Bobby Darin Hidden Gems #2: Wait by the Water

Bobby Darin’s career was in a strange place in January 1964, when this song was recorded. Just after this session, Bobby got a release from his contract with Capitol Records, and started the search for a new label. Less than six months later, he re-signed with Capitol, only to seek a further release the following year. Despite recording some very fine music during this period (including the From Hello Dolly to Goodbye Charlie album), he seemed to be lost. At one moment saying he was returning full-time to big band/swing music only for him then to release a couple of singles that were very much in the style of the British Invasion. He had also said he wouldn’t make any more films with Sandra Dee – and then made That Funny Feeling with her. And he had just retired from live performances – a retirement that ended just over two years later.

Four songs were recorded on January 13th 1964, of which Wait By the Water is the best. The song was written by Darin, but is loosely based on a spiritual. This was a contemporary-sounding recording that, for some inexplicable reason, didn’t get much attention at the time.  The song is also yet another recording in which Bobby approaches the subject of death, with the lyrics being considerably darker than the pop production might suggest.  Bobby himself gives a fine, rocking, slightly bluesy performance, and the result was one of his best recordings for Capitol that was not in the swinging/big band mould.  This should certainly have been included on the 4CD Rhino boxed set in 1995.  An alternate take appeared on CD in the late 1980s on the Capitol Collectors Series album (it’s the alternate take linked to in this post).

Wait By the Water was originally issued as the B-side to the far less commercial The Things in This House, a parody of country music of the period. The single was released in August 1964, just after Bobby had re-signed with Capitol.  Cash Box said that Wait by the Water “is a hard-driving, shufflin’, chorus-backed hope for romance with a fine gospel-style backing,” and that The Things in this House “is a twangy…country-styled affair.”