Bobby Darin
London
1966

mono recording from a TV broadcast

  1. Intro > Don't Rain On My Parade
  2. About A Quarter To Nine
  3. Once Upon A Time
  4. I Wish I Were In Love Again
  5. Mack The Knife 
  6. If I Were A Carpenter
  7. Talk
  8. Impressions (One For My Baby)
  9. The Girl That Stood Behind Me
10. Funny What Love Can Do
11. Dream Lover
12. What'd I Say >
13. That's All

return

In 1966, Bobby Darin was the very height of his performing powers and fortunately for us, this rare London concert expertly captured the very essence of him and that time period. Performers couln't just sing, they were expected to entertain - sing, dance, tell jokes, show their virtuosity - the Sinatra model. In this show, you get the full treatment as Darin expertly works the crowd with his outstanding talent, showmanship and stage presence. And yes, he followed the Sinatra model  with his singing, jokes, impressions, and playing the guitar and piano. What a professional! What a time!

Accompanied by Alyn Ainsworth and his orchestra, the performance was filmed by the BBC and broadcast in London in May 1967. The concert was also recorded and released by Atlantic Records on the now out of print album Something Special.  Later some tracks of this record appeared on the CDs  Rare Performances and  From Sea to Sea.

Below are the liner notes that appeared on the back cover of the  Something Special LP. Written by Bill Harry, his feelings sum up the magic of Bobby Darin that was felt by his fans in London and all over the world.

"Bobby Darin, man of magic. Magic, not only in his voice but in a personality that is quite unique. There is only one Bobby Darin-only one guy whose eyes twinkle with such expression, whose eyes twinkle with smiles or thoughts. Those eyes. Bobby Darin's eyes. Yes, they're quite unique. Bobby Darin the man of magic, whose voice has enchanted , cast a spell--and yet where does the magic come from? There are many people with gold-plated tonsils, but Bobby beats them all.

He came over to London to film Stranger in the House(aka Copout) with James Mason and that soft wonderful Geraldine Chaplin--and he stayed in London. Why? Because Darin and London clicked in such a way that Italian resturants stood up and became more italian in his presence, the swinging 'in' clubs seemed to preen in his presence.

A west end film premiere - and afterwards Bobby would drop into a Kensington resturant , small and intimate, to take wine and spaghetti with his friends, and a dusty guitar on the wall would take on a new life when he took it down and played "Eighteen Yellow Roses"--and when he did tears would fall from many eyes , because here was feeling that wafted in the air.

And London became a warmer city with Darin. Moving from a cold hotel he settled in a house...and what a house. Many floored. Tastefully decorated--and with a stereophonic record player that brought to life the world's greatest classical music. Classical music? Bobby's love in his life--one of his love's, along with his son, whom he adores.

Darin at London airport. Heathrow.Scared perhaps of flying, yet prepared. Because he's off on a trip to Paris to perform for UNICEF.--London fog--beloved of fiction--droops down and stops all flights. So over to the restaurant for some wine and food-and Darin proves his love of humanity.There are Indians and chinese and scousers and Negroes and travellers from all corners-and he's with them laughing and smiling and they love him.

Darin is a part of mankind--and taxi drivers, flower sellers, everyone he meets is a friend, someone to talk to.

Darin thinks. He's a philosopher . He is a sensitive person. He feels for people, particularly dominated people, deprived people, people who can't fend for themselves. If he could he would fend for them. He's a politically conscious person. He feels politics and is concerned --and quite rightfully he feels other people should be concerned. For this is life.

In London Darin stayed--and during his stay he made a visual souvenir--recorded by BBC2, produced by Stuart Morris at the close of 1966, the show was screened on May 20th, 1967. Here is the aural souvenir of that show, with "Don't Rain On My Parade," "I Wish I Were in Love Again," "One for My Baby," "Once Upon a Time" and more. Can you believe that this magic songster is the little guy who fought his way from the slums of New York, the guy who started his career making TV jingles? Yes, you can believe it because in this world anything can happen if people believe in people.

Darin, the world loves you."