Darondo Singing "Didn't I" For The First Time in 30 Years

Collectors from far and wide had been searching for Darondo but he was nowhere to be found. After searching for nearly four years and calling every Pulliam in California, Justin Torres and I received a phone call one morning. It was Darondo's son, letting us know that he had heard our message and that his father was willing to give an interview. We packed our bags and headed out. Two hours into the interview, we humbly asked him to sing Didn't I. The above video was Darondo's first time singing this legendary song in over twenty years. This interview would lead to his record deal with Ubiquity and the worlds rediscovery of his music. RIP Darondo. Your music will live on forever.
For more info feel free to contact me at [e-mail]

[@jonnyblic444]

"Nobody Is Gonna see this" ... Me sitting here in 2024 seeing this

[@sheilaalene2348]

I am the Angel Satan who is he singing tooo.. an afrikan the other day an angel standing in its own wake.... I informed its about content and intent he believes EVE never seas anyone's genuine seeds....hmmm I REVEL in it. Three Gods SET ABEL CAIN...H my lock n key.. OPEN DOOR SET on FOUR SETH on TWO LEGGED BEASTS.. its why snoopy sleeps say dog heaven I ain't GOD dogg it instead. SET IS CRUCIFIED LIKE LILITH CHRIST PLACED HER IN ME ARMS CHRISTMAS HE NOT BE> MISTER THOMAS TO ME...his wife in me head nice and beautiful to me LATIN PARKED HER SO I PARK IT HAVEALL ITS TRASH my dasughter reminds me to MY ANGEL WROTE SHE BE FATHER TO ME so humble said dad they gassed us all to death where us and this man i notzee.... LEFT RIGHT GOD ADORES YOU JESSE AND I ROTE RIGHT... JESSE OWENS WENT TO HIS GRAVE WITH HER UPON HIS HEART STILL ID MARRY GOD WOMAN HE BE.... the rift he uses one of my best friends (I WASA FEMALE CRUCIFIED ON ANIMAL LATIN FARMS I am a forever slave MY friend is not a God a humane being she is. i found the rift in a tweaker song.....I Was nuked i really saved everyone Christopher loves all of his scandanavian sisters the latins removed him and created ALBA BAPTISE thgrough crucifying and plant eve bombs one other humane human made besides me...i have not seen him since we threw a baseball around with his BLACK PANTHER SISter TRuth have a great day,,,, i was judged on my birthday it is Dday the 25th then again on my new birthday in front of my family and Gods

[@CrossOverNewz1318]

Every time I need a song to clear my head. It’s this one ❤

[@bennyjones2238]

268k views later

[@mr-goosebumpz]

Darondo was a very special man. My father and him had been child hood friends. I'll never forget the time he dropped me off in elementary school in the mid to late 70's in a cocaine white Rolls Royce for the 1st day of school. He even got out of the car and gave me the whole treatment. I was the talk of the school for the whole year. I will miss you "buddy". Save me a seat. I still want to sit front row so I can see you and my father play together again. And I hope that you guys bring the old band together. Now that was truly magical and unforgettable. Danny jr.

[@disposablecynic2367]

Whatever dude

[@bryanb1485]

Damn, kid.

[@killaskrilla5320]

Wow what an amazing story, truly magical. Thanks for sharing that God bless you and yourz. rest in power Darondo. #Salute

[@43Hills]

Was you father Danny Williams of musical energy?

[@mr-goosebumpz]

@@43Hills yes sir

[@carlesg0n]

"this is just for us, nobody's gonna see this" yeah sure lol

[@corybiggs4605]

If only he knew, I randomly came across this on a social media page and had to find this my god is this an incredible song

[@shewasunderwhelmed]

When he finds the riff it brought tears to my eyes. This man was incredibly talented, his whole discography is worth a listen, but this beautiful, distinct, painful song is certainly a standout. Thanks for sharing.

[@nickeyfynn3270]

yeah, finding the riff is magical

[@CaptainBuggyTheClown]

my jaw dropped when he did. Idk how to play a guitar but i kinda understand he was looking for the right notes.

