# \[Rudolph\] You'll go down in history (like ???) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 21, 2011, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008 "2011-12-21T22:34:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/1 "2011-12-21T22:34:59Z")
For the last few years my wife and I have had a disagreement about the song “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer.” I’m sure most of you know how the song goes: All of the other reindeer (reindeer) used to laugh and call him names (like Pinocchio) At the end I’ve always said: You’ll go down in history (like Columbus) My very pretty, but mistaken wife, on the other hand, says: You’ll go down in history (like George Washington) Which is admirable, but wrong. What says the Dope? ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/2 "2011-12-21T22:40:21Z")
Are these all ad-libs you add to the song (or are they in the recording you have)? Do you do this with other songs? My answer is: I don’t do that. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/3 "2011-12-21T22:43:09Z")
I do not know that the song goes that way. I do know that Jingle Bells is about the Dynamic Duo’s body odor though. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/4 "2011-12-21T22:44:05Z")
Sorry, you’re wife is correct. Rudolph will go down in history like George Washington. I’ve also heard the suggestion that Rudolph will “go down” in history like Monica Lewinsky. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/5 "2011-12-21T22:45:57Z")
For us it was “Like Linda Lovelace.” (c. 1977 - 1980) ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/6 "2011-12-21T22:47:30Z")
columbus. for the record my addendums go like: reindeer like a lightbulb saw it like a flash light reindeer like pinnochio rudolph like monopoly ho-ho-ho loved him yippee reindeer like columbus. ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/7 "2011-12-21T22:47:50Z")
Here’s what drives me crazy about this song: Opening line: _You **know** _ _Dancer and Prancer and…"_ And then: _But do you recall the most **famous** _ _reindeer of all?"_ Well, if he’s the most famous, then Rudolph is the one we’d recall more than the others, right? ---
**Author:** ![Sefton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Sefton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sefton)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/8 "2011-12-21T22:47:53Z")
I agree with your wife. It was always “George Washington” during my misspent youth. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/9 "2011-12-21T22:49:55Z")
No. “Like Lincoln.” “Like George Washington” has WAYYY too many syllables. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/10 "2011-12-21T22:51:47Z")
Columbus. Always was Columbus (mid 1970s). Here are the added lines: Reindeer Like a lightbulb Saw it Like Donner Like Pinocchio Rudolph Like Monopoly Loved him With glee! Reindeer Like Columbus! ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/11 "2011-12-21T22:58:18Z")
I can’t figure out what this discussion is about, but when and if I ever do, I’m gonna shout out with glee.🙂 Q ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/12 "2011-12-21T22:58:55Z")
Olive, the other reindeer Used to laugh and call him names… I love that mondegreen. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Disheavel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/13 "2011-12-21T23:11:24Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > Here’s what drives me crazy about this song: > > Opening line: _You **know** _ _Dancer and Prancer and…"_ > > And then: _But do you recall the most **famous** _ _reindeer of all?"_ > > Well, if he’s the most famous, then Rudolph is the one we’d recall more than the others, right? I have jokingly complained about this every time it gets played (it actually really annoyed me as well). Now my 7&9 year old kids really hate the song and character- really truly despise him. They literally cannot listen to the song anymore and will insist on skipping it whenever it comes on. I’ve tried to reverse course on it and them, but it is the strangest bit of psychology I have ever worked. I am both awed and appalled by myself. So careful with what you reap! ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Il\_Palazzo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Lord\_Il\_Palazzo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Il_Palazzo)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2011, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/14 "2011-12-21T23:20:39Z")
I always heard George Washington referenced growing up in the 90’s in a suburb of Washington DC. I also always hated the added lines for some reason. They just don’t fit with the rest of the song and they feel like added commentary rather than part of the song’s narrative. > [@Stephe96](#): > > Here’s what drives me crazy about this song: > > Opening line: _You **know** _ _Dancer and Prancer and…"_ > > And then: _But do you recall the most **famous** _ _reindeer of all?"_ > > Well, if he’s the most famous, then Rudolph is the one we’d recall more than the others, right? I’d never realized that, but it’s now going to bug the heck out of me every time I hear the song. Thanks for that. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/15 "2011-12-22T00:00:11Z")
> [@Quasimodem](#): > > I can’t figure out what this discussion is about, but when and if I ever do, I’m gonna shout out with glee.🙂 > > Q Rudolph the red nosed reindeer (reindeer) Had a very shiny nose And if you ever saw it (saw it) You would even say it glows (like a lightbulb) All of the other reindeer (like Donner) Used to laugh and call him names (like Pinocchio) They wouldn’t let poor Roudolph (Rudolph) Join in any reindeer games (like monopoly) Then one stormy Christmas eve Santa came to say, “Rudolph with your nose so bright, won’t you lead my sleigh tonight” Then all of the other reindeer (reindeer) Laughed and shouted out with glee (with glee) “Rudolph the red nosed reindeer, you’ll go down in history!” (like Columbus) The words in parentheses are added in after the line is sung. From memory, so it might not be perfect. And I hope quoting all the lyrics was ok. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/16 "2011-12-22T00:15:44Z")
As I was waiting for my verrrry slow computer to open the thead my first thought was “like Columbus” and then I thought "or was it “like George Washington?”, so I must have heard / sung both. Also, we always said “toothpaste” after the “shouted out with glee” line. I can’t remember if we actually thought the lyric was “gleam” or if in our tiny minds it was just funny. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/17 "2011-12-22T00:15:45Z")
Ah! So it’s about a misunderstanding of a lyric! :smack: Thanks, **ITD**! I thought y’all were going all philosophical/political on me.:smack: You know, like “Columbus vs Washington, which one should be mentioned in the song?” "Dave, my mind is going. I can feel it. I can feel it. My mind is going. There is no question about it. I can feel it. I can feel it. " Hal 2000 - 2001 A Space Odyssey 😃 Thanks for clarifying, **ITD**! Quasi ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/18 "2011-12-22T00:28:59Z")
'Like Lincoln. ’ That said, I’ve been trying to get ‘_Like René Lévesque_’ going in here in Canada, but so far it hasn’t caught on. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/19 "2011-12-22T00:35:59Z")
“Like Bobby Orr…” ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/20 "2011-12-22T00:37:32Z")
> [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](#): > > No. “Like Lincoln.” “Like George Washington” has WAYYY too many syllables. No, Lincoln has two few. All of the “like” words have three or four syllables: Pinocchio, Monopoly, a light bulb. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008.md?page=2)