37. Phil Spector - A Christmas Gift For You (1963)




















Track Listing

1. White Christmas - Darlene Love
2. Frosty The Snowman - Ronettes
3. The Bells of St. Mary's - Bob B. Soxx & The Blue Jeans
4. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Crystals
5. Sleigh Ride - Ronettes
6. Marshmallow World - Darlene Love
7. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus - Ronettes
8. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer - Crystals
9. Winter Wonderland - Darlene Love
10. Parade of the Wooden Soldiers - Crystals
11. Christmas - Baby Please Come Home - Darlene Love
12. Here Comes Santa Claus - Bob B Soxx & The Blue Jeans
13. Silent Night - Phil Spector & Artists

Review

I deeply dislike Christmas music. I always did, my parents always have the habit of having the same fucking crap Casio Keyboard operated handfull of CD's playing on constant repeat during the festive fucking season. Oh my god, I just want to bust my brains out, but am mollified for the prospect of money to come. The true spirit of Christmas.

That said, this is probably the best Christmas album I've heard. Also, this is probably not the best time of the year to be listening to it. Manchester in June, in the whole of a sweltering 5 celsius outside (fortunately going to Portugal for a week next week, which also means no updates, as Blogger doesn't accept smoke signals). But Phil Spector, the alleged killer, does have an impressive sound here, well not his sound, the sound of the groups he produces. But no doubt most of the merit is on the Killa'(allegedly).

Killer (allegedly) Phil, shows off his "wall of sound" thing, like nowhere else, bringing a killer sound to old Christmas songs. Particularly in tracks like Frosty The Snowman and Santa Claus Is Coming To Town To Shoot A Lady In The Noggin'. The joke about Spector's alleged shooting of a woman in the head is murdering this review. I need to stop. Although the last track in the album, with Spector's pleseant voice talking about love and harmony and shit is really funny with hindsight.

So to sum up, good Christmas albums, but I hate Christmas music... soooo... I wouldn't kill for it. Buy it at Amazon UK or US.

Track Highlights

1. Frosty the Snowman
2. Santa Claus is Coming to Town
3. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
4. White Christmas

Final Grade

6/10 (if it wans't Christmas Music probably more... i just dislike it deeply).

Trivia

From Wikipedia

Spector has shunned publicity and is widely regarded as eccentric, having descended into many conflicts with the artists, songwriters, and promoters that he worked with. Stories include his discharging a firearm while in the studio with John Lennon during the recording of his cover album Rock 'n' Roll and placing a loaded pistol at Leonard Cohen's head during the sessions for Death of a Ladies' Man (1977). Dee Dee Ramone also reported that Spector threatened his bandmates during their recording sessions with his group, The Ramones.

Phil and Ronnie Spector divorced in 1974. In 2000, Ronnie Spector successfully sued him for over $2 million for breach of contract over unpaid royalties to the Ronettes.

On February 3, 2003, Spector was arrested for murder after the body of 40-year-old starlet Lana Clarkson of Los Angeles was found at his faux-castle mansion (called Pyrenees Castle) in Alhambra, California. Police responded to a 9-1-1 phone call from one of Spector's neighbors and discovered Clarkson, who had been shot and was pronounced dead at the scene. On November 20, 2003, Spector was indicted for Clarkson's murder.