{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Venice Blue | type = studio | longtype = LP | artist = Bobby Darin | cover = VeniceBlueBobbyDarin.jpg | alt = | released = May 1965 | recorded = 1964–1965 | venue = | studio = | genre = Pop | length = 29:20 | label = Capitol | producer = Steve Douglas | prev_title = From Hello Dolly to Goodbye Charlie | prev_year = 1964 | next_title = Bobby Darin Sings The Shadow of Your Smile | next_year = 1966 | misc = {{Singles | name = Venice Blue | type = studio | single1 = Venice Blue | single1date = March 1965<ref name=":022">{{Cite book |last=Bleiel |first=Jeff |url=https://archive.org/details/thatsallbobbydar0000jeff/page/296/mode/2up |title=That's All: Bobby Darin On Record, Stage & Screen, Revised and Expanded Second Edition |date=2004 |publisher=Tiny Ripple Books |isbn=9-7809-6759-7348 |location= |pages=296–297}}</ref> }} }} '''''Venice Blue''''' is a studio album by American singer Bobby Darin, released in May 1965 by Capitol Records.<ref name=":02">{{Cite book |last=Bleiel |first=Jeff |url=https://archive.org/details/thatsallbobbydar0000jeff/page/286/mode/2up |title=That's All: Bobby Darin On Record, Stage & Screen, Revised and Expanded Second Edition |date=2004 |publisher=Tiny Ripple Books |isbn=9-7809-6759-7348 |location= |pages=286–287}}</ref> This was his final LP for the label.<ref name=":03">{{Cite book |last=Starr |first=Michael |url=https://archive.org/details/bobbydarin00mich/page/144/mode/2up |title=Bobby Darin : a life |date=2004 |publisher=Taylor Trade Pub. |isbn=9-7815-8979-1213 |location=Dallas |pages=144}}</ref> The album was arranged and conducted by Richard Wess.<ref name=":02" /> The album featured a number of arrangements by Ernie Freeman, including two Darin compositions.<ref name=":02" />
The album debuted on the ''Billboard'' Top LPs chart in the issue dated July 10, 1965, and remained on the chart for four weeks, peaking at number 132.<ref name=":04">{{cite book |last1=Whitburn |first1=Joel |url=https://archive.org/details/joelwhitburnstopp00whit/page/198/mode/2up |title=Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Albums 1955-1996 |date=1996 |publisher=Record Research Inc. |isbn=0898201179 |location=Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin |pages=198 |access-date=November 5, 2023}}</ref>
The single from the album, "Venice Blue" bubbled under" ''Billboard'''s Hot 100, for its sole week that began in the issue dated April 23, 1965, and peaked at number 130.<ref name=":22">{{Cite book |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |url=https://archive.org/details/joelwhitburnsbub0000whit/page/44/mode/2up |title=Joel Whitburn's Bubbling under the hot 100, 1959-1981 |publisher=Record Research |year=1982 |isbn=978-0-8982-0047-8 |location=Menomonee Falls, Wis |pages=44}}</ref> and number 94 on the Cashbox singles chart and stayed on the chart for three weeks.<ref name=":02222">{{Cite book |last=Downey |first=Pat |url=https://archive.org/details/cashboxpopsingle00down/page/84/mode/2up |title=Cash box pop singles charts, 1950-1993 |date=1994 |publisher=Libraries Unlimited |isbn=1-56308-316-7 |location=Englewood, Colo. |pages=84–85}}</ref>
''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''.<ref>{{cite web |title=You're the Reason I'm Living/I Wanna Be Around |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/youre-the-reason-im-living-i-wanna-be-around-mw0000044562 |access-date=24 January 2025 |publisher=AllMusic}}</ref> 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''.<ref>{{Citation |title=From Hello Dolly to Goodbye Charlie/Venice Blu... {{!}} AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/from-hello-dolly-to-goodbye-charlie-venice-blue-mw0000663419 |access-date=2025-02-25 |language=en}}</ref>
