A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector

A stone-cold CHRISTMAS classic. MAXIMUM JINGLE BELLS. 10,000 TAMBOURINES. Beyond the hits, there's a lot to love throughout. But Darlene Love really steals the show! Favourite tracks: White Christmas, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home), Winter Wonderland

Phil Spector's ultimate heat check, "Silent Night". I really have nothing intelligent to say about it, I just want to note my awe at it's inclusion on this album.

Felt like an absolute psycho listening to this in September, but damn is it good. When it’s operating in peak form, the combination of Spector’s legendary production and the artists chosen for a given song create all-timer versions of these tunes. Not every song works, but it’s never bad, even when convicted murderer Phil Spector is talking directly to the listener on the final track. If I see a used copy of this on vinyl somewhere I’m definitely copping.

That is a Chirstmas album. Obviously a banger. Not sure that it is a Must Listen but oh well 4 / 5

Very interesting listen! Short and entertaining... Some big hits but some other very forgettable! I would day something like 3. 5/5 but definitly on the strong side

Great album for Christmas songs

Kind of hard to rate this since it’s a collab of old standards but man this goes hard for a Christmas album.

Best track(s): the rest I think? Worst track(s): Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers I mean, this album consists of christmas songs and I'm listening to it in the middle of january.. but these were the good christmas songs and I didn't really mind. It's a good record and I might listen to it again next christmas time.

tired classics

p62. 1963. 5 stars. Ah c'mon, you know every track on this. Listening to this is like catching up with a favourite family member or friend each year. And it's brilliantly done, the sound of a pre-Beatles, pre-JFK assassination American Christmas captured in one perfect moment. There isn't a weak track on this. As for this being randomly generated... this turned up on my list on 23rd Dec. Co-incidence? I think not :)

Christmas time music. Probably would have enjoyed more if I had listened during the holidays. Missed opp.

Pareceu-me um belo registro histórico.

Åpnet dette albumet i januar, men tilfeldigvis den juleplaten jeg har spilt mest de siste tre årene. Passe oppstemt uten å være travelt.

It's not Christmas time, so feels weird to listen to Christmas songs

Wow, so many of the Xmas tunes that come up on a holiday playlist came from this album. Gotta give it all the stars, despite its producer being a murderer.

Who knew all these canonical versions came from a single compilation?

I did not know about Phil Spector or the "Wall of Sound" before listening to this. Setting aside the fact that this is a compilation of some of the most cheerful, fluffy, and earwormy Christmas carols, I must say that the musicians are excellent and the production is super cool/good. After this album, I listened to some other Phil Spector-produced music and his style is really distinctive and cool. Unfortunately it sounds like he was plagued by mental illness, traumatic head injury, and was probably a murderer. But I can see why this album is on the list and I learned something new to boot. 4/5 for great production and musicians. I can't give it 5 just because - oof, christmas carols!

Great Christmas album

re va

Christmas, it's christmas, who doesn't love christmas, all of the songs are a chef's kiss, love christmas.

A pleasant surprise

Great renditions of classic songs

Classic Christmas album

Don't even bother if you don't like Christmas music

Great album, every song is just so full.

It’s probably fine for what it is but I can’t stand Christmas music

Not sure why I expected anything else than a Christmas record today. Anyway, still gonna give this a spin! I like it for what it is, some nice songs for the Christmas days, but yeah, I could do without this record. However the project was a cool idea, and while I don’t like the mixing, the assembly of artists is good! 6 out of 10

Ah yes, an album featuring women (&1 man) of colour, but it's curated and produced by a white man who's an abuser and a convicted murderer. Phil Spector’s involvement made me want to immediately 1-star the album, but I decided to listen to it as saying no to the album because of him would also be saying no to these women, which I really didn't want to do. my 4 star rating is for The Ronettes, The Crystals, Darlene Love, and Bob B. Soxx & The Blue Jeans.

Didn't care for it.

fun album! sleigh ride lowkey was the easy best

Festive, but not my thing

chrimstas

Bruh it’s Christmas music. I mean. It’s alright but I don’t fw Christmas music

Thanks for Christmas mood

Merry xmassss

i mean, it's a solid xmas album

A pretty good Christmas album, it hits the high points

So let's address the psychotic elephant in the room first. The history of the music industry is full of assholes who produced great music. Phil Spector had talent producing good music. Phil Spector was an asshole to say the least. This album is full of stereotypical mid-century Christmas songs. Some have become classic performances in themselves, some mediocre or even questionable interpretations. They combine to form an album that is a snapshot of the music of its time. The whole thing is a very slick and commercial package. I wouldn't be surprised to find that there is a correlation between the release of this album and the start of complaints of over-commercialization of Christmas. But does that make it a must hear album? There are other noteworthy Christmas albums. Bing Crosby's White Christmas is far richer in tone and tradition. It evokes images of your grandparents' youth at Christmas. There is also 'Twas the Night Before Christmas by Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians which has the absolute best rendition of Jingle Bells ever recorded. So while A Christmas Gift for You is good, it does not have any characteristics that merit it being added to the 1001 list. Scale: 5 - My absolute favorites. 4 - Albums I like. 3 - I enjoyed listening to it but wouldn't seek it out. 2 - Didn't like. 1 - Absolute shit.

Very fun to listen to, great holiday spirit. Merry Christmas!

