Rudolph the Red - Nosed Reindeer ( song ) - wikipedia Rudolph the Red - Nosed Reindeer ( song ) `` Rudolph, the Red - Nosed Reindeer '' Single by Gene Autry B - side `` If It Does n't Snow on Christmas '' `` Here Comes Santa '' `` Here Comes Santa Claus '' Released September 1, 1949 Format 7 ``, 10 '' Recorded June 27, 1949 Genre Christmas Length 3 : 10 Label Columbia 38610 Columbia MJV - 56 Columbia 4 - 38610 Columbia 33165 Challenge 1010 Challenge 59030 Songwriter ( s ) Johnny Marks Music video `` Rudolph the Red - Nosed Reindeer '' ( audio ) on YouTube `` Rudolph, the Red - Nosed Reindeer '' is a song written by Johnny Marks based on the 1939 story Rudolph the Red - Nosed Reindeer published by the Montgomery Ward Company. Gene Autry 's recording hit No. 1 on the U.S. charts the week of Christmas 1949. Contents 1 History 1.1 Other notable recordings 2 In popular culture 3 References 4 External links History In 1939 Marks ' brother - in - law, Robert L. May, created the character Rudolph as an assignment for Montgomery Ward, and Marks decided to adapt the story of Rudolph into a song. Marks ( 1909 -- 1985 ) was a radio producer who also wrote several other popular Christmas songs. The song had an added introduction, paraphrasing the poem `` A Visit from Saint Nicholas '' ( public domain by the time the song was written ), stating the names of the eight reindeer which went : `` 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 ? '' The song was first sung by crooner Harry Brannon on New York City radio in early November 1949, before Gene Autry 's recording hit No. 1 in the U.S. charts during Christmas 1949. The song was suggested as a `` B '' side for a record Autry was making it. Autry rejected the song. His wife convinced him to use it. The success of this Christmas song by Autry gave support to Autry 's subsequent popular Easter song, `` Here Comes Peter Cottontail. '' Autry 's version of the song also holds the distinction of being the only chart - topping hit to fall completely off the chart after reaching No. 1. The official date of its No. 1 status was for the week ending January 7, 1950, making it the first No. 1 song of the 1950s. The song was also performed on the December 6, 1949, Fibber McGee and Molly radio broadcast by Teeny ( Marion Jordan 's little girl character ) and The Kingsmen vocal group. The lyrics varied greatly from the Autry version. Autry 's recording sold 1.75 million copies its first Christmas season, eventually selling a total of 12.5 million. Cover versions included, sales exceed 150 million copies, second only to Bing Crosby 's `` White Christmas ''. Current owner of copyrights is Kobalt Music Group Other notable recordings 1950 : The song was recorded by Bing Crosby on June 22, 1950 with John Scott Trotter and his Orchestra. His version reached No. 6 on Billboard magazine 's Best Selling Children 's Records chart and No. 14 on Billboard 's pop singles chart that year. 1950 : Spike Jones and his City Slickers released a version of the song that peaked at No. 7 on Billboard magazine 's pop singles chart and No. 8 on Billboard 's Best Selling Children 's Records chart. 1951 : Red Foley and The Little Foleys released a version of the song that peaked at No. 8 on Billboard magazine 's Best Selling Children 's Records chart. 1957 : The Cadillacs released a doo - wop version of the song that peaked at No. 11 on Billboard magazine 's Rhythm & Blues Records chart. 1959 : Dean Martin recorded the song for his album, A Winter Romance. 1959 : Perry Como included the song in his album Season 's Greetings from Perry Como. 1960 : Alvin and the Chipmunks recorded a popular cover for their album Around the World with The Chipmunks. They would record the song again for their 1961 album Christmas with The Chipmunks and their 1994 album A Very Merry Chipmunk as a duet with Gene Autry. 1960 : The Melodeers released a doo - wop version of the song that peaked at No. 72 on Billboard magazine 's Hot 100 singles chart. 1960 : Ella Fitzgerald included the song in her album Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas. 1963 : Johnny Mathis included the song in his album Sounds of Christmas. 