I had the GREAT good fortune to see Ronnie Spector LIVE in The Burgh not long before she died. She was MORE beautiful than ever and her voice was as good as ever. Lord have Mercy, Lord have Mercy, Lord have Mercy.
Well I have to add that I recorded this Motown Christmas special in 1987. On the show was the Pointer Sisters, Ronnie, Darlene, Phillip Thomas, The Temptaions, Redd Fox, Lola Falana, Stephanie Mills, Run DMC, a black actress whose name I forgot, a singer whose voice was five ocataves high whose name escapes me, and a white female singer who sang Silver Bells so beautifully. I loved this show and this clip is from it.
Two of the greatest voices of the 2oth century! Long live HRH Ronnie & HRH Darlene, Spector & Love, respectively! Thyanks for all the great music!!!krxn11
omg, i just got chills... i remember we taped this special when it first aired back in '87 (i think?) and my mother and i would watch it EVERY year during the holidays... wow, the memories... umm... those were the days...
Two of the Hottest Lady Rockers of all Time!! They're Still Beautiful, Still Can Sing, Still Touring- Darlene is 70ish & Ronnie heading there! UnBeLiEvAbLe!!
I just want to thank you for the bottom of my heart for posting this video. When I was child I watched this special every single year. My grandmother tapped this special and it became a Christmas tradition. But VHS go out of style and we didn't have it anymore. This is the best part of the whole Motown Christmas special. After learning of how Specter treated these women now watching this it seams like vindication for them.
I thought I was the only one that thought so. Spector music isn't Rock'n'Roll,but Darlene and Ronnie always said it was. So they shouldn't be on shows like this,which are light years away from Rock'n'Roll.
I remember this song from this Christmas special 20 + years ago. To give you an idea how old this is--Phillip Michael Thomas was the MC. Yes Phillip Michael Thomas from Miami Vice so you can tell how old this special was based on that fact. Natalie Cole was in this show as well as the Four Tops--including David Ruffin who has long left us. Boy Ronnie looks great and this was the first time I saw her on a show as I was a very little kid when whe was at her peak of her career.
@THEKAYLAJONESSHOW The lead vocals of The Crystals' later hits ("Da Doo Ron Ron" "Then He Kissed Me," "I Wonder," "Little Boy") were by Brooks; earlier ones, such as "There's No Other (Like My Baby)"/"Oh Yeah. Maybe Baby," and "Uptown," with their Spanish Harlem musical influences (deliberately made by Spector to sound like "female Drifters" records), the lead vocals were by Barbara Alston, who, with Dolores "Dee Dee" Kennibrew, was an original Crystal.
AT THE TIME WHEN I SAW THIS PERFORMANCE I DIDN"T KNOW THAT IT WAS RONNIE SPECTOR BECAUE I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE HER AND ONLY CAUGHT PART OF THE PERFORMANCE BUT I NOW TREASURE IT JUST THE SAME! THEY WERE GREAT!
@THEKAYLAJONESSHOW It was only that Love recorded a few of them, because she was geographically situated closer to Spector when he needed to quickly release "He's A Rebel," allegedly to beat out a mainstream version (of the Gene Pitney-written tune) recorded by Vicki Carr. Spector also released "He's Sure The Boy I Love" under The Crystals moniker, even though were also Love's lead vocals on that record.
I dont know why u think these ladies are Motown..They are Phil Spectors wall of sound girls... That is where these records are from.. Phil Spectors Christmas is one of the best rock Christmas cd's out ....Rated very high... Remember Ronnie Spector, Phil Spector's wife...
@chuckbuckbobuck David Ruffin was the lead singer of The Temptations, 'not' of The Four Tops.. Levy Stubbs was the lead singer of The Four Tops. Both are now deceased, as are all the original Temptations (unless you count Dennis Edwards, who came later), and another of the Tops, too..
@gymnastix Otis Williams of the original Temptations is still alive and performing with the latest line-up of the Temps. Also Duke Fakir of the original Four Tops.
@THEKAYLAJONESSHOW But most of The Crystals other hits ("Da Doo Ron Ron," "Then He Kised Me," "Uptown," etc.) were actually recorded by The Crystals, albeit "Da Doo Ron Ron" was La La Brooks on leads, with back-ups by The Blossoms.
@THEKAYLAJONESSHOW Both Veronica ("Ronnie") Bennett Spector Greenfield and Darlene ("Love") Wright Peete Mitchell Allison are doing just fine now anyway, are raking in the dough from live shows and other ventures, both inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in their own rights.
@MisterDyinglySad Did a very small search and guess what? You are right, I got sidetracked by an Aussie site that sent out a bullshit lie. Hey, glad that he is still trucking.