Great record, it’s Christmas Day I’m not gonna write notes. P.S. if this is completely random, what a coincidence I got this album today!

Bad dude, decent for a Christmas album

FELIZ NAVIDAD!!!

The Wall of Sound style is interesting but I never enjoyed Christmas music.

Classic

Too bad about the Phil Spector part, but this was very pleasant to listen to on Xmas morning.

I don't generally love a lot of modern/secular Christmas music for whatever reason, but this album is great even if Phil Spector was a complete monster. Prior to listening to this I was under the impression that the Jackson 5 version of Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town was the best version out there. I was apparently wrong. And Darlene Love's Winter Wonderland is sublime. Then again, is there anything that she can't do perfectly?!

It's a fine Christmas album but it's the same music you hear ever holiday. It would have been nice to feature more artists, or done more "non standard" songs.

The best Christmas album of all time, but Phil Spector is one of the most loathsome creatures to ever slink across this earth. Conflicted feelings, but I still listen to this every year.

amazing!!

I don't like Christmas music.

This came up exactly on Christmas day! I love this!

A delightful album that gets me in the festive mood.

Мне очень повезло, что этот альбом выпал мне именно в конце декабря, иначе я бы наверняка не оценил его по-достоинству. Это простенький рождественский альбом с весёлыми песнями, музыка здесь не хватает звёзд с неба, а просто хорошо передаёт рождественскую атмосферу. (7)

Sounds too happy tadada

Favourite song: I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus

Pretty cheery standard Christmas music. Gotta dodge the Ronettes the whole album because I hate that woman’s voice more than life itself. Pretty same-y, which is a product of the Christmas music but still makes this pretty boring in the grand scheme of things.

The greatest Christmas album of all time. Only tarnished by Spector’s later crimes, the songs on here feature that incredible, signature Wall of Sound, only where on non-Christmas Spector productions, it conveyed the excitement of young love/lust, here it provides the sound of wholesome festive cheer.

This is actually great for what it is, but what it is is a Christmas album, bound to be heard once or twice a year.

Bruh it's Phil Spector, but it's pretty good.

Yeuk! Christmas! Make it stop! D:

This album is beautiful. while I am not a fan of the Bob B Soxx tracks here. Skip them and soak in the Ronettes and Darlene Love. Wall of sound is in full effect and amazing.

Funny that everyone gets this one Christmas. Such classic songs, and all of the renditions just scream true Christmas. Fave track(s): White Christmas, Sleigh Ride, A Marshmallow World

Ugh I love Phil Spector's wall of sound but I hate Christmas music....I'm so conflicted.

Phil Spector fær ekki margar stjörnur frá mér.

Classic

Fun Christmas classics.

I’ve heard several of these “early 1960’s-sounding” Christmas songs throughout my 45 years on this planet, and never knew they were from a single album produced by Phil Spector, an album ranked as one of the greatest of all time. On my setup, it was surprising the recording quality and bass extension from this album. Not all the songs I recognized, but listening can transform you to a childhood time and place.

2.75

A collection of Christmas classics. A lot of songs from this album have become favorites during the holiday season. I think that the "Sleigh Ride", "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus", "Marshmallow World" are in my opinion some of my favorite songs in this album. My most favorite track however is Love's "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" because of her beautiful vocals and great production. Overall, this is a solid Christmas album. And lastly, of course, fuck Phil Spector.

What a fantastic album. Spector’s wall of sound pairs perfectly with Christmas music. Great album from beginning to end!

Top 5 Christmas album.

я не люблю новогодние песни .. (((

Great Christmas album.

eh

Yuck i really dont enjoy christmas music that much

christmas, phil, murder, wall of sound. its xma smusic tho. its got all those instruments smashed up. yeah. cool. fine. dont shoot someone, kids.

kyllähän tässä..kyllä... KYLLÄHÄN TÄSSÄ NYT HYVÄ MIELI TULEE.... mustat juhlii ARABI IHMISEN JUHLAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! kai minäkin saan...... meikä poika joulu pukki sukat jalassa... ei ollu sivuston idea se että KAIKILLE ANNETAAN SAMA ! albumi... SAMAAN AIKAAN.. ei ollu ideana se. ei ollut TULEEKO ENSI VUONNA SAMA,, SAMA ALBUMI,,, VAI JOKU MUU HÄH?? voi olla että kertakäyttö traditio tällä kertaa... noh... hyvä vaan niin... white christmas..heh..

SUUURI KIITOKSEN AIHE ON sivun ylläpidolle osoitettava... KIITOKSIA ALBUMISTA! BRÖÖÖGHJ KHÖRPSSS BLYÄH! OKSENTAMISESTAKO UUSI JOULUTRADITIO... heh.... Paskantamisesta.. siinä esimerkkiä näyttää nuoret.. Kaupungilla purkkaa ja purutupakkaa.. KULMAT JA KÄVELYTIET TÄYNNÄ!!!!

7/10

Still an absolute classic, still a murderer.

Phil Spector was an arse but damn did he produce some great shit. Especially love the Ronettes cuts on here.

An iconic Christmas album for sure, a lot of tracks which are very recognisable and a few that aren't. The only real issue is the fact that this album only has relevance for one month of the year, but that's okay because it's Christmas. Merry Christmas ya filthy animals. Favourite: Sleigh Ride

All Christmas music is bad. This is bad. How is this even on the list?

