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Bobby Darin

Song Of The Day – “Sail Away” by Bobby Darin

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bobbydarinBy 1972, Bobby Darin was long past his “Splish-Splash” rock ‘n’ roll beginnings and the supper club success that followed. He’d moved from his successful home at Atco records to the new confines of Capitol records where the supper club hits began to dry up.

The late ‘60s was a turbulent time in our country and, especially in Darin’s life. He was deeply dedicated to supporting Bobby Kennedy in his 1968 bid for the presidency, and was present at the Ambassador Hotel the night he was assassinated.

Shortly thereafter, he was told that the girl he thought was his sister was actually his mother, and that he’d been brought up by his grandparents and not his parents. If you find this scenario confusing, you can imagine how much it blew Darin’s mind, sending him into seclusion.

With his personal issues as a backdrop, Darin launched his own Direction Record label in 1969 whose goal was to release records with messages that reflected his political views and supported the direction he thought the country should be going in. During his live shows of the time he refused to take requests for “Mack The Knife” and his other hits, choosing to perform his own original folk songs. Needless to say, his Direction Records period turned Darin’s career in the wrong direction…

Darin’s health was also failing. As a child, he suffered from rheumatic fever which severely weakened his heart muscle, making him see his whole career as a race against time. He underwent surgery in 1971 in an effort to improve his condition.

During the early 1970s, Motown Records was also in transition, moving its headquarters away from Detroit to California where Berry Gordy was directing Diana Ross in the film Lady Sings The Blues. Darin signed with the label in 1970 with the hope of moving in a more soulful direction to revive his career, and was also soon back on TV again hosting The Bobby Darin Amusement Co. variety show on NBC.

Motown recorded Darin in concert for a planned and then shelved album release called Live At The Desert Inn and instead chose to release two non-LP Motown singles (including a cover of Bob Dylan’s “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight” released as a B-side). In 1972, the label released his eponymously titled debut album for Motown featuring several original tunes, as well as some well-chosen covers including Cat Stevens’ “Hard Headed Woman,”  and Randy Newman’s “Sail Away” (today’s Song Of The Day), which were both coupled together for a single release that ultimately failed to chart.  A second single, “Average People” b/w “Something in Her Love” met a similar fate as did the album, which quickly faded into obscurity.

The album was the last Bobby Darin record to be released during his lifetime. In 1973, Darin contracted sepsis after a dental visit that weakened his system, sending him into the hospital where he underwent two surgeries to repair both artificial heart valves. He died during surgery on December 20th 1973 at the age of 37.

Today in Rock History – December 20

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1967, Singer Ian Anderson forms Jethro Tull with his former John Evans Blues Band mate, bassist Glenn Cornick, in Blackpool, England. The name comes from an 18th century farming tool inventor. John Evans later joins the group as a keyboardist.

1967, The Hollies release their hit single “He Ain’t Heavy (He’s My Brother.)”

1967, Folk singer Joan Baez was sentenced to 45 days in prison after being arrested during an anti-war demonstration.

1967, Pink Floyd were at the Maida Vale Studio 4 for a taping of the BBC show Top Gear. That same day, the band also made it to Studio 2, EMI Studios, Abbey Road for a recording session for the album A Saucerful of Secrets.

1968, The Beatles sixth Christmas record “The Beatles’ 1968 Christmas Record,” was sent to fan club members in the UK and the US. It included the song ‘Nowhere Man’ sung by Tiny Tim.

1968, Pink Floyd were at the BBC Paris Cinema, on Lower Regent Street in London to record a live audience show for BBC Radio One. The songs performed were: Let There Be More Light, Set The Controls For The Heart of The Sun, Point Me At The Sky, and Careful With That Axe, Eugene.

1969, Peter Paul and Mary went to number one on the singles chart with ‘Leavin’ On A Jet Plane’. John Denver wrote the song in 1966 with the original title of ‘Oh Babe I Hate to Go.’

1969, The Grateful Dead performed at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco.

1969, The Rolling Stones went to No.1 on the album chart with their 10th release ‘Let It Bleed’, featuring ‘Midnight Rambler’, and ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want.’

1973, American singer Bobby Darin died aged 37. One of the first teen idols, he had the 1959 number one with “Dream Lover” plus 20 other Top 40 hits during the 60’s including “Mack the Knife,” Grammy Award for Record of the Year in 1960. Darin traveled with Robert Kennedy and worked on the latter’s 1968 presidential campaign. He was with Kennedy the day he traveled to Los Angeles on June 4, 1968 for the California Primary. Darin was at the Ambassador Hotel later that night when Kennedy was assassinated.

