Diane and I watched Tony and GRAMMY-winning actor Jonathan Groff–star of the new Bobby Darin musical Just in Time–talk about going deep into a rabbit hole of Bobby Darin videos on YouTube with Stephen Colbert. Groff mentioned his astonishment of listening to Darin at the Copa (1960). So, of course, I had to buy a copy and listen to it.
“Darin started his career as a songwriter for Connie Francis. In 1958, Darin co-wrote and recorded his first million-selling single, “Splish Splash“, which was followed by Darin’s own song “Dream Lover“, then his covers of “Mack the Knife” and “Beyond the Sea“, which brought him worldwide fame. In 1962, Darin won a Golden Globe Award for his first film, Come September, co-starring his first wife, actress Sandra Dee. In 1959, Darin became inaugural winner of the Best New Artist category and also won a Record of the Year for “Mack the Knife” at 2nd Annual Grammy Awards.” (Wikipedia) Darin died in 1973 at the age of 37 in a hospital recovery room after having open heart surgery in Los Angeles.
Darin at the Copa presents a performance that parallels live CDs I have of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin from that era. Darin chats with the audience, plays the vibraphone, sings his hits: “Mack the Knife” and “Dream Lover” (my favorite). I listened to Bobby Darin’s music in the late 1950s and early 1960s when his songs played on the radio regularly. But Darin slipped out of sight around the time The Beatles arrived in the USA. I can see why Groff was interested in Darin at the Copa with his preparation to play Darin in Just in Time. GRADE: B
I’ve always been a fan of Evelyn “Champagne” King’s “Shame”–one of the true disco classics. I bought her first album, Smooth Talk, in 1977. “Shame“, which is Evelyn “Champagne” King’s only top-ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 9; the song also reached No. 7 Soul and No. 8 on the dance chart. “Shame” was eventually certified gold. Although I have a couple of Best of CDs of King’s songs, Evelyn “Champagne” King Greatest Hits (2001) has the best sound and the longer, extended versions of the her songs. Are you a fan of Evelyn “Champagne” King? GRADE: A
TRACK LIST:
| Medley | (2:21) | ||
| Swing Low Sweet Chariot | |||
| Lonesome Road | |||
| Some Of These Days | 2:43 | ||
| Mack The Knife | 3:18 | ||
| Love For Sale | 3:12 | ||
| Clementine | 3:23 | ||
| You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To | 2:19 | ||
| Dream Lover | 2:34 | ||
| Bill Bailey | 2:03 | ||
| I Have Dreamed | 4:58 | ||
| I Can’t Give You Anything But Love | 1:28 | ||
| Alright, O.K., You Win | 4:19 | ||
| Medley | (3:34) | ||
| By Myself | |||
| When Your Lover Has Gone | |||
| I Got A Woman | 4:13 | ||
| That’s All | 2:26 |
TRACK LIST:
| Shame (12″ Version) | 6:35 | ||
| I Don’t Know If It’s Right (7″ Version) | 3:40 | ||
| Music Box (7″ Version) | 3:40 | ||
| Out There (7″ Version) | 3:30 | ||
| Let’s Get Funky Tonight (7″ Version) | 3:36 | ||
| I’m In Love (12″ Version) | 5:53 | ||
| Don’t Hide Our Love (7″ Version) | 4:09 | ||
| Spirit Of The Dancer (7″ Version) | 3:28 | ||
| Love Come Down (12″ Version) | 6:16 | ||
| Betcha She Don’t Love You (12″ Version) | 5:04 | ||
| Action (7″ Version) | 3:24 | ||
| Shake Down (7″ Version) | 3:54 | ||
| Teenager (7″ Version) | 3:58 | ||
| Just For The Night (12″ Version) | 4:45 | ||
| Out Of Control (7″ Version) | 3:37 | ||
| Till Midnight (7″ Version) | 3:59 | ||
| Your Personal Touch (Dance Version) | 4:48 | ||
| High Horse (7″ Version) | 3:33 |
I really liked Bobby Darin’s early songs Dream Lover was one of my favourites and of course his rendition of Mack the Knife.
