Darlene Love, "Christmas, Baby Please Come Home," 1981

Darlene Love, singing at a New Years Eve party, 1981/82. Five friends - myself, Dick Blackburn, Bill Liebowitz, Bob Merlis, Gene Sculatti and Swamp Dogg (that's 5, right?) held New Years parties between 1978/79 and 1985/6, featuring The Rubber City Rebels, Roy Brown, The Blasters, Jo-El Sonnier, Joe King Carrasco, Bull Moose Jackson, Screamin' Jay Hawkins and more. The 1981/82 party was the zenith, held at the then-shuttered Starwood Theater in Hollywood, back-dubbed "PJ's" that night to honor its past as the Trini Lopez place. (The party was called "Panic at PJ's.") Darlene at that time was cleaning houses and appearing in gay baths lipsynching her records. Todd Everett got Billy Cioffi to assemble a band he dubbed the Monte Carlos for the night. It consisted of Billy, Mercy Bermudez and Gloria Jones as background singers, Spyder Mittelman of Chuck Weiss's band, Victor Bisetti (now of Los Lobos) and Jerry Angel (now of the Blasters) as drummers, along with Scott Richardson, Wayne Irvin, Michael Clark, King Leilani and Paul Hertzog. We were pretty sure that this was the first approximation of a Spector sound ever attempted onstage with an original artist. Darlene was apprehensive (she followed Swamp Dogg, and Dino Lee, King Of White Trash) among the revelers in pajamas and other silly garb, and I saw her praying before her entrance. Bill Liebowitz convinced her to sing "Christmas, Baby Please Come Home" for the first time since its recording in 1963, and this is the result. It was a stunning and tear-jerking moment, fortunately captured on tape. The band was so energized they kept playing long after she left. It was a mighty time.


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Category:

Music

Tags:

• rock
• rockabilly
• Art
• Fein
• Poker
• Party
• Darlene
• Love
• Phil
• Spector
• christmas

[soFeinVideo]

Jimbo, you got that right. Scott Richardson of SRC.

[wqmc]

What a wonderful performance! So glad this was captured on tape. Darlene Love was apprehensive and praying? Look at how happy the people in the audience are! They're clapping and dancing. Darlene Love could sing the alphabet & it would sound terrific!

[peteykkk]

Darlene is very special! One of my favorites!

[desert3347]

MY GOD THIS IS 30 YRS AGO!!

SHE JUST SANG THIS ON LETTERMAN 2011!

AN ICON FOR OUR TIMES..........

[GlenQuagmireful]

She is a wonderful American artist, so incredibly underrated but I can not envision a finer female singer.

[iowa61]

Wow. Bless you for producing and preserving this. You helped keep her going. A gift to us all...

[MrSeanodwyer140]

sorry  if ahh/i offennded on Darlene love site.. Ahh///i took it too far in trying too git an Karma Reaction.. It twas too offensive?

[drbryant23]

Priceless video. One of the greatest voices in pop music history.

[TheCatherinemh]

WOW - very glad you made it, dug it back out, and shared it with us!! Very cool of you - and you helped put that Wonderful Lady on the comeback trail!! Every time I hear Darlene Love sing this, it is a mighty time. With much love and respect for Ms. Love - please keep bringing us this annual Christmas tradition.

[jimbo33]

What a great video of a national treasure! A testament to the 6 friends to set in motion Darlene's comeback. Also .... wondering if the Scott Richardson mentioned in the info is of Detroit's own SRC!

[iowa61]

Total pro. Consumate integrity. Amazing artist.

[USW1023]

This video is my kind of music. It is up - beat, and makes you feel like dancing.