Helemaal kerst man

Parmi mes arrangements et interprétations de Noël préférés

Just another Xmas album

What a festive album to get on Christmas Day. I am familiar with a few of these renditions of some Christmas classics, but not all of them. Phil Spector was known for his production style known as the "wall of sound" which was an "unusually dense orchestral aesthetic that came across well through radios and jukeboxes of the era." Later, in the 2000's, he would become well known as a murderer too, so there's that. All said and done though, this is a great compilation of classic 60's artists (The Ronettes, The Crystals, Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans, and Darlene Love). Darlene Love, Mariah Carey, and many others have been in a constant feud every year over who Queen of Christmas is, and in my mind, it's no comparison, Darlene Love is amazing, I hate Mariah Carey's poppy Christmas garbage. I especially love Darlene's original Christmas classic: Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) which reminds me of the movie The Night Before now every time I hear it. Overall, a warm, festive listen today! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone! Favourite song: Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) Least favourite songs: The Bells of St. Mary, Parade of the Wooden Soldiers 3/5

Really good holiday album. Great classics. 3, prolly not adding seasonal or holiday music to the playlist.

4/5. Not a huge Christmas person but these songs slap. The instrumentals are what really bring this home, with driving guitar and drums. The singers are great too, all providing their own styles.

Iconic Christmas album. There's nothing like Phil Spector's sound, uncompromising, full-figured, encapsulating. This album is jangly and about as good as a Christmas album can be, which is a pretty low bar all truth told. Very serviceable album, one of the coolest options for the festive period. Is it a great album in it's own right? Perhaps not quite

I’m very surprised to find a Christmas album on the list of 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, but here we are. It is there, and so it shall be reviewed! Songs I already knew: all except A Marshmallow World and Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers Favourites: Christmas (Baby Come Home), Santa Claus Is Coming To Town I sit here next to the Christmas Tree, with a pretend fireplace on the TV, waiting for Christmas dinner to cook. I say this to make it clear of how unapologetically biased I am when listening to this album. Perhaps if I listened to it in the middle of summer then I might not love it quite so much, but the fact of the matter is that I listened today, so I’ll review my thoughts for today. Each song on this album has likely been covered by dozens of other artists, and yet none have really come close to the versions we have here. Phil Spector utilised The Ronettes, The Crystals, Darlene Love, and Bob B. Soxx & The Blue Jeans to create an album of Christmas songs that was better than anything that came before and has yet to be topped. Clearly, I loved listen sing to this album today. It made me feel warm inside despite not having a drop of alcohol in me.

Did this album make it onto the list due to the irony of a convicted murderer helping create such a joyous Christmas album? The songs are good because they're Christmas classics, but I can't say I'm a fan of the production - even knowing that there was a deliberate attempt to make it sound the way it does. Also, maybe it's a culture thing & an age thing but I don't consider these to be the definitive versions of most of these songs. Darlene Love's Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) slaps, though.

Phil Spector can rot in the septic tank in the deepest pits of hell.

Not much to say about this one really, full of classics! Had it on in the background on Christmas Day. "Baby, Please Come Home" is one of my faves.

Honestly some of the definitive versions of Christmas songs all on one track very impressive influentially.

Bin kein Freund von Weihnachtsalben. Cash grab.

It feels so good to listen to Spector knowing he’s dead and isn’t profiting off of it. Evil man, musical genius; I love this album.

Generally only listen to this genre one twelfth of the year. The songs are solid and the production has a classic sound that feels timeless and nostalgic. I'm not sure if using multiple artists is cheating, but it sorta feels like cheating. There are a lot of hits on this album, even if people only listen to them in December. They all start to sound the same halfway through and then it's a bit of a chore to get through. 3/5

Okay, first off, almost every review for this album is from December, usually on or after the 25th. The generator must save this as a Christmas gift every year or something, which would make sense. Fine by me! I don't hate Christmas music like some people do. I like some of it very much. This album was alright. Didn't particularly stand out to me, but I liked it. It's nice. It had a few of my favourite Christmas songs on it, and a couple that I hadn't ever heard before. My favourite songs were Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Here Comes Santa Claus, and Sleigh Ride.

3 stars, definite classics. Phil spector's sound is extremely recognizable.

I absolutely adore Darlene Love's voice, it's magnificent, and I assume that's why of all the songs on here, hers are the ones I know the best. Sadly I'm not as crazy for the rest of the album. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), specifically this version, is one of my favorite songs. It's a shame it's produced by a murderer, but considering he doesn't actually sing in any of these (although he does talk like a weasel near the end) and it doesn't detract from the album. I think I would've adored this with just Love, but instead we'll have to keep it in the middle. Still pretty good for a Christmas album, I'd say. Also, again, very funny, giving this on Christmas. It's like the Queen Is Dead all over again.

Great Christmas album

Working retail has soiled any love I ever had for Christmas music, which was never much to be honest. At best, this is tolerable to me. Like I would try to ignore it if I heard it playing at the grocery store, and I'd probably be able to because the actual recordings are solid. So I guess if I'm really itching to hear Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer for the 10 billionth time, I might reach for this album! But what kinda sick fuck needs to listen to that again? I fucking hate Christmas music so much...

Lol, no

Top 3 Songs: 1 - Sleigh Ride (5) 2 - Winter Wonderland (9) 3 - I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (7)

I generally hate christmas music, but this was awesome!

