Bobby Darin Video Blast: Bobby Darin on What’s My Line (3 videos)

There's a new Bobby Darin Video Blast up on the DarinLand.com site: Bobby Darin on What's My Line in 1964 (with Bobby's good friend Jimmy Durante as Mystery Guest!)

There are 3 video clips to choose from. To see them, go to this link:

Bobby Darin on What's My Line

HA and bit of CHA indeed!

Bobby Darin CD Profile: Aces Back to Back

Bobby Darin: Aces Back to Back (Hyena TMF 9324, 9/14/2004)
Producers: Joel Dorn, Jimmy Scalia
Format: CD (1 Disc) / DVD (1 Disc)

Tracks:

CD:
1. This Could Be The Start Of Something Big (Steve Allen)
2. Can't Take My Eyes Off You (Bob Crewe)
3. Song Sung Blue (Neil Diamond)
4. All I Have To Do Is Dream - [with Petula Clark] (Boudleaux & Felice Bryant)
5. A Quarter To Nine (Al Dubin/Harry Warren)
6. Alone Again Naturally (Raymond O'Sullivan)
7. Beyond The Sea (Charles Trenet/Jack Lawrence)
8. I'll Be Your Baby Tonight (Bob Dylan)
9. If I Were A Carpenter (Tim Hardin)
10. Simple Song Of Freedom (Bobby Darin)
11. Up A Lazy River (Sidney Arodin/Hoagy Carmichael)
12. Jive (Bobby Darin)
13. Rainin' (Bobby Darin)
14. Long Time Movin' (Bobby Darin)
15. Dream Lover (Bobby Darin)
16. Blue Skies (Irving Berlin)
17. Moon River (Henry Mancini/Johnny Mercer)
18. All The Way (Sammy Cahn/James Van Heusen)
19. Mack The Knife (Marc Blitzstein/Bertolt Brecht/Kurt Weill)
20. The Curtain Falls (Sol Weinstein)

DVD:
1. This Could Be The Start Of Something Big (Steve Allen)
2. Can't Take My Eyes Off You (Bob Crewe)
3. Song Sung Blue (Neil Diamond)
4. All I Have To Do Is Dream - [with Petula Clark] (Boudleaux & Felice Bryant)
5. A Quarter To Nine (Al Dubin/Harry Warren)
6. Alone Again Naturally (Raymond O'Sullivan)
7. Beyond The Sea (Charles Trenet/Jack Lawrence)
8. Mack the Knife (Marc Blitzstein/Bertolt Brecht/Kurt Weill)

Lost Documentary Footage:
1. Weeping Willow (Bob Shane/Nick Reynolds/John Stewart)
2. One of Those Songs (Gerard Calvi/Will Holt)
3. You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You (James Cavanaugh/Russ Morgan/Larry Stock)

Comments: "Aces Back to Back" is not a Bobby Darin hits collection, but something much better. Producers Joel Dorn and Jimmy Scalia have put together a wonderful set of previously uncollected live recordings, alternate takes, and clips from Darin's TV variety show. There is also footage of Darin working on a new song in the studio, playing with his son Dodd, slamming away on the drums, and talking about his fears, feelings, and goals. The demo version of "Dream Lover" alone would make this a must-have for any Darin fan. But this is only one of many gems on the CD part of the set: A gentle, unique and intimate rendition of "All the Way," a heartwarming and tender reading of "Moon River," a jaunty and kickin' take on "Blue Skies," an absolutely electrifying performance of "Quarter to Nine" -- "Aces Back to Back" is a bottomless treasure chest of Darin goodies.

Bobby Darin CD Profile: Two of a Kind

Bobby Darin & Johnny Mercer: Two of a Kind (Atco 33-126, February 1961)
CD Release: Atlantic 90484, 9/21/1990
Recording Dates: August 13, 14, 17, 1960, Los Angeles, CA
Producer: Ahmet Ertegun
Engineer: Bill Putnam
Arrangements: Billy May
Musicians: Billy May (cond)
AUG 13, 14-John Best, Dick Cathcart, Manny Klein (tp); Ed Kusby, Bill Schaefer, Elmer Schneider (tb); Chuck Gentry, Skeets Herfurt, Eddie Miller, Wilbur Schwartz (sax); Milton Raskin (p); George Van Eps (g); Morty Corb (b); Ronnie Zito (d).

