"Run Rudolph Run," Chuck Berry (Chess)

The rock 'n roll answer record to "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," it's even co-written by the previous song's author, Johnny Marks, although most people assume Chuck Berry, who recorded it first, wrote it. Possibly they got that idea from early copies of the single that did credit him, and it sure doesn't sound dissimilar to his many other hits. UPDATE: Chuck's name on the original record was intended to obscure Marks' involvement, according to Wikipedia -- working on an R'nB/rock record was considered disreputable in those days. A classic rockin' Christmas record, it's been widely covered in the years since it was written, probably as much for its classic Berry arrangement as for its lyrics, which never seem to go out of style. Originally paired with "Merry Christmas Baby," the 1958 single is Chuck's total contribution to Christmas music and, as history shows, it was more than enough.