Venice Blue - Wikiwand

Venice Blue is a studio album by American singer Bobby Darin, released in May 1965 by Capitol Records.^[1] This was his final LP for the label.^[2] The album was arranged and conducted by Richard Wess.^[1] The album featured a number of arrangements by Ernie Freeman, inculding two Darin compostions.^[1]

The album debuted on the Billboard Top LPs chart in the issue dated July 10, 1965, and remained on the chart for 4 weeks, peaking at number 132.^[3]

Venice Blue was released in the United Kingdom as I Wanna Be Around with a slightly altered cover using the same photo. A compilation CD was released by Capitol’s parent company EMI in 1999 including You’re the Reason I’m Living and I Wanna Be Around.^[4] It was released as one of two albums on one CD also by EMI in 2002, along with Darin's 1964 album, From Hello Dolly to Goodbye Charlie.^[5]

In his AllMusic review, critic JT Griffith wrote "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."^[6]

Billboard notes "Darin sings and swings his heart out and proves there are furture standards being written"^[8]

1. "Venice Blue" (Bobby Darin, Charles Aznavour, Gene Lees) – 2:36
2. "I Wanna Be Around" (Johnny Mercer, Sadie Vimmerstadt) – 2:12
3. "Somewhere" (Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim) – 2:34
4. "The Good Life" (Sacha Distel, Jack Reardon) – 2:25
5. "Dear Heart" (Ray Evans, Jay Livingston, Henry Mancini) – 3:14
6. "Softly, As I Leave You" (Giorgio Calabrese, Hal Shaper, Tony De Vita) – 2:57
7. "You Just Don't Know" (Darin) – 2:25
8. "There Ain't No Sweet Gal Worth the Salt of My Tears" (Fred Fisher) – 3:03
9. "Who Can I Turn To?" (Leslie Bricusse, Anthony Newley) – 2:39
10. "A Taste of Honey" (Ric Marlow, Bobby Scott) – 2:36
11. "In a World Without You" (Rudy Clark, Darin) – 2:39

• Bobby Darin – vocals
• Richard Wess – arrangements
• Ernie Freeman – arrangements
• Tommy Tedesco, Carol Kaye, René Hall – guitar
• Joe Mondragon, Chuck Berghofer – bass guitar
• Earl Palmer – drums
• Emil Richards – tympani, maracas, vibes
• Ray Johnson – piano
• Tony Terran, Bill Pitman – trumpet
• Dick Nash, Harry Betts, Milt Bernhart, Ken Shroyer, Lew McCreary, Lou Blackburn, Dave Wells – trombone
• Paul Horn, Bill Green, Plas Johnson – saxophone