Run Rudolph Run

{{short description|1958 Christmas song written and recorded by Chuck Berry}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Run Rudolph Run

| type = single

| released = 1958

| recorded = 1958

| studio = Chess (Chicago){{cite web |title=The Chuck Berry Database: Details For Recording Session: 19. 11. 1958|url=http://www.crlf.de/ChuckBerry/cbdb/session/16-1958-11-19%2000:00:00.html |website=A Collector's Guide to the Music of Chuck Berry |publisher=Dietmar Rudolph |access-date=28 September 2021}}

| genre = Christmas,
rock and roll

| length = 2:37

| writer =

Chuck Berry Music (credited on original single label)
Johnny Marks (subsequent)
Marvin Brodie

| producer = Leonard Chess, Phil Chess

| label = Chess 1714

}}

"Run Rudolph Run"{{cite web |title=Chuck Berry - Run Rudolph Run |url=https://www.allmusic.com/song/run-rudolph-run-mt0003626032 |website=Allmusic.com |publisher=AllMusic, member of the RhythmOne group |access-date=11 December 2019 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20191211120051/https://www.allmusic.com/song/run-rudolph-run-mt0003626032 |archive-date=11 December 2019 |language=en |quote=Run Rudolph Run}} is a Christmas song written by Chuck Berry but credited to Johnny Marks and M. Brodie due to Marks's trademark on the character of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.{{cite web |title=140-Run!-Rudolph,-the-Red-Nosed-Reindeer-and-the-copyright-mystery |url=http://www.crlf.de/ChuckBerry/blog/archives/140-Run!-Rudolph,-the-Red-Nosed-Reindeer-and-the-copyright-mystery.html|access-date=1 April 2022 }}{{refn|group=note|There is some debate about authorship.{{cite web |title=Run Rudolph Run |url=https://www.songfacts.com/facts/chuck-berry/run-rudolph-run |website=Songfacts.com |access-date=11 December 2019 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20191211133412/https://www.songfacts.com/facts/chuck-berry/run-rudolph-run |archive-date=11 December 2019 |language=en |quote="...Rudolph is copyrighted, and Berry had to give the publishing rights to Johnny Marks, who wrote the original Rudolph. Perhaps if Berry had used "Randolph" (another reindeer he mentions), he could have kept the publishing. That's what the makers of the British TV special Robbie the Reindeer did."}}{{cite web |last1=Rudolph |first1=Dietmar |title=Run! Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer – and the copyright mystery |url=http://www.crlf.de/ChuckBerry/blog/archives/140-Run!-Rudolph,-the-Red-Nosed-Reindeer-and-the-copyright-mystery.html |website=Crlf.de |access-date=11 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208202935/http://www.crlf.de/ChuckBerry/blog/archives/140-Run!-Rudolph,-the-Red-Nosed-Reindeer-and-the-copyright-mystery.html |archive-date=8 December 2015 |language=en |date=18 December 2013}} The original record credited authorship to Berry's music company (Chuck Berry Music, Inc.) and Brodie. Only in subsequent releases did the writing credits go to Marks and Brodie (and even then, this was not always the case, as multiple later releases by the label credited the song simply to Berry). Marks was the songwriter of the thematically similar, but musically different, song "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer".{{cite web|url=https://www.geneautry.com/musicmovies/musiccds/essentialgeneautry2.html|title=GeneAutry.com: Music, Movies & More - The Essential Gene Autry, 1931-1953|website=www.Autry.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181205193433/https://www.geneautry.com/musicmovies/musiccds/essentialgeneautry2.html|access-date=December 6, 2017|archive-date=2018-12-05}} All cover versions of "Run Rudolph Run" by other artists have since credited the song to Marks and Brodie (as published by Marks's St. Nicholas Music (ASCAP)).{{cite web |title=ACE Repertory - JOHNNY MARKS |url=https://www.ascap.com/repertory#ace/writer/19666559/MARKS%20JOHN%20D |website=Ascap.com |access-date=11 December 2019 |language=en |quote="(ASCAP's complete catalogue listing for Johnny Marks. "Run Rudolph Run" is listed. "Little Queenie" is not.)"}} Berry's song "Little Queenie" - recorded during the same session as "Run Rudolph Run", and which was musically similar to, but lyrically different from, "Run Rudolph Run" - was released shortly after "Run Rudolph Run", in 1959. In it, the song never listed Marks or Brodie as a songwriter, only Berry's music company or Berry himself.{{cite web |title=Chuck Berry - Little Queenie |url=https://www.allmusic.com/song/little-queenie-mt0012746284 |website=Allmusic.com |publisher=AllMusic, member of the RhythmOne group |access-date=11 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160830175539/https://www.allmusic.com/song/little-queenie-mt0012746284 |archive-date=30 August 2016 |language=en |quote=Little Queenie - Composed by Chuck Berry}}}} It was published by St. Nicholas Music (ASCAP) and was first recorded by Berry in 1958, released as a single on Chess Records.Chess Records no. 1714

