Darin was a very special and talented entertainer. He was a Grammy award winning singer ('Mack The Knife'), a respected member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ('Dream Lover', 'Splish Splash', 'If I Were A Carpenter') a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, a successful record producer, an Oscar nominated actor and a strong supporter of the American Heart Association. Bobby was married to actress Sandra Dee from 1960-1967. They had one son, Dodd, born in December 1961. As a result of complications from a rheumatic heart, Bobby's life was tragically cut short in 1973.
Darin's mother, Vanina Cassotto, had given birth to him when she was 16, and as a result, her parents raised Darin as though he were their son while Vanina was presented off as his elder sister. Darin did not learn the truth about his parentage until he was 32.
For more on Bobby Darin, watch "Beyond the Sea," in which Kevin Spacey portrays the entertainer.
Black Coffee
Bobby Darin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Haven't slept a wink
I walk the floor from nine to four
In between I drink
Black coffee
Love's a hand-me-down brew
Never know a Sunday
In this weekday rue
I'm talkin to the shadow
One o'clock till four
And Lord, how slow the moments go
And all I do is pour
Black coffee
Since the blues caught my eye
I'm hangin' out on Monday
My Sunday dreams to dry
Now man was born to go a lovin'
But was a woman born to weep and fret
And stay at home and tend her oven
And down her past regrets
In coffee and cigarettes
I'm moonin' all the mornin'
Moanin' all the night
And in between it's nicotine
And not much heart to fight
Black coffee
Feelin' low as the ground
It's drivin' me crazy
This thinkin' 'bout my baby
Might maybe come around
Come around
The song "Black Coffee" by Bobby Darin is a bluesy, melancholic tune that speaks of a broken heart and the despair that comes with it. The lyrics convey a sense of loneliness and desolation that is often associated with heartbreak. The singer of the song is feeling "mighty lonesome," unable to sleep and spends the night walking the floor and drinking black coffee. Love, for him, is a "hand-me-down brew," and he never knows a Sunday in this weekday rue. He is talking to shadows, passing slow hours, feeling the weight of his blues since the love caught his eye.
The song's lyrics touch on the power dynamics of relationships, with the lines, "Now man was born to go a-lovin' but was a woman born to weep and fret, and stay at home and tend her oven and down her past regrets." These lyrics suggest the societal expectations placed on men and women and the inevitable consequences that follow. The lyrics offer a brief window into the stereotype that a woman's place is in the home, tending to domestic duties, while the man pursues ambitions, including love.
In conclusion, "Black Coffee" is a blues song that reflects the harsh reality of heartbreak and the loneliness that accompanies it. The songs highlight the societal expectation placed on gender roles, often leading to regret and sorrow.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm feelin' mighty lonesome
I am experiencing extreme loneliness
Haven't slept a wink
I haven't been able to sleep at all
I walk the floor from nine to four
I have been pacing back and forth from 9 PM to 4 AM
In between I drink black coffee
During my pacing sessions, I drink black coffee to alleviate my restlessness
Love's a hand-me-down brew
Love is a commodity that has been passed down from others to me
Never know a Sunday in this weekday rue
I feel like every day is the same, there is no joy or break in routine
I'm talkin' to the shadow one o'clock till four
I am so lonely that I am having a conversation with my own shadow from 1 AM to 4 AM
And Lord, how slow the moments go
Time seems to be crawling by very slowly
And all I do is pour black coffee
I'm pouring myself another cup of black coffee, with nothing else to occupy myself
Since the blues caught my eye
Ever since I started feeling blue and sad
I'm hangin' out on Monday, my Sunday dreams to dry
I am feeling so down that I can't muster any enthusiasm for the new week
Now man was born to go a lovin'
Men were put on this earth to experience love
But was a woman born to weep and fret
Women were put on this earth to cry and worry
And stay at home and tend her oven
And to stay at home and worry about cooking instead of experiencing love
And down her past regrets in coffee and cigarettes
To dwell on past mistakes, with only coffee and cigarettes for comfort
I'm moonin' all the mornin', moanin' all the night
I am miserable and feeling sorry for myself day and night
And in between it's nicotine and not much heart to fight
I'm smoking cigarettes and feeling too drained of energy to put up any resistance
Black coffee feelin' low as the ground
I'm drinking black coffee and feeling incredibly low in spirits
It's drivin' me crazy, this thinkin' 'bout my baby
Thinking about my lost love is making me go crazy
Might maybe come around, come around
There is a chance that my lost love might come back to me someday
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Francis Joseph Burke, Paul Francis Webster
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Daniel
on Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home
One heck of a entertainer. A life cut way to soon. RIP Mr. Darin. Remember one thing he was one of the first Emmy winners, in the late 50s. When the emmys started.