Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer
sung Gene Autry 1949 lyrics Johnny Marks

Based on a 1939 "cheery children's book", a Christmas giveaway published by the Montgomery Ward department store in Chicago. The booklet was written by Robert Lewis May 1905-1976, born into a secular Jewish home in New York, and also Johnny Marks's brother-in-law.

You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen
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

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"