2021 – “A CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR YOU”
……………………………………….. (ignore April 30, 2017 publish date – this was published on December 23, 2021)
Why the quotation marks? Because it’s the name of an album produced by Phil Spector that I consider to be the best Christmas album ever. It’s also a Christmas gift for you (without the quotes) because it’s part of this Christmas post – also for you.
The entire Spector album can be found all over the Internet, but most of the YouTube ones make you play “whole albums” by clicking on one song after the other (there are 13 songs if you include Phil’s “Silent Night” blurb at the end).
I selected a couple that supposedly played all the songs in the correct order nonstop, but some were missing a song or two and another started with cut #13.
I finally found one that plays from start to finish, but if gives you any problems, let me know and I’ll dig up another one.
Meanwhile, ENJOY! (and I don’t know why only the first and last vids popped up ready to play, so click the others – most of which, unfortunately, begin with ads).
So that’s Phil’s gift to you.
My gift: I’m adding ten of MY favorite Christmas songs that were released between 1962 and 1995 (with a story or two included). We’ll start (and end) with 1995:
1 – “The 12 Days of Christmas” – Gary Hoey:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QqmpLzZ5_A
2 – “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” – The Four Seasons (1962):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6I1WujBgK64
3 – “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” – Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7X3uzZv900
This was recorded on December 12, 1975 at the C.W. Post College campus of Long Island University in New York.
I was there with my girlfriend and another couple. The other guy knew the person who was doing the recording of the show in a mobile unit (I think it was the Stones’ mobile unit), which we visited before the show. They were both from the same town in NJ and both in local bands. If you know the name “Thom Panunzio” (he’s quite well-known), that’s who the engineer of that recording was.
Here’s a shot of Bruce from that show (and from my site):
4 – “Christmas Is The Time To Say I Love You” – Billy Squier:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPf2snTB2wo
Recorded at MTV Studios on December 22, 1981 (kinda late to be making a Christmas video, don’tcha think?)
I was at this one too, but I was working. It was MTV’s first Christmas video (MTV had only just come into existence on August 1, 1981).
If you go to https://bobleafe.com/ and go to the MTV listing, the first 3 pictures were taken at this taping. And I’m not so sure about that “I’m in the finished product” story, however.
5 – “Christmas In Hollis” – Run-DMC:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR07r0ZMFb8
6 – “Father Christmas” – The Kinks:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPPCPqDINEk
7 – “Little St Nick” – Beach Boys:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp9rK8FmYog
8 – “Run Run Rudolph” – Keith Richards:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDMDMLF2j1A
9 – “Silent Night” – Dickies
CRANK THIS ONE UP! (This has to be the first time you’ve ever heard someone say that about “Silent Night”!):
10 – “God Rest” – Gary Hoey (You should probably keep the volume up on this one too):
I hope you enjoyed those (though I’m sure you’re familiar with all/most of them).
If you want to burn a 33:05 CD of all of them (how old-fashioned, Bob) or just add some/all to your MP3 music library, there are lots of free YouTube to MP3 converters online (just Google “YouTube to MP3 converter” and insert the vid’s URL).
This one works pretty well and offers you 5 different MP3 quality levels to choose from: https://320ytmp3.com/en30/
Merry Christmas!
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The Spector Christmas LP was released on November 22, 1963. Frank told me that a few times…