AUG 17-Same personnel except: Conrad Gozzo replaces Manny Klein on trumpet.

Original LP Sequence:

Side 1:
Two of a Kind (Bobby Darin/Johnny Mercer) (August 17)
Indiana (Ballard MacDonald/James F. Hanley) (August 17)
Bob White (Johnny Mercer/Bernie Hanighen) (August 13)
Ace in the Hole (James Dempsey/George Mitchell) (August 17)
East of the Rockies (Sid Robin/Lou Singer) (August 13)
If I Had a Druthers (Johnny Mercer/Gene DePaul) (August 14)

Side 2:
I Ain't Gonna Give Nobody None of My Jellyroll (Spencer Williams/Clarence Williams) (August 14)
Lonesome Polecat (Johnny Mercer/Gene DePaul) (August 14)
My Cutey's Due at Two-to-Two Today (Al Von Tilzer/Irving Bibo/Leo Robin) (August 13)
Medley: Paddlin' Madelin' Home (Harry Woods), Row Row Row (Jimmy Monaco/William Jerome) (August 17)
Who Takes Care of the Caretaker's Daughter (Chick Endor/Paul Specht) (August 14)
Mississippi Mud (James Cavanaugh/Harry Barris) (August 13)
Two of a Kind (Bobby Darin/Johnny Mercer) (August 17)

FROM THE LINER NOTES: "This album is based on an idea by J. Steve Blauner & Marshall Robbins."

Comments: Rarely has a record been more perfectly titled. Bobby Darin and Johnny Mercer are indeed "Two of a Kind", a fact made delightfully evident by their incredible chemistry on every one of these tracks. Trading quips, ad-libbing and generally cracking each other up, they sound like a couple of old friends kicking back on a sunny afternoon. The pairing of Bobby and Johnny was the brainchild of Darin's manager Steve Blauner, and the world owes Mr. Blauner a great debt, for bringing these kindred spirits together.

Bobby Darin CD Profile: Winners

Bobby Darin: Winners (Atco 33-167, June 1964)
CD Release: Collectors' Choice CCM-403, 4/6/2004
Recording Dates: Feb. 1-2, 1960, Los Angeles, CA
Producers: Ahmet Ertegun, Nesuhi Ertegun
Arrangements: Bobby Scott
Musicians: Bobby Scott (cond, p)
FEB 1-Larry Bunker (vib); Howard Roberts (g); Joe Mondragon (b); Ronnie Zito (d); Jack Costanzo (cga).

FEB 2-Larry Bunker (vib); Howard Roberts (g); Joe Mondragon (b); Ronnie Zito (d); Carlos Vidal (cga).

SPECIAL NOTE: Above credits do not apply to "Milord" or "Golden Earrings," which were recorded at different sessions, as detailed below.

MILORD-June 20, 1960, NYC. Other info unknown.

GOLDEN EARRINGS-March 25, 1961, Los Angeles, CA. Fred Norman (arr, cond); Manny Klein, Clarence "Shorty" Sherock (tp); Marshall Cram (tb); Plas Johnson (sax); Israel Baker, Al Beller, Jacques Gasselin, Dan Lube, Erno Neufeld, Lou Raderman, Misha Russell, Marshall Sosson (vln); Armand Kaproff, Edgar Lustgarten (cello); Richard Behrke (p); Irving Ashby, Barney Kessel (g); Keith Mitchell (aka Red Mitchell) (b); Larry Bunker, Ronnie Zito (d).

Original LP Sequence:

Side 1:
Milord (Marguerite Monnot/Georges Moustaki) (June 20, 1960)
Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea (Harold Arlen/Ted Koehler) (February 2)
Anything Goes (Cole Porter) (February 1)
Do Nothin' Til You Hear From Me (Duke Ellington/Bob Russell) (February 2)
Golden Earrings (Ray Evans/Jay Livingston/Victor Young) (March 25, 1961)
When Day Is Done (Buddy DeSylva/Robert Katscher) (February 2)

Side 2:
I've Found A New Baby (Jack Palmer/Spencer Williams) (February 2)
What A Difference A Day Made (Stanley Adams/María Mendez Grever) (February 2)
What Can I Say After I Say I'm Sorry (Walter Donaldson/Abe Lyman) (February 2)
Hard Hearted Hannah (Milton Ager/Charles Bates/Bob Bigelow/Jack Yellen) (February 1)
Easy Living (Ralph Rainger/Leo Robin) (February 2)
They All Laughed (George Gershwin/Ira Gershwin) (February 1)

NOTE: Bobby's friend and mentor, comedian George Burns, provides the laughter for the track, "They All Laughed."

