Run, Rudolph, Run: Score
Words and music by Johnny Marks and Marvin Brody / arr. Kirby Shaw
Item: 00-PR-0007168
$8.00
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Description
Originally popularized by Chuck Berry in 1958, some say this was the very first rock 'n' roll Christmas song. Since then, it's been covered by everybody from Bryan Adams and Billy Idol to Kelly Clarkson, Conan O'Brien, and The Muppets! Kirby Shaw kicks off his arrangement with that characteristic guitar lick and builds from there. The optional SoundPax allows you to assemble your own rock band, or use the live-instrument SoundTrax CD.
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Sample Audio
1
Run, Rudolph, Run
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Run, Rudolph, Run
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Sample Video
No sample videos found.
Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Pop Choral Series
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
28
SKU:
00-PR-0007168
Instrumentation:
SoundPax
More about this title
About the Composer: Johnny Marks
Johnny Marks composed more than 100 songs during his career, establishing himself as a master of holiday material in the 1950s. Beyond "Run, Rudolph, Run," his catalog includes "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and other seasonal standards that remain fixtures in American pop culture and school holiday programs.
Marks worked across multiple genres and mediums, from film scores to pop hits, demonstrating a gift for melody that appeals across generations. His compositions continue to introduce young singers to classic songwriting and provide accessible entry points into popular music styles.
Why we love this
Kirby Shaw's arrangement captures the infectious energy and swagger of the original while keeping the part writing singable for mixed choirs of varying experience levels. The optional SoundPax gives you genuine flexibility: assemble a live rhythm section if you have the students, or lean on the recorded accompaniment and focus entirely on vocal performance. This is a song audiences actually recognize and enjoy hearing live, which makes rehearsal time feel immediately relevant to singers.
What to expect
Pure infectious joy delivered with a swagger inherited from Chuck Berry's original. The arrangement bounces along with the spirit of a school dance or skating rink party, complete with that unmistakable 1950s rock energy that still feels fresh and fun decades later.
Who it's for
Mixed choirs looking for holiday pops that don't feel saccharine or musically thin. This works for secondary choirs, community ensembles, and professional groups seeking audience-friendly seasonal material with genuine rock credibility.
How to get the most out of it
- Ground the rock feel in a steady, confident pulse from your rhythm section or the SoundTrax. This song's identity lives in its groove, not its vocal virtuosity.
- Highlight the opening guitar lick by bringing ensemble awareness to those first few measures. When singers understand they're supporting an instrumental moment, they listen and lock in.
- Balance the fun and charm with clear diction, especially during the rapid-fire sections. The humor lands when words land cleanly.
- If using live SoundPax instruments, rehearse your rhythm section separately and bring them together with the choir several rehearsals before performance to build ensemble confidence.
How to use it
Program this as a closing or second-to-last selection during winter concerts to send audiences home smiling. It balances nicely alongside more traditional holiday fare, offering a palate cleanser that reminds audiences why rock 'n' roll and Christmas can coexist gloriously.
Skills your students will build
- Singing rock-style phrasing and articulation in a choral setting
- Maintaining consistent ensemble rhythm in syncopated and syncopated passages
- Adapting vocal tone and approach to a popular music context
- Responding to live instrumental accompaniment or recorded tracks with precision