Run Rudolph Run

"Run Rudolph Run"
"Run Rudolph Run"
Song

"Run Rudolph Run" is a Christmas song popularized by Chuck Berry, written by Johnny Marks and Marvin Brodie and published by St. Nicholas Music (ASCAP). The song was first recorded by Berry in 1958 and released as a single on Chess Records (label no. 1714). It has since been covered by numerous other artists, sometimes under the title "Run, Run, Rudolph".^[1] The song is a 12-bar blues, and has a clear musical parallel to Chuck Berry's very popular and recognizable song "Johnny B. Goode", and is also melodically identical to Berry's "Little Queenie", released in 1959.

History

Even though the song was written by Johnny Marks and Marvin Brodie and published by Johnny Marks' publishing company, St. Nicholas Music, the 1958 45 rpm single has the song written by "C. Berry Music & M. Brodie". The thought was to cover up the known Christmas songwriter Johnny Marks from hip R&B DJs and buyers.^{[citation needed]} The song was subsequently officially always listed as written by Johnny Marks and Marvin Brodie and published by St. Nicholas Music (ASCAP). All cover versions of the song show the composers as Johnny Marks and Marvin Brodie and the publisher as St. Nicholas Music.

Covers

This song has been covered by recording artist Whitney Wolanin who had the highest charted position of all time on Billboard at #2 in 2013/2014 with Whitney starring in an HD parody music film with the song about the original film A Christmas Story at the A Christmas Story House. Other artists include Conan O'Brien along with Jimmy Vivino and the Basic Cable Band, Emily Osment, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Sister Hazel, Billy Ray Cyrus, Five Easy Pieces, Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons, Dave Edmunds, Hanson, Sheryl Crow, Bryan Adams, Lulu, Click Five, The Grateful Dead, Keith Richards, Brinsley Schwarz, Jimmy Buffett, Foghat, Paul Brandt, Whitney Wolanin, Kelly Clarkson, The Tractors, Dwight Yoakam, Reverend Horton Heat, Hanoi Rocks, Billy Idol, Cee Lo Green, Luke Bryan, Brian Setzer Orchestra, Joe Perry, Los Lonely Boys, Jane Krakowski, the cast of Broadway's Million Dollar Quartet, The Yobs, Vincent Martella (as his character, Phineas Flynn, from Phineas and Ferb), The Muppets' band Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem as well as a one-off supergroup consisting of Lemmy Kilmister, Billy Gibbons, and Dave Grohl for the 2008 album We Wish You a Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year.

Chart performance

Chuck Berry's original 1958 recording charted on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in December 1958, reaching a peak of number 69. Berry's version also made the 1963 UK list, peaking at number 36. In 2013, Whitney Wolanin released her rendition of the song, and has reached #2 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. The only other recordings to have charted in the U.S. were by country music artists Luke Bryan, whose late 2008 rendition peaked at number 42 on the Hot Country Songs charts, and Justin Moore, whose late 2011 rendition peaked at number 58 on the Hot Country Songs chart.

Chuck Berry

Chart (1958)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	69
Chart (1963)	Peak position
UK Singles Chart	36

Whitney Wolanin

Chart (2013)	Peak position
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)^[2]	2

Luke Bryan

Chart (2008—2009)	Peak position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)^[3]	42

Justin Moore

Chart (2012)	Peak position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)^[4]	58

In the media

"Run, Rudolph, Run" has been played in many movies, including:

References

External links

[1] The Lynyrd Skynyrd version, titled "Run, Run, Rudolph"

[sc_Billboardadultcontemporary_Whitney_Wolanin-2] "Whitney Wolanin Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.

[sc_Billboardcountrysongs_Luke_Bryan-3] "Luke Bryan Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.

[sc_Billboardcountrysongs_Justin_Moore-4] "Justin Moore Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.

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