==Reception== {{Music ratings | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1Score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}<ref name="AM">{{cite web |first=JT |last=Griffith |title= ''Venice Blue'' > Review |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/mw0000841309 |publisher=Allmusic |access-date=May 15, 2015}}</ref> | rev2 = ''The Encyclopedia of Popular Music'' | rev2score = {{rating|2|5}}<ref>{{cite book |last1=Larkin |first1=Colin |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |date=2007 |publisher=Omnibus Press |page=394 |isbn=9781846098567 |url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofpo0000unse_v3u2/page/394/mode/2up |accessdate=28 December 2024}}</ref> | rev3 = ''Record Mirror'' | rev3score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref name="NRM">{{Cite magazine |last1=Jopling |first1=Norman |last2=Jones |first2=Peter |date=27 November 1965 |title=New albums reviewed by Norman Jopling and Peter Jones, Joan sings Dylan and Donovan on her new album "Farewell, Angelina"- one of her best yet. |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Record-Mirror/60s/65/Record-Mirror-1965-11-27-S-OCR.pdf |access-date=11 April 2024 |magazine=Record Mirror |page=8 |issue=246}}</ref> }} 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."<ref name="AM" />
''Billboard'' notes "Darin sings and swings his heart out and proves there are future standards being written"<ref>{{cite magazine |date=June 5, 1965 |title=Billboard Spotlight Pick: Venice Blue |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pigEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Venice+Blue+Bobby+Darin%22+-wikipedia&pg=PT1 |magazine=Billboard |page=52 |volume=77 |issue=23 |editor=}}</ref>
''Cashbox'' said the album "includes a hand-picked batch of goodies from the recent vintage crop of pop hits, handled in the traditional Darin style."<ref name=":13">{{Cite magazine |date=May 29, 1965 |title=Cashbox Album Pop Picks Reviews: Venice Blue |url=https://archive.org/details/cashbox26unse_36/page/22/mode/2up |magazine=Cash Box |pages=22 |volume=26 |issue=36}}</ref>
''Record World'' notes "Redoubtable Bobby gives his easy once-over-lightly to this set of tunes."<ref name=":222">{{Cite magazine |last1= |first1= |date=May 22, 1965 |title=Album Reviews: Pick Hits |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/60s/65/RW-1965-05-22-Full.pdf |access-date=May 23, 2025 |magazine=Record World |page=33 |volume=18 |issue=937}}</ref>
In its review of the album from November 1965 as ''I'' ''Wanna Be Around'', ''Record Mirror'' noted that "His own "You Just Don't Know" is, surprisingly, a stand-out track."<ref name="NRM" />
==Track listing== #"Venice Blue" (Bobby Darin, Charles Aznavour, Gene Lees) – 2:36 #"I Wanna Be Around" (Johnny Mercer, Sadie Vimmerstadt) – 2:12 #"Somewhere" (Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim) – 2:34 #"The Good Life" (Sacha Distel, Jack Reardon) – 2:25 #"Dear Heart" (Ray Evans, Jay Livingston, Henry Mancini) – 3:14 #"Softly, As I Leave You" (Giorgio Calabrese, Hal Shaper, Tony De Vita) – 2:57 #"You Just Don't Know" (Darin) – 2:25 #"There Ain't No Sweet Gal Worth the Salt of My Tears" (Fred Fisher) – 3:03 #"Who Can I Turn To?" (Leslie Bricusse, Anthony Newley) – 2:39 #"A Taste of Honey" (Ric Marlow, Bobby Scott) – 2:36 #"In a World Without You" (Rudy Clark, Darin) – 3:11
== Charts == {| class="wikitable" !Chart (1965) !Peak{{break}}position |- |U.S. Top LPs (''Billboard'')<ref name=":04" /> | align="center" |132 |}
=== Singles === {| class="wikitable" !Year !Title !U.S. Hot 100<ref name=":22" /> !U.S. Cashbox<ref name=":02222" /> |- |1965 |"Venice Blue" | align="center" |133 | align="center" |94 |- |}
==Personnel== *Bobby Darin – vocals *Richard Wess – arrangements *Ernie Freeman – arrangements *René Hall, Carol Kaye, Tommy Tedesco – guitar *Chuck Berghofer, Joe Mondragon – bass guitar *Earl Palmer – drums *Emil Richards – tympani, maracas, vibes *Ray Johnson – piano *Bill Pitman, Tony Terran – trumpet *Milt Bernhart, Harry Betts, Lou Blackburn, Lew McCreary, Dick Nash, Ken Shroyer, Dave Wells – trombone *Bill Green, Paul Horn, Plas Johnson – saxophone
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Bobby Darin}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:1965 albums Category:Bobby Darin albums Category:Capitol Records albums