Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Imagine a recording studio in the sixties. Outside it might not be winter, but inside there is a cheerful Christmas atmosphere.

Five stylish singers from The Temptations stand around a single microphone. They are famous for their smooth soul voices and perfect harmonies. Today, however, they are not recording a love song, but a Christmas story.

The story is about a special reindeer: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Everyone knows him — the reindeer with the bright red nose who was initially laughed at by the other reindeer, but eventually became the hero who led Santa Claus’s sleigh through the fog.

When The Temptations recorded the song Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer for their Christmas album The Temptations Christmas Card in 1970, they decided to make it something truly unique.

Instead of a quiet children’s choir, Rudolph was given a swinging soul groove. The singers started playing with their voices:

one voice singing the melody,
others doing cheerful “doo-doo” and “shoo-bee-doo” backgrounds,
and the occasional playful improvisation, as if Rudolph himself is happily dancing through the snow.

You can almost imagine the other reindeer laughing at Rudolph’s red nose at first, while The Temptations turn it into a rhythmic, almost danceable story.

And when the moment comes that Santa calls for Rudolph to lead the sleigh, it sounds as if the entire studio is smiling.

That is how a simple Christmas story turned into a warm, swinging soul classic. And every time you hear this version, it feels a bit like Rudolph isn’t just running through the snow… but also across a funky Motown stage. 🦌🎶🎄