[@bemusedobserver6476]

I don't sing nor play an instrument. But how I wish I could play...you may lose your voice but you never lose the feel of your instrument.

[@PaulGreen11]

"I tried my best just to be a man", that's what touches me.

[@santz5621]

I just find out he passed:(

[@gustavom8726]

what a humble guy, the song was his and still he was ashamed of not playing exactly as he used to

[@Mongo76]

It was like riding a bike. Once his body got back in the groove he went on auto pilot. It look like he was nervous because it's been so long he was out of practice until his body reminded him when the talent is in you....... It's in you. Just like the way you walk, the way you talk, the way you move.... It's a part of you. It was a part of him! I'm sure he forgot more than some people have ever even learned.

[@issahmerchant6143]

Insightful thanks

[@issahmerchant6143]

Btw 6143 I didn’t choose in my name

[@upabittoolate]

He looked and he found. Some old school cats might say, "I forgot more than you know". This is the embodiment

[@brokemylens1560]

"Nobody's gonna see this" Lol thank god I did Rest In Peace man💕

[@forwardlion2309]

This video is even more beautiful than the song itself. RIP Darondo - your music lives

[@harolddottin10]

This video is Fabled.

[@Yakamozari]

Agreed .

[@matthewjacquez9352]

I felt that energy at 1:21 when he caught the right chords. Amazing song, I love the power of music

[@donalddlugos6688]

Dude is a legend to me. And yes. Once he started. I cried

[@eddiewaudby6860]

Crying now mate

[@Ariel-qn5wc]

darondo you always be in our heart 1946 - 2013

[@samp5226]

Discovered this song for the first time ever yesterday... Been playing it over and over since then... Decided to see if he's still out there making music..... Guess I was too late... Rest in peace, soul brother!

[@B5s4]

SamP breaking bad?

[@TheIndogamer]

HONNE?

[@househead67]

it's so infectious.

[@Dogface1984]

found it today

[@louploup4593]

Same, but I discovered it today

[@alexanderditonio2670]

Shame that he wasn't very famous ! He's such a great singer! he deserved money and fame!!

[@oloolo1661]

he had a fuckton of money

[@ernestovasquez1380]

Yeah he was a pimp

[@VonDecken97]

Look like a rich pimp 😂

[@philgranito4043]

I knew Darondo when he lived in Hawaii. We sang, played guitar...made up songs. I say, "made up" songs...because we would just play a few chords and sing whatever came to mind.

[@wtmusic515]

interesting!

[@wtmusic515]

very lucky man! id love to know any single talented musician or used ot know

[@CasimirLeYeti]

hawaïan mushr... !

[@aleeec02]

@brokenupbeat wow please let me know how is going that. i need to watch that film

[@jboyle453519]

@brokenupbeat I wanna watch it

[@jasminegovindjs4453]

This is such a beautiful video… he was my Step Sisters dad.. she would always speak so highly of him, play his music with so much pride and loved him so much. His daughters are in heaven with him, singing and dancing!! Love you Uncle ❤ it so beautiful to see all the love and comments 🥺💫🫶🏾

[@naomihenry2760]

Wow. This literally made me cry. This is probably my favorite song in the world since... this whole year basically. I play it all the time and it brings a million feelings to the surface, but most of all comfort and peace, Seeing him play it and figure it out was beautiful. I want him to teach me!!

[@SlippingKnot]

such a humble man

[@MrColdwilliam]

2021. Just found this man. Incredible.

[@kooskansloos4834]

I got to know this song trough Breaking Bad. I absolutely love it. Been playing it ever since. It hits me in so many ways. Reminds me of my last relationship, which was an absolute total fuck, even though we loved each other and I did everything I could for her... Thanks Darondo, for this masterpiece from the heart. RIP.

[@Janjo64]

got the tab?

[@deejay8403]

I hear ya, Koos. Same with me and MY last relationship.

