A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector cover

A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector

Released

Phil Spector’s life casts a shadow on his album length landmark – his concluding recitation of holiday wishes feels especially skippable. But as a demonstration of both the Wall of Sound played by the famed Wrecking Crew and even more especially a series of energetic performances by acts like the Ronettes, A Christmas Gift For You earns its stripes. The Crystals’ blazing rework of “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” is stellar but Darlene Love wins it all, especially thanks to the album’s sole original song, “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).”

Ned Raggett

Recommended by

Suggestions
The Who Sell Out cover

The Who Sell Out

The Who
A Hard Day’s Night cover

A Hard Day’s Night

The Beatles
Inner Revolution cover

Inner Revolution

Adrian Belew
Young Men Gone West cover

Young Men Gone West

City Boy
Skylarking cover

Skylarking

XTC
Let’s Dance cover

Let’s Dance

David Bowie
Rockulator cover

Rockulator

Westworld
Blow It Up, Burn It Down, Kick It ‘Til It Bleeds cover

Blow It Up, Burn It Down, Kick It ‘Til It Bleeds

Imitation Electric Piano
The American Dream cover

The American Dream

The American Dream
Tired of Phoney cover

Tired of Phoney

Joy Ryder
Flash And The Pan cover

Flash And The Pan

Flash and the Pan
Hilary Duff cover

Hilary Duff

Hilary Duff