142) A Christmas Gift for You : Rolling Stone

Hands down, the best holiday album in the history of pop music. Originally issued in 1963 under the title A Christmas Gift for You From Philles Records, it wasn't until the Beatles' Apple label reissued it almost a decade later that these gritty girl-group versions of Yuletide classics were really appreciated. Ronnie Spector of the Ronettes melts "Frosty the Snowman" and takes the innocence out of "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus." The Crystals do the same with Rudolph's red nose. It all comes in a vortex of crashing drums and Spector's exhila-rating Wall of Sound production.

Total album sales: 500,000

Peak chart position: 6

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