Bara klassiska jullåtar. Några i annorlunda tappning än man är van vid. Går ju inte tycka den här plattan är dålig men hur betygsätter man en platta med blandade artister?

I really don't like Christmas music, but this album is an acceptable collection I would willingly listen to on Christmas Eve.

Just over half an hour of saccharine christmas music courtesy of Phil Spector - which just means that they all sound more or less the same. I could very easily have lived my life without hearing this and have been none the poorer for that. There are very few christmas songs that are actually worth listening to, and none of them are on this.

All the classics you grew up with

i mean you're not going to put it on very often but sometimes it will be the only choice

Would probably have earned a 4 if not for the Phil Spector of it all. Still, the vocal harmonies are very pretty and the arrangements suitably peppy.

The iconic Christmas album. It's a 5/5 when it comes to Christmas music (The Low Christmas Album is the only one I've heard that betters it) but can I give a 5 to something I put on once a year at most? Seems wrong but I'll do it anyway.

An absolute Christmas cracker. The Phil Spector Wall of Sound is in full effect on this compilation of holiday standards and it’s testament to how extraordinary his arrangements were that he could elevate these tracks to the status of all time classics. My personal highlights were the Darlene Love tracks, but the entire gang of Spectorites contribute so much to make this record the masterpiece that it is. This is THE go-to Christmas album without a shadow of a doubt.

Wow, Phil really KILLED it with this one! It absolutely MURDERS all of it's competition! All Jokes aside, I listened to it on shuffle and I haven't finished it (I think). I think it's solid for what it's supposed to be, though it leaves a bad aftertaste in the mouth. 3/5

3.5/5. No way this is a random generator If I’m getting this album on Christmas Day.

It's Christmas songs what's more to say? Well produced christmas songs but still.

It's a Christmas album, full of Christmas songs bu famous artists. There's not much to be said. Overall a decent Christmas compilation.

Not the Christmas bangers I’m used to

I'm going to spoil Christmas spirit for a bit. I'm not a fan of Christmas Carol's, especially those americanised versions. It's really nice to listen to once per lifetime, but those songs are being spoon-fed into you for few months every year. It is extremely hard to try being objective about this album. Music, or the vocals, are in 60s funky, rock style, which probably was pretty original at the time, but I'm afraid, quite unlistenable for me now. Merry Christmas!

I'm not a fan of Christmas songs, but these ones are really well executed, so the final project is quite interesting.

Fantastic Christmas album, all the classics

Not sure who christmas music is for

Great Christmas album from a murder

Legendary producer PHIL SPECTOR turns his talents to Christmas music on this record. I played it at my company Christmas party this year and it KILLED. SOMEONE even it said it was the best Christmas record they’d ever heard.

Listening to this after Xmas so my cheer is gone. But this album has tons of those songs you hear in the mall while shopping for presents. Hard not to get nostalgic so I'm still gonna rate it pretty high

I was hesitant considering the whole Spector thing (being a murdering psycho that is), but this is actually a great holiday album! 5/5

A great album despite the unavoidable association with Phil Spector.

I thought we weren't doing compilation albums on here?

Have to admit I didn't listen to this one this year, but know how good it us.

As ever a well polished Spector production

Lol ok so it's not random. The best Xmas album ever made by a distance, Christmas (baby please come home) is the best Xmas song ever made. All the Darlene Love and Ronettes ones are stone cold timeless bangers. Oh and The Crystals. Well, all of it. Merry Xmas everyone.

I literally was just listening to this. The production is a bit fuzzy which is a testament to the time period. Not a big fan of the singing. It isn't particularly notable. But definitely a great mood booster for the festive time of year. I didn't really celebrate Christmas growing up because I wasn't allowed to. But I try to make the most of it now. It really is a happy day if you make it that way, celebrate it with people you love or just yourself, and just make it a good time. I don't mind Christmas music, it makes me emotional. Highlights: Sleigh Ride, Winter Wonderland

Sigh. Of course this website does this to me. I really don't enjoy Christmas music or Christmas in general. Eh. Obviously a sound album and I'm sure a beloved one for most. Great line up of artists here etc etc. Still I'm not gonna put myself through this sorry!

This was really nice to listen to yesterday on Christmas. I was familiar with the majority of the songs.

A stunningly good Christmas album featuring that wall of sound. Can only be played for a couple of weeks of the year and Spector is a bit of a dick.

Classic Christmas record

It’s Christmas, the fact I knew a ton of these made it quite easy but after Christmas nobody will care about these songs for another 12 months, I will be kind though and give it a 4/5.

This was a great Christmas album and one I will come by to for years. I loved how it was presented to us on Christmas Day!

Phil Spector is a murderous monster. His contributions to music are hard to ignore. Being fair to the actual artists that are making the music, this is a fantastic Christmas album. Would I listen to this outside of the holidays? Hell no. Also, looking at the reviews, it seems as though the creator of the website purposely had this album come up around Christmas time? As a Christmas album: 5/5.

I love Christmas albums but this one did not work for me. The Phil Spector sound just didn't seem right in this context.

4.75 Vinyl

Of course I get this on Christmas day! Reviews seems to centre on: 1/ "I don't like Christmas music" or 2/ Spector killed someone 40 years later. Focusing on the music it's what you would expect from the Wall of Sound given a Christmas theme.

bem massa os fadinho natalino

My only complaint is that this arrived at 3 on Christmas afternoon, so I finally listened to it around 10 that night. If it had arrived a week before it would have been in permanent rotation while I spent 3 days on the road. If anyone needs proof that Darlene Love is one of the greats, then this album is it. This is a most joyous, perfect piece of pop.