1964 : Burl Ives recorded the song for the soundtrack of the holiday TV special, Rudolph the Red - Nosed Reindeer. The soundtrack album containing Ives ' version reached No. 142 on the Billboard 200 albums sales chart. He would re-record the song the following year for his holiday album Have a Holly Jolly Christmas. 1965 : The Supremes recorded the song on their Christmas album Merry Christmas. 1968 : The Temptations released a version of the song that peaked at No. 12 on Billboard magazine 's special, year - end, weekly Christmas Singles chart ( this same version later got as high as No. 3 on the same chart in December 1971 ). Their version of the song was also included on the group 's 1970 Christmas album, The Temptations Christmas Card. 1970 : The Jackson 5 recorded the song for their holiday album, The Jackson 5 Christmas Album. 1990 : Dolly Parton recorded the song for her holiday album, Home for Christmas. 1995 : Mannheim Steamroller produced a techno - like synth - driven arrangement on their album Christmas in the Aire. 1996 : The Wiggles performed the song from Wiggly, Wiggly Christmas album. 1998 : Randy Travis performed the song during the opening titles of Rudolph the Red - Nosed Reindeer : The Movie. 2001 : Hi - 5 performed the song from It 's a Hi - 5 Christmas album. 2001 : Tony Bennett performed the song at the Macy 's Thanksgiving Day Parade, ahead of the release of the direct - to - video CGI animated feature, Rudolph the Red - Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys. In popular culture This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( December 2012 ) The lyric `` All of the other reindeer '' can be misheard in dialects with the cot -- caught merger as the mondegreen `` Olive, the other reindeer '', and has given rise to another character featured in her own Christmas television special, Olive, the Other Reindeer. The song in its Finnish translation, Petteri Punakuono, has led to Rudolph 's general acceptance in the mythology as the lead reindeer of Joulupukki, the Finnish Santa. References ASCAP Work ID : 480058686 ( ISWC : T0701273995 ) ^ Jump up to : http://www.autry.com/musicmovies/musiccds/essentialgeneautry2.html Jump up ^ Kim, Wook ( December 17, 2012 ). `` Yule Laugh, Yule Cry : 10 Things You Did n't Know About Beloved Holiday Songs ''. Time. Archived from the original on December 21, 2014. Jump up ^ Casey Kasem American Top 40 April 8, 1979 Jump up ^ Badger, Reid ; Salem, James ( December 22, 1996 ). `` America 's Holiday Sound -- Distinctive artists ''. The Tuscaloosa News. Google News. Retrieved October 17, 2013. Jump up ^ Jackson, Kenneth T. ( August 15, 1998 ). The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Volume 1. Gale. p. 550. Retrieved October 17, 2013., while Autry 's version of `` Rudolph the Red - Nosed Reindeer '' sold more than 12.5 million copies Jump up ^ `` A Bing Crosby Discography ''. BING magazine. International Club Crosby. Retrieved September 19, 2016. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2004 ). Christmas in the Charts ( 1920 -- 2004 ). Wisconsin : Record Research Inc. p. 31. ISBN 0 - 89820 - 161 - 6. Jump up ^ Whitburn p. 43 Jump up ^ Whitburn p. 36 Jump up ^ Whitburn p. 25 Jump up ^ Whitburn p. 49 Jump up ^ `` ' Burl Ives ' Billboard 200 ''. billboard.com. Jump up ^ Whitburn p. 61 External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Reno erat Rudolphus, Sheet music in Latin with recorded Gregorian Chant Translation into Old English by Philip Chapman - Bell Preceded by `` Mule Train '' by Frankie Laine U.S. Billboard Best Sellers in Stores number - one single January 7, 1950 ( Gene Autry ) Succeeded by `` I Can Dream, Ca n't I '' by The Andrews Sisters Rudolph the Red - Nosed Reindeer Music `` Rudolph the Red - Nosed Reindeer `` Run Rudolph Run '' Film and television adaptations Rudolph the Red - Nosed Reindeer ( 1948 film short ) Rudolph the Red - Nosed Reindeer ( 1964 TV special ) Rudolph 's Shiny New Year ( 1976 TV special ) Rudolph and Frosty 's Christmas in July ( 1979 TV film ) Rudolph the Red - Nosed Reindeer : The Movie ( 1998 film ) Rudolph the Red - Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys ( 2001 made - for - video film ) Related Rudolph the Red - Nosed Reindeer ( video game ) Santa Claus 's reindeer Robert L. May Christmas Christmas Eve Children 's Day Boxing Day Nochebuena Saint Nicholas Day St. Stephen 's Day Sol Invictus Yule In Christianity Biblical Magi Adoration of the Magi Adoration of the Shepherds Advent Angel Gabriel Annunciation Annunciation to the shepherds Baptism of the Lord Bethlehem Christingle Christmastide Epiphany Herod the Great Jesus Joseph Mary Massacre of the Innocents flight into Egypt Nativity Fast Nativity of Jesus in art in later culture Nativity scene Saint Nicholas Star of Bethlehem Twelfth Night In folklore Badalisc La Befana Belsnickel Caganer Christkind Ded Moroz Elves Father Christmas Grýla Jack Frost Joulupukki Knecht Ruprecht Korvatunturi Krampus Mikulás Miner 's figure Mrs. Claus Nisse / Tomte North Pole Old Man Winter Olentzero Père Fouettard Père Noël Rudolph the Red - Nosed Reindeer Saint Lucy Santa 's reindeer Santa 's workshop Sinterklaas Tió de Nadal Vertep Yule Cat Yule Lads Zwarte Piet Gift - bringers Saint Nicholas Santa Claus List of Christmas gift - bringers by country Traditions Advent calendar Advent candle Advent wreath Boar 's Head Feast Candle arches Cards Carols by Candlelight Cavalcade of Magi Crackers Decorations Events and celebrations Feast of the Seven Fishes Flying Santa Hampers Las Posadas Letters Lights Markets Meals and feasts Moravian star Nine Lessons and Carols NORAD Tracks Santa Nutcrackers dolls Ornaments Parades list Piñatas Pyramids Räuchermann Seals Secret Santa Spanbaum Stamps Stockings Tree Twelve Days Wassailing Windows Yule Goat Yule log By country Australia and New Zealand Denmark Germany Hawaii Hungary Iceland Indonesia Ireland Mexico Norway Philippines Poland Romania Russia Scotland Serbia Sweden Ukraine Music Carols list Hit singles UK Hit singles US Other media Films Poetry `` Old Santeclaus with Much Delight '' `` A Visit from St. Nicholas '' Television specials Yule Log In modern society Advent Conspiracy Black Friday ( partying ) Black Friday ( shopping ) Cyber Monday Bronner 's Christmas Wonderland Christmas club Christmas creep Christmas Day ( Trading ) Act 2004 Christmas Lectures Christmas Mountains Christmas truce Controversies Cyber Monday Economics El Gordo Holiday season In July In August Leon Day NBA games NFL games Puritan New England American Civil War Post-War United States Running of the Santas SantaCon Santa 's Candy Castle Super Saturday Virginia O'Hanlon White Christmas Winter festivals WWE Tribute to the Troops Xmas Food and drink Dinner Joulupöytä Julebord Kūčios Réveillon Twelve - dish supper Smörgåsbord Wigilia Sweets bûche de Noël Cake Candy cane Cookies Fruitcake Gingerbread Kourabiedes Melomakarono Mince pie Pavlova Pecan pie Pumpkin pie Pudding Rosca de reyes Szaloncukor Turrón Soup Menudo Sauce Cranberry sauce Beverages Apple cider Champurrado Eggnog Mulled wine Smoking Bishop Ponche crema Dumpling Hallaca Tamale Meat Ham Roast goose Romeritos Turkey Stuffing Commons Portal Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rudolph_the_Red-Nosed_Reindeer_(song)&oldid=804396984 '' Categories : 1910 Fruitgum Company songs 1949 songs Rudolph the Red - Nosed Reindeer American Christmas songs Barry Manilow songs Bing Crosby songs Burl Ives songs Columbia Records singles Dean Martin songs Gene Autry songs Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipients Lynyrd Skynyrd songs Paul Anka songs Songs about animals Songs written by Johnny Marks The Crystals songs The Jackson 5 songs The Supremes songs The Temptations songs Christmas novelty songs Hidden categories : Use mdy dates from December 2014 Articles with hAudio microformats All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from December 2011 Articles with unsourced statements from January 2015 Articles needing additional references from December 2012 All articles needing additional references Talk Contents About Wikipedia Bosanski Deutsch Español Français 한국어 Italiano 日本 語 Polski Português Русский Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Tagalog Türkçe Tiếng Việt Edit links This page was last edited on 8 October 2017, at 19 : 00. About Wikipedia

Question: who wrote rudolph the red nosed reindeer song lyrics
Answer: Johnny Marks