My granddad was a big-band director back in-the-day and Bobby Darin used to go on the road with him as a singer. both my dad and granddad said that Bobby Darin was one of the nicest people they ever knew
She GOT IT! I could tell from the start she was processing lyrics. Music and singing so good that most don't get to focusing on lyrics right away. Oh her face when she reallized! WAY TO GO !!! The MOB!!!
When Darin was a kid he overheard a doctor tell his mother that scarlet fever had damaged his heart, and he would not live past 25. So when Darin told a magazine writer "I have to be a legend by the time I'm 25" it was thought that he was repulsively egotistical, but what Darin meant was that he had to accomplish everything in his life by 25 because that's how long he had to live. In the event, he actually made it to 37
Heart was so bad he often had to go backstage during concerts to receive oxygen. Never stopped the show. Sadly, he eventually died on the operating table at 37.
Cool jazz. Dino Martin, Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack cool. Bobby was never a member of the Rat Pack but he had all the cool that was needed to be one.
The style, the feel, the power of Bobby Darin. Love the man. Such a great voice, and never really got the recognition he deserved. One of the unsung greats.
Oh I love Davis! What a great artist he was! People need to listen to the "old school" things more - it all tells the tale of why we even have hip hop today. And I mean OLD. Try traditional Irish it Scottish music, Welsh folk, African traditional, French opera, "hillbilly" backwoods, watch flat foot clogging, tap, ballet, modern, ALL of it - it's all important, all interesting, it is why we had Duke Ellington and Queen and all if it.
Bobby Darin was diverse in the material he covered, from big band songs like this one and "Beyond the Sea", to 50's rock like "Splish, Splash" and "Dream Lover", to folk music like "If I Were a Carpenter". One of my favorites is his simple but sweet pop song called "Things".
One of my Dad's favorite songs. I was a little kid and I knew all of the lyrics. I turned out ok along with most boomers who all listened to this song. Bobby Darin was the epitome of COOL and I watched his TV shows and guest appearances on other variety shows.
Lotte Lenya, one of the women named in the song was a real life person. She starred in the original stage version of The Three Penny Opera where this song originated. Years later she recorded a duet of this song with Louis Armstrong, who changed one of the names mentioned in the lyrics to Lotte's name in homage to her. She is perhaps most famous for playing the villainous Rosa Klebb in the Bond film From Russia With Love
I love that as a young person you are so willing to listen to and appreciate music from many different eras. It is impressive that you are listening to music and film that others of the reaction set aren't posting. This make you enjoyable and unique. I especially enjoyed your reaction to the Nicholas Brothers. The entertainers from that era were amazing dancers. If you are interested in listening to something a little unusual I recommend 'Chocolate Jesus' By Beth Hart.
Loved your excitement over Bobby. And I can see that you really dig his upbeat jazzy style. Darin's heart problems finally caught up with him. On December 20, 1973, he died of heart failure in Hollywood, California. Darin was only 37 years old at the time.
This was definitely his best, in my opinion. He had some monster hits back in the early 60s. You cant go wrong with his stuff. Find one of his songs with a video of him performing n you will see the COOL oozing out. Loved your response. You were all over the emotional map n very upbeat. Nicely done sweet girl
Bobby was born in East Harlem and grew up in the Bronx. His mother got pregnant with him as a teenager and he grew up thinking his mother was his older sister. He learned the truth when he was in his thirties and it devastated him. He started out writing songs for Connie Francis, and he married Sandra Dee. Bobby had health problems his whole life and needed several heart surgeries. He was supposed to take antibiotics before going to the dentist, to protect his heart, but he didn't do it and ending up developing a massive infection which killed him.
In 1959 Bobby was at a nightclub in Monroeville. In those days kids went to nightclubs after the prom. A good friend of mine was lucky enough to see him there after our senior class prom. I think the club was called The Holiday House.