[@HeisenbergBreakingBad-yg8yo]

me too

[@sylvesteranderson6525]

This is how I found it🔥💯

[@terrycornett2812]

Exactly how I found the song breaking bad..... I'm hooked ❤️

[@nefrettitim]

Seriously...this was like watching a Man find the "G" SPOT...was truly magical/musical!...this is raw energy/genius in action...take notes.

[@killaskrilla5320]

WORD, truly amazing

[@deerose8123]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@ijustbevibin0425]

Wtf 😂😭😭

[@tensaren]

Nah son what LMAOO

[@Nikothemoneyking]

Beautiful.. RIP. The Earth is a bit dimmer, the Sky a bit brighter.. the world a better place having beheld the beauty and grace of one such a soul..

[@BuddyBoo123]

Goosebumps at 2:52

[@pradnildonde4701]

Michael Ryan i saw your comment and kept scrolling...and at 2:52 , dude even i had goosebumps !

[@copypastecopypaste]

This is just for us... well played

[@yourerightimwrong4567]

Did they wait to post this until his death?

[@yourerightimwrong4567]

Yeap, just looked it up. 3 days after his death.

[@GioBardZero]

Last week I saw a guitarist performing a technical piece, where I simply wasn't moved at all. He wasn't perfect and the wrong notes stuck out like nails on chalkboard, but he wasn't terrible either. In fact he had good technique and you could tell he's been playing 10+ years. Most of the notes he played were actually correct. Yet 30 seconds in I wanted it to stop. And then here is a man, hardly remembering how to play a beloved song he wrote over 30 years ago, stumbling through the changes but filled with so much life and genuine enjoyment for the music. He sings and soul comes through. The out of tune guitar and the occasional notes that didn't ring out fully didn't matter at all, as this man just grooved with the music and effectively made me feel groovy too. Even as he's interrupting himself, realizing that he doesn't remember all the changes, the energy is contagious and 100% musical. He fully embodies the feel of the original song, even if his fingers don't have the same dexterity they once did and even if his voice can't hit those high notes anymore. The fact that the technical guitarist I saw last week was making mistakes wasn't the issue. In fact, he could have been way sloppier and still given an incredible performance. But the problem with his performance was that the whole time he was playing, he was either miserable, out of it, or just not connected to the music. That 100% comes through, makes the right notes sound boring and the wrong notes like shrieks of a banshee. But if you have the right feel and know how to groove with the music, you could sing a song you half remember with not-so-ideal technique and still create something beautiful that hundreds of thousands of people will watch and love.

[@Ayo.Ajisafe]

Damn! The second time he sang it he changed the melody completely and it sounded great. R.I.P

[@Santinas]

It’s crazy how everything before 1:20 was fairly familiar but not appealing at all to the ear then a second after 1:20 it just magically sounded perfect again.

[@1658iain]

Sadly gone, but never to be forgotten! Thanks to Giles Peterson, Bonobo and Vince Gilligan (Breaking Bad) for ensuring that such delicate talent has been brought to a larger audience!

[@madman7923]

"this is just for us" - 100,000 views later -_-. very beautiful stuff.

[@zamrock19]

Still sounds magical!

[@larrydaniels5137]

Thank goodness for Shazam or I would have been searching forever for this song. I first heard this off of Breaking Bad. Love it

[@wickedmac100]

Tru storeyyyy

[@Offside-again]

Your tune is amazingly nice .. it doesn't matter if it was difficult to get it right after all the years. the good news THE TUNE ACTUALLY LIVED ALL YEARS AND MORE PEOPLE DICOVERING EVERYDAY . Love and respect from Sudan

[@716bobbiejo]

Just discovered Darondo recently. Brilliant funk. His songs all have that special feel and emotion of a truly great musician. They are so cool. I adore Luscious lady and my momma and my poppa. they embody everything I learned to love as a 1970 baby.Hope we meet "upstairs" someday.

