# \[Rudolph\] 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:** 3
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/41 "2011-12-22T03:58:43Z")
“Like George Washington” is how I learned it as a kid. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/42 "2011-12-22T04:14:23Z")
Never heard the Columbus version until this post. It was always George Washington when I heard it. ---
**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, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/43 "2011-12-22T04:28:04Z")
> [@expectopatronum](#): > > i always figured glee was some 70s toothpaste cause i mostly heard the toothpaste ad lib growing up in the 80s, but a quick google doesn’t show any toothpaste with that brand name. later on i heard the yipee version. The toothpaste was called Gleam and as I mentioned, I don’t recall if we actaully thought the correct lyric was gleam or if it just seemed clever to us. This amusing reminiscence aside, this is one of my all time hated Christmas songs(not to be Grinchy or anything). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_In\_Black](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@The\_Man\_In\_Black](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_In_Black)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/44 "2011-12-22T04:31:32Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > 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? Everyone I know has always said Columbus. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/45 "2011-12-22T04:36:59Z")
Why have I never heard any of this? ---
**Author:** ![MagicEyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@MagicEyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicEyes)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/46 "2011-12-22T04:38:34Z")
So, nobody else says “like Napoleon”? I’m feeling a little lonely over here. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/47 "2011-12-22T04:41:24Z")
> [@Scarlett67](#): > > Lincoln! > > I’ve grown to dislike this song because of its “lesson”: If you’re an outcast, the other kids will come to like you only if you can do something for THEM. :mad: Even worse, the song says that it’s OK to pick on anyone who’s different, until he’s useful to The Man. I wonder how they’ll treat him the next time Christmas has clear weather. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/48 "2011-12-22T05:48:39Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > I’ve also heard the suggestion that Rudolph will “go down” in history like Monica Lewinsky. As in “Go Down Moses.” ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/49 "2011-12-22T06:02:40Z")
the answer is “like George Washington” ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/50 "2011-12-22T06:49:10Z")
Columbus. Never even heard that George Washington shit before this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Janetda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/46a35a/32.png) [@Janetda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Janetda)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/51 "2011-12-22T07:06:13Z")
Columbus, Monopoly & toothpaste. I had no idea other kids sang it any other way. I love the Internet! ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/52 "2011-12-22T07:40:56Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > 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! “Like the Bismarck” (Not really, but I encourage the notion, since I’ve always hated the song. :p) ---
**Author:** ![auRa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c4cdca/32.png) [@auRa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auRa)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/53 "2011-12-22T11:40:43Z")
> [@koeeoaddi](#): > > Why have I never heard any of this? To be honest, I’m a little surprised at all the “never heard of it” answers coming from Americans. I’m just discussing this with a Finnish friend of mine. In the early-to-mid-90’s, she was at the English School in Helsinki, I was at the International School, and we both definitely sang Rudolph with the add-ons. It just seems funny that we’d know about this in northern Europe and someone in the States would have managed to miss it. 😃 (She had “George Washington”, I had “Columbus”. Although I think I heard “Napoleon” once.) ---
**Author:** ![LaurenIpsum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@LaurenIpsum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LaurenIpsum)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/54 "2011-12-22T14:04:20Z")
In my upstate NY elementary school in the 80s, it was always “Like George Washington.” I never heard a version with Columbus or any other name. ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/55 "2011-12-22T14:12:13Z")
I’m more in favor of “Randolf the Bow-legged Cowboy” with the poker games and “with your gun so bright won’t you shoot my wife tonight”. ETA: Georger Washington and Dumbo in VA in the late 60s and early 70s. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/56 "2011-12-22T14:22:18Z")
Glows (like a Glow-worm) Reindeer (like Blitzen) Names (like Pinocchio) Games (like Monopoly) History (like Napoleon) I think The GW/Columbus versions didn’t make it across the Atlantic. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/57 "2011-12-22T15:05:14Z")
like George Washington! ---
**Author:** ![Wolverine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba9def/32.png) [@Wolverine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolverine)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/58 "2011-12-22T15:22:42Z")
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 **(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, “Rudolph with your nose so bright, won’t you guide my sleigh tonight” Then all of the other reindeer loved him **(loved him)** As they shouted out with glee **(like toothpase)** “Rudolph the red nosed reindeer, you’ll go down in history!” **(like George Washington)** Differences in **RED** , non-controversial words in **GREEN** I learned it this way in the 80s in Michigan. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/59 "2011-12-22T15:26:47Z")
For me it was “… Like Abe Lincoln!” ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2011, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008/60 "2011-12-22T15:41:12Z")
I’ve heard the “shouted out with glee” followed by literal shouts of “Glee, glee”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolph-youll-go-down-in-history-like/607008.md?page=4)