At the conclusion of his second Atlantic Records tenure in 1967 - a period which yielded the hit "If I Were a Carpenter" and vivid journeys through contemporary folk, Broadway, and Hollywood songbooks - Bobby Darin struck out on his own to form the Direction Records label. Devastated by the assassination of his close friend Robert F. Kennedy, shaken by revelations about his family, and stricken by the ongoing turmoil of the day, Bobby sought to shed the showbiz style to which he'd become
Hey, Look Me Over! Lucille Ball, Anthony Perkins, Aretha Franklin, Bobby Darin Featured on "Lost Broadway 1960"
Stage Door Records is turning back the clock - 60 years, to be precise - with the latest volume in its Lost Broadway series. Lost Broadway 1960, out now in the U.K. and this Friday, April 3, in the U.S., once again spotlights the lesser-known shows that played the Great White Way that year (in both the 1959-1960 and 1960-1961 seasons). So while there's no mention of Bye Bye Birdie, Camelot, or Oliver!, you will hear tracks from Wildcat, Do Re Mi, and Christine. (The Unsinkable Molly Brown is
Jingle Jangle Jungle: Demon Collects Bobby Darin's "The Direction Albums" in July
The opening song of Bobby Darin's 1967 album Sings Doctor Dolittle was entitled "At the Crossroads." The Leslie Bricusse song, introduced by Samantha Eggar (dubbed by Diana Lee) in the big-screen musical, expressed the viewpoint of a young woman constrained by the time in which she lived, wanting more. The tune was quickly adopted and refashioned by singers from Petula Clark in a slow-burning, stoic and determined version, to Sammy Davis, Jr. in exuberantly hyper-charged "Yes I Can!" mode.
OUT TOMORROW! Bobby Darin's "Go Ahead and Back Up: The Lost Motown Masters" Arrives From Second Disc and Real Gone!
Are you ready to hear Bobby Darin like you've never heard him before? The musical superstar joined Motown Records in 1970, inaugurating the final phase in a remarkable career that saw him transform from a rock-and-roll teen idol to a sophisticated swinger to a socially conscious folkie. Yet before his tragic death at the age of 37 in 1973, Darin only released one album and a handful of singles for Berry Gordy's legendary label. A few posthumous recordings followed in 1974 and a live album in
BREAKING! Second Disc Records, Real Gone Music Unearth Never-Before-Heard Bobby Darin on "Go Ahead and Back Up: The Lost Motown Masters"
Bobby Darin joined Motown Records in 1970, inaugurating the final phase in a remarkable career that saw him transform from a rock-and-roll teen idol to a sophisticated swinger to a socially conscious folkie. Yet before his tragic death at the age of 37 in 1973, Darin only released one album and a handful of singles for Berry Gordy's legendary label. A few posthumous recordings followed in 1974 and a live album in 1987, but the story stayed the same: that despite the best efforts of all,
Review: Bobby Darin and Johnny Mercer, "Two of a Kind: Expanded Edition"
Bobby Darin and Johnny Mercer were, indeed, two of a kind. Though Darin is known first and foremost as one of the most dynamic performers of all time, and Mercer as one of the most prodigiously talented songwriters of all time, Bobby was no slouch in the songwriting department, and Mercer was a remarkably engaging vocalist. Both men were entrepreneurs and keen talent spotters who added immeasurably to the fabric of American music and culture. They came together on record but once, for a 1961
Ace In The Hole: Omnivore Reissues Bobby Darin and Johnny Mercer Classic
"'Like peas in a pod and birds of a feather,'" sing Bobby Darin and Johnny Mercer in the album's title song. This self-description has a bull's-eye accuracy; Bobby and Johnny are indeed 'two of a kind.'" So began the original liner notes for 1961's Two of a Kind, the Atco LP that paired one of America's all-time greatest vocalists (and one heck of a songwriter!) with one of its all-time greatest songwriters (and one heck of a performer!). On March 24, Omnivore Recordings will reissue Two of a
The Bobby Darin Story
The late, great Bobby Darin (a favorite around these parts!) narrates his own story on this 1961 Atco LP featuring his greatest hits to that point including "Splish Splash," "Dream Lover," "Beyond the Sea," "Artificial Flowers" and more! Friday Music has a remastered 180-gram vinyl edition to mark the album's 55th anniversary, and has restored its original white cover! (Subsequent issues have featured the cover in black.)