[@ArcielLoyola]

Darondo sandstorm

[@Filmwithpurpose]

*OOF*

[@imjonathan6745]

tenenen tenenen tenenen tenenen tenenen

[@lewisgreenhalgh7546]

This is one of the most beautiful songs imaginable. We all thinking of that special someone when we hear it!

[@miamimilk]

2020 playing his music! Thanks KZbin, didn't find him because of breaking bad. The Wolf is my favorite song.

[@donalddlugos6688]

Let my.people go is what we all should be singing now a days.

[@lyndagrantmorales7880]

watching him play that live after so many years made cry. Wow, so very soulful. R.I.P., Darondo . Thank you, Justin And David, for finding him and sharing this with the world

[@WeirdBeach]

When he finds the right chord at 1:09.... And everything starts coming back....amazing

[@rodnjak1]

Lil Dicky gets my thanks for introducing me to this gem of a song and making me do a deep dive to find its creator..I'm LOVING Darondo's music ! And that video of him singing it for first time in 20 years just got my heart. Wow! Just wow!

[@grahamm5789]

bruh

[@kudabigshot4768]

Just discovered Darondo yesterday.... Eternally grateful2🙏🏾

[@sheenak3733]

He was playing it fine, even if he didn't know it. So beautiful.

[@samplecollection7599]

this guy's a legend

[@Filmwithpurpose]

*This is for us to “nerd” out to later* Rest In Peace 🙏🙌🕊

[@fatherfather2357]

Melissa waiting you’re here from high fidelity?

[@CaringlsCreepy]

Haha love seeing him re-discover his song.

[@dalesharpy9197]

Darondo ….. BIG LOVES DUDE!! ❤️

[@lyleburlingame2276]

I'm sitting here quarantined, I left San Francisco after 7 years to retreat to Minnesota in the early stages of the virus before shelter in place. 2 months later I am going stir crazy and missing San Francisco, I put this song on and started reading about Darondo, I had no idea he was even from SF, and about his residency at Club Bimbo's 365.. It really made me miss SF and I can't wait to go back, and hopefully be able to enjoy the live music scene again, I will never again take it for granted. RIP Darondo.

[@larrymorrison171]

Thanks, Breaking Bad. You made me find a treasure.

[@augurcybernaut4785]

Simple melody simple lyric simple licks

[@mattermote4761]

RIP king. This song is one of those songs that's almost perfect in every way, it's simple, but burrows deep. The emotion of the lyrics is a perfect match to those silky chords.

[@adonis.]

Fascinated every single time I watch this... legend. #adonistunes

[@garricknaguit1623]

I never knew the song but just recently. Such a beautiful song.

[@CrossOverNewz1318]

Just the first strings at the beginning pull you in completely

[@nyleaker]

Just found this, wonderful bit of video.

[@happyjoy4962]

He so adorable! 💚

[@Mikeypee67]

Absolutely brilliant beautiful rest in peace my brother.

[@jaymitch8640]

I've prob watched this 100 times over the years since I discovered darondo and then this video..and for the 101th time it still brought tears to my eyes when he slowly gets the tune right and starts singing..just imagine the joy he was feeling at that moment and at the end when he really gets it together and plays it for the first time in what 20 30 years it's truly beautiful..rip soul brother! Forever grateful for this song for getting me through some crap and inspiring me to see some beauty around ✌️

[@interpol007]

God bless Darondo

[@mattchu_stack]

I love this song. I love this man. I love this video

[@lerate1668]

Yeah mr White !

[@enricominto835]

This is maybe my favorite video on KZbin. To make a masterpiece and forget it, cause life goes on. Isn’t this the secret of art?

[@FittedHeat]

legend RIP

[@harolddottin10]

Darondos breaking out laughing the first time, he knows you guys were gonna do him in.

[@PreparingForSHTF]

This is just wonderful. Gent's thanks so very much for bringing us this candid unfiltered look at the man and his attempt to reach back to moments that defined him. I had such a fanboy grin on my face watching this. I was pulling for him all the way through the video. R.I.P. Darondo. You are truly missed.

