37. Various Artists - A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector (1963)

1. White Christmas - Darlene Love
2. Frosty The Snowman - The Ronettes
3. The Bells of St. Mary's - Bob B. Soxx & The Blue Jeans
4. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - The Crystals
5. Sleigh Ride - The Ronettes
6. Marshmallow World - Darlene Love
7. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus - Ronettes
8. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer - The Crystals
9. Winter Wonderland - Darlene Love
10. Parade of the Wooden Soldiers - The Crystals
11. Christmas - Baby Please Come Home - Darlene Love
12. Here Comes Santa Claus - Bob B Soxx & The Blue Jeans
13. Silent Night - Phil Spector & Artists

I have suffered many slights and injustices to my person over the years, but never have I been forced to listen to Christmas music outside of December. Whoever decided this album should be placed in the list is a very cruel human being who's probably cackling with glee right now, the bastard.

For the past couple of days, the wicked Sun God has been doing its level best to punish California for repealing Prop 8 or something, and here I am listening to a Christmas album with the fan on. This is it. I've finally gone completely mad. Mad as Phil Spector, even. Don't think I'll wind up killing an actress, but let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Anyway, this album showcases Phil Spector, and his influential Wall of dead women Sound, which is basically code for sticking enough musicians on one song to make Wagner jealous, complete with glockenspiels and English horns and shit like that, but for pop music instead of classical pieces. This technique resulted in many of the most distinctive hits of the '60s and has influenced countless bands and producers since then. So I can understand the need to put Phil Spector on this list, but did it have to be a Christmas album? I know all of these songs. The arrangements, while sort of neat, are nothing new, because it's Christmas music. And while it's ninety-whatever degrees outside, that is the last thing I want to hear. It's one step away from shitty novelty music. I don't care how much of a Scrooge I sound like, it's August. The best part of the album is when it ends and Phil Spector comes on with his comically wimpy voice delivering a monologue about how that bitch deserved it love and harmony and goodwill and all that. It made me laugh, but not for the right reasons. For that, I suppose I could at least give this a little leeway. 4/10