1963 Darlene Love – Wait ‘Til My Bobby Gets Home

1963 Darlene Love – Wait ‘Til My Bobby Gets Home 

Darlene Wright was born in Los Angeles in 1941. Her father was a minister, and Darlene sang in his church choir. The choir director, Cora Martin-Moore, arranged for Darlene to sing locally and on broadcasts at the local Music Mart. 

The singing group The Blossoms invited Darlene to join their group when she turned sixteen. She also sang on several recordings by the group.

Phil Spector managed and produced the Crystals. In 1962, he wanted the group to record He’s A Rebel, but they were across the country touring. Instead, hired the Blossoms to record the song and released it using The Crystals’ name. He also got Darlene to change her name to Darlene Love.

The record topped the Hot 100. 

Phil then produced a cover version of the song Zip-A-De-Do-Dah (from the 1946 Disney film Song Of The South). The lead vocals were by Bobby Sheen and the backup vocals came from Darlene and Fanita James (another member of the Blossoms). The single bore the group name “Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans.” It reached #8 on the Hot 100.

Darlene sang on at least three more top forty singles in the next year. Her only charting single that had her listed as a solo performer came in 1963. Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, and Phil Spector are credited with writing Wait Til’ My Bobby Gets Home and Phil produced the record. 

The single reached #26 on the Hot 100 in 1963.

That trio also wrote one more important song Darlene recorded in 1963. Phil included Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) on the album A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector. The song became standard radio fare for the holiday season and recently began charting on the Hot 100 every year. So far, the highest it has reached on the chart is #16.

Darlene continued singing on countless recordings and later embraced an acting career as well. Rolling Stone‘s 100 Greatest Singers includes her on their list.

They inducted her into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darlene_Love
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wait_%27til_My_Bobby_Gets_Home
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_(Baby_Please_Come_Home)#Darlene_Love_version_2

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