From the golden age of Christmas albums and songs (Eartha Kitt, Motown, the Beatles and Phil). Yes an awful awful man but shouldn't stop you listening to this. Did you spam me this on Christmas Day on purpose 1001?

All the songs on this album just come at you like a wave of echoey voices, surfing on another wave of additional choirs, bells, string quartets, horn sections on top of another wave of perfectly aligned maracas and other percussion shaking and rattling underneath. Because where in these days Phil Spectors multi-layered, orchestrated, muddy wall of sounds just tires me out, it really did work well on these old mono recordings with the 1960's girl groups where the songs were the focus, not the musicians. This makes this album quite a joy to listen to and is justifiably regarded as the best Christmas album of all time. And the only album I would put on if I absolutely had to listen to any of its music during it.

That this showed up in one's queue on Xmas day was just a coincidence, right? The only reason for one to hear this before one dies is if one's on one's deathbed during the holidays.

Maybe it's cause I'm still in the Christmas spirit. Maybe it's cause I've had to listen to a shit ton of really bad Christmas music the last month. Or maybe it cause Phil Spector is a genius. But damn this album deserves this score.

Just like I do for some of the presents loved ones or family members give you for Christmas every year, I politely thank the 1001 Albums app for this nice gesture. December 25th is the right time to receive gifts, is it not? But to be fair, and all politeness aside, every year *some* of the gifts I receive stay untouched, or they are put in the back of cupboard shelves, never to be seen again. A Phil-Spector-curated compilation from the early sixties featuring The Ronettes, Darlene Love and other similar acts is still miles better than anything Mariah Carey ever pulled off afterwards to ruin your ears every late December (I won't be polite at all if I receive *that* gift next year). The thing is, if really I wanted to have a great example of the Wall-Of-Sound aesthetics in my record collection, I'd rather go to a *regular* album by The Ronettes or by any other act that Spector produced around the same time (long before he became the troubled criminal he is today--but that's a christmas yarn for another time, kiddies...). Besides, being stuck with the same cheesy theme for the course of a whole album is just exhausting, even when it's the right time of the year. If really I had to play a X-mas record to set everyone around me in the right mood on that very day, I think Frank Sinatra's similarly-themed LPs would be more efficient and less obnoxious choices than this, as clichéed and potententially tiring as the latter are themselves... Number of albums left to review: 696 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 149 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 71 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 85 (including this one)

Quite a lot of highlights, but in the end, even at just over 30 minutes it's a bit too much. Like working in a supermarket

Love Christmas music, love Phil Spector's production, all around a killer album, definitely worth taking a shot at

I really didn’t expect how much I liked this. I’ve already heard most of these songs way too many times, but I really liked the production (although I didn’t really have strong feelings about Let It Be).

For a Christmas album it's probably 4/5? I'd prefer to listen to jazz covers instead.