Comments: With smoky, intimate arrangements by Bobby Scott and backed by Scott's 6-piece combo, Darin turns out the jazziest album of his career. This record is truly a milestone, not to mention a wonderful listen. Bobby is so cool, so smooth, so laid back, and yet so ultimately thrilling with his delivery. One of his best.

Bob Rozario leads Bobby Darin musical tribute in Las Vegas in October

The following news comes to us from the DarintoDream.com website: Bob Rozario, former musical director for the Bobby Darin Amusement Company, will lead a musical tribute to his friend Bobby Darin, at the University of Nevada Las Vegas on Saturday, October 13th. The event will take place in the Judy Bayley Theatre and it starts at 1pm. Tickets are available from the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) Performing Arts Center Box Office, 702-895-ARTS (2787).

For the occasion, Mr. Rozario has arranged a series of Darin songs to present the life, legend and legacy of Bobby Darin as only a close friend could.

Appropriately, this is a charity event, benefiting the Nevada Conservatory Theatre at UNLV and the American Heart Association. Given Bobby Darin's well documented philanthropic attitude, he would undoubtedly approve.

Credit for making this tribute a reality goes to four very dedicated Bobby Darin fans: Sandra Jeffries, Lori Slinn, Teresa Sodaro, and Diane Twersky. Their tireless efforts on behalf of Mr. Darin are truly amazing.

Here are the full details:

Dream Lover: A Tribute to the Music of Bobby Darin

Relive the thrill and excitement of one of the world's most brilliant and unforgettable entertainers!

With Musical Director Bob Rozario and the Bob Rozario Ensemble

Saturday, October 13, 2007, 1:00 p.m.

Judy Bayley Theatre
University of Nevada Las Vegas

Proceeds to benefit the Nevada Conservatory Theatre at UNLV and the American Heart Association

For tickets, call the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) Performing Arts Center Box Office, 702-895-ARTS (2787)

Once again, thanks to Diane Twersky and her fantastic website, DarintoDream.com, for this information.

Bobby Darin at the Movies (4 video clips)

There's a new Bobby Darin Video Blast up on the DarinLand.com site: Bobby Darin at the Movies. You can choose from 4 different clips, including Darin's ultra-cool appearance in the 1960 film "Pepe" and the "Ratatouille" trailer featuring Darin singing "Once in a Lifetime." Just use this link:

Bobby Darin at the Movies

HA CHA!

Bobby Darin CD Profile: That’s All

Bobby Darin: That's All (Atco 33-104, March 1959)
CD Release: Atlantic 82627, 6/24/1994
Recording Dates: December 19, 22, 24, 1958, NYC
Producers: Ahmet Ertegun, Nesuhi Ertegun, Jerry Wexler
Engineers: Tom Dowd, Carl Lustig, Herb Kaplan, Heinz Kubicka
Arrangements: Richard Wess
Musicians: Richard Wess (cond)
DEC 19-Joe Cabot, Jimmy Nottingham, Bernie Privin, Doc Severinsen (tp); Morton Bullman, Harry DiVito, Bob McGarity, Frank Rehak (tb); George Berg, Romeo Penque, Jerome Richardson, Jerry Sanfino, Joe Soldo (reeds); Hank Jones (p); Al Caiola (g); Eddie Safranski (b); Don Lamond (d); Phil Kraus, Terry Snyder (per).

DEC 22-George Berg, Romeo Penque (reeds); Isadore Zir (vla); Maurice Brown, Henry Pakaln (cello); Morris Stonzek (cello?); Moe Wechsler (p, cello); Mundell Lowe (g); Eddie Safranski (b); Bobby Rosengarden (d); unidentified 12 violins.

