Bobby Darin - The Capitol Years

by Reina Riley
	With the ink barely dry on his new recording contract at Capitol Records and a hit song that would peak at #3 on the charts (“Things”), Bobby entered the Capitol recording studio in July of 1962 wanting to record an album of standards. He selected a dozen songs that spanned the years from 1913 (Jolson’s “You Made Me Love You”) through 1960 (Styne’s “The Party’s Over.”) He imbued the songs with his trademark timeless Darin swing and his sensitive reading of lovely ballads.
His work for Atco with Ahmet Ertegun had made him a singer of million-selling recordings that were popular with both teens and adults. Beginning with this album, Darin’s tenure at Capitol would provide the evidence that he was also an artist of great complexity, an artist who could sing all styles well. Moreover, it would provide the substance that would turn him into a legend. There were many forces at work that brought about Bobby's decision to change his recording company. He was interested in acting in films and he had married Sandra Dee--two reasons for changing his focus from the east coast to the west coast. Capitol offered him tons of money because Sinatra had left their stable to begin his own record company. Two film studios offered him seven year contracts. It simply made sense for Bobby to make the move from Atco to Capitol. To some people, Bobby’s decision to change resulted in an unsatisfactory and not very successful enterprise. They felt that Bobby’s recording career lost focus and the mega hits stopped coming. From a modern perspective, however, one can look at the entire Darin Capitol canon and realize that it is here at this studio where Darin’s artistry and versatility grew and flourished. Without the Capitol recordings in his body of work, Darin’s star would shine less brightly and his legacy would seriously lack the depth and breadth of which he was capable. Thankfully, most of his Capitol recordings are available and his reputation as an actor/singer is solidly golden. From 1962 to 1965 Bobby Darin recorded six albums and eleven singles at Capitol. As mentioned above, the first was OH! LOOK AT ME NOW, an album that revisited a tasteful grouping of songs, most of which were not the typical ones pulled by other singers. “A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square” and “I’m Beginning To See The Light” are two that come to mind. After Darinizing these standards, Bobby brought the album to a close by zinging us with the words “The party’s over,” and “All dreams must end.” Alas they must, but not before he lulls the listener with a strings-only arrangement of this lovely Styne/Comden/Green original. No big band. No brass. Just sumptuous octave leaping strings yielding a lovely song that is beautifully sung. Pick this one up. You will swing and sway with the one and only BD!
	Intending to use his time at Capitol to explore the many genres and styles in popular music, Bobby recorded a beautiful album of folk songs titled EARTHY. The release of the album was delayed, however, because Bobby had a monster hit single with “You’re The Reason I’m Living,” and recorded an album of country-rock songs to complement the single.
Bobby’s arrangements on YOU'RE THE REASON I'M LIVING jazzed up the genre and resulted in a creative and unusual sound. “Under Your Spell Again” is an excellent example of a Kenton jazz band playing country pop. It’s hard to believe that the same singer recorded these two albums. Bobby’s chameleon aspects were being explored.
	EIGHTEEN YELLOW ROSES came next. The title song was a Darin composed single, which was a big top ten hit for him. The rest of the album is a little bit of this and a little bit of that--jazzy country, folky pop and high drama rock, all laced with a nod to Darin’s early career days at the Brill Building in New York. Legendary names such as Leiber and Stoller, Doc Pomus and Mann & Weil are sprinkled throughout, as “brill” writers of songs such as “On Broadway,” “Ruby Baby” and “Can’t Get Used To Losing You.”
In the middle of this stack of songs lie a gem and a masterpiece: “The End Of The World” is softly and lovingly sung, so beautifully understated and yet so strongly felt. Bobby’s voice intertwines with the sounds of a grieving violin to great effect. I’m always disappointed when the song comes to an end. “Not For Me” was the B side of “Eighteen Yellow Roses.” This record should have been a two-sided hit. “Not For Me” is a Darin words and music masterwork. I think there is a Phil Spector influence here. The arrangement is full of keening violins, pianos that sound like organs, and a relentless building of a wall of percussion. Bobby’s vocal employs his burned-out, used up, weary voice. “Church bells ring, but not for me... never for me.” Feelings of alienation thread the song together.
	It is often said that Bobby Darin was ahead of his time. EARTHY could be used as an example to support that idea. It is Darin’s multicultural album. It was recorded in an era at least twenty years before multiculturalism became part of America’s consciousness. Additionally, Bobby sang the songs in their native languages. Consequently there are songs sung in Spanish such as “La Bamba,” in Haitian such as “Fay-O,” as well as work songs, and prison songs from the Black experience that are sung in English.
