Posted by silverstarry
https://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/131653170.html
Living legend Darlene Love performed Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), continuing an annual tradition that began in 1994. Darlene first sang the song on Late Night with David Letterman in 1986. From 1994-2014, she returned to Letterman to sing it every holiday season with Paul Shaffer and the show's band. After Dave retired, Darlene sang the song on The View (2015-2023). Last year, the song returned to late night via The Tonight Show.
supercut of Darlene singing on Late Night over 20 years
Darlene was one of the many singers who was screwed over by Phil Spector. Darlene and the Blossoms sang backup for everyone in the 1960s, including Sam Cooke, Etta James, Elvis, Frank Sinatra, the Righteous Brothers, Marvin Gaye, Ike & Tina Turner, the Beach Boys, Doris Day, and the Ronettes. Some of the songs the Blossoms sang background vocals on: Johnny Angel, Monster Mash, Then He Kissed Me, You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin', River Deep Mountain High, Wouldn't It Be Nice.
Phil hired Darlene's group the Blossoms to record He's a Rebel, which he then released as a single for his other group the Crystals, who were on tour at the time. The first time that the Crystals heard He's a Rebel was on the radio when the DJ announced it was a new song by the Crystals (who thought that another group had stolen their name). Phil then had the Blossoms record He's Sure the Boy I Love, again with Darlene on lead vocals. He told the Blossoms that it would be released under their name, but once again he credited the Crystals. The Blossoms also recorded Da Doo Ron Ron but Phil later replaced Darlene's lead vocals with LaLa Brooks from the Crystals.
In 1962, Darlene signed a contract as a lead singer with Phil's record label but he turned his attention to Ronnie Bennett of the Ronettes (aka his future wife) and had little interest in finding a hit song for Darlene to record. Darlene still needed to earn a living so she returned to singing background vocals for other groups. Phil tried to stop her from doing this by calling producers at other studios and telling them that she was under contract with him, but that only led to the other producers asking him why he wasn't having her record any singles.
When her contract ended, she signed with Gamble & Huff's Philadelphia International Records with the intent of finally becoming a solo artist, but Phil bought her contract from them. After she sang on Letterman in 1986, the Late Night producers told her that Phil had called the show and threatened to sue. To their credit, the Late Night producers response to Phil was "Go ahead and sue us."
In 1989, Phil was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. That night, Phil's lawyer approached Darlene and offered her $25k if she agreed never to sue Phil. Darlene said: "As much I needed that $25,000, I did not sign. If they hadn’t offered me that $25,000, I probably would have never sued Phil Spector, but if he wanted to try to buy me for $25,000, how much did he really owe me? That’s what made me sue him." She filed a lawsuit against him in 1993 for unpaid royalties and was awarded $250k.
Some fun facts:
* Darlene and Cher both sang background vocals on Be My Baby by the Ronettes. Cher also sang backup on Christmas (Baby Please Come Home). In 2023, Darlene and Cher recorded a duet version of Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).
* When U2 recorded a cover of Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), Darlene sang background vocals for their version.
* Her favorite cover of Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) is by Mariah Carey, but Darlene also said that her version and Mariah's version "sounds so much alike, her fans think she is the original recorder of that song. When I heard that, I went, 'Oh, come on, Mariah, you got your own Christmas song.' Let me have mine."
* During her hiatus from music, Darlene played Trish Murtaugh (the wife of Danny Glover's characater) in all four Lethal Weapon movies.
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