Released November 22, 1963 Length 2:49 Producer(s) Phil Spector | Genre Christmas Label Sony Legacy / Philles | |
Writer(s) Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, Phil Spector | ||
"Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" is a rock song originally sung by Darlene Love and included on the 1963 seasonal compilation album, A Christmas Gift for You from Philles Records. The song was written by Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry (Phil Spector also is co-credited), with the intention of being sung by Ronnie Spector of The Ronettes. According to Darlene Love, Ronnie Spector was not able to put as much emotion into the song as needed. Instead, Love was brought into the studio to record the song, which became a big success over time and one of her signature tunes. A later song, "All Alone on Christmas", referenced the song.
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The song as recorded by Love was released as a single in 1963 (Philles 119) and in 1964 (Philles X-125). But the records did not chart in both years.
In December 2010, Rolling Stone magazine ranked "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" first on its list of The Greatest Rock and Roll Christmas Songs, noting that "nobody can match Love's emotion and sheer vocal power."
In other media
Beginning in 1986 and continuing for 29 years, Darlene Love performed the song annually on the final new episode before Christmas of Late Night with David Letterman (NBC, 1986-92) and Late Show with David Letterman (CBS, 1993–2014), 28 times in all. The exception was in 2007, when Love was unable to perform due to the Writers' Strike; a repeat of her 2006 performance was shown instead.
She performed the song with Paul Shaffer and the show's house band (The World's Most Dangerous Band at NBC, the CBS Orchestra at CBS). The band had been augmented over the years by strings and other instruments, as well as a full choir. In 2000, the US Air Force Singing Sergeants were the choir. One of the highlights of the performances was a sax solo by band member Bruce Kapler, who would make his entrance in entertaining ways, including being pulled in on Santa's sleigh, "flying" from the rafters on wires, walking down the steps of the audience risers, and appearing in a giant snow globe. It was known that Love's last appearance on Letterman's show would air on December 19, 2014, as Letterman had announced his retirement from hosting The Late Show. In addition to the publicity and anticipation for this final performance, Love's original version of the song reappeared on the Billboard charts, peaking at No. 21 on the publication's Holiday Digital Songs chart.
Love also performed the song on December 24, 2013 in front of traders at the New York Stock Exchange as the market closed for the day.
The song has been used in several movies – including during the main titles of Gremlins, in a scene in GoodFellas in which some of the characters spend money from the Lufthansa Heist on lavish gifts, in Christmas with the Kranks, and in the 2012 ABC Family TV movie The Mistle-Tones.
On the December 17, 2011, holiday episode of Saturday Night Live, Jimmy Fallon sang a version of the song with lyrics reflecting upon his past experiences with the show.
"Johnny (Baby Please Come Home)"
During the 1963 recording sessions for "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)", Spector thought the track was strong enough to warrant a non-seasonal version, and cut a version titled "Johnny (Baby Please Come Home)" at the same time as "Christmas" (also performed by Darlene Love). This version was not released to the public until January 1977 as the B-side of Love's single "Lord, if You're a Woman" (Phil Spector International catalog number 2010 019). "Johnny (Baby Please Come Home)" was also included on a 1997 European version of Love's 1992 compilation album The Best of Darlene Love (The Philles Recordings) (a.k.a. The Story of Darlene Love, issued on Brussels' Marginal Records, catalog number MAR 074).
Cover versions
"Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" was not widely recognized after its initial release; however, it has since been covered many times by different artists over the years. The earliest cover version was by the Quiet Jungle, for the 1968 LP The Story Of Snoopy's Christmas.
The song was recorded by U2 in July 1987 during a sound check in Glasgow, Scotland during their Joshua Tree Tour. Darlene Love provided backing vocals,. The song was released on the A Very Special Christmas compilation in 1987, and on the Unreleased & Rare album in The Complete U2 digital box set in 2004.
Joey Ramone's version appeared on his 2002 album Christmas Spirit... In My House.
Mariah Carey covered the song for her 1994 album Merry Christmas. The digital single reached No. 59 on Billboard's Hot Digital Songs chart in 2011, and has sold more than 200,000 copies.
Cher, one of the original background singers at the Phil Spector studio session with Darlene Love, covered the song 36 years later in a dance version for A Rosie Christmas in 1999. The track featured vocals by Rosie O'Donnell using the Auto-Tune effect that had been used in Cher's hit "Believe".
Other versions include those released by Lady Antebellum, Dion, Michael Bublé, Jon Bon Jovi, Hanson, Little Mix, Death Cab for Cutie, Melissa Etheridge, the Raveonettes, Jars of Clay, Anberlin, Slow Club, Josh Ramsay, Leona Lewis and Andee , among many others.