It’s a wonderfully intelligent and aware album--but uncommercial in its day. Capitol didn’t promote it because they released this one at the same time as EIGHTEEN YELLOW ROSES, which contained the hit. What a shame, because at this point it should have become obvious to everyone that Bobby Darin intended to apply his considerable talent to any and all types of popular music. This album on CD is very difficult if not impossible to find these days. One of the criticisms against it was to accuse Bobby of jumping on the folk bandwagon to follow in the steps of folk artists such as Peter, Paul and Mary. And yet I think of Steve Karmen’s memoir “Me and Bobby D” and I read the descriptions of Bobby singing folk songs during his act on his first professional tour in Detroit in 1956. I can only conclude that people in 1963 didn’t know how to listen to Bobby Darin. They thought he was a turncoat always changing his stripes. They didn’t see him as the singer/musician of broad interests and infinite abilities that he really was. They wanted to box him in. Bobby wouldn’t have any of that. Just listen to him sing “Fay-O,” “La Bamba,” “Work Song” and “I’m On My Way Great God.” Why in heaven’s name would you want to limit him to “Splish Splash”?
	Bobby Darin wasn’t through with his foray into folk music. He intended a follow up to EARTHY with a grouping of songs that would come from the folk idiom, yet reflect the protest movement amongst young Americans--because the times were a-changing. On GOLDEN FOLK HITS Bobby Darin does right by Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ In The Wind.” It’s beautifully sung with an expert reading of the lyrics. It’s not surprising at all that Bobby Kennedy asked Bobby Darin to sing it for him during his 1968 campaign.
Some of the songs such as “If I Had A Hammer” have a buoyant, folky sing-along feeling that make you want to jump right in. There’s a male chorus, a few guitars, and a bass but no percussion to be heard accompanying him. Roger McGuinn, who would go on to found the group the Byrds, is one of those guitars. Light. Nice. The listener can focus on the lyrics and the message. You will enjoy the laid back, rocking chair rhythm of “Abilene,” a classic Darin rendition, and “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright” is right near perfect. Yes, Bobby Darin was a believable folkie. He sounds comfortable in this milieu. He was a down-home city boy, babe. The ever-restless Darin surprised his fans once again with his next album. Maybe it’s because the folk albums didn’t sell well. Maybe it’s because there were no hits that emerged from them. Maybe he just needed to move on, but Bobby finished up his tenure at Capitol with a brace of whiz-bang, swinging, modern standards albums where his artistry reached new heights--maybe even at a level of genius very few singers achieve. He reached vocal equality with Sinatra and Bennett through his incredible interpretations and faultless lyric readings, and by generating excitement through his Darinesque style. If he was a chameleon, then his color was red hot.
	It is impossible to pick a favorite on FROM HELLO DOLLY TO GOODBYE CHARLIE. “Hello Dolly,” “Call Me Irresponsible,” “The Days Of Wine And Roses,” “More,” “The End Of Never,” “Charade,” “Once In A Lifetime,” “Sunday In New York,” “Where Love Has Gone,” “Look At Me,” “Goodbye Charlie”--each is a classic interpretation, each is impeccably sung. This is the committed singer, no holds barred Darin at his peak, a peak he sustained on the next album as well.
	With VENICE BLUE he was again in Sinatra territory, but he more than held his own and brought that special Darin zing, an oomph to each and every song. Every song is a gem. Every song is a ruby in his crown. Possible favorites, if you can pick them, would include “I Wanna Be Around,” “The Good Life,” “Softly As I Leave You,” “There Ain’t No Sweet Gal That’s Worth The Salt Of My Tears,” “Who Can I Turn To,” and “In A World Without You.”
Any Darin fan--be it lukewarm, middling, hot, curious to know more or dedicated--MUST have these two albums to understand the amazing achievement of this artist who had but a half-life to live. It is here at Capitol Records (in a relatively short period of time) that Bobby Darin matured his talent to achieve its full potential. There’s a grace around this artist who embraced all kinds of popular music and sang it with authenticity, believability and passion. He would next go on home to Atlantic records where he would continue to record albums of extraordinary beauty and style. There is also a dignity about Bobby Darin that few, if any, singers project. In spite of the brashness, the arrogance and Vegas style chutzpah, Darin’s intelligence and love for music transcended it all.