DEC 24-Joe Cabot, Mel Davis, Al DeRisi, Doc Severinsen (tp); Billy Byers, Cutty Cutshall, Frank Rehak, Chauncey Welsch (tb); Leon Cohen, Walt Levinsky, Seldon Powell, Jerry Sanfino (reeds); Moe Wechsler (p); Mundell Lowe (g); Eddie Safranski (b); Don Lamond (d); unidentified 8 strings.

Original LP Sequence:

Side 1:
Mack the Knife (Kurt Weill/Bertolt Brecht/Marc Blitzstein) (December 19)
Beyond the Sea (Charles Trenet/Jack Lawrence) (December 24)
Through a Long and Sleepless Night (Alfred Newman/Mack Gordon) (December 22)
Softly As in a Morning Sunrise (Oscar Hammerstein/Sigmund Romberg) (December 19)
She Needs Me (Arthur Hamilton) (December 22)
It Ain't Necessarily So (George Gershwin/Ira Gershwin) (December 24)

Side 2:
I'll Remember April (Gene DePaul/Don Raye/Pat Johnson) (December 24)
That's the Way Love Is (Bobby Darin) (December 19)
Was There a Call For Me (Woody Harris/Marty Holmes) (December 22)
Some of These Days (Shelton Brooks) (December 24)
Where Is the One (Edwin Finckel/Alec Wilder) (December 22)
That's All (Bob Haymes/Alan Brandt) (December 19)

Comments: Bobby Darin was a visionary. After the chart-topping success of "Splish Splash", he longed to make a record of standards. His label refused to finance it, so in 1959 he took his own profits from "Splash" and paid for the recording session himself. The result? He became the first artist in history to make a successful transition from rock n' roll to standards. "That's All" is a testament to the dynamic duo of Darin and arranger/conductor Richard Wess. Together they produced a record that generated two hit singles ("Mack the Knife" and "Beyond the Sea") and proved that Darin had the pipes and the sensiblities to be a legendary crooner.

Bobby Darin CD Profile: Bobby Darin Sings Ray Charles

Bobby Darin Sings Ray Charles (Atco 33-140, March 1962)
CD Release: Collectors' Choice CCM-401, 3/9/2004
Recording Dates: November 7, 8, 10, 14, 1961, Los Angeles, CA
Producer: Ahmet Ertegun
Arrangements: Jimmie Haskell
Musicians: Jimmie Haskell (cond, p?); Plas Johnson, Nino Tempo (sax); Red Callender (b); Earl Palmer (d); Darlene Love, the Blossoms (backing vocs).

Side 1:
What'd I Say (Ray Charles) (November 7)
I Got A Woman (Ray Charles/Renald Richard) (November 14)
Tell All The World About You (Ray Charles/Percy Mayfield) (November 7)
Tell Me How Do You Feel (Ray Charles) (November 7)
My Bonnie (Ray Charles) (November 7)

Side 2:
The Right Time (Lew Herman) (November 8)
Hallelujah I Love Her So (Ray Charles) (November 10)
Leave My Woman Alone (Ray Charles) (November 10)
Ain't That Love (Ray Charles) (November 10)
Drown In My Own Tears (Henry Glover) (November 8)
That's Enough (Ray Charles) (November 14)

NOTE: The backing vocal group for this LP, The Blossoms, had previously backed up Ray Charles in the mid-1950s.

Comments: Bobby's tribute to his idol Ray Charles packs a soulful punch that is positively astounding. Bobby understood this music, felt it down to his toes, and he gives these tunes the bluesy cry and rave-up shout they deserve. Jimmie Haskell's arrangements do both Bobby and Ray proud. Pure gold. Includes liner notes by Jimmie Haskell.

Bobby Darin CD Profile: Darin at the Copa

Bobby Darin: Darin at the Copa (Atco 33-122, August 1960)
CD Release: Atlantic 82629, 6/24/1994
Recording Dates: June 15-16, 1960, Live at the Copacabana in NYC
Producers: Ahmet Ertegun, Nesuhi Ertegun
Engineers: Tom Dowd, Phil Iehle
Arrangements: Richard Berke*, Buddy Bregman**, Bobby Scott***, Richard Wess****
Musicians: Paul Shelley's Copacabana Orchestra conducted by Richard Behrke; Richard Behrke (p); Ronnie Zito (d); other details unknown.

