Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer facts for kids

Quick facts for kids "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer"
Picture sleeve of 1984 release by Epic Records (34-04703)
Single by Elmo & Patsy
from the album Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer
B-side	"Christmas" (Elmo 'n' Patsy; Oink; Soundwaves) "Percy, The Puny Poinsettia" (Epic)
Released	1979 (Elmo 'n' Patsy) 1982 (Oink; Soundwaves) 1984 (Epic)
Recorded	1978
Genre	Christmas, country, novelty, pop
Length	3:30 (Elmo 'n' Patsy; Oink; Soundwaves) 3:26 (Epic)
Label	Elmo 'n' Patsy 2984 Oink 2984 Soundwaves 4658 Epic 34-04703
Songwriter(s)	Randy Brooks
Producer(s)	Gary Potterton

"Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" is a funny novelty Christmas song. It was written by Randy Brooks. The song was first performed by a husband-and-wife team. They were Elmo Shropshire and Patsy Trigg. They released the song in 1979.

How the Song Was Released

Randy Brooks played the song for Elmo and Patsy in 1978. They liked it and asked him to make a tape. A year later, Elmo and Patsy were selling records of the song. Elmo even dressed up as "Grandma" for the album cover.

The Shropshires first released the song themselves in 1979. They used their own record label in San Francisco. The other side of the record was a song called "Christmas."

In the early 1980s, the song became a hit. It was played on country stations. Then it became popular on Top 40 pop stations. Different record companies helped distribute the song. This helped it reach more listeners.

In 1982, Elmo and Patsy re-recorded the song. They also released a full album with the same name. By 1984, the song was very popular. Epic Records bought the rights to the song. They re-released it, making it even more famous.

The song was also released in the United Kingdom in 1980. However, it did not become a hit there.

Other Versions by the Original Artists

The artists made more versions of the song later:

• After Elmo and Patsy divorced, Elmo recorded the song by himself. He did this in 1992 and again in 2000.
• SonyBMG released a version by Dr. Elmo in 2002.
• Madacy Records released a special gift set in 2007. It included a CD, DVD, and Christmas stocking.
• Time Life Records released a bluegrass version in 2010. It was an instrumental, meaning no singing.
• Patsy also recorded the song as a solo artist. She made a country version and an old-school rap version.

Elmo Shropshire also released a sequel song. It was called "Grandpa's Gonna Sue the Pants Off of Santa." This song is about Grandpa taking Santa to court. It came out in 1992 on the album Dr. Elmo's Twisted Christmas.

Other Artists Who Covered the Song

Many other artists have recorded "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer."

• In 1982, The Irish Rovers released their version in Canada. It quickly became a big hit there. It is still a popular holiday song.
• The band Family Force 5 covered the song. In their version, they changed the line about drinking "beer" to "root beer."
• Poe also covered the song in 1996.
• Less Than Jake included their version on their album Goodbye Blue and White.
• A rock version is on the album We Wish You a Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year.
• The country a cappella group Home Free covered it in 2014. It was on their Christmas album Full of Cheer.
• Reel Big Fish covered the song on their 2014 EP Happy Skalidays.
• Ray Stevens released his cover of "Grandma" in 2016.
• The song's writer, Randy Brooks, also has his own version. It was released in 2014.
• A Danish comedy band called Linie 3 released a Danish version in 1984. They changed some of the lyrics.

Why the Song is Popular

Surveys have shown that "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" is very popular. But it's also a song that many people dislike. In 2007, surveys found it was the only Christmas song to be on both "liked" and "disliked" lists. About half of people liked it, but a good number also disliked it.

Some radio stations have even stopped playing the song. One station in Washington, D.C. removed it. The program director said it was "too polarizing." This means people either loved it or hated it.

Elmo Shropshire says the song is a "beloved holiday favorite." He says many young people feel it's not Christmas until they hear it. The song has also been used in talking toys and musical greeting cards.

Television Appearances

The song has inspired and appeared in several TV shows and specials.

• A cartoon movie called Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer came out in 2000. It tells the story from the song. In the cartoon, Grandma survives the accident. Elmo Shropshire narrates the movie and voices Grandpa. This special is often shown on Cartoon Network, AMC, and The CW during the holidays.
• In a 2015 episode of Scorpion, characters sing part of the song. They are inhaling helium, which makes their voices sound funny.
• On Family Guy, three small monkeys pretend to sing the song. This happens during a dream funeral scene.
• In the TV series The Good Place, the song is played over and over. It's part of a party in the "Bad Place" for demons.
• Jimmy Fallon told a funny story on The Tonight Show. It was a fictional story about his grandmother's death. The story was inspired by this song.

Music Video

The official music video for Elmo & Patsy's song came out in the mid-1980s. It was shown on MTV for many years. You could also see it on other music channels.

In the video, Santa's reindeer run over Grandma. But unlike the song, she survives the accident. She reappears at the end, perfectly fine. She even makes a funny comment about Santa's driving.

Song Popularity Charts

The song has appeared on music charts over the years.