20. "Frosty The Snowman," The Ronettes
from the album "A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector," Philles 4005Highest chart position: #13 US (1963)
Recorded August 1963, Los Angeles, CA
There are countless recorded versions of this standard, written by Jack Rollins and Steve Nelson in 1950 as a direct attempt to create a new "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer." But it was with Phil Spector's famous patented "Wall Of Sound" that this Snowman really came to life -- it somehow rocks, with the famous L.A. "Wrecking Crew" sessionmen walloping away and Ronnie Spector herself applying her sultry voice (yet, this time, adding a distinct Brenda Lee-style nasality, possibly to drive home the seasonal selling points). It's also the song the boys celebrate the Lufthansa heist to in Goodfellas.
Hear a clip of the song
Read the lyrics
Buy the CD
Get the sheet music
Watch a video of the song on YouTube