Original LP Sequence:

Side 1:
****Medley: Swing Low Sweet Chariot (Traditional), Lonesome Road (Gene Austin/Nathaniel Shilkret)
****Some of These Days (Shelton Brooks)
****Mack the Knife (Kurt Weill/Bertolt Brecht/Marc Blitzstein)
***Love for Sale (Cole Porter)
**Clementine (Woody Harris)
*You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To (Cole Porter)
****Dream Lover (Bobby Darin)

Side 2:
***Bill Bailey (Traditional)
**I Have Dreamed (Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein)
**I Can't Give You Anything But Love (Dorothy Fields/Jimmy McHugh)
Alright, O.K., You Win (Sid Wyche/Mamie Watts)
*Medley: By Myself (Howard Dietz/Arthur Schwartz)/When Your Lover Has Gone (E.A. Swan)
I Got a Woman (Ray Charles/Renald Richard)
****That's All (Bob Haymes/Alan Brandt)

Comments: Following on the heels of his breakthrough 1959 standards record "That's All", 22-year-old Bobby Darin realized yet another one of his career goals when he played the stage of the legendary Copacabana in New York City to standing-room-only crowds. The kid who had achieved a hit with the rock novelty tune "Splish Splash" suddenly became "Mr Showman of 1960" (Gene Knight, New York Journal-American). "Darin is no freak of the rock n' roll variety and no callow crooner with contempt for his audience, but a genuine star, showman and entertainer," declared Lee Mortimer of the New York Mirror. In fact, the accolades for Darin's Copa debut flowed more freely than champagne at a Broadway opening night. One of Darin's biggest admirers, Walter Winchell, summed it up nicely: "Darin received so many wires of congrats that Western Union told him 'you hold the record for telegrams in one night'." Critics and stars were falling over themselves to compliment Bobby's talent--and listening to this record, it's easy to understand why. Darin knocks the Copa audience for a loop, gaining their respect in the process. Along with the aforementioned "That's All", this album is a must have for any Darin fan.

Bobby Darin CD Profile: The Curtain Falls, Live at the Flamingo

Bobby Darin: The Curtain Falls, Live at the Flamingo [CD] (Collectors Choice CCM-171, April 10, 2001)
Recording Dates: November 9, 1963
Arrangers: Bob Florence*, Billy May**

1. *Intro/Hello Young Lovers (Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein II)
2. **Ace In The Hole (James Dempsey/George Mitchell)
3. You're Nobody 'Till Somebody Loves You
4. Hits Medley: Splish Splash (Bobby Darin/Jean Murray)/Beyond The Sea (Charles Trenet/Jack Lawrence)/Artificial Flowers (Jerry Bock/Sheldon Harnick)/Clementine (Woody Harris)
5. My Funny Valentine (Richard Rodgers/Lorenz Hart)
6. I Walk The Line (Parody) (John R. Cash)
7. 18 Yellow Roses (Bobby Darin)
8. Mack The Knife (Kurt Weill/Bertolt Brecht/Marc Blitzstein)
9. Comedy Routine
10. Work Song (Nat Adderley/Oscar Brown, Jr.)
11. Michael (Row The Boat Ashore) (Traditional)
12. Mary Don't You Weep (Traditional)
13. I'm On My Way Great God (Traditional)
14. The Curtain Falls (Sol Weinstein)

NOTE: This album was re-issued in 2005 as "Live From Las Vegas", on the Capitol label. Both CDs contain exactly the same 14 tracks.

Comments: Bobby Darin could electrify an audience like no other performer, and this November 1963 engagement at the Flamingo shows him at the height of his considerable powers. Darin comes charging out with a high-energy rendition of "Hello Young Lovers", follows it up with a sly and funny reading of "Ace in the Hole" (from his "Two of a Kind" collaboration with the legendary Johnny Mercer), then slides deftly into the more gentle and romantic "You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You". Other highlights include the Darin-penned tune "18 Yellow Roses" (this live version is considered by many to be superior to the studio cut), an amazing performance of Nat Adderley and Oscar Brown Jr.'s "Work Song", and of course, the show-stopping title tune, "The Curtain Falls". Peppered throughout is Darin's easygoing stage banter and legendary sense of humor. This is not just a gem--it's a gem of blinding brilliance.

