Rockin' Little Christmas (various artists)
AllMusic; Amazon; Discogs; Hip Christmas Music; iTunes

This compilation album came out in 1986, but the songs are much older, of course.

1. "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree", by Brenda Lee (1958): This is a true classic. Today it sounds rather quaint, but I still say rock & roll Christmas music doesn't get much better than this.

2 "Run Rudolph Run", by Chuck Berry (1958): Another classic. No cover is ever gonna be quite as good.

3. "Hey Santa Claus", by The Moonglows (1953): I was not familiar with this song, nor with the group. It's good, and if I had heard it before, I might call it a classic, but as it is, I can't say I'll even remember it.

4. "Merry Merry Christmas Baby", by Dodie Stevens (1960): Again, it's nice, but unfamiliar, and I doubt I'll remember it.

5. "Surfin' Santa", by Lord Douglas Byron (1964): Not at all familiar, and I just think it's weird.

6. "Love for Christmas", by The Gems (1964): Also unfamiliar, but it's not bad.

7. "Jingle Bell Rock", by Bobby Helms & The Anita Kerr Singers (1957): Finally, back to something I recognize and enjoy unequivocally as a classic. Though to my ears it could just barely be called rock & roll.

8. "Mambo Santa Mambo", by Enchanters (liner notes say 1956, Wikipedia says 1957): Not familiar, but not bad. A decent change of pace.

9. "I'm Gonna Lasso Santa Claus", by Brenda Lee (1956): I don't know if I've ever heard this, but at least the artist is obviously familiar. It's cute and fun.

10. "Merry Christmas Baby", by Chuck Berry (1958): The title is familiar, but the song doesn't sound anything at all like I'd expect it to. I prefer the original, by Charles Brown, and probably any number of other covers.

11. "Lonely Christmas", by The Moonglows (1953): Unfamiliar, and I don't particularly care about it, though I guess it's not bad.

12. "A Surfer's Christmas List", by The Surfaris (1963): Unfamiliar, but kind of fun, I guess.

So, overall the album is notable to me for three songs that I already knew, and there are nine more that I don't expect to remember. But it's a decent little album to listen to, when you're not trying to think of things to say about it.