We all agree that the traditional Rudolph story is pretty messed up, right? I mean, he’s born a little different and his dad is a jerk and all the kids at school are jerks.
Then Santa comes along and is like, “Hey Rudolph, despite the fact that we’ve all regarded you as a weirdo and been jerks to you, now I need you, so go ahead and guide my sleigh.”
And then all the reindeer loved him?! What? It’s like the movie Heathers, but worse. Because it’s for actual kids instead of demented teenagers. And Christian Slater doesn’t even get blown up at the end.
Obviously Jack Johnson feels the same way about our old Christmas classic, and so he’s revised the lyrics for today’s kids with a message of inclusion in his performance of the song with The Roots on Jimmy Fallon.
“Then one foggy Christmas Eve, Santa he came to say
‘Rudolph with your nose so bright, won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?’
But then how the reindeer loved him, as they shouted out with glee,
‘Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, you’ll go down in history!’
But Rudolph didn’t go for that, he said,
‘I see through your silly games, well how can you look me in the face when only yesterday you called me names?’
And all of the other reindeer, man, they sure did feel ashamed.
They said, ‘Rudolph you know we’re sorry. We’re truly gonna try to change.'”
I love it. And my kids and their best friend Ella did too. They made me play it three times in the car after I bought it on iTunes. It also started a conversation about teasing people for what makes them different.
On top of all the good Jack Johnson is doing with this awesome anti-bullying revision (Ella called it, “Hawaii Christmas Rudolph” – though she didn’t appreciate when I started doing a one-handed hula while driving), he’s also sending all of the proceeds for the sale of the song on iTunes to the Red Cross Philippines Relief Effort.
Jack Johnson, you couldn’t be cooler.
Download the song from iTunes now, and do some good!
PS Jack and The Roots – you guys look awesome in your Christmas sweaters.
LOVE this.