Bobby Darin: If I Were a Carpenter (5 videos)

I just added something new to the weekly Bobby Darin Video Blast at DarinLand.com: a multi-video player, allowing you to choose from several different videos to view each week. This week's Video Blast is "Bobby Darin: If I Were a Carpenter." You can choose from 5 different versions, including a duet with Stevie Wonder. To see it, use this link: Bobby Darin Video Blast.

HA CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Bobby Darin CD Profile: Sings the Shadow of Your Smile/In a Broadway Bag

Bobby Darin Sings The Shadow of Your Smile (Atlantic 8121, April 1966)
CD Release: Edsel EDSS1012, 07/10/2007; Disky HR 902614, 12/14/2004
Recording Dates: December 13-15, 1965, Los Angeles, CA; February 4, 1966, Las Vegas, NV; March 23, 1966, Los Angeles, CA
Producer: Bobby Darin
Engineer: Walt Payne
Arrangements: Richard Wess*, Shorty Rogers**
Musicians:
DEC 13-Richard Wess (cond); Conte Candoli, Don Fagerquist, Al Porcino, Clarence "Shorty" Sherock (tp); Urbie Green, Lew McCreary, Dick Nash, Tom Shepard (tb); Plas Johnson, Wilbur Schwartz, Bud Shank (sax); Bill Hood (sax, cl); Israel Baker, Harry Bluestone, James Getzoff, Jack Lee, Alfred Lustgarten, Erno Neufeld, Ralph Schaeffer, Marshall Sosson (vln); Louis Kievman, Milton Thomas (vla); William Van Den Berg, Harold Schneier (cello); Jimmy Rowles (p); Bill Pittman, Tom Tedesco (g); Max Bennett (b); Jack Sperling (d); Milt Holland (cga); Sam Kaplan (string dir).

DEC 14-Richard Wess (cond); Bud Brisbois, Pete Candoli, Don Fagerquist, Lee Katzman (tp); Gilbert Falco, Urbie Green, George Roberts, Lloyd Ulyate (tb); Plas Johnson, Ronald Langinger, Jack Nimitz, Wilbur Schwartz (sax); Jimmy Rowles (p); Bill Pittman, Howard Roberts (g); Max Bennett (b); Jack Spering (d); Emil Richards (cga); Jack Lee (string dir).

DEC 15-Richard Wess (cond); Aubrey Bouck, Sinclair Lott, Richard Mackey, Alan Robinson (frh); Harry Klee, Wilbur Schwartz (sax, fl); Norman Benno (sax, cl); Howard Terry (sax, bcl); Alex Beller, Harry Bluestone, Sam Caplan, Jacques Gasselin, Anatol Kaminsky, Nathan Kaproff, William Kurash, Carl Lavagna, Erno Neufeld, Wilbert Nuttycombe, Nathan Ross, Ralph Schaeffer (vln); Louis Kievman, Gary Nuttycombe, Robert Ostrowsky, Milton Thomas (vla); William Van Den Berg, Nathan Gershman, Joseph Saxon, Harold Schneier (cello); Bill Pittman (g); Max Bennett (b); Jack Sperling (d); Emil Richards (per, mallets); Jack Lee (string dir).

FEB 4-Julian C. Matlock (cond); Archie LeCoque, Eddie Miller (sax); Joe Venuti (vln); Stan Wrightsman (p); Henry Levine (b); Nick Fatool (d); Russell P. Black, Robert Paul Morgan, Edmund J. Scarazzo (unknown inst.)

MAR 23-Shorty Rogers (cond); George Roberts (tb); John Cave, James Decker, William Hinshaw (frh); Dorothy Colton, Louis Kievman, Virginia Majewski, Paul Robyn (vla); Norman Benko, Paul Bergstrom, Justin DiTullio, Ann Goodman, Ray Kramer, Emmett Sargeant, Joseph Saxon, Eleanor Slatkin (cello); Pete Jolly (p); Laurindo Almeida, Don Peake (g); Joe Mondragon (b); Larry Bunker, Earl Palmer (d).

