Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Words and Music by Johnny Marks , 1949

St. Nicholas Music ~ ASCAP

First recording circa 1953:

With Mitchell Ayres' Orchestra & Chorus

Produced by Henri René

Recorded RCA Victor Studio 2, New York City

Recording Time 2:44

Recorded May 21, 1953 ~ Matrix No. E3VB 1339 Take 1 - 1A

Single release: RCA-78RPM "Como for Kids" Y-488 & EYA-40

Single release: RCA-78RPM Bluebird Children's Records BY-42 "Perry Como Sings Christmas Music for Kiddies"

Single release: RCA-45RPM Bluebird Children's Records WBY-42 E3VW-1339-3S

Single Flip Side: "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"

Original issue: "Around the Christmas Tree" LPM-3133 and "Christmas Joy" 45-EPA-497

Album issue: RCA-LP12 "Perry Como Sings Merry Christmas Music" LPM-1243 MONO 1956

Album issue: RCA-45RPM EP "Perry Como Sings Merry Christmas Music" EPA-920 MONO 1956

Album Re- issue: RCA-45RPM EP "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town" EPA-920 MONO 1957

Album: RCA-UK EP "A Merry Christmas" RCX-120 MONO U/K

Re-issue: Camden-LP12 "Perry Como Sings Merry Christmas Music" CAL-660 MONO 1961

Re-issue: Camden-LP12 "Perry Como Sings Merry Christmas Music" CAS(e)-660 ELECTRONIC STEREO 1964

Album issue: Pickwick-LP12 "Perry Como Sings Merry Christmas Music" CDM-1030 MONO 1969

Re-issue: Pickwick-LP12 "Perry Como Sings Merry Christmas Music" CDS-1045 ELECTRONIC STEREO 1972

Album issue: Pickwick-LP12 "The Christmas Collection" PDA-027 ELECTRONIC STEREO 1979

Re-issue: Camden-LP12 "Perry Como Sings Merry Christmas Music" CAS (e)-660 ELECTRONIC STEREO 1987

Re-issue: Special Products-LP12 "Christmas with Perry Como" Noel-5211 ELECTRONIC STEREO 1987

Christmas Music for Kiddies ~ Bluebird Children's BY-42

Around the Christmas Tree ~ LPM 3133 circa 1953

Santa Claus Us Comin' To Town ~ EPA-920 circa 1957

Merry Christrmas Music ~ 1961 Camden alternate cover

Perry Como Sings Merry Christmas Music - UK Camden 1969

Merry Christmas Music ~ 1964 Camden Reissue

| Lyrics | CD-Finder |

Note: a number of Perry's original RCA Camden albums were later issued in Electronically Reprocessed Stereo during the mid-1960s when it became important for recordings to be available in a stereo format. Generally speaking, results were not very good but this was largely dependent on the remastering engineer. Oddly, a number of recordings previously recorded in real stereo were also remastered in this "fake" stereo for reasons assumed to be associated with the project budget but, nevertheless, in direct contradiction to RCA General Manager George R. Marek's original mission statement for RCA Camden recordings in 1958.

Second recording 1959:

With Mitchell Ayres' Orchestra and the Ray Charles Singers

Arrangements by Joe Lipman and Jack Andrews

Produced by Charles Grean and Lee Schapiro

Recorded in Webster Hall, New York City

Recording Engineer: Bob Simpson

Recording Time 2:53

Recorded July 14, 1959 Matrix No. K2PB-4550 Take 7

Orchestra Session

MORNING 10:00AM TO 2:00 PM

Leader: Mitchell Ayres

Contractor: Henry "Hank" Ross

Musicians AF of M Contract #8132

Chorus Contractor: Ray Charles

Others: T.B.A.

Choir ~ Rosemarie Jun, Alan Sokoloff, Bob Miller, Bob Spiro, Dave Vogel

Stereo Compact 33 Double release: RCA VP-2-2066 ( M2PO-5357 1S )

Single Flip Side: "The Christmas Song"

Album issue: RCA-LP12 "Seasons Greetings from Perry Como" LSP-2066 STEREO 1959

Album issue: RCA UK-LP12 "The Songs of Christmas" SF-5045 STEREO 1959

Album issue: RCA-COMPACT 33 DOUBLE "Seasons Greetings from Perry Como" VP-2006 STEREO 1961

Album issue: RCA-CAMDEN-LP12 "Christmas Greetings" PICKWICK UK CDS-1113 STEREO 1972/76

Album issue: Pure Gold-LP12 "Season's Greetings" CANADA KNL1-7045 STEREO 1976

Album issue: RCA-JAPAN-LP12 "The Perry Como Christmas Album" SRA-5032 STEREO 1976

Album issue: Box Set Bonus "Christmas With Perry Como" RD US STEREO RDA-144/A 1983

Season's Greetings from Perry Como ~ 1959

The Songs of Christmas - UK Release 1959

Season's Greetings Pure Gold ~ circa 1976

Christmas Greetings from Perry Como ~ UK Camden

Christmas With Perry Como ~ Reader's Digest 1983

Notes: ~ The recording by Gene Autry with The Pinafores ( Columbia ) sold over eight-million copies and is listed as the second biggest-selling record during the first half of the 20th century, surpassed only by Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" which sold over thirty million. The song has had sheet music sales exceeding five million copies and has been translated into dozens of languages. Mr. Como recorded his version first in 1953 and then again very uniquely with the arrangements of Joe Lipman and Jack Andrews for his 1959 full stereophonic album "Seasons Greetings from Perry Como" LPM/LSP 2066 on RCA Victor.