Frank Sinatra paid homage to Bobby Darin's version of this song, in his own version that he sang. It was considered by all a top of the line recording.
India, girl, you are the cutest thang since cupcakes with sprinkles! Since the Rainbo Bread girl! Your reactions are FUN!! You got personality like nobody’s business! And I ask you, Ms India, ain’t the music of these bygone days (of MY youth!) the most unique and entertaining you’ve ever heard?!! 😁
Bobby Darin had sooo much "swag." As much as I cant stand that saying, he really did. He was such a doll. Look into his live show, quite a few years before his passing. Bobbie Gentry and him is 😋💖. His son Dodd looks so much like him. I adore this man. Great movies he did as well. Rest easy Bobby and Sandy 💕
Bobby Darin had one of the BEST smiles ever!!!! He died way too young. Due to having rheumatic fever as a child, he knew he had a bad heart and tried to live as much life as he could while he could, dying at only 37 years old. He also ventured into acting. He was great at romantic comedy but also at drama, and was nominated for an Oscar for best supporting actor for 1963's "Captain Newman, M.D.," starring Gregory Peck, Tony Curtis and Angie Dickinson.
Oh yeah! This is my mom's fav singer, she's 75! Love the big band swing juxtaposed against evil doings. Your Face is Priceless! I really did laugh out loud
The Threepenny Opera was written by Kurt Weill, who was married to Lotte Lenya who is mentioned in the lyrics. Lotte is perhaps most famous now for playing Rosa Klebb in From Russia with Love.
This hit came out when I was a teen-ager & at that time we thought very little about the lyrics - it was the great voice, jazzy instros and terrific melody we were enthralled by. All the girls had a crush on Bobby Darin, loved it when he & Sandra Dee got together. He really was a wonderful performer, and died much, much too soon. Thank you for playing these fine videos, so they can be introduced to the many younger generations as new, and to help us older fans remember them & smile !
You might try Bobby Darin singing "If I Were a Carpenter." He had a 1966 hit with this song written by Tom Hardin. Another good one is "Simple Song of Freedom" which Bobby Darin wrote and sang. "Beyond the Sea" is another famous Bobby Darin cover. It's a jazzy take on a song from earlier in his career.
I love that you appreciate not only his voice, but how pretty of a boy he was. And you got the lyrics . . . Bobby was the King of Smooth in his days; and, for my money, of all time. Check out "Beyond the Sea," just to name one. His lexicon is legendary; from the silly ("Splish Splash") to the hilarious ("Clementine") to the romantic ("Dream Lover"), to the pathos ("Artificial Flowers"); Bobby did it all. He was his generation's David Bowie; and if there is an afterlife, I'd love to sit in on a jam session between the two of them . . .
Some trivia info: Bobby Darin was a magnificent performer. He sang the original hit version of "If I Were a Carpenter" written by Tim Hardin. Darin wrote Hardin's only charting single "Sing a Simple Song of Freedom." Darin may have recorded the first rap song -- 1969s "Me & Mr. Hohner." (Don't believe me, listen to it first). The second nomination maybe folk singer Joan Baez's "Time Rag," from 1977. Some say rap as we know it today started in 1979. I'm sure some rap was also on some early jazz albums of the 50s. Lord Buckley being one that could be considered a pioneer. Darin was the first rock singer ("Splish Splash") to be respected by the Sinatra big band & rock generation. Was personal friends with Elvis Presley. Made a movie with Sidney Poitier called "Pressure Point," in which Darin's acting was absolutely incredible as a psychotic inmate being treated by doctor Poitier. Made an early 70s appearance on the Johnny Carson Tonight Show that broke records. During a medley of his hits, Darin soloed on no fewer than 13 individual instruments including the drums. When they returned from a commercial break the audience was still applauding. Toward the end of his career, Darin was signed by Motown Records. Recorded two LPs before passing away. He sang Broadway, jazz, rock, blues, folk, MOR, show tunes, & country all proficiently. And he wrote his own songs as well. ("Amy" & "Funny What Love Can Do," being one of the bluesiest. Darin took a wailing solo on harmonica). He also had his own NBC variety show. (There is a video of Darin & Presley together on RU-vid).
