Venice Blue was released in May of 1965 and was
Bobby Darin's follow-up to the artistically (but not financially) successful
From Hello Dolly to Goodbye Charlie. Surprisingly,
Darin stuck with his previous approach and offered another selection of romantic songs and contemporary Broadway tunes. The album peaked at a disappointing 132 (worse than
From Hello Dolly's 107) and remained on the Billboard charts for only four weeks. Though the album did poorly upon release, some of the tracks have been mined for later compilations, most notably "The Good Life." A curious double album available through import-only packages,
You're the Reason I'm Living, has an album apparently called I Wanna Be Around, but which is actually
Venice Blue. The title track sounds like a cover of a
Bobby Vinton ballad with its sweeping strings and sentimentality. Standout tracks include the
Johnny Mercer song "I Wanna Be Around" (similar here to "Don't Rain on my Parade"),"The Good Life,"
Henry Mancini's "Dear Heart," and
Stephen Sondheim's "Somewhere" from West Side Story.
Venice Blue also includes two
Darin originals: "You Just Don't Know" and "In a World Without You."
Venice Blue is not a dramatic departure for
Bobby Darin, but a solid collection nonetheless. Really of interest to fans looking to complete their collection. Well-arranged and well-sung, but not the most accessible album for the neo-swing set. ~ JT Griffith