Even more than the typical teen idol, James Darren's roots in authentic rock & roll were tenuous. Darren began recording for Colpix in the late '50s at the beginning of a screen career that saw him star in numerous films, most notably Gidget. Comfortable with standard show tune-like material, and not much of a singer, Darren was nonetheless marketed as a pop performer to his young female base. He ran off quite a few novelty-tinged hit singles in the early '60s, including "Goodbye Cruel World."