@gymnastics--Oops! My mistake. I remember it being David Ruffin so it was the Temptations and not the Four Tops on the special. They started off the special in their pajamas waiting for Santa Claus to come--it was a nice segue into the show itself which was great. Sorry about the mistake gymnastix--no disrespect intended.
@Farinadog13 Without Stubbs' distinctive voice, many woud say The Four Tops should have hung up their mikes. The same may be said of The Temptations, without David Ruffin and/or Eddie Kendricks. I thought Otis Williams had died. Sorry, my mistake.
@Farinadog13 @Farinadog13 I didn't state all the Tops were dead, only that I knew Levi Stubbs, the group's longtime frontman, had died, and "another" of the Tops had died before him, by whom I meant Lawrence Payton. In between those two original Tops, Renaldo "Obie" Benson had also died, This leaves, as you wrote, only one surviving, original member, Abdul "Duke" Fakir.
@THEKAYLAJONESSHOW I know your larger point is Darlene Love (and Ronnie Spector) had nothing to do with Motown, that being a West Coast girl (in Love's case), and a New Yorker (in Ronnie Spector's), they had no association with the Detroit-based Motown label. That is correct.
@CheckMate657879 And, for the uneducated (not you, Checkmate657879), Philles is an amalgam of "Phil "and "Les" (for record producer Phil Specter, and his one-time partner and a mentor, Lester Sill). Today, Philles exists only as a name for copyright purposes, no active recordings being produced with the name as a label, especially with its main man in prison. I think Philles may now actually be owned and/or distributed by Sony.
Worth seeing,if for no other reason,just to see Ronnie Spector wiggle her gorgeous hips right near the end.If anybody wants another treat,watch Ronnie's appearances (2 that I know of) on The Letterman Show.What a fantastically charming woman.
@THEKAYLAJONESSHOW Not entirely true. Darlene Love had contracts with other entities before and following her association with Phil Spector. Also, Love and her actual group, The Blossoms, did not record "most" of The Crystals hits. The Crystals recorded most of The Crystals hits.
--Phil Spector has brought wonderful music to world .He spends his whole life as a successful producer and writer . No one should go through the weird things Ronnie went through during her marriage to Phil Spector. But she has been no angel herself, making horrible life choices. She has brought a lot of things on herself. And remember, Ronnie saw Phil daily for years before they married. Don't tell me all of his traits came on like the flip of a light switch. She wanted to live the rich-and-famous lifestyle. She rolled the dice going for the "money" Rich and Famous ,live in a big masion . The dice came up snake eyes. Get over it
@THEKAYLAJONESSHOW Both also eventually prevailed on royalties lawsuits against Phil Spector, although with the legendary producer in prison for second-degree murder, his trustees are stalling payments, forcing Darlene, Ronnie and their co-plaintiffs to continue litigation in order to secure their past dues.
@CheckMate657879 I know--"Sheesh!" But you must surely know by now most people don't know as much about pop and rock & roll history as those who are its most serious fans, persons such as you & I. Also, as there was no "Philles Christmas" TV special, Darlene and Ronnie had to be "lumped" somewhere. So they put 'em on this special, as Motown the most famous black-identified record label (at least with white people).
@Farinadog13 But my bigger point is I think it a mistake for these vocal groups with few or no significant original members to continue. Such entities are merely cashing in on the legacies of other persons. Can you imagine The Rolling Stones continuing without Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, but especially without Jagger?
@THEKAYLAJONESSHOW But it is not true that Love sang most of The Crystals hits. The legend that since Spector owned The Crystals name he could make whoever he wanted "The Crystals" was once to the detriment of Darlene Love, but has now worked against the actual Crystals, who did, in fact, record most of their songs themselves.
@dalanbronnenberg What do you mean Darlene Love is the "voice of Motown?" The Ronettes, the Crystals, the Blossoms, Darlene Love were NOT Motown artists. They are merely guests on this Christmas Special. Sheesh!
@THEKAYLAJONESSHOW It would be nice to see The Crystals (or at least Alston, Kennibrew, and Brooks, if not also Mary Thomas, Merna Girard, and Patricia Wright) reunite, and have another, actual hit. They should hire Quincy Jones, or another producer of renown, to give them one. And with today's better-informed business situation, a revived Crystals could earn more performance and recording royalties themselves, the "Spector" of denial no longer a threat to earned income on new recordings.
@Farinadog13 My advice to such groups--start a new group, but don't call the group to which you were hired as a "spare part" by the group's original name, not when there are less original than new members in the group.
R.I.P. Ronnie Spector !!
