Johnny Marks contribution to the Christmas genre includes “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”, “A Holly Jolly Christmas”, “Silver and Gold”, and “Run Rudolph Run”, but his most famous composition was “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”. Based on a coloring book commissioned by the Montgomery Ward company that was written by his brother-in-law Robert L. May, it has become an iconic Christmas character, loved by children since it was first released by Gene Autry in November 1949. In 1964, Rankin-Bass adapted the song into a Burle Ives (as Sam the Snowman) hosted tale of redemption and acceptance.
The song has been recorded by many of the biggest names in music over the years including Bing Crosby (1950), Spike Jones and his City Slickers (1950), Paul Anka (1960), Burle Ives (1964), Ringo Starr (1999), Lynyrd Skynyrd (2000) and Destiny’s Child (2004) to name a few. It has also been recorded in a mambo version by Billy May in 1953, doo-wop versions by The Cadillacs in (1957) and The Melodeers in 1960, in country versions by Ernest Tubbs (1964), Merle Haggard (1982), Dolly Parton (1990) and Allen Jackson (1996), and by several Motown artists including The Supremems (1965), The Tempatations (1968) and the Jackson 5 (1970).
Because of the many varied versions I decided to stick with the best-selling and first recorded version by Gene Autry & The Pinafores.
Inertia Satori 