Phil Spector and Watergate? What’s the connection? Believe it or not, the music producer and murderer is quoted as saying that Richard Nixon hired him to doctor the Watergate tapes.

I’m not kidding.

Phil Spector and Watergate are certainly among the oddest connections in American political/cultural history. Darlene Love, one of the greatest singers of the early 1960s, was often used by Phil Spector as the uncredited lead vocalist on many of his most significant record releases.

In her extraordinary autobiography, My Name Is Love; she expresses both admiration and repulsion when discussing the mercurial Phil Spector. In the book, Ms. Love breaks the story of Phil Spector and Watergate.

 Phil Spector and Watergate

As Ms. Love tells the story, she has been summoned to the music room of his creepy home. Ms. Love reports that a mysterious car followed her on her drive. When she asked Spector why she had been followed, he said:

“You see those tapes over there? Those are the Watergate tapes. I worked on those for Mr. Nixon. Don’t be surprised if you hear helicopters flying around.” 

Ms. Love reports that Spector feared black helicopters coming to assassinate him because of his work for Richard Nixon. Phil Spector and Watergate are an unlikely pair, and Darlene Love is the only person who has reported this particular claim.

A quick call to the Nixon Library asking about Phil Spector and Watergate’s involvement brought laughter and incredulity. But that doesn’t mean that Darlene Love got it wrong.

Phil Spector, who did have connections with historical figures, politicians, and government officials, admitted to journalist Mick Brown that his mental health was poor. “I would say I’m probably relatively insane, to an extent. I take medication for schizophrenia, but I wouldn’t say I’m schizophrenic. But I have a bipolar personality, which is strange. I’m my own worst enemy.”

Although it seems completely implausible that Phil Spector and Watergate are actually linked, it seems reasonable to assume that Darlene accurately reported a claim she heard Phil Spector make. She is an intelligent, grounded, and balanced person. It is simply not in her personality to make up such a wild claim. After the wild claims about Phil Spector and Watergate hit her ears, her working relationship with the mad genius came to an end.

Sad End To A Weird Life

Phil Spector and Watergate are probably unconnected. Yet, when you consider Phil Spector’s bizarre personality,  disregard for the law, and repulsive, misogynistic views about women, all of which have long been documented, nothing seems impossible. He is currently serving 19 years to life for the murder of Lana Clarkson. And yes, he is absolutely guilty,  no matter what David Mamet says. 

Did Phil Spector, who wore a button supporting Barack Obama’s election to his murder trial, really agree to help Richard Nixon alter the Watergate tapes? Probably not. Nonetheless,  it will be interesting to see whether future historians find any evidence that the twisted tale of a lunatic legacy from Phil Spector is true. I wouldn’t put anything past him.