It has since been covered by numerous other artists, sometimes with the title "Run Run Rudolph".

History

Chuck Berry reported that he wrote the song himself, but then discovered that the name Rudolph was trademarked by Johnny Marks. Marks sued and consequently was given songwriting credit, although he "had nothing to do with the song." Berry also said that M. Brodie does not exist, but was a pseudonym created as "a scheme to make more money for Marks and his publisher."{{cite web |title=140-Run!-Rudolph,-the-Red-Nosed-Reindeer-and-the-copyright-mystery|url=http://www.crlf.de/ChuckBerry/blog/archives/140-Run!-Rudolph,-the-Red-Nosed-Reindeer-and-the-copyright-mystery.html |access-date=1 April 2022 }} Berry's 1958 45-rpm single gives writing credits to "C. Berry Music – M. Brodie". All subsequent cover versions of the song are credited to Marks and Brodie, as published by Marks's St. Nicholas Music (ASCAP).

The song's dialogue between Santa and the children references popular toys of the 1950s.

Cover versions

{{cleanup|reason=versions may not meet WP:SONGCOVER.|date=June 2018}}

This song was covered by singer Whitney Wolanin in 2013. Her recording reached the highest chart position of all versions on Billboard, reaching number two on its Adult Contemporary chart. Wolanin starred in a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAeL67vfM8Y parody music film] with the song about the original movie A Christmas Story at the Christmas Story House.

In 2023, Cher recorded a cover of the song for her Christmas album Christmas.{{cite web | url=https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/cher-releases-holiday-album-christmas/story?id=104171351 | title=Cher releases first holiday album, 'Christmas' | website=ABC News }}

Chart performance

During its initial chart run, Berry's 1958 recording peaked at number 69 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in December 1958.{{cite book | last = Whitburn | first = Joel | title = Christmas in the Charts (1920–2004) | publisher = Record Research Inc | year=2004 | location = Wisconsin | isbn = 0-89820-161-6 }} Sixty years later, the single re-entered the Hot 100 chart at number 45 (on the week ending January 5, 2019), reaching an overall peak position of number 10 on the week ending January 2, 2021, following its third chart re-entry, becoming Berry's third top-ten hit and his first since 1972's "My Ding-a-Ling". In doing so, it broke the record for the longest climb to the top 10 since its first entry in December 1958, at 62 years and two weeks.{{cite magazine|title=Chuck Berry Chart History|url= https://www.billboard.com/artist/chuck-berry/chart-history/|magazine=Billboard}}{{Cite magazine|title=Mariah Carey's 'Christmas' Back Atop Hot 100, As Dean Martin, Wham! & Chuck Berry Hit Top 10|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9504998/mariah-carey-christmas-tops-hot-100-fifth-week/|access-date=2020-12-28|magazine=Billboard|language=en}}

Berry's original version first made the UK Singles Chart on the week ending Christmas Day 1963, peaking at number 36 two weeks later (with the song's title misspelled as "Run Rudolf Run").{{cite web|title=Official Singles Chart Results Matching: Run Rudolf Run|url= https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/run-rudolf-run/|website=Official Charts}}

Bryan Adams recorded a version for A Very Special Christmas, a 1987 compilation album produced to benefit the Special Olympics.

