Reviews (page 3 of 17)
I'm not going to add any of these to my playlists but I am really enjoying it. Good Christmas pull. Favourite: Frosty the Snowman Least favourite: None it's Christmas!
Great Christmas music.
One of the best Christmas albums of all time!
Brought me Christmas cheer. What more could I ask for?
Awesome album!!
Good timing. A great album, always appreciated Phil especially after his time spent with The Ramones
SO CHRISTMAS!!!!
wait Phil Spector killed someone ?
Clásicos navideños que siempre gustan.
A absolute hit so very much enjoyed
What can I say that already hasn’t been said, it’s a classic Christmas album from the 60s
This is the year I’m learning Christmas music can swing. Fun album.
So. Many. Christmas Classics!!! I felt like I have heard these songs hundreds of times and I am sure I will hear them hundreds more times. It takes a special kind of talent to make a song that people will voluntarily listen to every year. Let alone a whole album of them.
The perfect Christmas album!!
merry christmas:)
Perfect for Christmas parties
Its only Christmas album I will listen too
Awesome Christmas album
Legendary
So many Christmas classics. Didn't know these were the versions that got played so often on radio.
Some classics
This is a perfect Christmas album!
As far as Christmas albums go, this absolutely slaps
Perfect in every way, even though Phil Spector was a murdering scumbag.
Great Christmas album with CLASSICS.
Greatest Christmas album. Nothing misses.
OK, i'll permit one album of Christmas songs every year.
It's hard to overestimate this album and the effect it has had on Western Civilization. This has been the soundtrack of every Christmas since its release. For some of these songs, these performances are the definitive versions This holds up as a true musical monument. Classic Christmas songs delivered with amazing talent and joy, given the full "wall of sound" treatment, recorded in glorious mono. This will outlive us all, as it should.
Classic for the holidays
The gold standard of Christmas albums. I love this album, and the Phil Spector sound.
Great holiday albun
Perfekt juleplate
This was great! This album is filled with all the music you've heard in all the Christmas movies and stores during the season. And it's popular for a good reason. 100% Phil Spector 1963 sound. Loved it!
It’s nostalgic sound has only increased its effectiveness over the years
Ha, kul (except for the Phil Spector part of it). Sm pa na netu zasledila, da ti ponavadi algoritem fukne ta album na prvi Božič, ko se lotiš poslušat 1001 album. In lj, res je! Tidal mi fajn ponudi verzijo, kjer sploh Spector omenjen ni in je Darlene Love (če ste gledal Lethal Weapon, jo poznate) creditana za album, čeprav so gor še The Ronettes, The Crystals in Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans. Je pa ta album zame fenomenalen za dons in edine res dobre verzije božičnih komadov so mi te stare verzije in pa kake instrumentalne jazz verzije. Ful ne rabimo, da vsako leto the new pop star nardi svojo shitty verzijo teh komadov. Zadnji komad je pa skippable, ne rabim poslušat Spectorja bluzit dve minuti (baje je blo sprva več k 5 minut). Že tko morm dost moških monologov poslušat zj med prazniki.
I mean, this is a perfect Christmas album. All the necessary hits, great composition, solid vocals. No complaints! Will listen to again next Christmas season!
A classic Holiday album from Phil Spector’s “Wall of Sound.
5!
This is not just a Christmas album. This is THE Christmas album.
Clásico navideño. Phil Spector, las girl bands, una pistola y Home Alone. El pack definitivo
What a golden era for Xmas music!
Got assigned this on Decembwr 25th...I don't think the assignment order is random anymore.
Track by track, this might have the most amount of iconic singles on any album ever.
"meddi kithmas" - Iron Mike
If I could only choose one Christmas album to listen to for the rest of my life it would probably be this one or the Home Alone soundtrack. 5/5
It’s christmas, duh
This had me shimmying and shaking my booty in the shower. Love it. Merry Christmas
Kultureller Einfluss auf Ritualebene nach 60 Jahren in Ländern auf anderen Kontinenten. Meilenstein.
A classic! I love a lot of these songs and didn’t realise they were all on one album for me to access!
It’s a perfect Christmas album. What else is there to say? Songs added to the playlist: Nine, but this album will be played every holiday season.
Took me back to my childhood! Interesting that Leon Russell was on piano and Sonny Bono on drums on all of the songs. Sad that Phil Spector went off the rails later in life. He did produce some wonderful music. Thank you for this Christmas gift!
Great Christmas album! Would be perfect for a party.
Best Christmas album
Sleigh ride
Absolute Christmas banger. Can’t be beaten, in my opinion.
I think almost every track is a hit! This album has some of the most classic Christmas songs of all time. Phil Spector was a weirdo but this album is perfect for the holidays.
Nice shot, Phil!
I mean, all killer no filler right?
Was bumping this one the whole Xmas season!
Full of the best Christmas cheer! Spector and the crew don’t miss on this one.
The best Christmas album?
On one hand, it's just Christmas music. On the other, it's Christmas music with the Phil Spector wall of sound treatment. With his stable of singers, supported by the Wrecking Crew and Sonny Bono on percussion, Phil delivers holiday gold.
Great! I love Christmas music!
Probably the best Christmas album of all time.
Mdr
Probably the best Christmas album of all time.
This was absolutely wonderful, even catching up 4 days after Christmas. I love me some Ronettes and Christmas (Baby Please Come) may be the greatest Christmas song of the rock n roll era. I remember seeing a video of U2s version of it one Christmas morning on MTV waiting for my parents to wake up so we could open Christmas presents and they slept in so long we had to leave for Grandma's and didn't open gifts til the next day. Don't do that to your kids, folks. Not that you would. Also don't hate me for liking the U2 version better but maybe that's just trauma bonding.
