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's "Commitment" LP on CD for the First Time Ever

The Edsel label in the UK will continue its program of fantastic Bobby Darin re-issues in September, with the release of the historic "Bob Darin: Commitment" LP from 1969 (never before available on CD). This was the second of Darin's 2 albums on his own Direction label, and the only album he ever released under the name 'Bob Darin.' Like his first Direction album ("Born Walden Robert Cassotto," coming from Edsel on 08/21/2007), "Commitment" is composed entirely of original material, and thus stands as one Darin's most heartfelt and honest artistic expressions.

Standout tracks include the sly and clever "Distractions (Part 1)," the biting "Song For a Dollar," the snappy wordplay of "Me and Mr. Hohner", and the irresistibly catchy "Jive." Bobby Darin was a first class songwriter with a playful approach to language, and this album found him in top form.

Edsel has also included 10 tracks of additional material from the Direction era, under the title "Rare Darin." Among these tracks, "City Life" and "Route 58" are true gems, as they both represent insights into Darin's past and his personal and artistic struggles. Of course, the rest of it is pretty darned nifty too, especially the live tracks from a 1969 appearance at the legendary Troubadour in Los Angeles.

A pre-order listing for the "Bob Darin: Commitment/Rare Darin" CD will be posted on the DarinLand.com site soon. Keep an eye on this space for updates.

Meanwhile, here are the full details on the upcoming "Commitment/Rare Darin" CD:

BOB DARIN
COMMITMENT + RARE DARIN
EDSS 1015

COMMITMENT
Me And Mr Hohner / Sugar-Man / Sausalito (The Governor's Song) / Song For A Dollar / The Harvest / Distractions (Part 1) / Water Color Canvas / Jive / Hey Magic Man / Light Blue

RARE DARIN
Baby May / Sweet Reasons / Maybe We Can Get It Together / Rx-Pyro (Prescription: Fire) / City Life / Route 58 / Distractions (Part 1) [live at The Troubadour 1969] / Long Line Rider [live at The Troubadour 1969] / Simple Song Of Freedom [live at The Troubadour 1969] / Monologue; Questions [live at The Troubadour 1969]

Darin Songs You Should Hear

Bobby Darin recorded a lot of songs during his short career, covering nearly every genre imaginable. The truly remarkable thing is, he managed to interpret each style as if he was born to it. Why? My theory is because he felt the songs, deep in his soul. He has been quoted as saying that he knew lyrics were more than just words. His delivery bears out that fact. He could tell a story with a degree of sincerity that was and still is unparalleled.

Sadly, most folks remember him for a handful of hits: "Mack the Knife," "Splish Splash," "Dream Lover," "Beyond the Sea." While each of these is a gem in its own right, they only scratch the surface when it comes to this man's versatility.

This is intended to be the first in a series of posts highlighting some of Bobby's lesser known tracks, Darin Songs You Should Hear...

"Distractions (Part 1)" is one of funniest songs Darin ever wrote. It originally appeared on the "Commitment" LP, released on Bobby's own Direction label. These days it can be found on the "Songs From Big Sur" compilation, put together by Official Darin Archivist Jimmy Scalia (half of the team responsible for the "Aces Back to Back" CD/DVD set and the "Seeing is Believing" DVD).

There are two versions on the "Big Sur" CD, and while both are great, it's the live version that really lights up. The lyrics tell a tale of a songwriter desperately trying to find some peace and solitude in order to work, while friends, fans and other assorted "distractions" pull his attention away. The comically forlorn sigh Bobby uses to punctuate the verses in the live version is absolutely brilliant. He always had a strong talent for comedy and this track is ample proof. The moment in the story where a fan asks him for an autograph, then tells him, "I used to hate you," points up very nicely the public reaction to Darin's periodic changes in style.

And speaking of changes in style, if you turn 180 degrees away from "Distractions," you might very well find yourself at "Caravan," a show stopping swing number that is every bit as powerful as "Mack" or "Beyond the Sea." From Bobby's second LP of standards, "This is Darin," "Caravan" is a captivating Richard Wess arranged track, replete with fabulous horns, intense percussion and Darin's patented thrilling delivery.

"This is Darin" was recorded just a few months after Bobby's groundbreaking "That's All" LP, but somehow tends to be overlooked when recounting his top albums. It's hard to say why. The record continues in the same vein as "That's All," bringing back Wess to apply his magic touch to a fantastic set of tunes. Along with "Caravan," the songs include a positively smokin' "Gal That Got Away" and a delightfully playful reading of "Have You Got Any Castles Baby." Buddy Bregman also contributes some classic arrangements, on the Darin signature tune "Clementine" and a gently swingin' "I Can't Give You Anything But Love."

Returning to "Caravan," the opening of this tune is, in a word, astounding. Bobby's voice bounces off the percussion as he tells the romantic tale of two lovers embracing under the stars while their caravan moves across the desert. "Sleep--upon my shoulder as we creep--across the sand so I may keep--this memory of our caravan." Bobby and the band are in perfect synch, building and building to a big finish and a lonnnnnng note that will knock your socks clear across the room.

There are so many more songs I want to talk about, blues numbers, country numbers, rock numbers and on and on--but I'll get to that in future posts. To be continued...