In 2013, Whitney Wolanin released a version of the song that reached number two on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. The only other recordings that charted in the U.S. were by the country music artists Luke Bryan, whose 2008 rendition peaked at number 42 on the Hot Country Songs chart, Justin Moore, whose 2011 version peaked at number 58 on the Hot Country Songs chart, and the pop music artist Mark Ambor, whose 2024 rendition peaked at number 78 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

=Chuck Berry=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

scope="col"| Chart (1958)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

{{single chart|Billboardhot100|69|artist=Chuck Berry|rowheader=true}}

scope="col"\| Chart (2018–2025) ! scope="col"\| Peak position
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="row"\| Australia (ARIA){{cite web\|url=https://www.aria.com.au/charts/singles-chart/2024-01-01\|title=ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart\|publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association\|date=January 1, 2024\|access-date=December 29, 2023}} \| 22
{{single chart\|Austria\|71\|artist=Chuck Berry\|song=Run Rudolph Run\|rowheader=true\|access-date=January 3, 2025}}
{{single chart\|Canada\|24\|artist=Chuck Berry\|rowheader=true\|access-date=December 31, 2024}}
scope="row"\| France (SNEP){{cite web\|url=https://snepmusique.com/les-tops/le-top-de-la-semaine/top-albums/?semaine=52&annee=2023&categorie=Top%20Singles\|title=Top Singles (Week 52, 2023)\|publisher=Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique\|language=French\|access-date=January 2, 2024}} \| 172
{{single chart\|Billboardglobal200\|22\|artist=Chuck Berry\|rowheader=true\|access-date=January 1, 2021}}
scope="row"\| Greece International (IFPI){{cite web\|url=https://www.ifpi.gr/digital_iel.html \|title=Official IFPI Charts Digital Singles Chart (International) – Εβδομάδα: 52/2024 \|access-date=January 2, 2025 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250102103217/https://www.ifpi.gr/digital_iel.html \|archive-date=January 2, 2025 \|url-status=dead}} \| 45
{{single chart\|Ireland4\|44\|date=20241227\|rowheader=true\|access-date=December 27, 2024}}
scope="row"\| Latvia (DigiTop100){{cite web\|url=https://www.tv3.lv/izklaide/digitop100/digitop100-gada-izskanas-topa-svetku-dziesmas-uzvar-teju-visus-muzikalos-smagsvarus/\|title=“DIGiTop100” gada izskaņas topā svētku dziesmas uzvar teju visus muzikālos smagsvarus\|trans-title=Christmas songs beat almost all musical heavyweights in DIGiTop100 at the end of the year\|language=lv\|publisher={{Ill\|TV3.lv\|lv\|tv3.lv\|lt=Skaties.lv}}\|access-date=April 17, 2025\|date=January 3, 2018}} \| 39
scope="row"\| Lithuania (AGATA){{cite web\|url=https://www.agata.lt/lt/naujienos/s52-2/\|title=2023 52-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)\|publisher=AGATA\|language=lt\|date=December 29, 2023\|access-date=January 4, 2024}} \| 41
scope="row"\| Netherlands (Single Tip){{cite web\|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/weekchart.asp?cat=st&date=20231230&year=2023\|title=Dutch Single Tip 30/12/2023\|publisher=MegaCharts\|language=nl\|access-date=December 30, 2023}} \| 2
scope="row"\| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ){{cite web\|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/singles/2024-12-27\|title=NZ Top 40 Singles Chart\|publisher=Recorded Music NZ\|date=December 27, 2024\|access-date=December 27, 2024}} \| 28
{{single chart\|Portugal\|114\|artist=Chuck Berry\|song=Run Rudolph Run\|rowheader=true\|access-date=January 7, 2023}}
{{single chart\|Slovakia2\|78\|year=2018\|week=5152\|rowheader=true\|access-date=June 18, 2019}}
{{single chart\|Slovakdigital2\|78\|year=2023\|week=51+52\|rowheader=true\|access-date=January 3, 2024}}
scope="row"\| Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan){{cite web\|url=https://www.sverigetopplistan.se/chart/215?dspy=2023&dspp=52\|title=Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 52\|publisher=Sverigetopplistan\|access-date=December 30, 2023}} \| 20
{{single chart\|Switzerland\|39\|artist=Chuck Berry\|song=Run Rudolph Run\|rowheader=true\|access-date=December 29, 2024}}
{{single chart\|UK\|36\|date=19640108\|rowheader=true\|refname=UK36\|access-date=December 22, 2020}}
{{single chart\|Billboardhot100\|10\|artist=Chuck Berry\|rowheader=true\|access-date=December 29, 2020\|refname=US2020}}
scope="row"\|US Holiday 100 (Billboard){{cite news\|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/chuck-berry/chart-history/hsx/\|title=Chuck Berry Chart History (Holiday 100)\|magazine=Billboard\|access-date=January 1, 2021}} \| 9
scope="row"\| US Rolling Stone Top 100{{cite magazine\|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/charts/songs/2020-12-31/\|title=Top 100 Songs\|magazine=Rolling Stone\|date=December 31, 2020\|access-date=January 9, 2021\|archive-date=January 7, 2021\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210107021914/https://www.rollingstone.com/charts/songs/2020-12-31/\|url-status=dead}} \| 5