Then I lost him somehow, didn’t know that he died so early.
Wikipedia bw has a very moving description of his life and career.
However I don’t remember Evelyn at all …
Wolf, Bobby Darin was a big start in the late 1950s and early 1960s but the British Invasion lead by The Beatles sent Darin and many American singers and groups into obscurity. Evelyn “Champagne” King was popular during the Disco Years.
As a Disco Dolly, you know I’m here for Evelyn “Champagne” King (aka, Bubbles to her friends). My favorites by her are “I Don’t Know If It’s Right” and “Love Come Down”.
As for Bobby Darin, I strongly recommend his son Dodd Darin’s DREAM LOVER which is about Bobby Darin’s life (he was born out-of-wedlock and raised by his grandmother—thinking she was his mother and thinking his actual mother was his older sister)—which was rather sad and all too brief (although not as sad as that of Dodd Darin’s mother, Sandra Dee).
Deb, I’ll check out Dodd Darin’s DREAM LOVER. I’d like to see JUST IN TIME on Broadway but we’re booked with four plays for the Mothers’ Day trip. Maybe Thanksgiving… “Shame” and “Love Come Down” had plenty of airplay back in the Disco Years by our local radio stations.
I could listen to Darin all day. I am (sadly, it seems) totally unfamiliar with Evelyn King, having not listened to music during the late 70s.
Jerry, just listen to Evelyn “Champagne” King’s “Shame” and you’ll be a fan!
No to Evelyn “Champagne” King.
Jackie’s favorite Bobby Darin role was his Oscar-nominated tour de force in CAPTAIN NEWMAN, M.D. If you doubt that he could act, try it.
As for his singing, we have a couple of his Greatest Hits CDs. As a kid, I was a fan of his “You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby” too. Supposedly, Connie Francis’s father broke up their romance, and neither had a happy love life afterwards, though of course there is no guarantee it would have worked out. Had there been open heart surgery as we know if today, Darin might have lived a lot longer.
Jeff, so many singers from that era ended up with sad lives…
I grew up during the heyday of sixties and seventies rock but I was a weird kid who watched a lot of old movies as well as “The Ed Sullivan Show” and “Hollywood Palace” and the misc. variety shows that were fading from the airwaves at the time. I always gravitated to the crooners more than the rockers and felt I’d been born too late. I always felt bad for all of the crooners who were relegated to Vegas and pretty much regarded as oldies acts as rock reduced popular music to a monoculture (especially the younger singers who were just getting started).
Do you have the “Sentinental Journey ” CDs Rhino released back in the nineties? The later sets might be up your alley.
Byron, I have a number CDs in the SENTENTIAL JOURNAL series. Great music!
Deb wrote: about Bobby Darin:
raised by his grandmother—thinking she was his mother and thinking his actual mother was his older sister
What’s crazy:
Eric Clapton was in the same situation a few years later!
His father wass a Canadian soldier who left Erc’s mother when she was just 16 or 17 years old …
Wolf, I’m always amazed at the bizarre lives many singers and performers endured!
And many others who weren’t famous enough to have books or tv specials about them!
Jeff, good point!
One reason they seek approval from strangers, to go for easy psychological assumptions.
I’ve heard of King but never heard anything by her as far as I know! I’ve always liked Darin’s singing and acting! Beyond the Sea is my favorite! Did you know Mack the Knife was the top song of the decade of the fifties?! I may be misremembering, but I think Darin had rheumatic fever as a kid and his heart was always bad because of it!
Bob, Bobby Darin’s life was a rollercoaster of fame and obscurity. Health problems ended his career…and his Life.
I liked Evelyn King’s work that I’ve heard more than I liked “Splish Splash” or Darin’s “Mack the Knife”, but I’m not sorry about the time spent. You’re definitely on a Kingly trend this week, George…
Todd, I’m using the Kings as a distraction from the Trump Tariffs!
Petty dictators with aspirations…