At the time of its release in 1988,
The Ultimate Bobby Darin was arguably the most thorough single-disc compilation available. And for range and selection it remains the most thorough single-disc retrospective of the legendary singer, effectively capturing the stunning range of his unique musical vision. Each of its 17 songs is a gem. Included are "Splish Splash," "Dream Lover," "Mack the Knife," and "Beyond the Sea," as well as "Somebody to Love" and "I'll Be There," which don't appear on The Hit Singles Collection. For sound quality, however, both this release and the early-'90s retrospectives Splish Splash: The Best of Bobby Darin, Vol. 1 and Mack the Knife: The Best of Bobby Darin, Vol. 2 have been supplanted by the more recent Hit Singles Collection and other post-2000 releases of his Atlantic catalog. ~ Chuck Donkers & Bruce Eder