Best Songs from "A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector"
A Christmas Gift for You from Philles Records, later renamed as A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector, is a Christmas album produced by Phil Spector with his "Wall of Sound" production style. It features mostly Christmas standards with well-known vocal artists of the time, including Darlene Love, The Ronettes, The Crystals, and Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans.
Released on November 22, 1963, the same day as President John F. Kennedy's assassination, it was a commercial flop at the time. Phil Spector pulled the album from the marketplace, feeling it wasn't an appropriate time to promote it. Original pressings are scarce, and its low sales were partly due to singles being the dominant format, while LPs by Philles had previously lacked success.
The album became a seasonal radio favorite after its reissue with Apple Records in 1972, peaking at number six on Billboard's special year-end Christmas Albums sales chart. It is now considered a holiday classic and one of the greatest Christmas albums of all time. Several of its tracks have become holiday staples, particularly the Brill Building-style "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" by Darlene Love and the most popular version of "Sleigh Ride" covered by The Ronettes. Songs from the album have been featured in several movies, such as Gremlins (1984) and Goodfellas (1990).
What's your favorite song from A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector? Take a look and see for yourself!
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Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - Darlene Love
"Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" is a Christmas, Brill Building, and Pop Soul song by Darlene Love. It was released in December 1963 as the only single from the album. The song didn't achieve success upon its initial release, either from the album or as a single. However, it has since become a Christmas standard, gaining popularity through later album reissues and holiday chart success.
This is a highly appreciated song with emotive, cheerful, and melodic tones that evoke the sounds of Christmas. Its Brill Building and pop-soul structure, combined with its production style, makes it unique. Darlene Love delivers a powerhouse vocal performance filled with emotion.
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Sleigh Ride - The Ronettes
"Sleigh Ride" is a Christmas and Girl Group song that The Ronettes covered. Though never released as a single, it has received the most successful chart position out of any song from this album, peaking at eighth place on the Billboard Hot 100 in December of 2023.
This cover is the most famous version of "Sleigh Ride," as it has a unique take on the "Wall of Sound" production style with a warm and cheerful vibe. It features the well-known "Ring-a-ling-a-ling, ding-dong-ding" background vocals and the whinnying horse sounds at the beginning and end of the song. It's a charming song to listen to.
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Frosty the Snowman - The Ronettes
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White Christmas - Darlene Love
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Santa Claus Is Coming to Town - The Crystals
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Winter Wonderland - Darlene Love
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A Marshmallow World - Darlene Love
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I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus - The Ronettes
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Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer - The Crystals
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Here Comes Santa Claus - Bob B. Soxx & The Blue Jeans