Edsel's In a Bobby Darin Bag With "Shadow" and "Broadway" Reissues
We're proud to have kicked off the Bobby Darin 80th birthday celebration earlier this month with Second Disc Records/Real Gone Music's release of Another Song on My Mind: The Motown Years. The Bobby festivities will continue next month from Edsel Records with the re-reissue of a pair of currently out-of-print titles previously released as a two-fer. The Demon Music Group imprint has new standalone editions of Darin's 1966 albums The Shadow of Your Smile and In a Broadway Bag arriving on June
Dan Fogelberg, Johnny Paycheck, Beau Brummels, More Join Bobby Darin On Real Gone's May Slate
Real Gone Music has just announced its May release slate, and with rock, jazz, gospel, country, pop and beyond, it's one of the label's most diverse months yet! Naturally, we're partial to the May 6 release of Bobby Darin's Another Song on My Mind: The Motown Years from Real Gone and our own Second Disc Records (get all of the details right here!), but there's plenty more on offer, too! Bobby Darin was a remarkable singer-songwriter; another beloved titan of popular song is the late Dan
UPDATED: Bobby Darin's "Another Song On My Mind: The Motown Years" Coming In May For His 80th!
Look out, old Bobby is back! On May 14, 2016, Bobby Darin would have turned 80 years old. Though he tragically passed away at the age of 37 on December 20, 1973, he accomplished more in these short years than most artists do in a lifetime. It's no wonder that Darin remains one of the most electrifying entertainers the world has ever known. Earlier this year, Second Disc Records and Real Gone Music announced the release of a new title from two legendary icons of American popular song: Bobby
BREAKING! Bobby Darin's "The Motown Years" Coming In March From Second Disc Records and Real Gone Music!
Look out, old Bobby is back! Earlier this week, The Second Disc celebrated its sixth anniversary, and now, we're inviting you to the party! Today, we're thrilled to announce our very first release of 2016. On March 11, Second Disc Records and Real Gone Music will make a Reissue Theory a reality with a new title from two legendary icons of American popular song: Bobby Darin and Motown Records! Another Song on My Mind: The Motown Years is the first-ever anthology dedicated to the
Splish Splash! Bobby Darin's "The Milk Shows" Premieres Two Discs of Never-Before-Heard Recordings
Bobby Darin knew he was in a race with time. If it was a race he would inevitably lose as a result of the heart condition he fought for his 37 years, Darin accomplished more in that short period of time than many artists who lived twice as long. A master of reinvention, Darin successfully transformed himself from teen idol to sophisticated hipster to folk troubadour and back again before his death in 1973. He also left behind a catalogue of impressive size at Atlantic, Capitol, Motown and his
Holiday Gift Guide Review: Bobby Darin, "The 25th Day of December" and Various Artists, "Funky Christmas"
Real Gone Music is ensuring that it’s going to be a merry Christmas, indeed, with a number of holiday-themed releases that practically beg to be enjoyed alongside a glass of egg nog and a warm fireplace. Bobby Darin’s The 25th Day of December, the late singer’s only holiday LP, arrived on the Atco label in 1960. However, the album wasn’t the work of Bobby Darin, the splish-splashin’ rock-and-roller, or Bobby Darin, the finger-snapping, tuxedoed crooner. It’s not even the work of Bob Darin,
October Is The Most Wonderful Time of The Year With Real Gone Releases From Andy Williams, Bobby Darin, Patti Page, More
It's not too early to start making that Christmas list! Just ask Real Gone Music. On October 29, the label will release five deluxe holiday-themed collections from some of the most beloved vocalists of all time, in addition to two other titles reflecting the label's usual eclectic tastes. For those who need a little Christmas right this very minute, now's the time to peruse Real Gone's upcoming offerings. The crown jewel comes from Andy Williams, already announced as the subject of a 2013
Light in the Attic Gets Funky in the Country with Bobby Darin, Mac Davis, Link Wray, Bobbie Gentry and More
What the hell is "Country Funk," you ask? That's the question being posed by Light in the Attic on its new compilation, titled (what else?) Country Funk: 1969-1975. The label goes on to answer, in part, of the "inherently defiant genre": "the style encompasses the elation of gospel with the sexual thrust of the blues, country hoedown harmony with inner city grit. It is alternately playful and melancholic, slow jammin' and booty shakin'. It is both studio slick and barroom raw." Well,
Presley's Jukebox: Bob Dylan, Bobby Darin, Rick Nelson, Jerry Butler Shine on "Elvis Heard Them Here First"
Though Elvis Presley rose through the ranks of Sun Records alongside artists like Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins (his fellow members of the “Million Dollar Quartet,” if you will), Elvis and Jerry Lee differed from Johnny and Carl in that they primarily leaned upon the songs of others. Cash and Perkins predated the pop-rock singer/songwriter revolution of the next decade, and in fact, harkened back to an older tradition in country and blues of performing your own material. Yet by
Reissue Theory: Bobby Darin, Compiled: "The Motown Years"
Welcome to another installment of Reissue Theory, where we reflect on great albums and the reissues they could someday see. At the time of his untimely death in 1973, Bobby Darin was signed to Motown Records, where he recorded one solo LP and enough material for a posthumous second LP. Despite their high quality, Darin's Motown recordings have long been unavailable. Today's Reissue Theory takes us back to 1970 and the final chapter in the life of the great Bobby Darin. Bobby Darin was so much
Happy Birthday, Bobby: Darin's "Another Song on My Mind: The Motown Years" ARRIVES TOMORROW!
