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.
Here I'll Stay
Bobby Darin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Billy pulls into town.
Thunder rolled and the lightnin' bolts
Come crashin' to the ground
Cold as ice, hard as stone
As he walks into the room,
With another man who was feelin' the same way
All hell's breakin' loose
Bang bang, shoot'em up
Bang bang, blow you away
It's a showdown, in a no-man's land
For the cowboy of the modern day.
Come on, sundown, don't be hangin' 'round,
'Cause the cowboy will blow you away
Al Capone and A Bad Boy Jones
On the wrong side of the law.
Johnny D and his company,
Always first to the draw.
Gangster lean, feelin' so mean,
Tryin' to take more than their share.
'Cause all they saw was ruling it all.
The seed of blood was in the air.
Bang bang, shoot'em up.
Bang bang, blow you away.
It's a showdown, in a no-man's land
For a cowboy of the modern day.
Come on, sundown, don't be hangin' 'round,
'Cause the cowboy will blow you away
Here we are and we've come this far,
But it's only getting worse.
The foreign lands with their terrorist demands,
Only 'cause the good to hurt.
The USA the USSR, with their six guns to their sides.
I see the message written on the wall,
Too much anger deep inside.
Bang bang, shoot'em up
Bang bang, blow you away.
It's a showdown, in a no-man's land
For the cowboy of the modern day.
Come on, sundown, don't be hangin' 'round,
'Cause the cowboy will blow you away
It's a showdown
Here I'll Stay is a song by Bobby Darin that seems to suggest the intense clash between two cowboys (the modern day) - possibly two men fighting over a woman or in a heated feud. The night is stormy with jet black skies, Billy walks into the room with another man who feels the same way as he does, Cold as ice, and hard as stone. The situation is tense, and the seed of blood is in the air. As they face off in a no-man's land, there is a bang bang, a shootout, and all hell breaks loose. The cowboy will take the law into his hands and blow you away in a deadly showdown.
The song's imagery conjures up classic Western films with its cowboys, showdowns, and shootings. But there is also an underlying reference to the cold war era that highlights the tension between two superpowers, the USA and the USSR, with their six guns at their sides. The message in the song is that the world is not as it should be, and there is far too much anger deep inside.
Line by Line Meaning
Stormy night under jet black skies
The setting for the impending conflict is tense and ominous, with a dark and foreboding atmosphere.
Billy pulls into town.
A stranger, identified by name only as 'Billy,' arrives in the town where the showdown will take place.
Thunder rolled and the lightnin' bolts
Come crashin' to the ground
The weather reflects the violent and explosive situation as thunder and lightning fill the air.
Cold as ice, hard as stone
As he walks into the room,
With another man who was feelin' the same way
All hell's breakin' loose
Billy and another man enter a room with a tense and dangerous atmosphere. The situation is on the verge of turning violent.
Bang bang, shoot'em up
Bang bang, blow you away
The sound of gunshots and the violence of the impending conflict are emphasized in the repeated refrain.
It's a showdown, in a no-man's land
For the cowboy of the modern day.
Come on, sundown, don't be hangin' 'round,
'Cause the cowboy will blow you away
The showdown is described as a conflict in a lawless place, with the cowboy archetype representing a modern-day version of the classic western gunslinger.
Al Capone and A Bad Boy Jones
On the wrong side of the law.
Johnny D and his company,
Always first to the draw.
In addition to the cowboy archetype, real and fictional gangsters are referenced, emphasizing the lawlessness and danger of the situation.
Gangster lean, feelin' so mean,
Tryin' to take more than their share.
'Cause all they saw was ruling it all.
The seed of blood was in the air.
The gangsters are depicted as ruthless and greedy, willing to resort to violence to achieve their goals and ruling by fear and intimidation. The impending conflict is painted as a result of this toxic environment.
Here we are and we've come this far,
But it's only getting worse.
The foreign lands with their terrorist demands,
Only 'cause the good to hurt.
The song shifts to a broader perspective, referencing global conflicts and acts of terrorism. The theme of violence and conflict as an inescapable part of life is explored further.
The USA the USSR, with their six guns to their sides.
I see the message written on the wall,
Too much anger deep inside.
The Cold War is invoked, with the two superpowers armed and ready for conflict. The message of the song is reinforced - that violence and conflict are pervasive and threaten to spiral out of control.
It's a showdown
The refrain, repeated throughout the song, serves as a warning and reminder that the conflict is inevitable and will involve violence.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Round Hill Music Big Loud Songs
Written by: JEFF KEITH, TOM SKEOCH, FRANK HANNON
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.