A bit weird in July, but very warm and fuzzy

Do you know what people do for Christmas in Japan? They go to KFC. In the 1980s, KFC ran an advertising campaign in Japan, exhorting their customers to spend Christmas with a loved one at KFC. It proved phenomenally successful, to the extent that attending KFC on Christmas Day is now a bona fide Japanese tradition. People make reservations weeks in advance to get a table at KFC on Christmas Day. Also, as I recall, Japan is the only country where one can order beer at KFC. Now, I'm not above a KFC, no way. Indeed, out of the big fast food chains, KFC commands the most fondness from me. But as a Brit, the idea of visiting KFC on Christmas Day strikes me and plenty of others as hopelessly depressing, the practice of the loneliest men in the land. Also, the overt commercial nature of the Japanese Christmas KFC tradition surely runs counter to the western ideal of Christmas as an occasion to celebrate the things money can't buy (yes, we're all hypocrites in that regard, but that doesn't make us evil). So, I don't think I can understand emotionally how the Japanese view Christmas. So can I understand how the Americans view Christmas? Well, if I were to emigrate there, how I'd celebrate Christmas would automatically be some American form of Christmas, even if I retained all the trappings of a British Christmas: turkey and the complaints that it's not as nice as chicken, overheated rooms, at least one massive row, opening a can of lager before 10am (actually, I'm objectionably sober this year, what with my ruined feet). The story of America as a nation of immigrants means that the multiplicity of immigrant Christmas traditions, from German stollen to Italian panettone, all become possible additions to an American Christmas. Still, Americans have generated traditions of their own without recourse to the rest of the world's tired, poor and huddled masses yearning to breathe free. And this, Phil Spector's A Christmas Gift to You, is a uniquely American record with a uniquely American conception of Christmas. Well, that's my reasoning as to why this album left me completely ungripped. Any description of Phil Spector, who died at the beginning of this year, has to mention his murder of the actress Lana Clarkson in 2003. He was sentenced to 19 years to life in prison in 2009. Even before this tragedy, Phil Spector had a reputation as the most deranged producer in all of music, but he also had a reputation as one of the greatest producers in all of music. Known as the Dean of Teen, Phil Spector found fame and acclaim as the svengali behind numerous girl groups and songs, writing and producing classic tracks with his Wall of Sound method of multiple instrument layering to achieve as full a sound as possible. His talent as a producer led to many other cherished acts seeking either inspiration from him or just seeking him to produce. Brian Wilson admits to a lifelong Spector obsession that proved one of the key influences on Pet Sounds. Spector produced perhaps Tina Turner's finest moment, River Deep, Mountain High. The Beatles' last album, Let It Be, was produced by Spector, but nobody considers this the Fabs' finest album (in 2003 Macca released a version of Let It Be without all the strings Spector stapled on, but this fits perfectly into the curio box). John Lennon continued working with Spector on his solo albums, from his most celebrated to his most excoriated. The last major album Spector produced was End of the Century by the Ramones, long noted for their love of Spector's girl group singles. And throughout this time, Spector's behaviour was often fanatical, domineering and worrisome. Later in life diagnosed with bipolar disorder, Spector had serious problems with alcohol and suffered from paranoia, leading to a fixation on guns. Some figures, including Dee Dee Ramone, have accused Spector of pulling guns on them. Ronnie Spector, leader of the Ronettes and one-time wife to Spector, declared that Spector had been psychologically abusive, had kept her prisoner in his mansion and that she literally had to escape in order to leave the marriage. Several of his children also allege serious abuse on Spector's part. I have in no way covered all the details of Spector's iniquities, and nor do I want to. Now, it is perfectly possible for great art to be made by the monstrous. Separating the artist and the art is not only healthy, it's easy. We don't need to consider A Christmas Gift to You in light of Spector's crimes. But I do feel I personally have to consider it through the prism of how I perceive Christmas; it is a Christmas album, after all. The songs are very well-known, decorating so many American Christmas movies. And that's where I felt the album rode straight into the uncanny valley. These aren't my idea of cracking Christmas songs. The best Christmas song is Slade's Merry Xmas Everybody: it's great fun, it's not at all pompous, Slade sound as if they're genuinely enjoying themselves. Also, it's a definitive British Christmas song. It's a stellar example of that sadly lost practice of British bands mucking in and recording Christmas singles in order to entertain the nation. The main drive was enthusiasm and so the main result was glee. Yet this is an American Christmas album. Plenty of American acts have recorded Christmas albums. Plenty of Jewish American acts have recorded Christmas albums, continuing the custom inaugurated by Irving Berlin with White Christmas. But with this album and many other American Christmas albums, what I sense is not enthusiasm but slickness. When Spector used his Wall of Sound technique for love songs, the craft amplified the emotional impact. But these are songs about Santa and Frosty the Snowman. The songs are difficult to fault directly, but the Wall of Sound becomes routine, a procedure as fitting for a toothpaste jingle as for a declaration of love. And I find this bizarre, but I think Americans appreciate this aura of professionalism. It's a sign that you haven't been ripped off. Or maybe it's just not my Christmas. Perchance I were American, this would be as cosy and reassuring as a cup of pumpkin spice hot chocolate and a handgun. But I'm not, so this is essentially Japanese KFC. And remember: not everyone has it easy at Christmas. If you do find yourself feeling down at this time of year, you can always reach out and google "Phil Spector hair". NoRadio, signing off.

Too much … wrong end of Christmas day No more mince pies

Great collection!

One of the best Christmas albums, and probably the best variety Christmas album. It's always in the family's music rotation for the holidays. What more can you say? It's near perfect at what it sets out to accomplish. An easy 5 stars.

A delightful Christmas album full of that wall of sound sound. The artists are uniformly excellent and the song choices are smart - adding a melancholic snowless LA monologue to White Christmas is a nice touch. This and the Motown Christmas album are the go to Christmas album in this household. Merry Christmas!

Hey, I get the appeal. It’s a collection of what are now considered classic renditions of Christmas songs, perfectly capturing the sound of the 60’s.

The Wall of Sound led to some timeless music full of orchestration and richness that must've been so rare at the time. In 1963, Phil Spector was still cutting his teeth with this concept, but he was able to blend it with some of his Motown connections resulting in more than a few timeless holiday classics.

Guay para navidades. Le daría un %. Pero .... Phil Spector ...

This has a lot of the Christmas hits you already know and hear every year. It's pretty timeless but you're limited to just December on this one.

Horrible. Absolutely horrible.

This is everything I want from a Christmas album, and I’m usually not a fan of Christmas music. I love the intensity of the vocals and the vibe of the band. Very enjoyable record.

I had no idea how many of these classic Christmas songs came from one album. It was a bit weird listening to this 3 days after Christmas but it still was great to hear these songs in context. I did some reason assumed that they were all one hit wonders like so many other Christmas songs

5 glasses of eggnog out of 5

Ugh. So much Christmas

Really put me in the Christmas Spirit and just had so many feel good songs

nice christmas songs

Yeah I wouldn’t even really listen to this at Christmas

Banger of an album, quintessential Christmas record. So many definitive versions of their respective songs on here (anything featuring The Ronettes in particular). Great production. Shame about the murder! Five stars.

Wall of sound

I like my christmas albums served with a dash of murder

64th album and the first one I didn’t listen to all the way through. Well produced. Great talent. Not enough to outweigh the fact that it’s just not my thing. Also, I’m Christmas songed out by Christmas Day and this the last thing I want to hear.

Helemaal kerst man

Så bra en julskiva kan bli. Och Ronettes är ju den fräsigaste vokaltrion någonsin.

