From the 1960s to the 1980s, Diamond was one of the more successful pop music performers, scoring a number of hits. As critic William Ruhlmann writes, "as of 2001, he claimed worldwide record sales of 115 million copies, and as of 2002 he was ranked third, behind only Elton John and Barbra Streisand, on the list of the most successful adult contemporary artists in the history of the Billboard chart."[1] As of May 2005 he has sold 120 million records worldwide, including 48 million records in the U.S.[2]
Though his record sales declined somewhat after the 1980s, Diamond continues to tour successfully, and maintains a very loyal following. Diamond's songs have been recorded by a vast array of performers from many different musical genres.
Diamond was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1984, and then in 2000 was given its Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the early part of 2011.
In 2008 Neil Diamond scored his first ever Billboard number one album with "Home Before Dark", the album also became his first studio album to get to number one in the UK.
Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
Neil Diamond Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I got a story to tell you
About an unlikely hero
Dig it
Rudolph the red nose reindeer
Had a very shiny nose
And if you ever saw it
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 Nose Reindeer
You'll go down in history!"
Yes you will
Yes you will
And just remember all you kids out there
If the other kids laugh at you
Just cause you're a little different
Hey, you could be just like Rudolph
A hero some day
An inspiration
You'll remember that now, won't you
C'mon and sing it with me
Rudolph the red nose reindeer,
Had a very shiny nose,
And if you ever saw it,
You would even say it glowed.
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
Why don't you guide my sleigh tonight?"
Then how the reindeer loved him
As they shouted out with glee
"Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer
You'll go down in history!"
Yes you will
Yeah you will, Rudolph
You're a part of history now
And you can do it to boys and girls
Just be yourself
That's usually enough
Don't worry what people say
You know you're kinda terrific inside
Hey and by the way
Have a Happy Christmas
Come on now
Be a hero
Just like Rudolph
An inspiration
Just like Rudolph
Hey we love you Rudy
The song "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" by Neil Diamond is a timeless classic that tells the story of an unusual hero. The song starts by introducing Rudolph as a hero who is different from the other reindeer, yet he becomes an inspiration to many. Rudolph's uniqueness is his shiny nose, which glows brightly, making him stand out from the other reindeer. However, this uniqueness is also the reason why he was initially mocked and called names by the other reindeer who excluded him from all the reindeer games. Despite the bullying, Rudolph remains courageous and hopeful, and his persistence and courage eventually pay off when Santa chooses him to guide his sleigh on a foggy Christmas Eve. The other reindeer who once rejected him now love and admire him, and he goes down in history as a hero.
The song is a powerful message to children and adults alike: no matter how different you may feel, you can be an inspiration to others, and you can make a difference in the world. The lyrics encourage listeners to believe in themselves and not be afraid to be who they are. The song also reminds us that being kind to others and accepting those who are different is essential because you never know when that person might become a hero.
Line by Line Meaning
Hello boys and girls
Neil Diamond greets his audience
I got a story to tell you
Neil Diamond promises to share an inspirational story
About an unlikely hero
Neil Diamond introduces Rudolph, who is an unlikely hero
Dig it
Neil Diamond encourages the audience to pay attention
Rudolph the red nose reindeer
Neil Diamond starts the story by introducing Rudolph
Had a very shiny nose
Neil Diamond describes Rudolph's unique physical attribute
And if you ever saw it
Neil Diamond brings attention to Rudolph's glowing nose
You would even say it glowed
Neil Diamond emphasizes the brightness of Rudolph's nose
All of the other reindeer
Neil Diamond introduces the other reindeers
Used to laugh and call him names
Neil Diamond explains how the other reindeers made fun of Rudolph
They never let poor Rudolph
Neil Diamond empathizes with Rudolph's situation
Join in any reindeer games
Neil Diamond shows how the other reindeers excluded Rudolph from their activities
Then one foggy Christmas Eve
Neil Diamond introduces the pivotal moment in Rudolph's story
Santa came to say
Neil Diamond brings up Santa's role in the story
"Rudolph with your nose so bright
Neil Diamond narrates how Santa noticed Rudolph's special nose
Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?"
Neil Diamond shows how Santa saw Rudolph's nose as a way to help him
Then how the reindeer loved him,
Neil Diamond describes how the other reindeers' attitude towards Rudolph changed
As they shouted out with glee
Neil Diamond shows the joy and unity among the reindeers
"Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer
Neil Diamond reveals the new name that Rudolph earned
You'll go down in history!"
Neil Diamond highlights the significance of Rudolph's actions
Yes you will
Neil Diamond affirms Rudolph's inclusion in history
Yes you will
Neil Diamond reiterates Rudolph's significance
And just remember all you kids out there
Neil Diamond addresses the younger members of his audience
If the other kids laugh at you
Neil Diamond draws parallels between Rudolph and kids who are different from their peers
Just cause you're a little different
Neil Diamond acknowledges the struggles of being different
Hey, you could be just like Rudolph
Neil Diamond encourages kids to embrace their uniqueness
A hero some day
Neil Diamond inspires kids to become heroes in their own right
An inspiration
Neil Diamond shows how Rudolph has become an inspiration
You'll remember that now, won't you
Neil Diamond reminds kids to remember the message of the story
C'mon and sing it with me
Neil Diamond invites the audience to sing along
Yeah you will, Rudolph
Neil Diamond affirms Rudolph's inclusion in history again
You're a part of history now
Neil Diamond shows how Rudolph has become part of Christmas tradition
And you can do it to boys and girls
Neil Diamond emphasizes that anyone can become a hero
Just be yourself
Neil Diamond reminds kids to embrace their individuality
That's usually enough
Neil Diamond shows that being yourself is usually sufficient
Don't worry what people say
Neil Diamond encourages kids not to care about others' opinions
You know you're kinda terrific inside
Neil Diamond affirms the self-worth of each child
Hey and by the way
Neil Diamond adds a friendly remark
Have a Happy Christmas
Neil Diamond wishes everyone a happy holiday season
Come on now
Neil Diamond encourages a cheerful attitude
Be a hero
Neil Diamond ends the story with a message of encouragement
Just like Rudolph
Neil Diamond reiterates the possibility of everyone becoming a hero
An inspiration
Neil Diamond shows how Rudolph can serve as an inspiration
Hey we love you Rudy
Neil Diamond ends the story with a warm note to Rudolph
Lyrics © ST. NICHOLAS MUSIC INC., Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Johnny Marks
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind