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.
I Wish I Were in Love Again
Bobby Darin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Quick toboggan when you reach the heights
I miss the kisses and I miss those bites
I wish I were in love again
Broken dates and the endless waits
Lovely loving with the hateful hates
Conversation with flying plates
No more care, no despair, I'm all there
You know I'd rather be punch drunk
Believe me sir, I much prefer
Classic battle between a him and a her
I dislike quiet and I wish I were
In love again, [Incomprehensible]
Furtive sigh, the blackened eye
The words, "I'm gonna love you 'til the day that I die"
The self deception that believes the lie
I wish that I were in love again
When love congeals, it soon reveals
The faint aroma of performing seals
Double crossing of a pair of heels
I wish that I were in love again
Hey, no more strain and I ain't feeling no pain
Today I'm sane but I would rather be punch drunk
Believe me sir, I much prefer
The classic battle of a him and a her
I can't stand quiet and I wish that I were
In love all over again
The lyrics of Bobby Darin's "I Wish I Were in Love Again" depict the singer's longing for the highs and lows of being in love despite the inevitable heartaches and complications that come with it. The first verse describes sleepless nights and fights, but also mentions missing the physical affection ("kisses and bites") that accompany being in love. The second verse brings up canceled plans and conflicted emotions, including both love and hate. The line "conversation with flying plates" implies that arguments have gotten so intense that household objects are thrown.
Later in the song, Darin acknowledges that love can be painful and deceptive ("furtive sigh, the blackened eye," "self deception that believes the lie"). Still, he concludes that despite these negative aspects, he would rather be in love than not. The line "when love congeals, it soon reveals the faint aroma of performing seals" suggests that love can become stagnant and predictable, but even that is preferable to not feeling anything at all.
Overall, "I Wish I Were in Love Again" is a bittersweet song that captures the rollercoaster of emotions that come with being in a relationship. It acknowledges that love can be messy and difficult, but ultimately concludes that it's worth the effort and pain.
Interesting Facts:
Line by Line Meaning
Sleepless nights, daily fights
I miss the intensity of a relationship and the heightened emotions that come with it, even those that cause sleepless nights and fights.
Quick toboggan when you reach the heights
The thrill and exhilaration of a new relationship is like riding a toboggan down a steep hill, but then it quickly descends and crashes.
I miss the kisses and I miss those bites
I long for the physical intimacy and passion that comes with love, both the tender and the passionate moments.
Broken dates and the endless waits
I miss the excitement of anticipation before a date, even if it sometimes leads to disappointment and waiting for something that may never happen.
Lovely loving with the hateful hates
The rollercoaster of emotions that come with a relationship are challenging, but they make the loving moments all the more meaningful.
Conversation with flying plates
Even the fights and disagreements are more interesting than the lack of passion and conflict in a stagnant relationship.
No more care, no despair, I'm all there
Although I've recovered from the pain of a failed relationship, I'm still missing the intensity and emotions it brought forth.
You know I'd rather be punch drunk
The emotional and physical pain of a tumultuous relationship is preferable to the lack of passion and excitement in a stagnant one.
Classic battle between a him and a her
The constant disagreements and arguments that come with a passionate relationship are more interesting and enjoyable than a relationship without them.
I dislike quiet and I wish I were
I crave the emotions and conversation that come with a relationship, even if it means experiencing the difficult moments.
In love again
I wish to feel the emotions and intensity of a new relationship again, despite the challenges it brings.
Furtive sigh, the blackened eye
The moments of passion and physical pain that come with a turbulent relationship are preferable to the lack of passion and excitement in a stagnant one.
The words, "I'm gonna love you 'til the day that I die"
The promise of forever love, even if it may not last, is preferable to the lack of passion and excitement in a stagnant relationship.
The self deception that believes the lie
Even if we know the relationship may not last, the hope and excitement it brings is preferable to the lackluster emotions of a stagnant one.
When love congeals, it soon reveals
Stagnant love soon reveals itself as such, leading to boredom and lack of passion.
The faint aroma of performing seals
The boredom and predictability of a stagnant relationship is as exciting as the faint smell of a circus or zoo, but only for a brief moment.
Double crossing of a pair of heels
The drama and betrayal that may come with a turbulent relationship is preferable to the lack of passion and excitement in a stagnant one.
Hey, no more strain and I ain't feeling no pain
Although I've recovered from the pain of a failed relationship, I still miss the emotions and intensity it brought forth.
Today I'm sane but I would rather be punch drunk
The intense emotions and passion that come with a turbulent relationship are preferable to the stability and predictability of a stagnant one, even if they cause pain.
Believe me sir, I much prefer
I know the challenges and pain that come with a passionate relationship, but I still prefer them to the lack of passion and excitement in a stagnant one.
In love all over again
I wish to experience the emotions and intensity of a new relationship once again, even with the challenges it may bring.
Contributed by Layla A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
hategreed1
The GREATEST live performer of all time. THANK YOU for uploading this, C Ying Ho.
EDITH SYMMANS
Totally classic Bobby Darin with the wonderful Count Basie Band looks like in the back of him.... This is exceptional, as always Bobby really knew how to tell the story in song always drawing you the picture using his expressions and movments adding to the entire picture.... Bobby's cheeky smile and killer eyes just made all females go totally weak at the knees no mater the age.... I have never known any other entertainer who held such enormous presence on stage, in front of a camera or in person that Bobby Darin has.... Bobby the master genius with multi-talents who far out shone all others in the business, leaving them all in his wake.... This is a total master piece and I never get bored listening to Bobby Darin, if you listen to his songs not one of them is ever sung the same, always a little different, BRILLIANT... Bobby was the first to remix his songs...
Thanks for posting this gem, totally awesome stuff.... RIP BOBBY DARIN XO XO
Steve Smith
Bobby Darin with the Count Basie Orchestra backing him up on a Rodgers & Hart classic. 20th Century classical music!
Marilyn Michaels
a great performer... great!!!!!
Ruby Calampiano
PERFECT!!!
Diana Rolph
Perfection!
truthseeker
LOVE Bobby Darin!!
Kathleen Cerone
Look at the smile on the count's face...diggin it ! K.C.
ImpersonationFilms
Sinatra could never do this. No body was more talented than Bobby Darin.
Wout Thielemans
Sinatra could do this. But Bobby Darin had a broader range of talent (could dance, played several instruments and composed, plus fluent in more genres though personally I'd have preferred it if he stuck to the Great American Songbook).