You're The Reason I'm Living

Bobby Darin - "You're the Reason I'm Living" (1963) - Capitol Records

Hello Friends,

After the huge success of Ray Charles's Modern Sounds in Country & Western Music (1962), it became very en vogue for non-country artists to release records with a country & western sound.

In 1963, Bobby Darin threw his (cowboy) hat into the ring with this record of swinging, soulful Country music.  It sounds like Nashville by way of the Bronx.

The result has echoes of Ray Charles's masterpiece but it falls prey to overly produced, too-slick-for-their-own-good arrangements.  Darin's vocals are good, as always, especially on songs like Gene Autry & Fred Rose's "Be Honest With Me", Hank Williams's "(I Heard That) Lonesome Whistle" and Glen Campbell's "Here I Am".  Songs like the opener, "Sally Was a Good Old Girl" and Don Gibson's "Oh, Lonesome Me" are definitely more swing than country.  

The leadoff single, "You're the Reason I'm Living", was a pretty big hit reaching # 3 on the Billboard singles chart.  It was also Darin's first single for Capitol after leaving Atlantic Records.  

None of the songs here are as great as Darin's classic recordings of "Beyond the Sea", "Splish Splash", "Mack the Knife" or "Dream Lover" but its a fun and listenable record nevertheless.  Enjoy it because its Bobby Darin and not because you're hoping for some groundbreaking country western crossover LP.

The album's most soulful tune is side two's "Who Can I Count On?", a duet with fourteen year old gospel singer, Merry Clayton.  This song began Merry's long and illustrious recording career.  In addition to her own music, she sang backup vocals for a ton of artists including Ray Charles, Tom Jones, Neil Young, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Joe Cocker, but her most famous duet is with Mick Jagger on the Stones' classic, "Gimmie Shelter".

Rape and Murder, indeed.

RATING: 3.5 Hardest Working Girls in the Neighborhood out of 5