Bra jobbat, Phil!

2.75

Idk it’s Christmas music and it was fine. Merry chrimbas

Yep, this was Christmas music alright

Makes me feel nostalgia for an era of hip hop I wasn’t even around for. Lots of energy, lots of ‘yeaaa boiiiiii’s from flava flav which is exactly what I needed. 3.7/5

These are Christmas songs made by a murderer. Good family fun.

Thank you for this Christmas gift Phil 🎁

No thanks

This album is likely the most played radio Christmas album. I suspect if these songs were 5 or less years old I would think this is a five star album. Instead it's 35 and has been played to death. Still deserves four stars

Great.

One of the greatest Christmas albums

A perfectly enjoyable Christmas album based in that 60’s sound, despite being involved with Phil Spector. It’s the sort of must listen for people into music, not for everyone.

Damn near perfect. Can’t really imagine an xmas album ever topping it.

Probably the best Christmas album of all time. all iconic all amazing brilliant work Phil shame about the abuse and murder. best tracks: sleigh ride, Christmas (baby please come home), Rudolph the red nosed reindeer

MERRY CHRISTMAS

White Christmas- 6 Frosty the snowman- 5 The bells of st Mary- 6 Santa Claus is coming to town-7 Sleigh ride-8 A marshmallow world-6 I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus-8 Rudolph the Red nosed reindeer-6 Winter wonderland-8 Parade of the wooden soldiers-5 Christmas (baby please come home)-8 Here comes Santa Claus-6 Silent night-7

CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!@!!

Festive

A Fun Christmas album with iconic renditions of iconic Christmas songs

Well made

navidad

Pretty solid and fun Christmas album.

Easily the best Christmas album I've ever heard

Tuttuja joululauluja, ei voi vihata.

Ei ylitä käyttötarkoitustaan.

I don't like christmas songs at all, but there are worst ones

Definitely super fun album and nostalgic for anyone who is over 45 in 2022. I was kind of mad when I saw this on the list, but it was quite ok in the narrow retro girl band holiday songs produced by a murderer genre.

It's hard to go wrong with Phil Spector (unless you're Lana Clarkson, I guess), especially when helming an album featuring talent like the Ronettes and Darlene Love. This album is chock full o' classics; the Crystals and the Ronettes offer up what I consider to be the definitive versions of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" and "Sleigh Ride," respectively, and Darlene Love's "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" is my second favorite Christmas song of all time. The only song missing from this album is Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You," and given the fact that Phil Spector isn't a time traveler, the omission is forgivable. If there's a better Christmas album out there, I've yet to come across it.

Spector's Wall of Sounds plus The Crystals, The Ronnettes & Darlene Love make for a spectacular Christmas album - in my opinion, the best Christmas album. I'll be listening to this every year thanks to this challenge.

Call him a psycho murderer all you want but Phil Spector is a musical genius. His "wall of sound" made these Christmas Songs incredibly enjoyable.

7/10

Waited a year to give this one a 3

Phil Spector you crazy cocaine-fueled murderer. This is the Christmas gift no one asked for and the wall of sound at its absolute worst.

If you don’t think Christmas is quite stressful enough already, Spector might just have the cure for that.

Of terrible songs one can't make brilliant ones, not even with a Wall of Sound or the great Ronettes. 1 star for torturing mankind with this horror.

Who knew there was a whole wall of sound Christmas album? It's February, not really feeling the Christmas vibe.

Listening to this on the 3rd of Jan isn't the greatest experience, but i'll be putting this in the stocking for next year cos it sounds great

Best Christmas album ever. No notes.

Enjoyed it, perfect listening for Chrimbo. I think the Charlie Brown Christmas album is the best one for this time of year, but this is a great option too.

Christmas!

This was an absolute delight - packed full of Christmas classics and perfect for Christmas morning. Just the right amount of saccharine, but not too much, with a bit of reflection in there to. 4/5.

I'd rather put this on repeat than listen to other Christmas music, and often have. I guess I'll overlook the crazed murderer bit...?

This really is the quintessential Christmas album. Minus one star for the spoken word outro which I always kind of hated even before I knew about the hideousness of Phil Spector

The original of the genre

Merci à Philou, un être humain en or

joyeux noël à tous

1 🌟

I've always thought this was kind of an amazing album from the period

Nice songs and nice vocals. I shouldn't lower score due to overplaying, however each of these songs now are just nothing but background music as they get played every single year so I have to rate based on how much fun I had listening and that's not a lot at all.

Thank you Phil! I'll try not to regift.

Completely pleasant motown stylings of the christmas classics. What you would expect.

Not that great. Dated production. I hate Christmas songs.

3.5. Wall of Sound omg. Still Christmas music though

wonderful, beautiful, the essence of christmas music

Don't like Christmas music

Definitely worthy of being on this list. Classic songs by great artists delivered with that signature Spector sound. Recommended.

Nananinanão. Sem álbum de natal.

great album, perfect for the season! can see this growing on me on multiple listens :)

Love! It’s my Christmas childhood in an album. Never gets old and keeps getting better with time.

Good for this time a year but not rally my tast

Great from start to end.

A great jolly album!

Good singing. It's a Christmas album. what else to say

Issa christmas album.

Never been a big fan of Spector's "wall of sound" production style. But hard to deny the talent of the artists he's assembled here, as well as the quintessential recordings of these classics that they produced.