Amazing vocals, exquisite production. Spector may be a murdering asshole, but damn he was a musical mastermind!
A little behind on my albums. Good thing we can have Christmas in July. A collection of a bunch of great Christmas music that put me in the Christmas spirit.
So this is just where the most famous version of every Christmas song came from. Got it. DMX's Rudolph still reigns superior but this was delightful.
Oof, Clapton right into Spector. Taking him out of it, this album is incredible, especially the sax playing driving so much of it.
Nostalgic Christmas hits that remind me immediately of my childhood. These tracks are timeless, my kids will listen to them, and they represent the bar that "good Christmas music" must meet.
I'm catching up, so it's been 20 days since Christmas. I probably should have tossed this one on when I had the chance, but I didn't realize it was here. Anyway. I'm over this kinda music so I skimmed just to see how good it was. It's a banger of an album. I'm always on the look for more christmas vinyl to add to the collection.
Classic Christmas tunes. It's got that 60s sound that SNL mimics in their Christmas shorts.
Christmas songs on Christmas Day? 5 stars. There are some bops on here. Didn’t know all of these came from the same album.
There isn't a bad song on here. Strange to listen to it in March though.
Really nice Christmas album. Going to listen to it around Chris from now on.
The perfect Christmas album. The perfect sound. 10
So many classics in one album. 5/5 Highlights: Sleigh Ride Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
fire
Merry Christmas.
Excepcional. Imprescindible. Es un álbum corto, buena costumbre de la época, pero se hace aun mas corto por la enorme facilidad para ser disfrutado. Mucho mejor que los sing-along de Mitch Miller (que casi arruina la carrera de Aretha Franklin y el rock en general rechazando, para fortuna de sus sellos competidores, contratar a Elvis, Buddy Holly o los Betales...) y otros discos insufribles de navidad. A pesar de todo, Miller marcó una época y tuvo una influencia capital en la música que precisamente tanto había despreciado. El álbum, no solo de navidad pero obviamente de navidad, en el que se inspiraron todos los artistas para hacer cosas similares. Sobre las Ronettes y las Crystals no hace falta hablar. Si no las conoces, dale al play de cualquier tema suyo, y con eso basta. De Darlene Love tampoco pero podemos citar que es una de las Blue Bells (además de las Blossoms) y la voz principal en He´s a rebel (de las Crystals, engañando Spector tanto a las propias Crystals como a Darlene y sus Blossoms y siendo el único número uno en la carrera de ambas además de dejar precisamente sin el primer puesto a su compositor Gene Pitney, que nunca lo lograría), los coros en Be my baby (y en cientos de temas que todos tarareamos a diario, al margen del Comeback de Elvis del 68). Es la voz de la navidad, al menos desde 1986. Lógicamente Darlene Love no podía estar en la portada en todas partes (The Crystals, por razones obvias no la querían ver ni en pintura a pesar de ser tan víctima de los enredos de Spector como ellas) así que no es una de las Blues Jeans que posan con Bobby Sheen (en realidad ninguna de ellas es una verdadera Blue Jean, de hecho una de ellas es una Honey Cone -las del hitazo Wants ads). Por cierto, este lío ocasionado por Spector sí tiene disculpa: había que grabar He´s a rebel antes que cualquier otro, así que usó a Love antes que a las verdaderas Crystals (Costa Oeste vs. Costa Este). El disco no tiene relleno, es una lista de gemas. Christmas (baby please come home) es un himno que brilla entre todas estas joyas, la única en la que participó como coautor el propio Spector (y se nota en el detallismo de su producción). Santa is coming to town otra maravilla que Bruce Springsteen no se ha cansado de cantar. U2 tampoco se han cansado de la versión de Darlene del Christmas. Brian Wilson lo cita como referencia, y eso que no Spector no le dejó participar. El elenco más allá de los cantantes y el manejo habitual de Spector, es espectacular: arreglos de Jack Nitzsche, guitarra de Nino Tempo (que ese mismo año lograría su único número uno con el clásico Deep Purple junto a su hermana April -el grupo de Rock duro se puso el nombre por esta canción-), percusión de Sony Bono, Leon Russel al piano, Hal Blaine a la batería... la Wrecking Crew en su esplendor. Este disco marca una época: la de los grupos de chicas. No tuvo gran éxito en su día, algo tan incomprensible como frecuente. Además, la anécdota es que se publicó el día del asesinato de JFK. El único pero: está enteramente incluido en Back to mono, así que ¿Porqué no tenerlo todo en vez de solo este álbum? Es la ola a la que se subieron unos noveles Beach Boys, The Beatles y tantos otros...
I enjoy this every Christmas 🎄☃️🎅
Das ist meiner Meinung nach, das schönste Weihnachtsalbum überhaupt. Hier ist einfach alles geboten: Glocken, Schellen,... schöne Stimmen und natürlich der sagenhafte "Wall of Sound". Mehr geht einfach nicht. Hier stimmt einfach jeder Ton, jedes Arrangement, perfekt zum Fest der Liebe.
Best album ever named after a murderer? Merry Christmas!
Timeless set of Christmas jams. I’m choosing to rate the album for its banging tunes, not counting the future murderer who produced it.
I mean...
this album has proven to be a wonderful addition to the holiday musical milieu. All the Christmas records by popular artists since are chasing this collection and mostly falling short. Copy/paste for the whole article: https://tinyurl.com/ymwmyznu
Such classics, and on Christmas no less.
Even though I’ve been listening to this for the last month, and at least for a full month for the last 20-50 years, it has never gotten old. This is perfect, but I think we knew that already.
