A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector
Phil Spector's fall
from grace has been spectacular but his contribution to
contemporary music is still immense. The songwriter and producer
was responsible for producing many of the well known girl-group
bands of the 1960's as well as the Beatles 'Let It Be' and has a
slew of number ones to his name. At the height of his powers he
enlisted some of the artists who had signed to his label, Philles
Records, to record a Christmas album. The album was originally
released as 'A Christmas Gift for You from Philles Records'
and it wasn't until its 1974 reissue on Apple Records that it came
to be known as 'A Christmas
Gift For You From Phil
Spector'.
Phil Spector is synonymous with the wall-of-sound
production technique where everything bar the kitchen sink is
thrown into the mix to create an elaborate and dense sonic mosaic.
The technique is evident throughout this album, which clearly
defines the era from which it came from. Apart from Spector
himself, who makes an appearance on the obligatory Christmas
message on the final track 'Silent Night', 'A Christmas Gift for
You from Phil Spector' features classic contributions from Darlene
Love, the Ronnettes, The Crystals and Bob B Soxx And the Blue
Jeans.
This album's lead single 'Christmas (Baby, Please
Come Home)' performed absolutely miserably on its release in 1963.
It was the only song on the album that Spector had a hand in
writing (co-written by Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry) and he
planned to have his wife Ronnie, of the Ronnettes, sing it. But
that was before Darlene Love took the song to another dimension,
pouring everything into a performance that remains undimmed half a
century later. The singer implores her love to return in a
semi-shriek that shows she means business. All around her famous
cry lies the tinkles and backing harmonies that so set-apart
Spector's signature production techniques.
But 'A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector'
is so much more than Love's famous song. The Ronnettes recorded
what is surely the definitive version of 'Frosty The Snowman', with
all manner of festive calling cards thrown into what is a hypnotic
mix. The Crystals are equally impressive on their exuberant version
of 'Santa Claus is Coming to Town'. With its towering percussion,
tinkling chimes and the girl-group giving it socks this was always
going to become a holiday favourite. The powerful momentum hardly
lets up with the Ronnettes take over again on 'Sleigh Ride', all
dashing orchestral manoeuvrings and copious ding-dong-dings.
Recording a version of 'White Christmas' is always fraught with
difficulties because it will inevitably be compared to Bing
Crosby's original but Darlene Love gives the classic such a radical
reworking it almost sounds like a different composition. Whereas
Bing keep it all quiet, Love shouts it from the snowcapped rooftops
with decidedly impressive results.
You'll probably know most of the songs on this
album by heart but a couple rarely raise their head on Christmas
compendiums. Darlene Love creates a cavalcade of noise on
'Marshmallow World', a genuine festive jive that could give your
Christmas party the perfect boost. 'Parade of The Wooden Soldiers'
is an equally rare tune and while it may not be as distinctive as
'Marshmallow World' the Crystals certainly give it Christmas
socks.
Apart from Spector, the only male vocals on this
album come from Bobby Sheen who was the lead singer with Bob B Soxx
And the Blue Jeans. 'The Bells Of St. Mary' rings like a showband
ditty, so boisterous you could almost imagine it playing alongside
'The Hucklebuck'. 'Here Comes Santa Claus' is much more in line
with proceedings elsewhere on the album, Darlene Love helps out on
backing vocals and the whole thing is infused with enough glee to
have you believin' the great man himself was scurrying down your
chimney.
'A Christmas Gift for You from Phil
Spector' had the misfortune of being released on the day JFK was
shot on the 22nd November, 1963. Not surprisingly it failed to
achieve anything approaching noteworthy sales. It wasn't until it
was its reissued on Apple Records in 1974 that it reached its true
potential. Is there a more classic sounding Christmas
album? Probably not, Phil Spector's creation is the template from
which so many festive tunes have worked off. The Beach
Boys' Brian Wilson has admitted that 'A
Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector' is his
favourite of all time and while that might be a bit of stretch
there is no doubting that it is amongst the greatest Christmas
recordings ever.
So when you are try to think of Christmas gifts this
Christmas why not get this old classic for a loved
one.
Darlene Love Performs Her Classic On
Letterman in 1995
A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector Christmas Videos
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