You'll Go Down in History, Like [who?!]

Gravity Defier · Postby **Gravity Defier** » Sun Dec 23, 2012 12:32 pm

It's come up on FB that there are strangely 2 different versions of Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer.

Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer
had a very shiny nose.
And if you ever saw him,
you would even say it glows. (Like a lightbulb!)

All of the other reindeer
used to laugh and call him names.
They never let poor Rudolph
join in any reindeer games.

Then one foggy Christmas Eve
Santa came to say:
"Rudolph with your nose so bright,
won't you guide my sleigh tonight?"

Then all the reindeer loved him
as they shouted out with glee,
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer,
you'll go down in history! (Like [name?!])

So which is it, Pweb:Columbus or George Washington?

Also, I'm wondering if it's regional, so mention where you grew up, please.

Gravity Defier · Postby **Gravity Defier** » Sun Dec 23, 2012 12:33 pm

I learned it as Columbus growing up in CA.

LilBee91 · Postby **LilBee91** » Sun Dec 23, 2012 1:23 pm

Columbus. Which I learned growing up in Idaho and Alaska. Plus that's what the Chipmunks say.

powerfulcheese04 · Postby **powerfulcheese04** » Sun Dec 23, 2012 1:32 pm

Definitely Columbus.

Also, if its what Alvin says, it must be right.

starlooker · Postby **starlooker** » Sun Dec 23, 2012 1:39 pm

Washington. Texas. Although, a variant I heard in El Paso was, "like toothpaste." But I never heard Columbus until today.

Weirdos. Pfft. Columbus.

LilBee91 · Postby **LilBee91** » Sun Dec 23, 2012 1:41 pm

Hmmm. Upon further investigation, the Chipmunks jus to ranting on about the presents they want and don't say anyone is famous at all. Oops. I could have sworn they said something though. Maybe there is a different version?

steph · Postby **steph** » Sun Dec 23, 2012 2:25 pm

Full song, as learned in Colorado (with complete echoes and slight lyric changes):

Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer (reindeer)
had a very shiny nose. (like a lightbulb!)
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: (Ho Ho Ho)
"Rudolph with your nose so bright,
won't you guide my sleigh tonight?"

Then how the reindeer loved him (loved him)
as they shouted out with glee, (Yipee!)
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, (reindeer)
you'll go down in history! (Like George Washington!)

Postby **Jayelle** » Sun Dec 23, 2012 9:23 pm

I'm from Canada and I say Columbus. However, I have heard of George Washington. And I feel like there's someone else too, but I can't quite put my finger on it.

Petra456 · Postby **Petra456** » Sun Dec 23, 2012 9:50 pm

Columbus, and I grew up in Washington. My older sister grew up in Wyoming, and she knows it as Columbus also.

Gravity Defier · Postby **Gravity Defier** » Sun Dec 23, 2012 11:08 pm

However, I have heard of George Washington.

He's kind of a big thing.

Syphon the Sun · Postby **Syphon the Sun** » Mon Dec 24, 2012 12:07 pm

George Washington. Columbus doesn't even have the right number of syllables.

Though I much prefer Randolph the Two-Gun Cowboy.

starlooker · Postby **starlooker** » Mon Dec 24, 2012 12:26 pm

A Christmas miracle. Michael and I agree on something.

I tried Columbus. It just sounded funny.

Gravity Defier · Postby **Gravity Defier** » Mon Dec 24, 2012 12:30 pm

See, I've tried George Washington and it doesn't just sound funny to me, I can't figure out how to make it fit. As in, I don't know where the emphasis should go on any of it.

"Like Col-um-bus!" fits so much better than any attempt at George Washington I've come up with so far.

starlooker · Postby **starlooker** » Mon Dec 24, 2012 12:42 pm

Oh, well, I can help you with that. It's a bit sing-songy. "George" is very quick, de-emphasized, sounds almost like Jirj. WASH is very stressed, and then ing-ton are just normal. "Like jirj WASH-ing-ton."

Syphon the Sun · Postby **Syphon the Sun** » Mon Dec 24, 2012 1:15 pm

George Washington has 4 syllables, just like monopoly and pinocchio. Why on earth would you suddenly switch to 3 instead?

When singing, we've always emphasized the second syllable in all 3 of those words/names.

Gravity Defier · Postby **Gravity Defier** » Mon Dec 24, 2012 1:18 pm

"Like a light bulb" is only 4, including the "like" part, meaning the analogous part to Columbus is three syllables long. Why have all be 4 except like a light bulb instead of having it split between 2 3-syllable and 2 4-syllable words/phrases?

starlooker · Postby **starlooker** » Mon Dec 24, 2012 2:40 pm

To answer that, I return to my previous argument: "Like Columbus" sounds funny.

starlooker · Postby **starlooker** » Mon Dec 24, 2012 2:47 pm

Oh, also, I vaguely recall "like fruitcake" as a variant. Anyone else?

elfprince13 · Postby **elfprince13** » Mon Dec 24, 2012 5:06 pm

George Washington, of course!

Claire · Postby **Claire** » Mon Dec 24, 2012 9:09 pm

George Washington over here!

neo-dragon · Postby **neo-dragon** » Tue Dec 25, 2012 6:02 pm

Postby **Luet** » Tue Dec 25, 2012 6:06 pm

Syphon the Sun · Postby **Syphon the Sun** » Wed Jan 02, 2013 5:12 pm

Why have all be 4 except like a light bulb instead of having it split between 2 3-syllable and 2 4-syllable words/phrases?

Because the meter seems off when it's split like that?

wizzard · Postby **wizzard** » Thu Jan 03, 2013 3:15 pm

I'm from Eastern PA, and I've always heard George Washington. I think the first time I heard Columbus was from my girlfriend, who's from Iowa. I can make it work, but like others have said, it just sounds weird. I think it's because you end up holding the "um" for a long time, and it creates this weird pause in the middle of the name. You don't have the same issue with "Like a light bulb", because the pause is between two words.

Also, "Then one foggy Christmas eve / Santa came to say (and he said!)".

You'll Go Down in History, Like [who?!]

You'll go down in history, like....?

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