Behind on this project so listening on December 29th, baby! Still great - so many compilation albums that are essentially just all these songs. Thanks Phil for doing it first
The best Christmas album ever. The standout track for me is Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home) bye Darlene Love. Yes, I know the horrible things that Phil Spector did but we must learn to separate the art from the artist.
You can't give this any less than 5, it literally makes Christmas what it is.
I'm not a fan of Christmas music. The crooners bleh. The modern rock stars no thank you. Contemporary adult no way. But Phil Spector he made something special here with the motown sound. Yeah this one is perfektenschlaug.
Perfection
Previously listened to, but always enjoyable to revisit. Phil Spector was a master. Festive albums don't get any better than this. Filled with his staple of saccharine girl groupers, Darlene Love really shines in this one.
An absolute classic that I never tire of.
liked this selection
LOVE
Wonderful
Perfect Christmas album.
Simply the best Christmas album ever. Darlene Love, the Ronettes, the Crystals, Bob B Soxx and Phil Spector’s wall of sound production never sounding better.
Amazing Christmas album
Приятное
Best Christmas album ever
A great gathering of music stars with the greatest Christmas classics ever known. It couldn't be more perfect! Phil Spector made the kind of album that could be played every Christmas. It's impossible to give this project a low rating.
This is one of my favorite Christmas albums; I have it on vinyl with the creepy Phil Spector dressed as Santa Claus picture on the front. “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” is probably a highlight, but this is in my top two Christmas albums (the other being Sharon Jones). This is a 5/5 for a Christmas album, one I don’t revisit except around the holiday season (so truly a 3/5).
Hate Christmas albums but this one if perfektaschlaug
Merry Christmas! Fav Songs: The songs with the ronettes
Christmas classic. I know it's the Xmas album it's cool to like but the performances are stellar. Darlene Love and The Ronettes are enough to take it to 5*. The Wrecking Crew are always the backbone to genius too. Embrace the Christmas cash in
Seems topical considering recent events
Lovely to get a Christmas album on Christmas day. One of the absolute best.
Great Christmas album.
I love Christmas and I loved having an excuse to blast this entire album on Christmas Day. Phil Spector showing why he was the best in town during that era.
25/12/24 Just read other people's reviews and found out who Phil Spector was, what a melon. Shame, because I enjoyed the album.
Just for xmas only
++: White Christmas, The Bells of St. Mary, Santa Claus Is Coming to Town, Sleigh Ride, Marshmallow World, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Winter Wonderland, Parade of the Wooden Soldiers, Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), Here Comes Santa Claus +: Frosty the Snowman, Silent Night 9,7/10
9/10. From the ages of 9 to 14, I was in a choir, and from the ages of 4 or 5 to 12, I did dance classes. Every winter, my local symphony orchestra would do Yuletide Spectacular shows. Every year, the choir in which I was would perform there, while every few years, the second dance school in which I was would perform there. This album brought back the fond memories of hanging out with my friends, and performing onstage. It also brought back the bad memories of having to get to rehearsals through the snow, and wearing strapped leotards in the middle of the bloody winter in Canada. To the tunes of Christmas music, I've also performed The Nutcracker and The Snowman with the dance school in which I was. One of the funnest dances was performing as a Polichinelle. Being a Polichinelle in a Yuletide spectacular was very fun!!!!! :) Those days aren't too far beyond me, since I'm only 17 years old now. Anyway, the music is nice. I like the arrangements. It sounds like a lot of fun 1960's music. Also, fuck Phil Spector.
At first I thought it was cute to receive a Christmas album, but I must admit this truly belongs on the list. Phil Spector’s “wall of sound” production is legendary and makes even Pop Christmas music captivating. But none of that would be possible without Darlene Love’s amazing voice and the other musicians and vocalists that bring down the house. Even a deep cut (one of only few) like “A Marshmallow World” was a jam. I doubt you’d find an album this consistently strong in 1963. Merry Christmas!
# Album Name: A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector # Artist: Phil Spector # Rating: 5/5 # Comments: In the context of a Christmas album theme, this is an absolute banger. Tune after tune after tune. Absolutely brilliant. Wouldnt fancy listening to it in August but i got this on christmas day. I wouldnt put it up there with the best albums ever but its probably the best christmas album ive heard. hence 5/5. # Top Tunes: So many # Would I listen to it again? every christmas now.
A Christmas album on Christmas day? How convenient, isn't it, 1001albumsgenerator??? It almost seems like it was written to be like that... Well, I loved the gift, although it's never a pleasure to read Phil Spector's name, but I recognize that his work is very relevant and, let's face it, what could be wrong with a collaborative album with names like The Ronettes and The Crystals? I had never heard of Darlene Love and Bob B. Boxx, but I liked them a lot too! Well, 5 stars and Merry Christmas to everyone who's reading this!
Perfect album to have on whilst cooking Christmas dinner!
THE Christmas Album.
Christmas music… to DIE for Five stars.
Absolutely brilliant. Phil Spector is the sound of Christmas. Loved it
CHRISTMAS
sleigh (slay)
YAYAYAYAYAYYA CHRISTMASAAAS
Ci sono molti album natalizi migliori ma devo dare 5 all algoritmo
I love Christmas music. Any time of year. This is a great one.
There’s really nothing to say about this album other than it’s full of nothing but absolute Christmas classics. You really don’t need any other Christmas album. Every single song is an easy 5*.
The Phil Spector sound works so well for christmas songs. It feels warm and familiar and festive. “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” is one of my favorite Christmas songs. It’s hard to find fault with this one. Merry christmas!
Excellent. No notes. Getting this on Christmas was a nice treat. All bangers here - no faves.
