Originally written by Johnny Marks based on the 1939 story Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer published by the Montgomery Ward Company. The song was recorded by Gene Autry, a famous singing cowboy of the 1940's, and released on September 1, 1949. The song reached number one on the billboard charts and stayed there until the beginning of January making it the first number one song on the 1950's. Autry's original version alone has sold over 12 million copies.
Counting all sales of all the cover versions of the song and it is the second best selling Christmas song of all time just behind White Christmas originally recorded by Bing Crosby. I can remember being in the Christmas Choir back in middle school with (who I believe was) Mr. Fritch as the director. We performed this song and I can recall how it was the first time I ever heard the extra lines added in (as in "like a light bulb" added in after the "you would even say it glows" line) to the song. This song IS Christmas.
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