The originator of the Wall of Sound production technique, Spector was a pioneer of the 1960s girl group sound (The Ronettes and The Crystals a.o.) and produced over twenty-five Top 40 hits between 1960 and 1965 alone. After this initial success, Spector later worked with artists including Ike and Tina Turner, John Lennon, George Harrison, and the Ramones with similar acclaim.
He produced the Beatles' Academy Award-winning album Let It Be, and the Grammy Award-winning Concert for Bangladesh by former Beatle George Harrison. In 1989, Spector was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer. The 1965 song You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin', produced and co-written by Spector for The Righteous Brothers, is listed by BMI as the song with the most U.S. airplay in the 20th century.
Dubbed the "First Tycoon of Teen", Spector's records helped engender the role of the studio as an instrument, the integration of pop art aesthetics into music (art pop), and the art rock genre. His multi-artist compilation album "A Christmas Gift for You from Philles Records" (1963) is widely considered to be the finest Christmas record of all time. Spector's honors include the 1973 Grammy Award for Album of the Year for co-producing Harrison's Concert for Bangladesh (1971), a 1989 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and a 1997 induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Spector number 63 on their list of the greatest artists in history.
The 2003 shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson in his Alhambra, California home led to his being charged with murder in the second degree. After a 2007 mistrial, he was convicted in 2009 and given a prison sentence of 19 years to life. Spector died in prison due to complications of the COVID-19 virus.
The Bells Of St. Mary
Phil Spector Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ah, hear they are calling,
The young loves, the true loves,
That come from the sea.
And so my beloved,
When red leaves are falling,
The love bells shall ring out,
For you and me.
The Bells of St. Mary,
Ah, hear they are calling,
The young loves, the true loves,
That come from the sea.
And so my beloved,
When red leaves are falling,
The love bells shall ring out,
The love bells shall ring out,
The love bells shall ring out,
For you and me.
The song "The Bells of St. Mary" is a romantic song about the power of love that is set against the backdrop of the sound of church bells. The lyrics suggest that love is an eternal force, and that it can be heard in the sound of the bells that ring from St. Mary's church. The song describes the bells as calling out to young and true loves that come from the sea.
The lyrics are poetic and deeply symbolic. They suggest that love is a natural force that is in tune with the rhythm of the earth. They also allude to the idea that love is timeless and that it is not bound by the constraints of time and space. The references to the church suggest that love is spiritual and that it is a connection between two souls that transcends physical boundaries.
Overall, the song is a powerful expression of love and its ability to transcend the boundaries of time, space and religion.
Line by Line Meaning
The Bells of St. Mary,
This is a reference to the church of St. Mary and its bells, which are ringing.
Ah, hear they are calling,
The bells are calling out to people, inviting them to come to the church.
The young loves, the true loves,
The church bells are calling out to young and true love – possibly a reference to weddings or romance in general.
That come from the sea.
The young and true loves may be visitors or newly arrived residents from overseas or other coastal towns.
And so my beloved,
The singer is addressing their beloved, as if they are together and experiencing the bell calling together.
When red leaves are falling,
This may refer to autumn or the end of a romantic era or phase, as symbolized by the falling leaves.
The love bells shall ring out,
As the pair experiences the falling of these red leaves or romantic phase, the bells will ring out again in a hopeful new start or chapter.
The love bells shall ring out,
Repeating the previous line, possibly for emphasis or to emphasize the idea of a new beginning.
The love bells shall ring out,
Repeating the previous line again, perhaps to drive home the point that love can continue beyond the falling of the red leaves and disappointment or the end of a phase.
For you and me.
The love bells are for the singer and their beloved, a message of hope and promise for their future together.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@stephencoomer5692
The bells of St. Mary's
Ah, hear they are calling
The young loves, the true loves
Who come from the sea
And so my beloved
When red leaves are falling
The love bells shall ring out, ring out
For you and me
The bells of St. Mary's
Ah, hear they are calling
The young loves, the true loves
Who come from the sea
And so my beloved
When red leaves are falling
The love bells shall ring out, ring out
For you and me
@charlesmueller4915
The energy Spector put into his productions was legendary, this is probably his most exemplary work!
@arbiter3297
Probably the best drum outro ever recorded. What a great effort by all involved, including Spector as producer.
@stillstanding6031
One of the very best Spector outings. Bobby Sheen is amazing!
@marcfredo7523
Maybe it’s my age, but I never get tired of listening to this incredible Christmas album. It’s release date fell on Nov. 22, 1963, the day JFK was assassinated, and it was a little overlooked until the following year.
@yotokil2914
no, it aint your age. as someone born over 30 years after this album released, its very good.
@JoeFLash41
Me neither. I hate the Holiday favorites of today.
@r.c.r.7413
I'm 44, and the wall of sound hits me as hard as anyone!
@tonyrussi7777
we bought it in Miami on Nov. 16th, 1963, my brothers birthday, at Burdines Dept. Store at 163rd St. Shopping Center.
@laminage
I have The Phil Spector Back To Mono and I almost forgot about the Xmas Album. The Man is so amazing with his productions.
@TheSonglvr
Please, people....play this for your kids and grand children. It's a wonderful rendition of a classic!