Saturday, November 23, 2024

Exclusive: Cher Reunion with Darlene Love for 60th Anniversary of Christmas Song May Unseat Mariah Carey on Charts

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This November marks the 60th anniversary of the release of “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” by Darlene Love.

Yes, it was 1963.

The song became an anthem and Darlene Love was coronated the Queen of Christmas. She’s performed it every year since then. For about 25 years in a row she sang it on David Letterman’s talk show ith Paul Shaffer leading the band.

You may not know this but among the then unknown stars on the original Phil Spector recording was Cher. She’s singing lead back up and you can hear very clearly. (You can also hear Darlene’s sister, Edna Wright, who went on to fame with her group, The Honey Cone, and “Want Ads.”) Also on that legendary record: Sonny Bono playing drums, Leon Russell on keyboards, and Hal Blaine on drums.

Wow!

So now today Cher released the cover of her upcoming Christmas album, but no track info. But I can tell you that this summer Cher and Darlene recorded a 60th anniversary version of the song, this time with both of them on leads. The new “Baby Please Come Home” will be on Cher’s Christmas album, which is great for her and Darlene and bad news for Mariah Carey.

Mariah, of course, thinks she’s the Queen of Christmas because of her perennial hit, “All I Want for Christmas is You.” Every year, it’s number 1. But this blockbuster from Darlene and Cher should be a grand slam home run. The combination of these power voiced Spector divas on their 60th anniversary version? Magic!

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.

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