1963 compilation album by various artists
A Christmas Gift for You from Philles Records (also known as Phil Spector's Christmas Album) is an album of Christmas songs, produced by Phil Spector, and originally released as Philles 4005 in November 1963. Spector treated a series of mostly secular Christmas standards to his "Wall of Sound" treatment, and the selections feature the vocal performances of Spector's regular artists during this period. One month after its release, the album peaked at No. 13 on Billboard magazine's special, year-end, weekly Christmas Albums sales chart.[3]
In 2003, the album was voted No. 142 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time,[4] maintaining the rating in a 2012 revised list.[5] In 2017, it was ranked the 130th greatest album of the 1960s by Pitchfork.[6] In 2019, it was ranked the greatest Christmas album of all time by Rolling Stone.[4] Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys has cited this album as his favorite of all time.[7] The album was included in Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.[8]
Recording and production
The album was recorded during September and October 1963.[citation needed] Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys attempted to contribute piano to "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town", but Spector rejected him for poor playing.[9]
Release history
The album has been released several times on different labels, starting with Apple Records in 1972, with different cover art: a photograph of Spector dressed as a heavily bearded Santa Claus, wearing a "Back to Mono" button. Additional reissues on Warner-Spector in 1974 (for the first time in stereo), Pavilion (a short-lived imprint of CBS) in 1981, and Passport in 1984 would also use this cover, sometimes with the "Back to Mono" button airbrushed out.
The original cover was restored in time for the album's first CD issue by Phil Spector International through Rhino. It was mastered by Bill Inglot and Ken Perry and it restored the album's original mono mix. The second CD issue was in 1987 as well, on Chrysalis (CCD 1625) in monophonic for the UK market. This one is co-credited "Spector Records International" and features the slightly different international artwork, it features the same mastering as the Rhino CD. The more common third CD issue came in 1989, a remastered release on ABKCO which restored the original title, artwork, and mono mix, this edition was remastered by Phil Spector and Larry Levine. The album also appeared as the fourth disc of ABKCO's 1991 Spector box set, Back to Mono, and as the second disc of the 2006 UK-only ABKCO compilation The Phil Spector Collection.
Sony Music took over distribution rights to the Philles Records catalog in 2009 and re-released the mono album, remastered by Bob Ludwig, on its Legacy Recordings imprint on October 27 of that year.[10] (The Sundazed label also reissued the album on vinyl in 2009.) In 2012, Legacy Recordings released a two-disc set in the UK only, containing a new remastering of the mono album by Vic Anesini on the first disc and a selection of non-Christmas Spector hits and rarities on the second disc.
Reception
The album, released in the United States on November 22, 1963—the same day that President John F. Kennedy was assassinated—was a relative failure at the time.[14] Original pressings are scarce and collectable, now selling for $400–$500 in excellent condition.[15]
In subsequent years, especially after its reissue on Apple, the album grew in popularity and is considered now to be a holiday classic. Several of its tracks became iconic Christmas songs for generations, such as the original single "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)," and the well-known "Ring-a-ling-a-ling Ding-dong-ding" background vocals in the Ronettes' "Sleigh Ride". The arrangement of Bruce Springsteen's version of "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" is based in part on the Crystals' version of the song, and U2's late-1980s remake of "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" that appeared on the first A Very Special Christmas album is patterned after the Darlene Love original that appeared on the Spector LP. The Ronettes' versions of "Frosty The Snowman" and "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" also usually get some radio airplay during the holiday season.
Commercial performance
This Apple reissue of the album went to No. 6 on Billboard's special Christmas Albums sales chart in December of that year, which was its highest chart ranking.[3]
The album made its debut on the UK Albums Chart in 1972; it would re-chart in 1983, peaking at No. 19.
On the week ending December 15, 2018, A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector entered the main Billboard 200 albums chart for the first time (at position No. 48),[16] eventually peaking at No. 12 three weeks later.[17] At the same time, the Ronettes' recording of "Sleigh Ride", though never released as a single, charted on the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time, initially reaching as high as No. 26 on the week ending January 5, 2019; it then re-charted during the 2019 and 2020 holiday seasons and attained an overall peak position of No. 13 on the week ending January 2, 2021,[18] before rising to No. 10 during the following holiday season. The album itself returned to No. 12 on the Billboard 200 chart on the chart dated January 2, 2021,[19] and rose to No. 10 one year later (on the chart dated January 8, 2022).[20] On the chart dated January 6, 2024, the album achieved an overall peak position of No. 7.[21]
