“Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)”

When this Christmas song was released, unfortunately US president John F. Kennedy was shot and killed on the same day. So the single and the album ‘A Christmas Gift for You from Philles Records’ were both withdrawn, it wasn’t a good mood for a holiday season. In an interview with Record Collector, Darlene Love talked about working with Spector on “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” she said: “Phil worked everybody so hard on the album and the days kind of blurred into each other, thinking about it now. But there was a real Christmas party atmosphere in the studio, even though it was the height of summer, and a lot of great musicians were involved. They weren’t that well-known at the time but so many of them went on to become famous in their own right, like Leon Russell. Sonny Bono and Cher were involved in a lot of the stuff too, so was Glen Campbell. We worked hard, though, some days we’d be in the studio for eight or nine hours just doing one verse of one song.” In 1977, Phil Spector had Darlene Love re-record this song as “Johnny Please Come Home,” and released it shortly after Christmas. The lyrics were changed to remove the Christmas references but kept the same music and theme. Love calls this song “A joyful song. in an interview with The New York Times, she said: “When I’m singing it, I’m telling everybody to come home to their loved ones. I’m inviting families to get back together again. This is the time to do it.”

Release Date: November 22, 1963

Songwriter/s: Jeff Barry – Ellie Greenwich – Phil Spector

Label: Sony Legacy – Phillies

Chart Rankings: In the UK, the song was number 74 on the Official Charts Company. In 2010, the song was ranked first on Rolling Stone magazine’s ‘The Greatest Rock and Roll Christmas Song’.

Mariah Carey’s version entered the charts several years in the US, in 2011 it peaked at number 59 on the Billboard Hot Digital Track and at number 44 on Billboard Holiday Songs. In 2012 in reached number 20 in the Billboard Holiday Songs and at number 27 on the Holiday Airplay. In 2013 in peaked at number 37 on the Holiday songs and in 2014 it peaked at number 38. The most recent ranking was 2016 at number 30 on the same charts.

Artist’s age on Release Date: Darlene Wright (Love) was 22 years old when this song was released.

Cover Versions: The Quiet Jungle – U2 – Joey Ramone – Mariah Carey – Cher – Lady Antebellum – Dion – Michael Buble – Jon Bon Jovi – Hanson – Little Mix – Death Cab for Cutie – Melissa Etheridge – the Raveonettes – Jars of Clay – Anderlin – slow club – Josh Ramsay – Leona Lewis – Olivia Holt – Andee – Some Youtubers covered this song too.