4.5, but rounding up because I love most of these songs and the fact that we got this album on Christmas Day!
Favorite Track: Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
What a fantastic album to receive on Christmas day I'm surprised by how many of these songs/versions I actually knew before hand The Ronettes and Darlene Love were the highlights - love love loved their songs I was not aware of Phil Spector's personal life, which led to a horrific read of his wiki page. However, I'm here to rate the music and not him so... 5 ⭐️
Well, duh…
Great Christmas album. But also a great album period. I tried to shed my lifetime of experience with these classics while listening, so I could better assess the album. I can confidently say that this album would be a masterpiece if these were the only renditions that existed. Pure, sugary, rocking, fun, happy, and overall enjoyable. 5/5 holiday album, 4.5 album overall. Didn’t know about Phil Spector murdering that actress though, so reading about this on Wikipedia went from festive to dark real quick.
Will now be forever part of my Christmas listening
What a gift, Phil! This is definitely one of the better Christmas albums to grace the ears. Something to be truly grateful for.
Gawd. ANOTHER album of all covers?? Jk, this was a great Christmas album. Love the song selection and how each group or singer put their own spin on the tracks they did, while all still hanging together as a cohesive holiday delight. A fun Christmas surprise!
Upbeat fantastic Christmas album. Fun fact, Cher sang backup for Darlene Love on Christmas Baby Please Come Home. Spector ended up being a murderous lunatic but his musical genius cannot be denied.
A Christmas Gift for You From Phil Spector Just getting this in before going back to work tomorrow, when the Christmas dream truly dies. One little thing I wanted to mention that I really love is how you can hear the New York accent on Frosty the Snowman, ‘Frorsty the snowman…’, so great. Amyway all the songs are familiar from so many Christmases and playlists, but it’s a great album, 35 minutes of brilliant sounding do-wop rock’n’roll Christmas pop. I don’t think you can give it anything but 5, it’s obviously not a Revolver or Rumours but it’s unfair to judge it by the criteria of classic albums, as it’s in a specific genre outside of normal pop 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄 Playlist submission: Christmas Baby, Please Come Home
The Spector formula for Christmas really is faultless. Is there any other Christmas album that is bearable in such a fashion? I may put the recent Dylan one up there. And Chas n Dave's cockney Christmas. But nothing else comes close. And I haven't even mentioned the incredible vocals of Ronnie Spector, Darlene Love et al - incredible. It's hammy, It's over the top, and it sounds like Christmas. Great.
As I'm writing this, Christmas is pretty much over. In two-and-a-half hours, it'll be Boxing Day and 364 days 'til the most wonderful time of the year comes around again. So, I guess this can be taken as my farewell to the season. And, y'know, Christmas music gets a lot of flack — rightfully so, in most cases. After all, it's either yet another cover of the same handful of songs that've existed as far back as the 1930's (keeping the boomer's Christmas memory alive and well!) or it's some tossed off piece of whatever, whether it's attempting to become the next Christmas standard or not. Yet, despite my awareness of that fact... I mean, I do genuinely love the season, even if these days I generally end up getting more excited for Halloween. So, hey, why not get ready for the season by listening to a small selection of the abundance of Christmas music there is? It just doesn't surprise me too much that what I end up listening to is either old classics like Elvis's Christmas album or extreme novelties like Richard Cheese's SILENT NIGHTCLUB. And if A CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR YOU FROM PHIL SPECTOR isn't part of that line-up... Well, believe it or not, it has nothing to do with the fact that I refer to him as a murderer first and a producer second. Like, don't get me wrong, he deserves all the shit he got and more, but... I'unno. Maybe it's just because Phil Spector's brand of "Wall Of Sound" mono mixes are just way before my time, but it's not like I can't listen to "Be My Baby" without thinking "OH, HE'S A MURDERER." Not in the same way there's such a vile vibe for me coming off, say, I'unno, the shit Kanye West produces these days. Really, the only reason why A CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR YOU isn't in my Christmas album rotation is just because... I guess I figure I have enough? I already have THE BEACH BOYS' CHRISTMAS ALBUM in there, and that's essentially Brian's attempt to do this album for himself, so it'd maybe be a little redundant to have both. Let me be fair, though — at least as fair as we can be to a man who died in prison for murder. How does it actually sound? Should I be giving it more of a chance in my rotation? My immediate conclusion, even from track one, is that I can understand why this would be the only Christmas album someone would listen to. This is classically Christmas; the kind of overproduced Christmas music all other overproduced Christmas music compares itself to. It's fun, lush, grand and **huge**, despite it being in mono. Only the original originals can really beat this out in being the ur-sound of Christmas. 'Coz, look, Phil Spector as a person sucks to hell and back; no one's gonna argue that. And, sure, not every production decision he made was... Y'know, **great**; LET IT BE... NAKED and the recent remix of ALL THINGS MUST PASS exist for a reason. But the man could overproduce like no one else. There's a reason why Brian Wilson made such attempts to be like him, and why a lot of the songs Spector produced are among the greatest of all time. Goodness, just "Be My Baby" alone would be enough. And as much as I wanna keep "yeah, but"-ing myself and covering my ass with the "he's a murderer first" thing, that's just the truth. Sometimes the shittiest of people are just that good at what they do. And Spector is just that good. I do suspect that at the very least we should be giving just as much credit, if not maybe a little more, to all of the people who actually performed on the damn record. Like, yeah, Spector can produce and mix, but without the compendium of master session musicians The Wrecking Crew to pull off these arrangements, and without vocalists like Darlene Love, The Ronettes and Crystals to sing the damn thing, where would he even be? Let's not "auteur" "great man" Spector too much here. Like, really thinking about it, there's something not terribly great about the fact that a box set of Phil Spector's production work gets to be 358 spots higher on the 2003 ROLLING STONE 500 than The Ronettes debut — the one with "Be My Baby" — y'know? For whatever the RS500 lists are worth, anyway. Regardless of all that, though... Yeah, for better or for worse, this is an absolute Christmas classic. One I should probably try to work in my Christmas rotation more, between the Jackson 5 Christmas album and the midwestern emo cover of "The Christmas Shoes". I mean, it's not gonna top A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS as my favorite Christmas record of all time, but in any case, it's a 5, for sure. I'm very happy that the Randomizer was likely rigged to let me, my group, and anyone else who partakes in this spend their Christmas with it — or to end it off, specifically, in my case. I suppose the only question now is "What on Earth is my group gonna get **next Christmas?**" 'Coz I'm pretty sure this is the only Christmas album on this list. Well, I guess we'll just hafta wait 364 more days to find out. And whatever it is, maybe I can spend a little less time "yeah, but"-ing myself. Goodness.
