Friday, I received an early Christmas present, one I shared with a few million friends, all of us glad to ask for and receive the same thing each year.
I tuned in to CBS’ “Late Show with David Letterman” for the annual appearance of the luminous Darlene Love. Dave always says it’s not the holidays without Love, and I agree. The singer has been dropping by Letterman’s place like Christmas clockwork since 1986, delivering her modern holiday classic “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).”
The song is the crown jewel of the greatest Christmas rock record ever made, “A Christmas Gift For You,” which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Conceived and compiled by legendary producer Phil Spector, known both for his beautiful Wall of Sound and the Grinch-ian levels of control he exerted over his artists, the album features standards performed by Love, The Ronettes, The Crystals and Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans. Spector’s signature sound is as clear and clever as ever, marked by an appropriate amount of holiday jangle, warm reverb and radiant horn charts…
I had the best late birthday present and early Christmas present this year as my wife and I were present at the Letterman Show when Darlene performed. It was a great thrill for me, as I have wanted to see Darlene on this particular show for years.
Hope to see her again this coming Christmas again on Letterman. Outstanding performance Darlene.