Original LP Sequence:

Side 1:
**The Shadow Of Your Smile (Johnny Mandel/Paul Francis Webster) (March 23)
**The Sweetheart Tree (Henry Mancini/Johnny Mercer) (March 23)
**I Will Wait For You (Jacques Demy/Norman Gimbel/Michel Legrand) (March 23)
**The Ballad Of Cat Ballou (Mack David/Jerry Livingston) (March 23)
**What's New Pussycat? (Burt Bacharach/Hal David) (March 23)

Side 2:
*Rainin' (Bobby Darin) (February 4)
*Lover Come Back To Me (Oscar Hammerstein II/Sigmund Romberg) (December 13)
*Cute (Neal Hefti/Stanley Styne) (December 14)
*After You've Gone (Henry Creamer/Turner Layton) (December 13)
*It's Only A Paper Moon (Harold Arlen/E.Y. "Yip" Harburg/Billy Rose) (December 14)
*Liza (George Gershwin/Ira Gershwin/Gus Kahn) (December 15)

Bonus Tracks Added to the CD:

We Didn't Ask To Be Brought Here
Funny What Love Can Do
The Breaking Point
Silver Dollar

________________________________

Bobby Darin: In a Broadway Bag (Atlantic 8126, June 1966)
CD Release: Edsel EDSS1012, 07/10/2007; Disky HR 902614, 12/14/2004
Recording Dates: March 24, 1966, NYC ("Mame" only); May 10, 1966, Los Angeles, CA
Producer: Bobby Darin
Engineer: David Hassinger
Arrangements: Shorty Rogers*, Perry Botkin Jr.**
Musicians:
Shorty Rogers (cond), other details unknown.

Perry Botkin Jr. (cond); Allan Reuss (g); Pete Jolly (p, organ); Lyle Ritz (b); Irv Cottler (d); Richie Frost (d) ("Mame" only); Larry Bunker (per); Pete Candoli, John Audino, Frank Beach, Ray Triscari (tp); Harry Betts, Joe Howard, Lloyd Ulyate, George Roberts (tb); Ronnie Lang, Wilbur Schwartz, Plas Johnson, Bob Hardaway, John Lowe (sax).

Original LP Sequence:

Side 1:
**Mame (Jerry Herman)
**I Believe In You (Frank Loesser)
**It's Today (Jerry Herman)
**Everybody Has The Right To Be Wrong (Sammy Cahn/Jimmy Van Heusen)
**Feelin' Good (Leslie Bricusse/Anthony Newley)
*Don't Rain On My Parade (Bob Merrill/Jule Styne)

Side 2:
*The Other Half Of Me (Stan Freeman/Jack Lawrence)
*Once Upon A Time (Lee Adams/Charles Strouse)
*Try To Remember (Tom Jones/Harvey Schmidt)
*I'll Only Miss Her When I Think Of Her (Sammy Cahn/Jimmy Van Heusen)
*Night Song (Lee Adams/Charles Strouse)

Bonus Tracks Added to the CD:

Walking In The Shadow Of Love
Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?
Merci Cherie

Comments: "Sings the Shadow of Your Smile" signaled Bobby Darin's return to his old label, Atlantic, after a 7-album stint at Capitol. Continuing in the vein of his last two swingin' Capitol LPs, Darin brings in "Shadow" as a glorious salute to the great songwriters, with entries from such luminaries as Johnny Mercer, Burt Bacharach, "Yip" Harburg, and the Gershwins. The Darin magic infuses every one of these tracks, from the tender and warm title tune, to Darin's passionate and dramatic reading of "I Will Wait For You," to the playful and snappy "Cute." His own composition, "Rainin'," fits in beautifully, casting a very special kind of lazy day spell.

"In a Broadway Bag" is just what the title suggests: Darin puts his stamp on many of the Broadway hits of the time. The narcissistic "I Believe in You" gets flipped on its head, and becomes a sweet pledge of support for a lover or friend. "Everybody Has the Right to Be Wrong" is pure, jaunty Darin joy, delivered with his trademark vocal wink. His heartwarming and effective rendition of "Once Upon a Time" is a classic, and is only overshadowed by the final cut on this record, his indescribably powerful and haunting version of "Night Song." In this one, he uses every bit of his legendary acting skill, to draw out every ounce of heart-rending truth from the lyrics. Breathtaking.

Bobby Darin CD Profile: The 25th Day of December

Bobby Darin: The 25th Day of December (Atco 33-125, October 24, 1960)
CD Release: Atlantic 91772, 10/25/1991
Recording Dates: August 19-21, 1960 in Los Angeles, CA.
Producer: Ahmet Ertegun
Engineer: Bill Putnam
Arrangements: Bobby Scott
Musicians: Bobby Scott (cond), other details unknown.

