Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Christmas Carols Explained, #21

You had to know this was coming.

I actually read a book about this a while ago and even did a video breaking down the origins of the song.

The song came first, written by a guy in the marketing department of a store, and then a famous recording by Gene Autry helped the song gain popularity. The 1964 Rankin & Bass special came later, and the rest was history.

It’s a charming song but it’s also easy to make fun of it if you stop to think about the ethics of it. Rudolph was born with a deformity and everyone made fun of him for it until they realized he was critical to their success in a moment of need. They could have just…not been jerks about it, but alas.

It’s another example of the mid-century secularization of the holiday, adding a beautiful aesthetic that ultimately doesn’t result in much without the religious underpinnings. I still like the song and the cartoon as supplements to the season, since they’re bouncy and colorful. Just remember the real reason we’re doing all of this.