From Tracie: We Have A Christmas Song Dilemma

Sunday, December 04, 2011

We Have A Christmas Song Dilemma

There is one big thing Thomas and I do not agree about, and it makes the holiday season awkward. We are a divided family. Every year we sing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, and every year we debate the lyrics.

How Do YOU Sing Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer?

What are the extra words in Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer?
We start the song together, "Rudolph the red nosed reindeer (Reindeer) Had a very shiny nose (Like a light-bulb)," but then...

Wait. This is one time when writing the words isn't enough.
I'm going to sing it for you.

When Thomas and I sing together, it is fine until we reach, "Then all the reindeer loved him (Loved him) as they shouted out with glee (Yippee!)"

This is the place where it goes wrong.

Thomas sings: "Then all the reindeer loved him (Loved him) as they shouted out with glee (Glee!)"

Poor Katarina is so confused.

And by confused, I mean she sings it like Thomas. I'm worried for her. It isn't right living in a holiday-song-divided house. We need help.

Thomas called me out on facebook last week, telling people I do not know how to sing Rudolph. I decided to take it to the people with a poll:
Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer Lyrics Facebook Poll
Out of 43 votes, 24 people agreed with me!

In all fairness, I will admit that several people did agree with Thomas. Interestingly, most of those people are Canadians (including my Canadian mother - what a traitor). But I was the clear winner.

Now I just have to convince Katarina to come to my side and sing yippee.

Are we the only family divided over song lyrics?

There are some other lyrical questions that should be addressed here:
  1. In elementary school, my teacher made us sing "Like George Washington" at the end of the song, but I know a lot of people say, "like Toothpaste."
  2. I said, "like football" after the reindeer games line in the video, but usually I say, "like Monopoly." Thomas doesn't like either of these options, and points out that reindeer don't have hands, making both of these games particularly difficult for a reindeer to play.
All of these extra lyric options are really silly.
Maybe I should just stick with singing serious songs like Frosty The Snowman.

How do YOU sing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer?
What are your extra words for Rudolph?

The Mommy Mess


  1. We always said "like Columbus" at the end.
    I'm not going to teach my son the extras, I'll leave that delight for elementary school ;)

  2. Like football? No, no, no. It's like Monopoly. But you're right about the yippee thing. :-)

  3. We always say Monopoly and Columbus..but other then that it's the same.. umm why don't you just look up the actual show on Youtube??

  4. We say monopoly. When we sing it. Which isn't often, because I'm not a good singer, and the husband gets all bashful about it.

  5. very and the song

    but..."simon cowell voice"- you're not going to Hollywood

    p.s. my girls say Monopoly and George Washington

  6. Love it! We sing monopoly and Columbus, otherwise, you nailed it. :)

  7. If we sang it at my house I'd be happy to tell you what we did but we don't. Heck, I don't think that I have tried it since I was about 11 or so and I just don't remember anything but the chorus.

  8. We don't sing anything after Glee but only because we're too busy getting ready for the big finish.

    Regardless, I'm very glad you won.

  9. You Americans are kinda loosey goosey with those lyrics. I can tell you it is, was, and always will be WITH GLEE. I mean, think about it. Who is from the land of reindeer?!!!? Seeeeeriously.

    Columbus? Ohio? Um ... wha?

    Just don't come to Canada and start messing with this, that's all I'm gonna say about it. Because it would not go over well ...

  10. I just don't get it!!! We never echoed anything! I wonder how many who agreed with you are under 30? And who is over 40. *shaking head*

    monopoly? columbus? washington? What's next Rutabaga?!?!?!

    Gene Autry is turning in his grave!!

    *snicker*You are very brave, my friend, very brave.

    In a true diverse household, your daughter should be able to pick whatever echoes she likes and sing them with abandon! And some day, maybe, mom, you'll echo GLEE too (maybe just once.....)

  11. Monopoly and yippee-yes.
    Also-Rudolph with your nose so bright, won't you guide my sleigh tonight "SURE SANTA!"

  12. It is so ...NOT Christmasy. I mean what dos George Washington and football have to do with Chistmas?

  13. LOVED the video and the singing AND the song! That was too much fun! I always sang Rudolph without all those extra words, but both my sons came up singing it with the extra words (I guess they got it from school).
    I like the song with the added words (the way you sang it). It just adds so much more fun. And it's supposed to be fun, right??? YEAH fun!

  14. BTW...LOVED the yellow yippee flying across the screen. But caps and yellow does NOT make it right. ahem. ;-)

    (I'm more of a traditionalist)

  15. Yippee, of course!

    I love that you sang for us!


    P.S. We Traci(e)s have to stick together!

  16. You? Are mad adorbs, yo. You're also wrong, like Donkey Kong. It's glee, girl!

  17. For games, we say "Like Monopoly" and then "with glee!"

  18. Oh yeah... I haven't sung it with those extra bits for years! I don't even know what I'd say there. But I'll agree with you just for kicks.

  19. I just HAD to leave a comment on your perfect Rudolph vlog. You go girl! I LOVE it when I get to see your face!!!!
    I just posted some craaazy videos on my blog. I hope you will check it out when you get a chance.
    Cuz you know...u know u love it when I vlog. :)
    Love u Tracie. I hope U R enjoying the Christmas season....

  20. I sing it like it is sung on the tv special. So I would agree with Lloyd. And I'm not Canadian. But the vid was cute, so cute. Thanks for sharing it.

  21. We also say Columbus and Monopoly--but you're right with the Yippee--too funny how everyone has their own thing, haha :D

  22. Like a lightbulb, like Monopoly, I don't think we add anything after "with Glee", Like George Washington.

    Great post! Visiting as part of #GoingGreen.

  23. Haha! I love this! I say "like monopoly" for games. And "with glee" instead of "yippee". Who knew there was a debate! Of course, I just assumed I was right. ;)

  24. This is a debate in my house as well. My wife and I sing it differently. I won't even post her version, because that would give it legitimacy. But here is the version I learned:

    Rudolph the red nosed reindeer (Reindeer)
    Had a very shiny nose. (Shiny nose)
    And, if you ever saw it (Saw it)
    You would even say it glows. (Like a light bulb)
    All of the other reindeer (Reindeer)
    Used to laugh and call him names. (Like Pinocchio)
    They never let poor Rudolph (Rudolph)
    Join in any reindeer games. (Like Monopoly)
    Then one foggy Christmas Eve, Santa came to say (Ho Ho Ho)
    Then how the reindeer loved him, (Loved him)
    As they shouted out with glee! (Yippee)*
    "Rudolph the red nosed reindeer, (Reindeer)
    You'll go down in history!" (Like Columbus)

    *"Whoopie" is also acceptable. However, anything else is NOT acceptable.

  25. Haha so funny! Seems like I'm in the minority with this...thought it was "with GLEE". Good to know I'm not the only one who doesn't get the lyrics right!

    (Visiting from #GoingGreen)

  26. I listened to the song on an old Christmas record... It had Yippee, Like Monopoly & Like George Washington shouted by children as the extra lyrics. I wish that I could find the song. However, it's seems everyone had heard a different version.

  27. Yippee
    George Washington !!🌲⛄️❄️