IMO Darlene Love was THE best voice of any of the singers in the girl groups.
By far
I beg to differ. Martha Reeves is up there with Darlene Love.
Darlene is the best.
I had the GREAT good fortune to see Ronnie Spector LIVE in The Burgh not long before she died. She was MORE beautiful than ever and her voice was as good as ever. Lord have Mercy, Lord have Mercy, Lord have Mercy.
Ronnie Spector and Darlene Love, this made my Christmas Holidays!
I'm definitely a fan.
Well I have to add that I recorded this Motown Christmas special in 1987. On the show was the Pointer Sisters, Ronnie, Darlene, Phillip Thomas, The Temptaions, Redd Fox, Lola Falana, Stephanie Mills, Run DMC, a black actress whose name I forgot, a singer whose voice was five ocataves high whose name escapes me, and a white female singer who sang Silver Bells so beautifully. I loved this show and this clip is from it.
I love Ronnie and Christmas queen Darlene love
Two of the greatest voices of the 2oth century! Long live HRH Ronnie & HRH Darlene, Spector & Love, respectively! Thyanks for all the great music!!!krxn11
The 2 greatest singers from, by far, the best Christmas album of all time.
Ronnie and Darlene should sing duets more often!!! Wonder if anyone every thought of that
Are you kidding, who wouldn't have thought of that? But it needs to be better than this.
YES! Even though I'm not a fan of David Letterman I love that he has her on every Christmas so the world can see how good she is!
These two lovely adies just absolutely blow away every contemporary female singer. No Contest! AND they stand the test of time.
omg, i just got chills... i remember we taped this special when it first aired back in '87 (i think?) and my mother and i would watch it EVERY year during the holidays... wow, the memories... umm... those were the days...
Darlene Love.....great singer, and lets not forget "Roger Murtaugh's wife" in the Lethal Weapon movies.
Mind boggling,,,,Great. Congratulations to Darlene Love for election to the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame!
Pure magic. Best voices to date. Legends. RIP Ronnie Spector. Darlene we love you. Keep touring (post covid) 🙏❤🙏❤
Both of these women are too good for this.
Two of the Hottest Lady Rockers of all Time!!
They're Still Beautiful, Still Can Sing,
Still Touring- Darlene is 70ish & Ronnie heading there!
UnBeLiEvAbLe!!
clearly these two ladies are LEGENDS! This Is how you have a rockin' Christmas!
Darlene Love - one of the all time great R&B/Pop singer!!!!!!!!!
oh Darlene love love her
Thank You so very much for posting this wonderful Christmas Medley with Darlene Love & Ronnie Spector. I LOVE IT.
I just want to thank you for the bottom of my heart for posting this video. When I was child I watched this special every single year. My grandmother tapped this special and it became a Christmas tradition. But VHS go out of style and we didn't have it anymore. This is the best part of the whole Motown Christmas special. After learning of how Specter treated these women now watching this it seams like vindication for them.
Motown Merry Christmas. It was a very GOOD special from 89.
It was FANTASTIC. I'll never understand why it's not on DVD.
Ronnie spector what a voice and Darlene love you rock girl lovely merry Christmas ladies
Two great voices and exceptional women as well!
Love Darlene Love...
All I want for Christmas is some of that happy brew these gals are tipping--- spunk and vitality galore- Merry XMAS, Ronnie !!!!
I remember when this aired on tv around 1978-80 cant recall exact year .
They are both GREAT!!!!!!!
Two immense singers.
Thanks for sharing this one. Amazing to see these two beautiful legends together.
This is royalty! Long live these two divas! Beautiful! Wish I could meet them in person!krxn11
Classic! Thanks for posting these great ladies.
+wilanderfan22 The audio is absolutely horrendous.
V V - What a pathetically irrelevant, totally ignorant, comment.
Mullets, frickin' MULLETS! This is such a sad venue for such great talents.
I thought I was the only one that thought so. Spector music isn't Rock'n'Roll,but Darlene and Ronnie always said it was. So they shouldn't be on shows like this,which are light years away from Rock'n'Roll.
Ronnie Spector and Darlene Love: Rock &:Roll HOF!!!!!!!!
I remember this song from this Christmas special 20
+ years ago. To give you an idea how old this is--Phillip Michael Thomas was the MC. Yes Phillip Michael Thomas from Miami Vice so you can tell how old this special was based on that fact. Natalie Cole was in this show as well as the Four Tops--including David Ruffin who has long left us. Boy Ronnie looks great and this was the first time I saw her on a show as I was a very little kid when whe was at her peak of her career.
