Darlene Love Reveals the Real Story Behind ‘Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)’

Legendary vocalist Darlene Love says she can’t escape her iconic holiday hit “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” — and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

At 84, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee says the beloved track follows her everywhere this time of year.
“The post office, grocery store, elevator,” she laughed in a recent interview at Sony Music Entertainment in New York. “It just feels funny that my song is in that many places at Christmastime.”

Released in 1963 and originally featured on Phil Spector’s album A Christmas Gift for You, the song has become a seasonal staple, standing alongside classics such as “White Christmas” and Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”

Love’s annual performance of the track on David Letterman’s late night show, a tradition that lasted nearly three decades until 2015, helped cement its holiday legacy. This year, she’ll perform the song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on December 18, joined by Steve Van Zandt and Paul Shaffer.

The Recording Session That Defined a Career

Love remembers being skeptical when Phil Spector first pitched the idea of a rock-and-roll Christmas song. But she ultimately recorded an emotional studio session in the summer heat — complete with Christmas decorations meant to inspire winter spirit.

“He went out and got Christmas lights and a Christmas tree and made it freezing cold in the studio,” she recalled.
“I told him, ‘You can’t do that — that’s going to close up our throats.’ So the only thing we had left were the lights, and everybody was in a great mood.”

The song became a defining moment in her career, showcasing her powerful mezzo-soprano voice and emotional delivery.

A Complicated Partnership With Phil Spector

Love’s relationship with Spector was difficult and often contentious. She famously sued him in the 1990s for unpaid royalties, winning $250,000. Still, she reflects on parts of their history with affection and humor, recalling moments where she challenged him creatively.

“I was always getting everybody in trouble,” she joked, remembering how she protected fellow young singers Cher and Ronnie Spector in studio sessions.

Cher even appeared on backing vocals for “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” and later performed with Love on tour.

Why the Song Endures

Despite its rocky debut — the album was released the same day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated — the song eventually grew into a timeless holiday standard.

Love believes its emotional versatility keeps it relevant:
“It’s easy to sing, and the words can be about anybody — a lover, a sister who got lost, or somebody who passed.”

While she loves performing the song, she says another Christmas hymn holds a special place in her heart:
“Silent Night… it makes you feel good, and it can make you feel sad, too. It’s about looking up at the stars and feeling the moment.”

More than 60 years after its release, Love continues to perform for sold-out audiences — proving that some holiday songs truly never fade.