Bobby Darin - If I Were a Carpenter (1966)

As mentioned in our first post regarding today’s featured artist, Bobby Darin was a teen idol who had had pop music hits such as “Splish Splash,” “Beyond the Sea,” and “Dream Lover” in the late 1950s and early ‘60s. But by the mid-1960s with that style of music falling out of popularity with the general public, Darin was forced to reinvent himself. In June 1966, Darin released an album consisting of then-current Broadway musical numbers. Just six short months later in December 1966 he did an about-face and released If I Were a Carpenter, which was an album of folk and folk rock songs.

If I Were a Carpenter featured Darin singing five songs written by Tim Hardin, two songs written by John Sebastian, a song by Buffy Sainte-Marie, and a few others. But far and away without question, the biggest hit was the title track.

Written by Tim Hardin, the song heard below hadn’t even yet been released by Hardin himself when Darin took the song to number eight in the USA (and number nine in the UK). In fact, Hardin wouldn’t release his version of the song until his album Tim Hardin 2, which hit shelves in April 1967. Ultimately, Hardin wasn’t happy with Darin’s release, believing the Darin too closely copied his vocal style of the song (heard on his demos) and the musical arrangements.



Bobby Darin - If I Were a Carpenter (1966)

Loading the ABLYAM player...(Might not work on mobile devices)

Lyrics:

If I were a carpenter
And you were a lady
Would you marry me anyway?
Would you have my baby?

If a tinker were my trade
Would you still find me?
Carrying the pots I made
Following behind me

Save my love through loneliness
Save my love for sorrow
I've given you my only-ness
Come give your tomorrow

If I worked my hands in wood
Would you still love me?
Answer me babe, "Yes, I would
I'll put you above me"

If I were a miller
At a mill-wheel, grinding
Would you miss your color-box?
Your soft shoes shining?

If I were a carpenter
And you were a lady
Would you marry me anyway?
Would you have my baby?

Would you marry anyway?
Would you have my baby?

Bobby Darin - Dream Lover (1959)

Born Walden Robert Cassotto in The Bronx, New York 1936, this American singer first reached fame in 1958 with his co-written hit song “Splish Splash”. The following year saw him rise to worldwide renown with the releases “Mack the Knife,” “Beyond the Sea,” and the track heard below. In the early 1960s, his career shifted more toward country music and eventually acting in movies, where he starred in crime dramas and romantic comedies aimed at cashing in on his teen idol image. He wrote the music to many of the movies he starred in and is the only actor to have been signed to five major Hollywood film studios in the same year. Becoming more involved politically, he worked with Robert Kennedy during the 1968 presidential campaign and was driven into seclusion for nearly a year following Kennedy’s assassination. Later, he formed Direction Records, aimed at giving an outlet to “folk artists with something to say” and had his own variety show on NBC until his death in 1973. He died while recovering from heart surgery, which he only needed after failing to take his instructed medication.

Written and first recorded by Darin, this song was released on March 5, 1959. In July the song peaked at number two in the United States and number one in the United Kingdom. It has been covered by numerous artists over the years, but is most widely recognized as being connected with this artist. It features a young Neil Sedaka on piano.



Bobby Darin - Dream Lover (1959)

Loading the ABLYAM player...(Might not work on mobile devices)

Lyrics:

Every night I hope and pray
A dream lover will come my way
A girl to hold in my arms
And know the magic of her charms

'cause I want (yeah yeah, yeah)
A girl (yeah yeah, yeah)
To call (yeah yeah, yeah)
My own (yeah yeah)
I want a dream lover
So I don't have to dream alone

Dream lover, where are you
With a love, oh-so true
And the hand that I can hold
To feel you near as I grow old?

'cause I want (yeah yeah, yeah)
A girl (yeah yeah, yeah)
To call (yeah yeah, yeah)
My own (yeah yeah, yeah)
I want a dream lover
So I don't have to dream alone

Someday, I don't know how
I hope she'll hear my plea
Some way, I don't know how
She'll bring her love to me

Dream lover, until then
I'll go to sleep and dream again
That's the only thing to do
‘til all my lover's dreams come true

'cause I want (yeah yeah, yeah)
A girl (yeah yeah, yeah)
To call (yeah yeah, yeah)
My own (yeah yeah, yeah)
I want a dream lover
So I don't have to dream alone

Dream lover, until then
I'll go to sleep and dream again
That's the only thing to do
‘til all my lover's dreams come true

'cause I want (yeah yeah, yeah)
A girl (yeah yeah, yeah)
To call (yeah yeah, yeah)
My own (yeah yeah)
I want a dream lover
So I don't have to dream alone

Please don't make me dream alone
I beg you don't make me dream alone
No, I don't wanna dream