Today’s classic Christmas song of the day is “Frosty the Snowman,” all about that jolly happy soul who came to life one winter’s day. The song was written by Walter “Jack” Rollins and Steve Nelson way back in 1950. Rollins had previously written “Here Comes Peter Cottontail” and other songs, primarily for country artists like Gene Autry, Hank Snow, George Jones, and Eddy Arnold. Nelson was also a notable country songwriter.
The first recording of “Frosty the Snowman” was by Gene Autry and the Cass County Boys in 1950. That version went to #7 on Billboard’s Pop Singles chart and #4 on the Country Singles chart.
Jimmy Durante also released a version of “Frosty the Snowman” in 1950. His version also went to #7 on the Pop Singles chart. (Interestingly, Durante also provided narration for the Rankin-Bass Frosty the Snowman television special in 1969.)
A third version of “Frosty the Snowman” was also released in 1950, this one by Nat King Cole. His version went to #9 on the charts. (That’s a lot of different versions of the same song on the charts at the same time!)
Many other singers have recorded “Frosty” over the years, including Guy Lombardo, Perry Como, Jan and Dean, and Johnny Mathis. My favorite version, however, is by the Ronettes on Phil Spector’s legendary 1963 album, A Christmas Gift for You. That version was a full-blown Wall of Sound production, complete with castanets, strings, and drummer Hal Blaine doing his famous “Be My Baby” beat. This track really cooks; keep listening to the very end to hear Hal absolutely wail on the out chorus, complete with his patented quarter note triplets just before the fade. This, to me, is the definitive version of the song.