=Whitney Wolanin=

class="wikitable"
align="left"\|Chart (2013) ! style="text-align:center;"\|Peak position
{{single chart\|Billboardadultcontemporary\|2\|artist=Whitney Wolanin\|artistid=431330}}

class="wikitable"

align="left"|Chart (2013)

! style="text-align:center;"|Peak
position

{{single chart|Billboardadultcontemporary|2|artist=Whitney Wolanin|artistid=431330}}

=Luke Bryan=

class="wikitable"
align="left"\|Chart (2008–09) ! style="text-align:center;"\|Peak position
{{single chart\|Billboardcountrysongs\|42\|artist=Luke Bryan\|artistid=852700}}

class="wikitable"

align="left"|Chart (2008–09)

! style="text-align:center;"|Peak
position

{{single chart|Billboardcountrysongs|42|artist=Luke Bryan|artistid=852700}}

=Justin Moore=

class="wikitable"
align="left"\|Chart (2012) ! style="text-align:center;"\|Peak position
{{single chart\|Billboardcountrysongs\|58\|artist=Justin Moore\|artistid=1061633}}

class="wikitable"

align="left"|Chart (2012)

! style="text-align:center;"|Peak
position

{{single chart|Billboardcountrysongs|58|artist=Justin Moore|artistid=1061633}}

=Mark Ambor=

scope="row"\| Greece International (IFPI){{cite web\|url=https://www.ifpi.gr/digital_iel.html \|title=Official IFPI Charts Digital Singles Chart (International) – Εβδομάδα: 52/2024 \|publisher=IFPI Greece \|access-date=January 2, 2025 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250102103217/https://www.ifpi.gr/digital_iel.html \|archive-date=January 2, 2025 \|url-status=dead}} \| 67
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" \|+ ! scope="col"\| Chart (2024{{ndash}}2025) ! scope="col"\| Peak position
{{single chart\|Australia\|36\|artist=Mark Ambor\|song=Run Rudolph Run\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=April 17, 2025}}
{{single chart\|Canada\|56\|artist=Mark Ambor\|rowheader=true\|access-date=April 17, 2025\|note={{cite magazine\|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/canadian-hot-100/2025-01-04/\|title=Billboard Canadian Hot 100: Week of January 4, 2025\|magazine=Billboard\|access-date=December 31, 2024}}}}
{{single chart\|Ireland3\|9\|artist=Mark Ambor\|song=Run Rudolph Run\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=April 17, 2025}}
scope="row"\| Lithuania (AGATA){{cite web\|url=https://www.agata.lt/lt/naujienos/s52-3/\|title=2024 52-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)\|language=lt\|publisher=AGATA\|date=December 27, 2024\|access-date=January 2, 2025\|archive-date=January 2, 2025\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250102141007/https://www.agata.lt/lt/naujienos/s52-3/\|url-status=live}} \| 33
{{single chart\|Dutch100\|96\|artist=Mark Ambor\|song=Run Rudolph Run\|rowheader=true\|access-date=April 17, 2025}}
{{single chart\|New Zealand\|36\|artist=Mark Ambor\|song=Run Rudolph Run\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=April 17, 2025}}
{{single chart\|UK\|31\|date=20241227\|rowheader=true\|access-date=April 17, 2025}}
{{single chart\|Billboardhot100\|78\|artist=Mark Ambor\|rowheader=true\|access-date=April 17, 2025\|note={{cite magazine\|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/2025-01-04/\|title=Billboard Hot 100: Week of January 4, 2025\|magazine=Billboard\|access-date=December 31, 2024}}}}

Certifications

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|award=Gold|artist=Chuck Berry|title=Run Rudolph Run|relyear=1958|id=2022-12-30|source=newchart|access-date=2024-11-20|certyear=2023}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|award=Platinum|artist=Chuck Berry|title=Run Rudolph Run|relyear=2006|certyear=2024|id=16921-3613-1|access-date=January 3, 2025}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|award=Platinum|artist=Chuck Berry|title=Run Rudolph Run|relyear=1958|certyear=2020|access-date=November 18, 2020}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|nosales=true|noshipments=true}}