@THEKAYLAJONESSHOW The lead vocals of The Crystals' later hits ("Da Doo Ron Ron" "Then He Kissed Me," "I Wonder," "Little Boy") were by Brooks; earlier ones, such as "There's No Other (Like My Baby)"/"Oh Yeah. Maybe Baby," and "Uptown," with their Spanish Harlem musical influences (deliberately made by Spector to sound like "female Drifters" records), the lead vocals were by Barbara Alston, who, with Dolores "Dee Dee" Kennibrew, was an original Crystal.
Darlene undoubtedly has class.
AT THE TIME WHEN I SAW THIS PERFORMANCE I DIDN"T KNOW THAT IT WAS RONNIE SPECTOR BECAUE I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE HER AND ONLY CAUGHT PART OF THE PERFORMANCE BUT I NOW TREASURE IT JUST THE SAME! THEY WERE GREAT!
This is great ,thanks for uploading.
Gaawwwwd, Ronnie is fine as HELL.
@THEKAYLAJONESSHOW It was only that Love recorded a few of them, because she was geographically situated closer to Spector when he needed to quickly release "He's A Rebel," allegedly to beat out a mainstream version (of the Gene Pitney-written tune) recorded by Vicki Carr.
Spector also released "He's Sure The Boy I Love" under The Crystals moniker, even though were also Love's lead vocals on that record.
❤️🧡💛💚💙
Ronnie Spector was always a strange creature.
I dont know why u think these ladies are Motown..They are Phil Spectors
wall of sound girls... That is where these records are from.. Phil Spectors
Christmas is one of the best rock Christmas cd's out ....Rated very high...
Remember Ronnie Spector, Phil Spector's wife...
I didn't know either. When I was a kid I was thought she was a Latina singer. As I got old it was a big "OOOOOHHHHH" moment for me.
I second that!!!!
@chuckbuckbobuck David Ruffin was the lead singer of The Temptations, 'not' of The Four Tops.. Levy Stubbs was the lead singer of The Four Tops. Both are now deceased, as are all the original Temptations (unless you count Dennis Edwards, who came later), and another of the Tops, too..
@gymnastix Otis Williams of the original Temptations is still alive and performing with the latest line-up of the Temps. Also Duke Fakir of the original Four Tops.
@THEKAYLAJONESSHOW But most of The Crystals other hits ("Da Doo Ron Ron," "Then He Kised Me," "Uptown," etc.) were actually recorded by The Crystals, albeit "Da Doo Ron Ron" was La La Brooks on leads, with back-ups by The Blossoms.
@Vincent50 Thanks for sharing
To Phil Spector',,The old saying "what goes around comes around"is very pertinent in your case.
Nobody would know these two existed if it wasn't for Phil Spector
@THEKAYLAJONESSHOW Both Veronica ("Ronnie") Bennett Spector Greenfield and Darlene ("Love") Wright Peete Mitchell Allison are doing just fine now anyway, are raking in the dough from live shows and other ventures, both inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in their own rights.
@MisterDyinglySad Did a very small search and guess what? You are right, I got sidetracked by an Aussie site that sent out a bullshit lie. Hey, glad that he is still trucking.
@gymnastics--Oops! My mistake. I remember it being David Ruffin so it was the Temptations and not the Four Tops on the special. They started off the special in their pajamas waiting for Santa Claus to come--it was a nice segue into the show itself which was great. Sorry about the mistake gymnastix--no disrespect intended.
I think this was in the late 80's
Was that the first time she was singing it?
It was unspotted! I think im that time she never imagined that with that song she'd became so famous..
@Farinadog13 Without Stubbs' distinctive voice, many woud say The Four Tops should have hung up their mikes. The same may be said of The Temptations, without David Ruffin and/or Eddie Kendricks. I thought Otis Williams had died. Sorry, my mistake.
Ronnie Specter was the first black girl I was ever knocked out over.
But Darlene is the voice of Motown
Darlene was never signed to Motown.
@Farinadog13 @Farinadog13 I didn't state all the Tops were dead, only that I knew Levi Stubbs, the group's longtime frontman, had died, and "another" of the Tops had died before him, by whom I meant Lawrence Payton.
In between those two original Tops, Renaldo "Obie" Benson had also died, This leaves, as you wrote, only one surviving, original member, Abdul "Duke" Fakir.
@THEKAYLAJONESSHOW I know your larger point is Darlene Love (and Ronnie Spector) had nothing to do with Motown, that being a West Coast girl (in Love's case), and a New Yorker (in Ronnie Spector's), they had no association with the Detroit-based Motown label. That is correct.