[@leannasty]

I work with homeless/drug users and I feel that Darondo may have had some history with using in his past based on his speech and mannerisms. I could obviously be wrong, am I'm definitely not judging. If anything it makes his story even more sad. It's crazy to me that this song wasn't/isn't a mega hit and Darondo wasn't a superstar.I would so love to know more about his life. RIP

[@MrPunch-io6jo]

A PIMP for life. Smooth for the history books. Thank You for sharing.

[@bluntedout247]

I heard this song for the 1st time ever in June. Never knew it existed. I was born in 1970 and LOVE 70's soul music. This is one of my favorite songs and I wish I was down since day one...

[@vilecorrupt]

Beautiful

[@vilecorrupt]

Still here bb

[@timirichards8111]

Darondo Is my musician for 2019. when I heard didn't I. I got the remaining masterpieces this man is what soul is.

[@mutamanawad6095]

beautiful... i find myself singing didn't i alot. ppl say i hit the notes wrong, but thats only cz they dont the track.

[@bliss3174]

Darondo man we miss you

[@Hayyden]

I learned this song with him.

[@adewoleabioye8540]

So beautiful. A gentle soul who made real music in the world.

[@everett7903]

What a great way to remember this man.

[@BreakBeatStu]

this is magic... god bless!

[@musaibrahim5543]

Wow, when he sings I could hear the beautiful voice of a pure happy child

[@michaelramirez3143]

Gives me chills

[@juiceareevil9440]

I wish he could have finished it because this acustic version here is by far the best

[@tuvozmellama]

All heart, all soul - thank you, Darondo.

[@grandsmo23]

Life lesson … So many different feelings and emotions… Wonderful MUSIC 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🇸🇳

[@LS4830]

What a legend 👏👏👏

[@MaximilianoAedo]

I would've liked to see how Darondo himself reacted to the famous scene of Walt blowing up Ken's BMW. R.I.P. Darondo

[@ihittabusta]

Rest in Peace Unc... we miss you. This and "Let my people go" were my top favorites.

[@thefalsh]

thank you. that track is magic - so glad new generations have been able to hear and enjoy it.

[@tagtv]

Absolutely brilliant footage. Pure magic.

[@jgsnjayarathna3523]

love him!!!!

[@JojoJojo-qr5ye]

RIP you legend !

[@oogieboogiemf9014]

This song is like finding a love or losing one, especially during the guitar part I love darondo

[@upabittoolate]

Facts. Plus he's working on a what looks like a new guitar. Music is special but this is e-special.

[@Zapatillassucias]

estuvo mas de un minuto creando espectativa!! la sabia mejor que hace 30 años!

[@k.t.monteiro4233]

I feel blessed and highly favored for finding Darondo in his seasoned state...almost make me wanna go into talking about memories of the early 70s at the roller rink...that I never had.

[@JoshAbbott-Clark-qv9ve]

Love from the UK.

[@milkkkk5993]

Emotional 😻

[@SydneyInTheSky]

You never are gone man. Not even death can take away how you made people feel. From his music to the people in the comments who met him. Still talking about him and crying over this video years later. This is just beautiful and pure. 🧡

[@HappyEggProductions]

"This is just for us". I love seeing the video but were they cool with this being released? Just want to pay due respect to a great musician.

[@kamanuvidiluis3952]

It breaks my heart

[@streetlife20]

I found this wonderful man today for the first time! Listened to every song I could find on KZbin ❤️❤️❤️ amazing!!!

[@Rdax916]

Here listening to this very talented man sing this live!! Because of the movie # 4:24 Anyone but you. On Netflix.

[@interlaucha]

Piel de gallina!!!!....

[@shoppingdivami2011]

So sad. R.I.P. Mac Daddy. Thanks for the joy you've given and will continue to bless me with!!!!!!!

[@ricardopanameno402]

I just wanna say, I’m here because of spit spitta. Thanks spitta for showing me a legend.

[@WestfaliaStuff]

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is true Soul.