Search - Bobby Darin :: Swing Side of Bobby Darin

Partner In Paradise

Lee Armstrong | Winterville, NC United States | 03/02/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Bobby Darin's stint with Capitol records from 1962-1965 was during a changing time in American music. Big band swing was going out; and the Beatles were in. In recent years we've seen a resurgence of interest in this music with new young artists like Peter Cincotti & Michael Buble among others recording tributes built on this era. With the Kevin Spacey movie coming out about Bobby Darin, perhaps increased interest will be attached to this great singer. One professional reviewer said that Darin was not an original interpreter of music and paled next to Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett. Without taking anything away from other artists, I hear in Darin a quintessential performer. If there's any criticism of the disc, with 13 tracks all under 3 minutes long, the disc breezes by in a flash. However, there are some real delights here such as the big band arrangement on "Hello Young Lovers" with Darin's voice expressive & strong, "I know how it feels to have some wings upon your heels and to fly down the street in a trance, you'll fly down the street on the chance that you will meet & you meet her not really by chance." Rogers & Hammerstein's "This Nearly Was Mine" has a great horn chart as Darin sings about "One partner in Paradise." "Make Someone Happy" is a delightful track with Darin's voice belting out the melody about the jazz chart with some smoking sax. Cyndi Lauper recorded a Latin-flavored version of "On the Street Where You Live" on her recent "At Last" CD. Bobby Darin's version also sparkles with energy and the big band rocking out. Gershwin's "I Got Rhythm" that opens this set is also a delightful track with Darin bopping joyfully. On Duke Ellington's "I'm Beginning to See the Light," Darin swings & sways, raising the temperature of desire. Darin does Cole Porter's "All of You" with zest. Capitol has remastered the recordings so that the sound quality on the disc is exquisite. This is an excellent set that certainly swings from this past master! Enjoy!"

Great numbers by a quintessential performer, Bobby Darin

Matthew G. Sherwin | last seen screaming at Amazon customer service | 02/18/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Swinging Side of Bobby Darin showcases Bobby's excellent skills as a born natural entertainer. When Bobby delivered a song he put all his heart and soul into his performance; and it shows every step of the way. The sound quality on this CD is good; and the artwork is great!



The CD starts with Bobby singing "I Got Rhythm;" this incredible Gershwin number features a big band style arrangement and Bobby swings brightly as he sings this to perfection! Bobby Darin's excellent diction bolsters his performance all the more, too. "I'm Beginning To See The Light" puts Bobby's strong vocals squarely in the spotlight and he sounds better than ever on this tune! Bobby really impresses me with this song and I really like "I'm Beginning To See The Light."



Listen also for "I'm Sitting On Top Of The World." Bobby delivers this with panache and again we have a strong big band arrangement that just can't be beat! The musical interlude is brief but very well done. "Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words)" slows down the pace quite a bit as Bobby sings this flawlessly. Bobby's rendition of "Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words)" is so well done you'll swear this is the first time you've ever heard this love song.



"Hello, Young Lovers" from The King And I has Bobby belting this out like the pro he always was; and he handles tempo changes effortlessly. "This Nearly Was Mine" from South Pacific gets a distinctly upbeat flavor instead of the treatment it got in the movie; but still Bobby holds his own very well and it all works fine.



"I Wanna Be Around" is another highlight of this fine album; Bobby sings this with sensitivity and the musical arrangement lacks nothing--it's THAT good. The CD ends with a very solid number entitled "On The Street Where You Live" from My Fair Lady. "On The Street Where You Live" gets a faster than normal tempo and Bobby handles this with gusto and a certain force that few entertainers can ever impart to their audiences.



Bobby Darin sang better than most crooners ever did; and this CD proves it. I highly recommend this for his fans; and people who enjoy classic pop vocals with big band style arrangements will love this album.

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