Darlene Love’s “Baby (Christmas Please Come Home)” is one of the most popular Christmas songs ever. If you’re having a holiday party and it’s not on the playlist, you’re doing it wrong.
Because everyone loves it so much, there are countless covers floating around. If you’re a big star putting out a holiday album, it’s kind of required for you to include it. While none of them hold a candle to Love’s original, some of them are very memorable.
As far as the legend is concerned, her collaboration with an iconic rock band is her favorite version of the song.
“I have a connection with U2 and the song because U2 wanted me to do all the background parts, not me and some people,” Love said on “The View Behind the Table” podcast. “I did all the background parts. We went in and we did the song.”
She appreciates that the band didn’t try to imitate or recreate her song, instead making it their own.
“It has a special meaning to me because it’s totally different from what everybody else did,” she said. “It was U2's ‘Baby (Christmas Please Come Home).’ That’s what made it so great.”
In case you need a few additions to your holiday playlist, here are a few of our favorite “Baby (Christmas Please Come Home)” covers.
Mariah Carey
The best version not sung by Love herself is obviously from the “Queen of Christmas” herself, Mariah Carey. If you’re having a party, you could play the original earlier in the night, then drop Carey’s later in the festivities and no one will complain about a repeat.
Tia Mowry and John Patrick Moore
The holiday movie “The Mistle-Tones” ends with Mowry and her co-star making up and winning the big singing contest with a show-stopping performance of the Christmas classic. It’s a fun way to end the movie and a cool reminder that this is how you should start every holiday party.
Leona Lewis
The British pop star showcases her vocal range on the holiday staple. She gets to the heart of the yearning in the song, making it sound more like a plea than a party anthem.