It’s a 5. I suppose Christmas is as good of a day as any to learn that Phil Spector committed murder in 2003 and died alone in a jail cell, rotting for his crimes 18 years later. That shadow will now loom over this, and the rest of the stuff he produced, and it only gives me even more disdain for the fucking wall of sound. However, because it’s the holiday season, I feel no desire to shit on the man, at least not yet – I get the feeling I’ll have plenty of opportunities to do that on some of the more prominent records of the 1960s soon to come. For now, I think this is as good of a time as any to explain that I have a love/hate relationship with Christmas music; when it’s good, it’s so fucking good, but you have to be in the season, in the mood, and most of all, you have to avoid oversaturating yourself. Too much Christmas music, and suddenly, that inner Scrooge takes over and you’ll never want to hear another refrain of any of these tracks for at least a year. Thankfully, it’s the season, I’m in the mood, and the only Christmas music I’ve really indulged in so far is George Michael, Mariah against my will, and oddly, Jschlatt. There’s not a lot of overlap, thankfully, so a lot of these compositions felt pretty fresh to my ears – I have to imagine some of the performances here became the standards over time, at least in a more pop-driven atmosphere for the 6 decades since this dropped. Although I have to give a huge credit to the standout vocal performances and extra flair added on each track because of these singers, I think the orchestral compositions and big-band feel of this whole thing really make this album. It’s a combined harmony for sure, but I know most of these tracks by their more “basic” forms. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, for example, doesn’t normally sound like a 1970s Western film, but to hear it in that style on this album really shakes it up a bit, and stops this from being a traditional, paint-by-numbers Christmas album. Those shake-ups and Beatles-esque moments are here in spades, and it’s a rather enjoyable 34 minutes because of it. So, yeah, I’m at a 5. Realistically, more of a 4.5 that goes up to a 5, but I’m in the holiday spirit, and this scratched a real itch – great singers, great compositions, great melodies, and yes, solid production, even if that murderous motherfucker tainted some of it with his stupid wall of sound. It’s just a damn good Christmas album, and I’m glad the site owner rigged it just for this occasion (or did they?). Really fun stuff. That last track could’ve been skipped, though. Put the vocals in the bag, or whatever the kids say.
Honestly kind of a banger
If you forget about who Phil Spector actually is you’ll enjoy this Christmas album
Best Christmas album ever… sorry Mariah!
❤️
Just hit after hit
Love that sound
I really enjoyed this album. Very festive, and some great voices come alive again
I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!!
9/10 Thanks “random” list! The best Christmas album, one that stands out as great amongst albums in general. When an album is over 50% classics that most people recognise, you’ve got a good one. Wall of sound + Christmas = banger Best: Frosty the Snowman
Hate to give a murderous loser 5 stars, but here we go...
9.3/10. Best XMAS album ever
2nd best Christmas album of all time.
!!! good.
classic
вайбово
All of the proper xmas songs, no mariah carey, no modern bullshit, just classic xmas music that makes it feel like christmas rather a corporate overspending holiday.
🎄
Brilliant. Every one of these tracks should be played on the radio during the Season. All these artists and the producer (big separate the art from the artist energy needed on this one. Skip the final track I say) working at their peak.
Wonderful Christmas
Christmas!
A fantastic Christmas album. Some great covers from a variety of artists but the cohesive production brings it all together. And it avoids most religious songs which is another pro in my books. I could do without the spoken message from Phil over the last song though.
