A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector [IMPORT]

Phil Spector

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 25, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 1963
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: 101 DISTRIBUTION
• ASIN: B00006RY1R
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (75 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #81,004 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
This lavish holiday set has been called the greatest rock & roll Christmas album of all time. That's an opinion that's tough to argue with when you find yourself immersed in the massive sounds painstakingly crafted by legendary producer Phil Spector. His "wall-of-sound" technique is perfectly suited to the music of the season, as he proves with layer upon layer of piano, sleigh bells, buoyant percussion, and, of course, those legendary Spectorsound harmonies. The Crystals turn their sassy interplay into sheer magic on "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town," The Ronettes stroll sweetly through numbers like "Sleigh Ride," while Darlene Love delivers a real knockout punch with her yearning version of "Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)." Sure to become the soundtrack for your holidays. --David Sprague

Product Description
Out-of-print in the US! This album has grown in stature over the years and has been reissued countless times. If you have to own a record to play half a dozen times during the festive season, then this is the one and only. Featuring the amazing Spector production together with Darlene Love, The Crystals, The Ronettes, BobB. Soxx And The Blue Jeans, even Leon Russell on piano and Sonny Bono on percussion, this is another timeless record that is unlikely ever to be surpassed as the greatest Christmas compilation of all time.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 38 Years Old & Still The Greatest Christmas Album, November 28, 2001

By	James E. Bagley "Jim Bagley" (Sanatoga, PA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector (Audio CD)

The legendary producer Phil Spector hit his artistic peak with this yuletide classic from 1963. The arrangements found here have been copied over and over again through the years by less creative performers, but no one comes close.

My favorite recordings on the album are those by the Ronettes, in particular "Sleigh Ride" which will have you going "ringalingalinga dingdongding" for days, no, make that YEARS. Ronnie's playful, almost childlike voice, lends itself better to nonsecular Christmas songs than anyone I have ever heard.

If Ronnie captures the playful, innocent side of Christmas, Darlene Love with her powerful alto captures the emotional side. The original recording "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" drives home the heartbreak of being alone at Christmas, while "White Christmas" nails the longing we all have for the Christmases of our youth.

The Crystals and Bob B. Soxx & his Bluejeans aren't quite as distinctive as Ronnie & Darlene (who is?). Nonetheless, their enclosed holiday recordings are all enjoyable, particularly "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" (Crystals) and "Here Comes Santa Claus (Bob B. Soxx).

I've never cared much for the last track, which finds the high pitched Phil wishing everyone a Merry Christmas , while Silent Night plays in the background. But since it is the last track, it doesn't mar the excellence created by the rest of the album/CD. Just hit eject as Phil starts to talk and I guarantee you'll have a musically Merry Christmas!

23 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The classic album, October 26, 2003

By	Peter Durward Harris "Pete the music fan" (Leicester England) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector (Audio CD)

This album was something of a revolution in its time, at least where Christmas music was concerned, although all that Phil Spector actually did was apply his normal production style to Christmas music.

The Crystals, famous for Then he kissed me and Da doo ron ron, sing brilliant, energetic versions of Santa Claus is coming to town, Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer and Parade of the wooden soldiers. The Ronettes, famous for Be my baby, are equally brilliant on Frosty the snowman, Sleigh ride and I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus. Bob B Soxx and the blue jeans, famous for Zip-a-de-doo-da, also excel on Bells of St Mary's and Here comes Santa Claus.

Darlene Love, whose biggest success was as lead singer of the Crystals on He's a rebel, sings four songs here, a rare chance for her to be credited as a solo performer. Christmas (Baby please come home) is the only original song here. White Christmas includes the rarely heard verse about being in Beverley Hills. The other two, Marshmallow world and Winter wonderland, are also outstanding.

The closing Silent night is just a series of spoken acknowledgements set to a backing track. Don't worry about that - the twelve songs that go before set the standard for Christmas rock albums when it was first recorded and still do, because nobody has bettered it in the forty years since.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best CDs for Christmas/Holidays!, December 2, 1999

By	D. Koch (Indiana) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector (Audio CD)

An absolute treat to listen to this cd over and over again...every song is done extremely well and Phil Spector is one of a kind! This CD gets you into the spirit of the season like no other. Darlene Love is phenomenal when she sings, Christmas, Baby Please Come Home! Buy this cd and you won't be disappointed, that is, unless you're Scrooge! :)