Will the real Bobby Darin please stand up? Between his first single in 1956 and his final recordings in 1973, the artist born Walden Robert Cassotto on May 14, 1936 blazed his path through rock-and-roll, big-band swing, jazz, R&B, soul, country, folk, pop, rock, and everything in between. Yet each reinvention was genuine, and each represented the real Bobby Darin. The driven artist brought fervor and passion to every style he tackled throughout his tragically-short life. Tomorrow,
Presley, Darin, Orbison, Sinatra, Beach Boys Featured On Ace's New "State of the Union"
Elvis and Dino took on hypocrisy. Dion lamented the senseless deaths of Abraham, Martin, and John. Johnny "Poetry in Motion" Tillotson cast a spotlight on the poor treatment of veterans returned home from war. Bing Crosby wondered "What Do We Do with the World" and Paul Anka observed that "This crazy world has come undone." Such are the moments captured on Ace's thoroughly captivating new collection Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs Present State of the Union: The American Dream in Crisis
Cherry Red's él Label Offers Rod McKuen, Wally Stott, Bobby Scott Rarities
Cherry Red's él imprint has a trio of recent releases continuing its commitment to truly eclectic sounds of the pre-1964 era. Two of these are musical odes to the big city life of London and New York, from arrangers Wally Stott and Bobby Scott, respectively; the third reissues and expands a compilation from the late Rod McKuen. Singer-songwriter-poet-author-renaissance man McKuen, who died earlier this year, was recently the subject of Varese Vintage's Reflections: The Greatest Songs of Rod
Sumpin Funky Going On: "Country Funk II" Features Willie, Dolly, Bobby, Jackie, Kenny and More
Almost two years ago, we reported on Light in the Attic’s Country Funk, an anthology celebrating the hybrid genre of the title. Back then, LITA described country funk as an “inherently defiant genre” encompassing “the elation of gospel with the sexual thrust of the blues, country hoedown harmony with inner city grit. It is alternately playful and melancholic, slow jammin’ and booty shakin’. It is both studio slick and barroom raw.” Well, if the 16 nuggets on that 2012 release weren’t enough
Come Fly With Me: Bobby, Peggy, Ella, Buddy Take Off With "Pan Am" Soundtrack
Following in the footsteps of Matthew Weiner’s 1960s drama Mad Men, Jack Orman’s Pan Am takes to the airwaves each week on ABC with a period-perfect recreation of the days when "the world's most experienced airline" ruled the skies. Now, the show’s impeccably-selected music can be yours to keep - and perhaps used as the soundtrack to your very own swinging cocktail party! - on Verve’s Pan Am: Music From and Inspired by the Original Series, due to arrive on January 17. How appropriate that one
Come Back When You Grow Up: Lost Bobby Vee Tracks to See Release
The early 1960s could be thought of as the era of the Bobbys: Darin, Rydell, Vee. Despite rising to prominence in the unfairly-derided period between the birth of rock & roll and the British Invasion, these post-Elvis pop stars all stormed the charts and left behind great recorded legacies. Darin was a multi-faceted entertainer who touched on pop, standards and folk-rock with equal ability before passing away at a too-young age, Rydell waxed some of the most indelible pop confections out of
The Weekend Stream: August 16, 2025
Welcome to another edition of The Weekend Stream, The Second Disc's review of notable catalogue titles (and some new ones, too!) making digital debuts. A soft-rock legend says farewell on his own terms, a Broadway star channels one of mid-century pop's greatest voices, plus everything from video game music to "jazz-tinged" alt-pop oddities is headed your way this week! Stephen Bishop, THIMK (Life's a Bish) (Apple / Amazon) Stephen Bishop is billing THIMK as his final studio album - a
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