I didn’t know this generator automatically gave you this album on Christmas Eve. That’s cute and makes a lot of sense. So I’ll admit to being a bit of a sucker for Christmas music. On the day after Thanksgiving (and not a day sooner unlike some people), after Santa caps off the Thanksgiving Day Parade, any music playing from the radio will always be Christmas music. It’s been like that ever since I was a kid and I’ve been here for 28 Christmases. And I anticipate doing it for at least 28 more. For those in the state of New York, there’s a radio station: 106.7 Lite FM. Every December, they play Christmas music constantly until the end of the holiday. It’s what I’ve listened to every Christmas season, as I would spend a holiday weekend with my family in Manhattan or enjoy the big day at my grandparent’s house in Brooklyn. There are so many Christmas songs that have been a part of my life at this time of year. Christ knows how many versions of Sleigh Ride and Winter Wonderland I heard. Yet I never considered the impact this album had until getting it today. I believe that this album is the reason many artists even do Christmas albums in the first place, giving their own twist to some classic carols much like what was done here. I usually spilt Christmas music into two categories: crooners and everything else. Sounds lazy to do that. It get probably go deeper but I’m simplifying. A majority of Christmas music that 106.7 plays are usually the works of Frank Sinatra, Gene Autry, Andy Williams, Dean Martin, Perry Como… you get the point. Many of there are classics in their own right and it wouldn’t be Christmas without them, but playing them back-to-back tends to feel… monotonous. They start to blend together. But after this album, I feel this is when the crooner era ended and Christmas music entered a more modern iteration. I recognized a majority of these songs. The only ones I wasn’t familiar with were the Bobb B. Sox and the Blue Jeans songs, Parade of the Wooden Soldiers, the Darlene Love version of White Christmas and Silent Night. (I’ll get to that) Many of these tracks to me are the most memorable versions of these classic songs. From the little intro in Santa Claus Is Coming to Town to the “ring-a-ding”ing in Sleigh Ride (which became a staple), each track has something that make each carol stand out from the 15 other versions out there. That can be attributed to the Wall of Sound, which makes every song sound grand. The orchestral backings sound epic in scale to match with the vocals and there is a constant vibrant energy. All the artists on this album are great, but this album belongs to Darlene Love. His songs are objectively the best and her own song Baby Please Come Home is a classic. If there is anything to knock the album for, I could say that the tracks do somewhat sound a bit similar to one another, probably thanks to the Wall of Sound. And there is the elephant in the room that this album is headlined by a convicted murderer. That makes the last track, Silent Night, age like milk when Phil Spector comes on the record with his creepy voice. It’s…unfortunate to have a name like his attached to these classics. But I won’t let that diminish the work of the artists who were a part of this and I say the honor should go to them. Many of these songs have been around for me every Christmas season. Honestly, Christmas has started to feel different each year. After the passing of my grandfather and my grandmother entering late stage dementia, I no longer go to my grandparents for Christmas. This has left somewhat of a hole to fill for my holiday season as things have certainly changed over many Christmases, as we all probably experience. But if there is one constant every year, it’s that the music will always be there. And while there are other Christmas songs out there that mean a lot to me, like Last Christmas, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and even All I Want For Christmas Is You before everyone made that song annoying, the songs on this album also share a place in my heart every December on 106.7 Lite FM. Favorite track: Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) Other hits: The other Darlene Love tracks (White Christmas, A Marshmellow World, Winter Wonderland), Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Parade of the Wooden Soldiers, Sleigh Ride, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
This is a great collection
This is a great Christmas album. I’m especially glad that I didn’t get shot in the face while listening to it
So what do we judge this on? The best of the Christmas albums? Sure, it’s top 5. You have to like the old time sound though and not be some Michael Buble freak. Every song is a cover, every song serves its purpose. Every artist sounds great. Is it the artist that makes the album or is it Phil Spektor? Who knows. I’ll give it a 5 based on the spirit of the album. There’s no choice cut, pick your favorite song and roll with it, yo I won’t be disappointed unless you wanted the song to sound different.
Καλά Χριστούγεννα
Favorite time of the year, and timeless music to boot.
CHRISTMAS!!!
All the classics. Love the wall of sound per usual. I approve of his musical influences but not other acts…. 5/5 (for a Christmas album) rated by both James and Emma
Christmas songs FTW!
Gold für Weihnachten
Setting aside Spector's personal life, which would be a definite zero star. And separating the art from the artist, this is the definitive christmas album. All others are merely attempting to capture some of the essence of this album. Brian Wilson cites this album as one of the greatest of all time, and who am I to disagree. 5 stars.
Phil Spector's extreme creep factor and criminally murderous behavior aside, this was a great Christmas album. Full props to all of the talented performing artists.
Classic. We play this every year at our fam holiday get-togethers.
this album is killer
Christmas
For it’s time, I think it has literally every christmas banger released on it. What a lovely christmas listen.
Top-tier production, really works with these songs
Legit got this album for Christmas and loved nearly every second of it
1-star any other time of year.
Magical
A stone cold classic. Great versions of all the songs plus the original version of one of the best holiday songs ever: Christmas (Baby Please Come Home). An incredible roster of talent performing for this peerless Christmas compilation album.
Perfect festive tunes!
Take your 5 ya merry bastard
This album is incredible. Sure it's Christmas music and that can turn off a lot of people but it's all at such a high eatery
great christmas music!!!! more like a solid playlist than an album in listening but great nonetheless
Awesome, Phil Spector is a genius except for in his personal life
I have long loved this album. It's got some of my all-time favorite Christmas songs, capturing the brightness and festivity of the season. It's a shame Phil Spector was such a horrible person despite his genius at producing--I can't help but think of that when I see this album, but I try to focus instead on all of the brilliant performances by the artists.
What a great album. Every song is done well. You can hear the amount of thought process.put I to the arrangements of these songs. My favorites are Frosty the Snowman and Marshmallow World. Awesome vocals.
Can't say for sure but this feels like the definitive versions of many of these songs. Not sure if it was a new idea but having soul artists do christmas is great. These sound wonderful and these are easily the best christmas songs. With my favorite (Darlene's "Christmas"). Can't knock it. This is revolutionary
Wall to wall Christmas classics. Thanks Phil! Gotta love that wall of sound.
For as crazy and largely evil as he was, I love Phil Spector. I wish I'd listened to this closer to Christmas, cause hot damn its good. The Ronnettes version of Frosty was already a favorite, and this whole album was just as good. I love Christmas music and I love the Phil Spector sound/catalog, so this combo was a delight from start to finish. Album cover: (A) This is so very of its time and I love it. More album covers should be the artists standing in people sized boxes.