Original LP Sequence:

Side 1:
O Come All Ye Faithful (August 19)
Poor Little Jesus (August 20)
Child of God (August 21)
Baby Born Today (August 20)
Holy Holy Holy (August 19)
Ave Maria (August 19)

Side 2:
Go Tell It on the Mountain (August 21)
While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks (August 20)
Jehovah Hallelujah (August 21)
Mary Where Is Your Baby (August 21)
Silent Night, Holy Night (August 20)
Dona Nobis Pacem (August 19)
Amen (August 21)

Bonus Tracks added to CD: The single track "Christmas Auld Lang Syne" (Manny Kurtz [aka Mann Curtis]/Frank Military), recorded with Bobby Scott's Orchestra on August 18 in Los Angeles, was added to the CD re-issue of this LP.

Comments: Bobby Darin was famous for delivering the unexpected, and with this release he did it again: a Christmas themed offering that is soulful, reverant, and rousing all at once. On "Baby Born Today" and "Jehovah Hallelujah", he kicks it out with a joyous shout that is equal to Brother Ray's. Alternately, his "Ave Maria" is so tender, gentle and stunningly beautiful that it is bound to silence any detractor who ever claimed Darin's voice was less than exquisite.

Bobby Darin rockin' out on The Midnight Special

Bobby Darin could swing, Bobby Darin could croon, Bobby Darin could do everything... and here he is, rockin' out like only he can, playing piano and harmonica, singin' and stompin' his feet, on The Midnight Special. Nobody does it better.

To see the clip, click this link:

Bobby Darin rockin' out on the Midnight Special

HA CHA and a good deal more!!!

Bobby Darin: Commitment/Rare Darin CD now available!

The Edsel label has announced a street date of 09/10/2007 for the new "Bobby Darin: Commitment/Rare Darin" 2-on-1 CD. Bobby Darin's historic "Commitment" LP, never before issued on CD, is finally available. Originally released in 1969 on Darin's own Direction label, under the name "Bob Darin," "Commitment" is an intensely personal, beautifully written and performed piece. Complimenting the LP, Edsel has included 10 additional tracks from the Direction era, under the title "Rare Darin."

You can pre-order the "Commitment/Rare Darin" CD right now at DarinLand.com.

HA CHA and then some!

Bobby Darin: Jingle Jangle Jungle (mp3)

In honor of the release of Bobby Darin's historic "Born Walden Robert Cassotto" album on CD for the very first time, I have just added a new song from that record to the DarinLand page on MySpace: "Jingle Jangle Jungle."

To hear it, go to...

http://www.myspace.com/darinland



Bobby Darin: Sings Doctor Dolittle/Born Walden Robert Cassotto CD

Bobby Darin: Rock Island Line/Timber 45 on Ebay

There's a copy of Bobby Darin's debut single from 1956, "Rock Island Line"/"Timber," up on Ebay.

Here's a link to the listing:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170138611741

HA CHA indeeeed!

Bobby Darin in "State Fair" on Fox Movie Channel in Letterbox

The 1962 remake of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "State Fair," with Bobby Darin and Ann-Margret (along with Jose Ferrer, Alice Faye, Pat Boone, Tom Ewell, Wally Cox, and Pamela Tiffin), will be shown in letterbox format on the Fox Movie Channel on the following dates and times: 08/08/2007 at 12pm, 09/02/2007 at 10am and 12pm. This is a great opportunity to see Bobby's one and only appearance in a musical, and to see the entire film, not the panned and scanned, chopped up version that is usually shown. So there! :)

 

 

Bobby Darin the Impressionist (Video Clip)

Bobby Darin does his legendary Stars Bar routine in this clip, featuring spot-on impressions of Walter Brennan, Cary Grant, Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, and a host of others. Brilliant stuff!

Bobby Darin, Andy Williams and Robert Goulet on the Andy Williams Show (video clip)

Here is Bobby Darin exercising his immense talent for musical comedy, singing "You Can't Cheat An Honest Man" with Robert Goulet and Andy Williams. Check out those ventilated suits!

To see the clip, click this link:

Bobby Darin, Andy Williams and Robert Goulet (Sept 1965)

HA CHA!