DARLENE LOVE - CHRISTMAS (BABY PLEASE COME HOME)

Released : November 22, 1963

Charted:  UK: #22  US: #15 

"Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" is a pop song originally performed by Darlene Love, featured on the 1963 Christmas compilation album, “A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector”. The song, composed by Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry, and Phil Spector, marked a departure from Spector's usual focus on singles, reflecting a more concerted effort in crafting each track for the holiday album. Unfortunately, its release as a single coincided with the tragic assassination of US President John F. Kennedy, leading to a subdued reception. Both the single and the album were withdrawn amid the somber atmosphere. In a savvy move, Phil Spector, the astute businessman, had Darlene Love re-record the song as "Johnny Please Come Home" shortly after Christmas in 1963. While maintaining the same music and theme, this version featured lyrics with the Christmas references removed.

Phil Spector had previously enlisted Darlene Love as the voice of The Crystals for hits like "He's A Rebel" and "He's Sure The Boy I Love." In a 2008 interview with Record Collector, Love shared insights into working with Spector on "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)": "Phil pushed everyone hard during the album, and the days blended together in retrospect. Despite it being the height of summer, there was a genuine Christmas party atmosphere in the studio. Many exceptional musicians were part of it, some of whom weren't widely known then but later achieved individual fame, like Leon Russell. Sonny Bono, Cher, and Glen Campbell were also part of the collaboration. The work was intense; on some days, we spent eight or nine hours in the studio perfecting just one verse of a song."

Darlene Love caught the attention of talk show host David Letterman during her performance in the Broadway musical "Leader of the Pack." In 1986, Letterman invited her to perform "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" on his show, initiating an annual tradition. Despite Letterman's general aversion to Christmas songs, he appreciated soul music and welcomed Love to bring holiday joy each year. Love, accompanied by Letterman's house band led by Paul Shaffer, started with a basic setup, evolving into more elaborate productions with added elements like string sections and set decorations. These annual appearances significantly boosted the song's popularity and maintained Love's visibility. In a poignant moment, Love, after 28 performances, sang the song for the final time on Letterman's last show, skillfully avoiding an emotional farewell by climbing onto Shaffer's piano to prevent an embrace that would lead to tears.

Cher, a favorite backup vocalist of Phil Spector, lent her vocals to the original version of "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)". In a delightful turn of events, Cher released her own rendition in a duet with Darlene Love, which became part of Cher's inaugural Christmas album aptly titled "Christmas".