The song was written by Johnny Marks, brother-in-law of Robert L. May who wrote the original story for Montgomery Ward's annual Christmas book.There's a short introduction to the song which gives the same eight reindeer names as in the poem, "A Visit From Saint Nicholas." A few other lines were taken from the same poem in the original book. That poem was public domain by then.
+1 "Rudolph the rednosed reindeer, had a very shiny nose.."
Rudolph is mentioned first. (If there is another version where he isn't that is not a popular version, I have never heard it start in any other way than above and have heard it thousand and thousands of times. It it refers to a specific (non-popular) version it should mention it.)
I guess you should accept "Karol Wojtyła" (or "Wojtyla" without Polish letter "ł") as an alternative for John Paul II. Technically, he was born under that name ;)
apologies for being pedantic, but the first words of Rudolph the red nosed reindeer are ' Rudolph the red nosed reindeer', the word 'Dasher' comes later
Rudolph is mentioned first. (If there is another version where he isn't that is not a popular version, I have never heard it start in any other way than above and have heard it thousand and thousands of times. It it refers to a specific (non-popular) version it should mention it.)
You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen
Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen
But do you recall
The most famous reindeer of all?
Most radio stations don't play the intro or talk over it.