I have to rate this album for what it is, which is an absolutely fucking banging Christmas album. No, it's not as good as Dark Side of the Moon, but it's not meant to be. I love Christmas. My favorite songs were "Sleigh Ride", "A Marshmallow World", and "Here Comes Santa Claus". 10/10 10/10
Thank you 1001 Songs for giving me this Christmas gift. First, let’s address the controversy: Phil Spector was murderer. Now it’s out there we can enjoy the music. The Ronnette’s version of Frosty the Snowman and Mommy Kissing Santa Claus have been a part of my life for as long as I remember. Throughout this month, I’ve already heard Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town and Rudolph by the Crystals numerous times. And how can you go wrong with anything that Darlene Love does. True, I’m a sucker for classic R&B. But this album is fantastic and evidence of the production talent that crazy shameless murderer had. Hell, on 2024, he’s be considered a viable Presidential candidate! Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, joyous Kwanza, Happy Hanukkah, y’all!🌲🎅👍
Probably one of the best Christmas albums for a certain style of music, non stop bangers
Would I listen to it outside the month of December? Prrrooobably not? But this is a perfect Christmas listen. Classic after classic. Fuck you Phil Spector.
I FUCKING LOVE CHRISTMAS MUSIC
I am rating this as a Christmas album - and it is the best I have ever heard. Drives me crazy when my wife tunes in to the Christmas channel on XM on Dec 1st. If all the songs were like the ones on this album I would actually enjoy it.
This is in my 5 essential Christmas records.
A wonderful touch by this website by generating this one on the actual day. Merry Christmas :,)
I don’t know man, maybe I’m just in the right mood to be receptive, but this is the fourth five star in a row. Totally different genres and vibes. I liked this a lot. It is a collection of old standards, so it isn’t breaking new ground that way, but most of these are still the definitive version you hear on the radio all these decades later.
Awesome Christmas album
Greatest Christmas album ever
Is this album proof that a murderer with bad hair can't be all that bad? Was Jack the Ripper a sixty foot sea serpent from Scotland? Did I take this job for a quick buck? We may never know the answer to these questions. That being said, this is the definition of a masterpiece, my favorite Christmas music, hands down, and Darlene Love is an angel. 5
Problematic for many ways, but musically it's simple. An easy five stars.
Great Christmas album and vocals are wonderful.
Didn’t expect it to be this good but solid Christmas songs were on it
Solid Christmas album. A bunch of classics really nice listen on Christmas. Even at other times of the year would probably be nice but obviously best at Christmas.
I’ll admit I got choked up at the end… then I remembered Phil is a lunatic. All your Christmas favorites are here. Can’t go wrong.
This is what every Christmas album aspires to be. I listened to this on a cold, snowy day and it transported me into feeling the holiday spirit. Best Songs: Frosty the Snowman, Sleigh Ride, A Marshmallow World, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, Christmas Worst Songs: Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers
Lifted my mood
Amazing album. Need to remember it for the holidays
A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector is an absolute masterpiece! The gorgeous production, highly influential in its time, has left an enduring mark on music. Even after 60 years, the timeless charm of this Christmas classic persists. It's unfortunate that Spector's legacy is tarnished by his cruel and evil behaviour, but this album remains a testament to his musical genius. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 7 STAND OUT TRACK - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
A lot of Christmas favorites I didn’t know where they came from. Added this to my Christmas playlist.
Glorious
I know he's a murderer or whatever but damn I appreciate this for the work everyone else contributed! idk the full story but these vocals are insanely good.
the arrangement is so big and so unique that everything so old can sound so new to me like for "white Christmas". also realised this is the album where "Christmas (baby please come home)". also, how great is Darlene love? great new takeaway for me. The bells of st. mary is a stand out.
Love this rendition of Christmas songs!
The best Xmas album ever.
Christmas Day obviously this a 5 Don’t wanna hear this shit untill December 1st though
A classic - probably the classic Christmas album. not every somg is a winner but pretty darn close!
The only Xmas album that matters. Darlene Love could sing the phone book and it would be a fucking banger.
The only Xmas album that matters. Darlene Love could sing the phone book and it would be a fucking banger.
Hands down the best Christmas album of all time!
It's a bit unfair to drop this on us on Xmas day. I had a brilliant day and this was on loop so of course it gets 5 stars. Merry Christmas everyone!
Easily the best Christmas album of all
The only Christmas record I listen to. Everything is great - skip the weird Phil Spector thing at the end.
Phil Spector’s wall of sound is so influential. This album embodies that. Sucks that he became a murderer.
One of the best Christmas albums of all time.
only because its christmas
Classic collection of Christmas staples, pity about Phil Spector’s name being attached though
It's a very nice collection of Christmas songs 5/5
Brilliant. Festive. Season. And I hate Christmas, but I love the season, and the music!
All songs are classics. 5/5
Absolutely delightful.
This is probably one of the best Christmas albums out there. From a wide variety of artists, these classics are very good renditions of popular holiday songs. It is unfortunate that Phil Spector shot that poor actress in the mouth.
A flawless album to satisfy your Retro Christmas needs. Never mind who produced it, every performer on here gives it their all and you can absolutely tell. A must play for the Christmas period.
Loved it
What cruel person would rate this fewer than 5 stars?
Darlene Love and The Ronettes?? 5
This album on Christmas Day? How could I not give it a 5?
Very christmasy
Great early wall of sound document and perfect Christmas album.
Quality christmas album despite Spector being a wierd murderer
it's a christmas classic for a reason. i am an absolute fan of this era of music and a lot of the girl groups and adjacent groups, especially the work on philles (despite the monster in charge). everything on this album is great, with the exception of when the convicted murderer and serial abuser, phil spector, speaks directly to you at the end. that aside, the sound is iconic, and some of the best sounding music made of all time. i'm not a huge christmas music fan and this is still tops.
