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.
Multiplication
Bobby Darin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Round a lady bee buzzin'
Just count to ten then count again
There's sure to be an even dozen
Multiplication
That's the name of the game
And each generation
Now, there was two butterflies
Castin' their eyes
Both in the same direction
You'd never guess that one little yes
Could start a butterfly collection
Multiplication
That's the name of the game
And each generation
They play the same
Let me tell ya now
I say one and one is five
You can call me a silly goat
But, ya take two minks add two winks
Ah, ya got one mink coat
When a girl gets coy in front of a boy
After three or four dances
You can just bet she'll play hard to get
To multiply her chances
Multiplication
That's the name of the game
And each generation
You know they play the same
Hear me talkin' to ya
Mother Nature's a clever girl
She relies on habit
Ya take two hares with no cares
Pretty soon you got a room full of rabbits
Parakeets in between tweets
Sometimes get too quiet
Uh oh but, have no fear
'Cause soon you'll hear
A parakeet's riot just try it
Multiplication
That's the name of the game
And every generation
You know they play the same
Yes, it's multiplication
That's the name of the game
And each generation
They play the same
The lyrics to Bobby Darin’s song Multiplication are an ode to the power of multiplication and how it manifests in the natural world, particularly in relationships between the opposite sex. The opening lyrics describe the playful courtship of bees, and how the male bee circles around the female bee, eventually leading to a dozen offspring. The chorus drives home the message, “Multiplication, that’s the name of the game, and each generation, they play the same.” Darin then describes the mating habits of butterflies, and how a single “yes” from one butterfly can lead to a “butterfly collection.”
Darin then uses playful and humorous examples to illustrate the power of multiplication, such as claiming that “one and one is five” and that “two minks add two winks, ah, ya got one mink coat.” He goes on to describe how women might coyly play hard-to-get in order to increase their chances of a successful relationship, and how Mother Nature relies on multiplication to increase the populations of hares and parakeets.
Overall, the song highlights the beauty and the power of multiplication both in the natural world and in human relationships, and uses fun and entertaining lyrics to do so.
Line by Line Meaning
When you see a gentleman bee
Round a lady bee buzzin'
Just count to ten then count again
There's sure to be an even dozen
If you see a male bee flying around a female bee, wait a little bit and then count to ten. Repeat the count, and you'll likely end up with twelve new bees in total.
Multiplication
That's the name of the game
And each generation
They play the same
The act of breeding and creating offspring is what keeps any species going, and every group of offspring repeats the process just like their parents did.
Now, there was two butterflies
Castin' their eyes
Both in the same direction
You'd never guess that one little yes
Could start a butterfly collection
Two butterflies took an interest in each other, and it only took one of them agreeing to breed for their offspring to start a new group of butterflies.
I say one and one is five
You can call me a silly goat
But, ya take two minks add two winks
Ah, ya got one mink coat
Adding two things together doesn't always make sense at face value. However, with the right combination, two pairs of minks, one male and one female, can produce the fur for a single coat.
When a girl gets coy in front of a boy
After three or four dances
You can just bet she'll play hard to get
To multiply her chances
If a girl acts shy in front of a boy and dances with him more than once, it's a sign that she wants to be chased. She's trying to increase the likelihood of having an offspring with the best suitor.
Mother Nature's a clever girl
She relies on habit
Ya take two hares with no cares
Pretty soon you got a room full of rabbits
Nature has a way of keeping itself alive by sticking to what works. Taking two rabbits with no predators and giving them a place to live will quickly result in more rabbits being born.
Parakeets in between tweets
Sometimes get too quiet
Uh oh but, have no fear
'Cause soon you'll hear
A parakeet's riot just try it
Sometimes even the birds singing in the background are waiting for their chance to breed. However, it's only a matter of time before the quiet is replaced by the racket of new offspring tweeting.
Multiplication
That's the name of the game
And every generation
You know they play the same
Breeding and having offspring is necessary for any species to survive, and each generation will continue the cycle just like their ancestors did before them.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOBBY DARIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Meenakshi Thakur
When you see a gentleman bee
Round a lady bee buzzin'
Just count to ten then count again
There's sure to be an even dozen
Multiplication
That's the name of the game
And each generation
They play the same
Now, there was two butterflies
Castin' their eyes
Both in the same direction
You'd never guess that one little yes
Could start a butterfly collection
Multiplication
That's the name of the game
And each generation
They play the same
Let me tell ya now
I say one and one is five
You can call me a silly goat
But, ya take two minks add two winks
Ah, ya got one mink coat
When a girl gets coy in front of a boy
After three or four dances
You can just bet she'll play hard to get
To multiply her chances
Multiplication
That's the name of the game
And each generation
You know they play the same
Hear me talkin' to ya
Mother Nature's a clever girl
She relies on habit
Ya take two hares with no cares
Pretty soon you got a room full of rabbits
Parakeets in between tweets
Sometimes get too quiet
Uh oh but, have no fear
'Cause soon you'll hear
A parakeet's riot just try it
Multiplication
That's the name of the game
And every generation
You know they play the same
Yes, it's multiplication
That's the name of the game
And each generation
They play the same
Meenakshi Thakur
When you see a gentleman bee
Round a lady bee buzzin'
Just count to ten then count again
There's sure to be an even dozen
Multiplication
That's the name of the game
And each generation
They play the same
Now, there was two butterflies
Castin' their eyes
Both in the same direction
You'd never guess that one little yes
Could start a butterfly collection
Multiplication
That's the name of the game
And each generation
They play the same
Let me tell ya now
I say one and one is five
You can call me a silly goat
But, ya take two minks add two winks
Ah, ya got one mink coat
When a girl gets coy in front of a boy
After three or four dances
You can just bet she'll play hard to get
To multiply her chances
Multiplication
That's the name of the game
And each generation
You know they play the same
Hear me talkin' to ya
Mother Nature's a clever girl
She relies on habit
Ya take two hares with no cares
Pretty soon you got a room full of rabbits
Parakeets in between tweets
Sometimes get too quiet
Uh oh but, have no fear
'Cause soon you'll hear
A parakeet's riot just try it
Multiplication
That's the name of the game
And every generation
You know they play the same
Yes, it's multiplication
That's the name of the game
And each generation
They play the same
Monica Salazar
Muchas gracias por traducirla al español.
marina del carmen peña tobar
LINDOS RECUERDOS, Y DESPUES DE TANTOS AÑOS VOLVERLOS A ESCUCHAR, ES UNA GRATA ALEGRIA.
David Harris
This record was No. 1 for six weeks in Brisbane, Australia in early 1962!
Tattyshoes Shigure
Great all time classic pop song... one of the very best!
Beverley Korte
Yes 👍 agree 👏👏👏👏💯😯
Joaquin Villalba
Esta canción se escuchaba muuuuuuuy seguido en casa de mis padres. Me ha encantado volverla a oír.....y hasta me he emocionado un poco, la verdad....
Sergio Paim
Certa vez no Cine Tamoio , em Lages SC. Um filme que não lembro , essa música marcou até hoje. Saudades . Praia grande sp 👏👏👏👏👏
Felipe Fontaine
tremenda cancion
Deborah Hall
Such a cute catchy song. It fit perfectly in the movie....love it.