to sell out Madison Square Garden, his concert and rodeo appearances throughout the United States and Europe served as a model for other performers. Autry often did two shows a day, seven days a week, for 65 to 85 days at a stretch.
In 1950, Autry became one of the first major movie stars to turn to television. For the next five years he produced and starred in 91 half-hour episodes of The Gene Autry Show for CBS Television. This success lead him to produce such popular TV series as Annie Oakley, The Range Rider, Buffalo Bill Jr., The Adventures Of Champion as well as the first 39 episodes of Death Valley Days.
He carried his love for entertaining and sharp business sense into broadcasting, where, under the Golden West Broadcasters banner, he owned a chain of radio and television stations throughout the Western United States, including KMPC and KTLA in Los Angeles and KSFO in San Francisco until the late 1980's. His other business interests included the Gene Autry Hotel in Palm Springs, and several other properties. He ranked for many years on the Forbes magazine list of the 400 richest Americans, before he fell in 1995 to the magazine's "near miss" category with an estimated net worth of $320 million.
Autry's broadcasting interests that led him in 1960 to acquire the then expansion Los Angeles Angels American League baseball franchise (later the California Angels). After his retirement from performing in the mid-1960's, much of Autry's time was spent unsuccessfully attempting to win a World Series' championship for his Angels. When he became the first country musician to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, he said that there's "only one day that will be bigger than this one for me, and that's when we win the World Series." Autry was a fixture at Angels' games for the rest of his life.
Autry's long-cherished dream came true with the opening in November 1988 of the Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum, since acclaimed as one of the finest museums on the history and mythology of the West.
Among the many hundreds of honors and awards Autry has received were induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame; the American Academy of Achievement Award, the Los Angeles Area Governor's Emmy from The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences; and the Board of Directors Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Achievement in Arts Foundation. Autry was also inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, The National Cowboy Hall of Fame, the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame, and he received The Songwriters Guild Life Achievement Award. He was also honored by his songwriting peers with a lifetime achievement award from ASCAP.
Gene Autry died at his home in Studio City, California on October 2, 1998 at the age of 91.
The Night Before Christmas Song
Gene Autry Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
All the stockings were hung by the chimney with care
In the hope that Saint Niccholas soon would be there.
Then, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
A miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer,
A little old driver so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be Saint Nick.
As he shouted ?On Dasher? and each reindeer?s name.
And so up to the housetop the reindeer soon flew
With the sleigh full of toys and Saint Nicholas, too.
Down the chimney he came with a leap and a bound;
He was dressed allin fur, and his belly was round.
He spoke not a word but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stocking, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
Then giving a nod up the chimney he rose.
But I heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight,
?Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!?
The lyrics of Gene Autry's "The Night Before Christmas Song" is an adaptation of the famous holiday poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" by Clement Clarke Moore. The song is meant to capture the anticipation and excitement of Christmas Eve from the perspective of a household that's eagerly awaiting the arrival of Santa Claus. The song describes a peaceful setting where all the creatures are nestled in their beds, and the stockings are hung by the chimney with care. Suddenly, the singer sees a miniature sleigh pulled by eight tiny reindeer, and he realizes that it must be Santa Claus making his rounds.
The song then describes Santa as a "little old driver so lively and quick," who jumps out of his sleigh and fills the stockings with gifts before disappearing up the chimney. The lyrics of the song capture the magic and wonder of Christmas Eve, and the joy that comes from believing in the spirit of Santa Claus.
Overall, Gene Autry's "The Night Before Christmas Song" is a joyful and nostalgic song that perfectly captures the excitement and anticipation of Christmas Eve.
Line by Line Meaning
Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house
It was the evening of December 24th and the entire house was still, with no movement or noise to be heard anywhere.
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
Not a single living being could be seen stirring, not even a small mouse moving about the house.
All the stockings were hung by the chimney with care
All the stockings were hung with extra care and precision from the top of the chimney in anticipation of Santa Claus's arrival.
In the hope that Saint Nicolas soon would be there.
The stockings were hung there purposefully so that Saint Nicolas, also known as Santa Claus, who brings gifts to children, would know to come there to deliver presents.
Then, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
Suddenly, the person observing the scene which in this case is the singer was surprised as something unexpected showed up for view.
A miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer,
The observer was fascinated to see a small North Pole sleigh with only eight miniature reindeer which are part of Santa Claus's fleet, meaning Santa Claus might be there too.
A little old driver so lively and quick,
The observer describes the tiny old driver of the sleigh as having an energetic and lively appearance, despite his age.
I knew in a moment it must be Saint Nick.
The singer had a realization that the little driver who appeared to be coming with all the reindeer was, in fact, Santa Claus himself.
And more rapid than eagles his reindeer all came
The reindeers pulling the sleigh were moving so fast that they were faster than even an eagle flying by.
As he shouted ?On Dasher? and each reindeer?s name.
Santa Claus called out each of the reindeer's names one after the other, starting with Dasher, indicating them to go faster.
And so up to the housetop the reindeer soon flew
The singing person noticed how the reindeer picked up speed and then went up quickly to the top of the house where the chimney was located.
With the sleigh full of toys and Saint Nicholas too.
The sleigh Santa Claus had been driving had all the toys for the children bouncing and piled up in it alongside the Santa himself.
Down the chimney he came with a leap and a bound;
Santa Claus entered the home down through the chimney with great energy and by jumping around.
He was dressed all in fur, and his belly was round.
The jolly old man was wearing a suit of fur, and his big belly poked out of it.
He spoke not a word but went straight to his work,
Santa Claus got to work without saying anything and filled all the children's waiting stockings with gifts.
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
Once Santa had filled all the stockings, he abruptly turned around suddenly and was ready to leave.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
Santa Claus placed his finger next to his nose, it is believed that he was signaling something to the observer or just wiping his nose.
Then giving a nod up the chimney he rose.
Once completed, Santa Claus gave the observer a nod as he prepared himself to ascend through the chimney on his way out of the house.
But I heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight,
Santa Claus called out loudly, as he was leaving and disappearing from view, for the comfort of anyone who might be around that he wished everyone a Merry Christmas.
?Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!?
His shouted message wishing everyone a Merry Christmas was meant for all to hear and convey his greetings to everyone and wishing each other goodnight.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: MARKS MOORE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@storeytime9
Love it! Reminds me of my childhood. Thanks for posting.
@godzillapowerpufffan8142
This is one of my favorite Christmas songs of all time
@jenniferburrell7541
All children should listen to Christmas songs like this ... so many happy memories for me and still brings them back.
Ah, the Wonder Horse.....and my mum wondered why she had to fork out 5 shillings for a horse ride every Sunday ! He's got a lot to answer for !!!
@B3autySparks
gorgeous. xmas is an awful time for me but this song is beautiful.
@Invasion1963
Wonderful!
@heidiautrey9565
Love this It reminds me of my childhood .
@MaksymilianPizzochero
One of the best Christmas songs
@aemiliacarolphonetube9749
So beautiful
@walterhaight5382
Reached #9 on the DJ chart.
@daleschneider7689
That was a really respectable chart position.