Customer Reviews

Legendary Bobby Darin

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

..Kevin Spacey's BEYOND THE SEA..the Bobby Darin biopic (opening in November!) will introduce a generation to the Master Showman for all times! BOBBY DARIN could out-SING..out-DANCE..out-ACT..out-ENTERTAIN any and all who have come and gone since his life was cut tragically short at the age of 37 in 1973. This new Capitol CD release represents some of his best performances..and if you are already a Darin fan and think you already have a lot of these cuts...THINK AGAIN!!! On "The Legendary Bobby Darin", CAPITOL has done a tremendous job remastering these classics...it will be like you're hearing them for the first time..Darin's impeccable phrasing and cool sense of rhythm blend with a rich and vibrant orchestration! LOOKOUT FRANK, DEAN, TONY, HARRY and all the rest..OL' MACKIE IS BACK!

Being in my late 20's, I'm too young to have experienced Darin 1st hand and until recently was not very familiar with his body of work. I do partially credit Kevin Spacey for the introduction but it wasn't until months after I saw the movie that I was really itching to get my hands on a Darin album.

"Beyond the Sea" is one of my all time favorites and I thought it was really silly that I didn't have a single version of it in my music collection. Unlike a previous poster, I would rather hear a live version of a song over a studio version any day. That is to say as long as the singer can actually sing. I have literally played the version of "Beyond the Sea" on this album everyday for weeks. It's a song you want blast in your convertible with the top down. Sadly I do not own a convertible but am considering purchasing one solely for this purpose. :)

While I don't like all the songs on the album (I'm not a fan of folk or country), I would have paid $15 just for the 5 live tracks on the album

Bobby Darin was the greatest entertainer that ever lived ... he just tried so hard to do and be everything in an instant, knowing his life would be a short one. This compilation is a good one for anyone, especially Darin fans. His versions of "More," "Once in a Lifetime," and others far outshine that of any other performer because Bobby put himself 200 percent into everything he did. Die-hard fans may have several of these on separate CDs but this is a great compilation that will leave you hurting for more. Sadly, we were robbed of him too too soon.

Another compilation of Bobby Darin. Bobby Darin is one of the greatest artists in pop music. He started as a rock 'n' roll artist (Splih Splash, Dream Lover,...) and composer in late fifties of previous century than turned into swing music. He inspired a lot of singers, Brian Setzer (he recorded As Long As I'm Singin', A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square, Mack The Knife), Dion (to name just a few). And everything he did is great.
His first swing hit was Mack the Knife (from Threepeny opera, is here featured live) that became a number one hit. Beyond the Sea is one of my favourite swing songs and it is here featured live also. The orchestra that is backing him is really great and Bobby Darin is a wonderful singer.
On this record you will find mostly swing songs and some folk songs (If I Were a Carpenter, 18 Yellow Roses,...)that he recorded for Capitol.
Sound is rich and songs are great. A must for every swing fan.

This album is fantastic! Bobby's singing is dynamic, and his phrasing is extraordinary. The arrangements are absolutely thrilling. I felt as if it was recorded yesterday. It is so hard to believe that Bobby has been gone for more than 30 years and yet his singing sounds so new and fresh. His rendition of MOON RIVER brought me to tears. THE CURTAIN FALLS will touch your heart. Knowing about the pain (emotional and physical) that he went through during his lifetime, I could actually feel that in his singing. He wanted to be a legend at 25 -- he may have missed his mark at 25, but he is definitely going to be considered a legend in 2005 and beyond! I want to thank Kevin Spacey for bringing Bobby's life and work back into the spotlight with BEYOND THE SEA. Bobby didn't receive the recognition he deserved in his lifetime for the consummate performer he was. I think people will finally realize the tremendous talent of this man. In the first track of this album (ONCE IN A LIFETIME) Bobby sings "FOR ONCE IN MY LIFETIME I FEEL LIKE A GIANT." Bobby, you were a giant and now it will finally be told.

Capitol has done an excellent job with "The Legendary Bobby Darin." The technical remastering makes it feel like Bobby's back sitting in the living room. On the Mancini/Mercer tune the wild bass and great percussion zips and tinkles through the speakers with Bobby, the great entertainer, flying through the melody at breakneck speed. His two big Atco hits "Beyond the Sea" (#1) and "Mack the Knife" (#6) are recorded for Capitol in live versions recorded a decade apart. The Lerner/Loewe classic "On the Street Where You Live" has such a throbbing big band arrangement that Darin swings it like a bullet train shooting at a blazing speed. "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" makes this delightful melody shine while the remastering makes the band so fresh & clear. Gershwin's "I Got Rhythm" blows by like a fast tornado while the Mancini classic "Moon River" meanders like country stream. Darin penned "Venice Blue" that is a bombastic sentimental tune, perfect for some Italian bistro soundtrack. The rocking Darin-penned "If A Man Answers" is a delightful time capsule to the rock era of the early 60s. The disc ends with 3 live tracks highlighting Darin's loose and easy live performance style. This is an excellent set from one entertainer whose career went by too quickly, like a shooting star. Enjoy!

For those of you who want a nice mix of Bobby Darin, this is the album for you! The highlights of Bobby's fabulous phrasing and humor grace the tracks of this album. From the swinging Billy May arrangement of "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" to the rare, lively "Mack the Knife" to "If I Were a Carpenter," this album is a must for anyone starting to collect Bobby Darin's music. Get your feet wet!

And extraordinary collection of Bobby Darin music. Featuring live recordings of Beyond The Sea, Mack The Knife, The Curtain Falls, Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher And Higher, and also an excellent, live medley of his hits Splish Splash, Beyond The Sea, Artifical Flowers, and Clementine.

For the price of $14.98 you get twenty-four, excellent versions of popular songs sung by Darin. If you want to look at the technicalities of pricing, your spending around 62 cents a song. You cannot do better than that, and every song is worth it. I highly recommend this CD.

Why won't they ever put all of Darin's great songs on one CD? This grouping seems strange (two versions of "Beyond The Sea," both live, both with the same "Tommy Sands" joke), with lots of songs associated with others (do we really need Bobby's cover of Moon River?). "Artificial Flowers" is only included as a brief bit in a live medley -- and no "Simple Song of Freedom" at all.
Still, it's nice to hear the real Darin again -- and thanks to Kevin Spacey, more people are.

This is tabbed the "Legendary" Bobby Darin, but it doesn't live up to such a lofty title. I must say that I bought this for a couple of his classic songs, especially Mack the Knife.

I should have paid more attention to the track listing because some of the more-known songs are Live versions in which he half-sings them, half-talks to the crowd. So if you're looking for the original versions of the songs, please look elsewhere.

That said, it is interesting to hear Darin in a sort of Vegas-lounge act setting. It gives you a definite feeling of the 60's rat-pack-era.

Overall though, I don't think it's worth the price and therefore I feel a tiny bit disappointed. It's not bad, but it's definitely not what I was hoping for. It won't make it into heavy rotation in my cd collection. Two stars.