It is said Jews have written the best Christmas songs. This is what we talk about while going to the movies and having Chinese food on Christmas Day. There’s White Christmas and The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) and Christmas (Baby Please Come Home). The latter has the distinction of also being the finest Christmas song from a convicted murderer–Phil Spector.
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) was performed tonight on the Letterman show by Darlene Love. She’s been doing it on his last show before Christmas as long as I remember and I look forward to it every year. I’m not alone.
For late night TV this is a big budget production. Along with Paul Shaffer and the band there was a nine voice chorus, six string players plus a few brass pieces and other instruments I surely missed.
Darlene’s still got it. She belts the song. She hits the notes while staying mainly on key. She wears a skirt short enough to shame women a third her age and gets away with it.
Darlene is always on last. That makes her appearance late enough that I’d never watched it with company until tonight. I had to drop off something at my friend Rick’s house and we watched from his basement.
What a scam! The man works from a studio in his basement. Sorry–jealousy getting the best of me.
Rick is an announcer. You have heard him a million times. He sounds like God.
I always wanted to be an announcer, but wasn’t born with the equipment. I told him tonight he is my Mickey Mantle.
Darlene finally came. I waited a year for this. I was excited. Rick, not so much.
As the song began I told him what was coming next. I realized I was acting like those people who’ve seen Rocky Horror Picture Show a few dozens times and now talk back to the on-screen dialog.
It made no difference. Darlene was magical. The song is hers alone.
I left Rick’s a few minutes after Darlene’s exit. I watched her again a few times on the DVR at home.
This is obsessive behavior right? It’s the way I know it’s really Christmas.