"mack the knife" was a pimp in the "3 penny opera." the word "mack" is french street slang for a pimp. the word is "maquereau." "mack" for short. this is why so many rappers use the names with word "mac" in them. rap culture glamourizes the dirty world of pimps, prostitutes and gangsters. in the book "Papillion," Papillion was sent to devil's island, the french penal colony, for killing a maquereau. good song and a wonderful rendition. glad you liked it.
You are so cute and animated! I played this kind of music when my daughter was growing up. Old school, R&B, southern rock, Henry Mancini, Roger Williams, Pink Floyd, as well as some country/folk music and so many other formats. She has a very eclectic sense of music now.
At the time Bobby was alive, he and Sandra Dee were “America’s Sweethearts.” Sandra was the first actress to play Gidget - the main character of the book that the real Gidget’s father wrote about a fictional young girl coming into her womanhood one eventful summer. Just so cool! 🙋🏻♀️💕
Thank you for playing Bobby. Bobby Darin was the ultimate entertainer!. He could hold an audience spellbound singing with a full orchestra or just sitting playing a guitar.
A few years ago a researcher discovered that Stagger Lee was based on a shooting that took place in St Louis on Christmas Eve 1895 between Clifton "Stag" Lee and William Lyons at Curtis's Saloon on the waterfront. So it commemorates and actual event, that was not known until recent years.
I'm friends with an old lady who used to date Bobby Darin when they were teenagers. They sang together in clubs around New York. She's still in love with him.
Bobby was raised in a single parent household - a mother and sister. After he was an adult and wanted get into politics, he was told that the person who he thought was sister was actually his mother and his "mother" was his grandmother. Being pregnant and not married was such a taboo back then.
I love you reaction to Bobby's "Mack the Knife". I can tell that you were really enjoying hearing it. I always love it to and he died way to soon. He had a bad heart from getting sick as a little boy. He was one of the good guys. He spoke-up for Black people when most whites would not. Do some more great old tunes and share tour thoughts and feelings about them. You are great. I enjoyed seeing you enjoy the song. Waiting for you next experience!
I really miss this guy. He had a variety TV show in the 70s which showed he was quite an all-around and engaging entertainer. Then his heart problems took him. It seemed like he was on his way to being a big star.
I am old enough to have heard this song when it was in the top 40. I have liked the rhythm in this song and that it begins almost quiet and builds to a crescendo right at the end. No one, even Sinatra, ever did it better.
"Oh there's a tugboat down, down by the river dontcha know Where a cement bag's just a'drooppin' on down That cement's there, it's there for the weight, dear" A boat, a body of water, cement, and weight. Some things never change. If it ain't broken, don't fix it. No one saw anything...
Dream Lover is my favorite song of all time. He died during surgery and donated his body to science. No grave, just beautiful memories of his songs. 😞😞
Mack the Knife is from a 1928 musical called Threepenny Opera. Bobby recorded it in 1959 with a swing to it. Always was a popular tune. He had gone into surgery for his heart and just didn't make it. I believe he was 36 at the time (?). Multi talented man - If I Was a Carpenter was a great hit of his, too. The Mack the Knife song tells about a real life mobster (that may have not been the term used at that time) who was a killer and a ladies man. Those women in the song were real people too. Interesting stuff, interesting performer, interesting time for music and movies. Love your commentary, Keep it up!
The Lotte Leyna mentioned in the song when he sings "look out to miss Lotte Leyna " was the wife of the composer Kurt Weil. She also played the part of Jenny Diver(also mentioned in the song in the original stage production and in the 1931 German film version and in the 1952 New York revival which also stared Bea Authur
