What do The Grateful Dead, Kelly Clarkson, and Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mahyem all have in common? They’ve all recorded the 18th song in my 25 Days of Christmas Songs – Run Run Rudolph.

But the version I prefer is by today’s birthday boy, Keith Richards, who turns 70 years old today. Crikey. Happy birthday, Keith.

Keith’s version is fantastic. It’s gritty, it’s rocking, and it’s Keith Richards for crying out loud. It was released as a single and the B-side is Pressure Drop with Toots and the Maytals. How awesome is that!?

First recorded by Chuck Berry in 1958, the song was released as the single Run, Rudolph, Run on Chess Records (the same fantastic label that released The Gems’ Love For Christmas). All subsequent releases of the song have been under the title Run Run Rudolph. Probably because that’s what it says in the lyrics. I’m just guessing.

The video is Keith and the X-Pensive Winos recorded at the Meadowlands in NJ in 1988.

Enjoy.

Buy it at iTunes here.

Buy it at Amazon here.