Great Christmas album!
I will probably never listen to this album outside of December, but it’s still really really amazing.
Always been a big fan of 60's classic christmas songs, produce by a genius producer Phil Spector, who was also out of his mind crazy but that's another story. Its song that we all know, but not necerally from those particular artist, and its intersting to re-discover thoses. +i'm from québec so i know the french version of those song, so its even more wierd for me but its pretty cool. And for a lot of them wixch are traditionly sing by men are by woman who are RNB singer wich give it a special touch that is beautifull i think. Best songs: Sleigh Ride (Ronettes) Frosty the snowman (Ronettes) White Christmas (Darnele Love) Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Crystals) Winter Wonderland (Darnele Love) Santa Claus is comming to town (Crystals) I Saw Mommy Kissign Santa Claus (Ronettes) The album closing is a spoken message from Phil Spector who thank the people who help him produce this album, the artists, the public and himself, with the music of silent night. Honneslty i'm not a fan of chrismtas album, except those form various artist like this one and i even like more song from the 60s, so the combination is just perfect. Merry Christmas (2023) to everyone who will read this!!! Joyeux Nöel à tous!!!!!
What a wonderful album.
Like most folks in the USA, I've heard almost all of these tunes many many times, but I personally never owned a copy of this record, and have never listened to it all the way through. Frankly, amazingly high quality, great stuff. Not a huge Christmas music fan, but this is a great record.
The best Christmas album. Such a gift.
ITS YULETIDE BITCHESSSSS MERRY MF CHRISTMAS! such a 5/5, best album made by an actual fucking ballsack of a human
Full-throttle joyriding in the 1963 Christmas Sleigh.
Has gotta be the GOAT Christmas album right? Rating; 4.8
Classic. Thank you Phil Spector. Best Christmas album ever.
Ca restera toujours un plaisir, un classique indemmodable, malgré le personnage derrière cet album. Un très beau cadeau distribué par un drôle de père Noël... Mais je pourrais ici citer toutes les chansons, tellement l'ensemble est cohérent et sans réel temps faible. S'il fallait en garder quelques unes quand même : "Christmas (Baby come home)", "Sleigh Ride"
Even outside the season, this is still a wonder. All classics, lightning in a bottle.
Didn’t listen to it but come on you can’t go wrong with that tracklist. Absolute classics.
Christmas Music with Christmas Spirit at Christmas Time makes me feel very Merry -9/10
I mean it’s a Christmas album on Christmas.. there’s better and there’s worse 9/10
Yep this is classic Christmas music.
Maybe it’s the Buck’s Fizz talking but I’ve really loved this! Phil Spector produced some absolute bangers! Like he wrote the Christmas style I feel. Loved the album and it’s being played every year! Ending on was just a lovely way to the album. Another 10/10
Merry Xmas 🤘
Probably the best a Christmas album can be, and the best representation of Phil Spector’s “Wall of sound” production style. Every song sounds full which is perfect for the holiday. Christmas(Baby Please Come Home) is an all time great Christmas song.
The best Xmas album by far. Phil can suck it though. What an awful human. So 5 stars but I'm ignoring PS and the final track lol
Solid ass Christmas album!!
Love a wall of sound especially at Christmas
I was kind of shy about giving this one a 5, but its kind of a 5 right? The best Christmas album of all time? I mean a new Christmas tradition was born for me.
A lot of Christmas albums are just not that good, but this one is solid all the way through. Spector does a great job of combining his distinct sound and 1960s modern flair to Christmas classics. It's what the Beach Boys wanted to do with their album, maybe.
Didn’t listen to this. Instead I listened to “Spending Christmas with Frank D’Angelo” by Frank D’Angelo. Here is my review of that. Beautiful Christmas music by a king at the top of his powers. 55555 stars
I LOVE Christmas music and these are some classics I listen to every single year. 10/10 for me baby!
Merry Chuntmussy! 9/10
Love some many of the songs on this album, they're already on my Christmas playlists and the versions I like best. Listening to the whole album was a blast and definitely set the Christmas mood.
Just exactly perfect for Xmas morning. I'll be revisiting this album next holiday season.
Great classics
Not only one of the greatest Christmas albums of all time, but one of the greatest albums of all time, period.
listening on boxing day. why not. it’s oldies it’s classics, you can’t go wrong. cute christmas album that feels like you’re sitting by a fire.
Good
One of the greatest christmas albums of all time, under Phil's direction, these bands accomplish incredible songs that ave remained timeless to this day. It's a shame such a great composer and producer ended up being a psychopath. The Ronnettes are really special.
early-60’s pop-perfection. amazing, fun vocals & Spector’s “Wall-of-Sound.”
early-60’s pop-perfection. amazing, fun vocals & Spector’s “Wall-of-Sound.”
Perfect for Christmas mood
Weird commentary by Phil Spector on Silent Night in light of what happened with him later. Yikes!
Great, but did not need the PS thank you track at the end. I need to download this one.
Awesome album. Terrifying name.
Merry Christmas everyone! The best Christmas hits in one album, love it.
Classic!
Perfektes Timing für die Fahrt zum Weihnachtsessen
I dont like Xmas music, but so many classics
The production on this still holds up great; it's no wonder many of these have become classics and are played year after year.
One of if not the best Christmas albums around. Phil was obviously not a good human being, but man his production skill were absolutely top notch. Great album.
Pretty awesome Christmas album. Phil Spector produced some great music but was a terrible human being
Best Christmas album if all time. Hands down. Even if he's a murderer.
Goated Christmas album and Sleigh Ride is the best Christmas song of all time. Obligatory Phil Spector can burn in hell though.