Clasic

I absolutely hate Christmas so I did not listen to it. I'm sorry. Give me another album.

Vabbè è Natale ci sta

Great album. Listened to many times, only a couple of tracks that don't really reach the heights of Baby Please Come Here

Perfect for Christmastime

What a great Christmas album! The 60's Wall of Sound arrives just in time for the holidays! All tracks are great (except Spector's creepy Silent Night wish, of course...insert eye roll emoji here), but that Darlene Love is truly special, isn't she? I didn't know this album existed, so thank you, 1001albums, for the gift. A great way to add depth, diversity and punctuation to your Christmas mix, which can tend to grow stale with the same old same old if you let it. It will be prominent in my Christmas mix for this year and many years to come. Merry Christmas, all!

Pretty solid holiday album, even if I'm not much a holiday music fan. This one was nice though

No me gusta

Great Christmas songs?Weird Phil Spector thanks me at the end.I can’t think of anyway this could be better though so it’s a five.

Set the volume at 11 and blast Christmas

it's good but also a christmas album

Christmas classic!!

Yes, classic Christmas songs. Very nostalgic and will fit in any Christmas movie soundstrack.

Good xmas mic

Not a chance. Fuck Phil Spector.

How dare you give me a Christmas album on Christmas.

Christmas hits from Motown. Nice.

I mean it's pretty obvious what to expect from this album.... 2,5

One of the best Burzum albums ever.

As a Jew, this feels unnecessary.

Fantastic classic Christmas album. Always loved this one!

Classic christmas

Turns out I already had this version of Rudolph saved. The Ronettes version of Sleigh Ride gave me MAJOR retail flashbacks, but overall loved these versions of Christmas songs. A nice Christmas Eve listen.

Perfect album for the holiday season. Whether by chance or not, thank you developer.

Inspiration for the SNL skit.

Chrismas

Merry Christmas

Loved!

I guess, I hate Christmas music.

Baby boomers remember Phil Spector as one of the most influential people in the history of modern music. Me? I remember him as the wild-haired, wide-eyed guy whose murder trial lasted what felt like at least five years. I've heard a majority of the songs on this album before, and they're all exactly what I want in a Christmas song: bopp-y, fun, and featuring vocals that don't hold back. Darlene Love goes so damn hard on Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), and it's the best track on an album full of great performances. This is going to be part of my holiday tradition from here on out.

Ei nyt oikein joululaulut napostellut tällein joulun jälkeen mutta vissiin parempi kuin keskellä kesääkään. Kai nää on kummiskin niitä klassikoimpia

A collection of extremely famous Christmas songs. Darlene Love stand out the most.

Great Christmas Soul Album with some great hits

dank

Classic Christmas

This is a compilation of good versions of Christmas songs with a weird outro track by Phil Spector, which kind of puts a weird taint on the album as a whole. These are great covers of these Christmas songs but I don’t see myself coming back to this album to listen to it as a whole. No specific standout tracks because they’re all good versions and I didn’t dislike any except that last track, which is just Spector talking.

Bore off mate

Sugary and Twee in a way that only a combination of Christmas songs and the early 60's can deliver. I've never been one for Christmas songs, and that's not something that listening to this collection of (admittedly iconic) songs is going to change unfortunately. I know a lot of people love this kind of thing but I just cant buy into it, its just far too cutesy and sentimental for me. There is however some great vocals and musicianship on show here. And it is a curiosity because of the Wall of Sound production style being applied to these songs. Definitely a little bit interesting, just really really not for me.

No... just no. Christmas music does not rate.

4 Classic Christmas album.

Some great songs on here, I'll definitely make sure this album works its way into the Christmas rotation.

нормальный, но современные уже чище перепевают

Hard to seperate from the man.

3.5

Awesome Christmas album

All of the individual groups on this album are great. Take Phil Spector's name off of it and I would rate it higher.

Fun album. You have to love Motown.

Classic

A Christmas Gift For You From Convicted Murderer Phil Spector is an anthology of Christmas songs. As is evidenced in the title it is produced by Phil Spector who is not to be celebrated. And yet, this record was made before the murders and performed by artists who also very likely find Phil's later life to be a tragedy all the way around. If Christmas is your thing, it's a great collection of holiday songs—many of which have become classics. So, 5 Stars for the music minus 3 stars for Phil Spector spoiling this album's legacy.

Het zijn wel classics, maar wat een schelle teringbende. Die nummers kan ik een weekje in het jaar wel hebben, maar de geluidskwaliteit is oprecht pijnlijk. 1 ster. Een remaster die fysiek niet pijn doet zou misschien 3 sterren halen.

A bunch of the classic Christmas songs I’ve heard over the years.

I had no idea so many of these classics were all from the same album. Favorite track: Frosty the Snowman

Heard it before: Yeah, I’ve heard most songs but not the record in entirety Enjoy it?: Yeah it’s hard to be critical of seasonal music that doesn’t age Favourite song: Track 11 (Darlene Love) - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)

I don't like christmas music. At least it's classics and not also modern stuff...

Voor kerstmuziek niet zo slecht, zeker vergeleken met hedendaagse troep.

I took a day off the project for Christmas. Big mistake! There is nothing worse than being forced to listen to an entire album of Christmas music the day after Christmas. 😂

Old timey Xmas music. Too jangly for me