Should have been Amy Winehouse 20 years from now. 😢
@CheckMate657879 And, for the uneducated (not you, Checkmate657879), Philles is an amalgam of "Phil "and "Les" (for record producer Phil Specter, and his one-time partner and a mentor, Lester Sill).
Today, Philles exists only as a name for copyright purposes, no active recordings being produced with the name as a label, especially with its main man in prison. I think Philles may now actually be owned and/or distributed by Sony.
You should state the date of this video in your caption.
Worth seeing,if for no other reason,just to see Ronnie Spector wiggle her gorgeous hips right near the end.If anybody wants another treat,watch Ronnie's appearances (2 that I know of) on The Letterman Show.What a fantastically charming woman.
@THEKAYLAJONESSHOW Not entirely true. Darlene Love had contracts with other entities before and following her association with Phil Spector.
Also, Love and her actual group, The Blossoms, did not record "most" of The Crystals hits. The Crystals recorded most of The Crystals hits.
--Phil Spector has brought wonderful music to world .He spends his whole life as a successful producer and writer . No one should go through the weird things Ronnie went through during her marriage to Phil Spector. But she has been no angel herself, making horrible life choices. She has brought a lot of things on herself. And remember, Ronnie saw Phil daily for years before they married. Don't tell me all of his traits came on like the flip of a light switch. She wanted to live the rich-and-famous lifestyle. She rolled the dice going for the "money" Rich and Famous ,live in a big masion . The dice came up snake eyes. Get over it
@THEKAYLAJONESSHOW Both also eventually prevailed on royalties lawsuits against Phil Spector, although with the legendary producer in prison for second-degree murder, his trustees are stalling payments, forcing Darlene, Ronnie and their co-plaintiffs to continue litigation in order to secure their past dues.
@CheckMate657879 I know--"Sheesh!" But you must surely know by now most people don't know as much about pop and rock & roll history as those who are its most serious fans, persons such as you & I.
Also, as there was no "Philles Christmas" TV special, Darlene and Ronnie had to be "lumped" somewhere. So they put 'em on this special, as Motown the most famous black-identified record label (at least with white people).
@Farinadog13 But my bigger point is I think it a mistake for these vocal groups with few or no significant original members to continue. Such entities are merely cashing in on the legacies of other persons.
Can you imagine The Rolling Stones continuing without Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, but especially without Jagger?
Love Darlene Love, but Ronnie Spector scares me almost as much as her ex!
😂😂😂
@THEKAYLAJONESSHOW But it is not true that Love sang most of The Crystals hits. The legend that since Spector owned The Crystals name he could make whoever he wanted "The Crystals" was once to the detriment of Darlene Love, but has now worked against the actual Crystals, who did, in fact, record most of their songs themselves.
That was the most sexy version of Frosty The Snowman I ever seen
@dalanbronnenberg What do you mean Darlene Love is the "voice of Motown?" The Ronettes, the Crystals, the Blossoms, Darlene Love were NOT Motown artists. They are merely guests on this Christmas Special. Sheesh!
👍
spector analzer: this is "bad-ass" , when was this made?
@gymnastix Levi Stubbs
Phil's girls
@THEKAYLAJONESSHOW It would be nice to see The Crystals (or at least Alston, Kennibrew, and Brooks, if not also Mary Thomas, Merna Girard, and Patricia Wright) reunite, and have another, actual hit. They should hire Quincy Jones, or another producer of renown, to give them one.
And with today's better-informed business situation, a revived Crystals could earn more performance and recording royalties themselves, the "Spector" of denial no longer a threat to earned income on new recordings.
二人ともすごい
What year is this from, please?
The ironic thing is, these classics had NOTHING to do with Motown but hey, that's American TV executive decisions for you!
Great singer with longest most beautiful legs in the world!!!!!!
Fantastic! Although Ronnie looks like Bette Davis after her stroke; this must've been during her drug days. But her and Darlene sound great!
😳
Too bad the volume is low here.
I agree but the Stones analogy is little loose, after all two of the original members have retired and one is dead.
Volume really low on this video.
nah that can't be darlene love!
ronnie looks bad dude.
happy holidays to you and yours. sharon
Better that you and that's for certain. Jealous much?
Horribly low audio.
Ronnie Spector aged very bad , yet Darlene love looks incredible!!!!
@Farinadog13 My advice to such groups--start a new group, but don't call the group to which you were hired as a "spare part" by the group's original name, not when there are less original than new members in the group.
Love the video, poor sound
Ronnie dress is short
Ronnie was being man handled around the stage
Such a shame, bad sound and out of sync, plus terrible video quality.
@myrnlynn1117 EX-WIFE
Ronnie had a great voice but she sure could have used a stylist.