1974, Former James Gang guitarist Joe Walsh officially replaced Bernie Leadon in The Eagles.

1980, Twelve days after John Lennon was shot dead in New York City, ‘(Just Like) Starting Over’, which was taken from his Double Fantasy album gave the former Beatle his first ever solo No.1 single.

1986, The Bangles started a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Walk Like An Egyptian.’

Born on this day: Bobby Colomby, drums, Blood Sweat & Tears (1944); Peter Criss, Kiss (1947); Alan Parsons (1948); Billy Bragg (1957); and Chris Robinson, The Black Crowes (1966)

Link to Today in Rock History archive

Today in Rock History – August 25

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1967, Brian Wilson returned to performing live with The Beach Boys in Honolulu after a two year hiatus. The group had just released “Heroes and Villains.”

1967, Bobbie Gentry started a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with “Ode To Billy Joe,” a No.13 hit in the UK. The song generated eight Grammy nominations, resulting in three wins for Gentry and one win for arranger Jimmie Haskell.

1968, Bluesman Albert King performs at the Grande Ballroom in Detroit, Michigan.

1970, A party was held to celebrate the official opening of Electric Ladyland studios in New York City, New York. Artists who went on to record at the studio include: Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon, AC/DC, David Bowie, Stevie Wonder, Frank Zappa and Guns N’ Roses.

1970, Elton John made his US live debut when he kicked off a 17-date tour at the Troubadour in Los Angeles. In the audience that night were Don Henley, Quincy Jones and Leon Russell. Elton’s latest single “Border Song” had just debuted at number 92 on the US chart.

1970, Emerson Lake and Palmer made their live debut at The Guildhall, Plymouth, England.

1971, During a North American tour, Led Zeppelin played at Sam Houston Coliseum in Houston, Texas.

1972, Deep Purple perform at the Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

1973, Donny Osmond was at No.1 on the singles chart with “Young Love” his third and last No.1. Tab Hunter also had a hit with the song in 1957.

1973, One hit wonders, Stories started a two week run at No.1 on the singles chart with “Brother Louie”.

1973, Earth Wind and Fire appear at Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo, New York.

1973, Bobby Darin performed his final concert, at the Las Vegas Hilton. He died at the age of 37 on December 20th 1973 following open-heart surgery.

1976, Epic Records releases Boston’s self-titled first album. The album becomes the fastest-selling debut ever.

1979, The Knack started a five week run at number one on the US singles chart with “My Sharona,” the group’s only chart topper.  Lead singer Doug Fieger said he was inspired to write the tune by Sharrona Alperin, a 17 year old senior at Los Angeles’ Fairfax High.

1981, R.E.M. appeared at The Scorpio, Charlotte, North Carolina. This show was billed as “Charlotte’s First Gay New Wave Disco and Costume Party”, with the $3 tickets benefiting various gay-lesbian charities.

Born on August 25: Wayne Shorter, sax, Miles Davis, Weather Report (1933); Gene Simmons (1949); Rob Halford, singer, Judas Priest (1951); and Elvis Costello (1954)

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Song Of The Day by Eric Berman – “Don’t Make Promises” by Tim Hardin

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While Tim Hardin was a terrific singer possessing a distinctive vibrato-infused style, he was better known as the gifted songwriter who wrote the classics “If I Were A Carpenter” and “Reason To Believe.” While both songs were covered often by many artists, one of his most covered songs was this lesser known gem. “Don’t Make Promises” was the lead song on Hardin’s first record, “Tim Hardin 1,” and was covered by a myriad of artists including Joan Baez, Bobby Darin, The Kingston Trio, Helen Reddy, Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, Rick Nelson, Marianne Faithful, The Beau Brummels, Three Dog Night, Dave Alvin and Paul Weller. As a stage performer, Hardin was erratic at best as illustrated by his appearance at Woodstock where he and his performance were disheveled due to his drug addiction. It’s been reported that Hardin became addicted to heroin while serving in Viet Nam in the early 1960s, which set him up on inevitable road that led to his death from an overdose in 1980. During the latter part of his career, Hardin gave up on writing original songs and focused on covering old rock and roll tunes, today his modest canon or originals is ripe for rediscovery.