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.
Pete Kelly's Blues
Bobby Darin Lyrics
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There are bad things, the blues
When they threaten
Start betting you'll lose
You hide yourself behind a prayer
The blues'll come and they'll find you there
I mean the blues, they call Pete Kelly's Blues
There's no exit
You can try the blues
If you're born with,
You will die with the blues
Think what you choose
That happy dream is yours they say
If you can pay the dues
That's why I'm stuck with,
Fresh outta luck with the blues
There's no exit
None you can try with the blues
See if you're born with,
You gotta die with the blues
Think what you choose
That happy dream is yours they say
If you can pay the dues
That's why I'm stuck with,
So outta luck wit the blues
Some call em Pete Kelly's Blues
You can em anything you choose
I call them blues
The lyrics to "Pete Kelly's Blues" by Bobby Darin convey a sense of helplessness and inevitability in the face of the blues. The blues, in this context, are a metaphor for the sorrows and difficulties of life that one cannot escape no matter how hard they try. The opening lines acknowledge that there are sad and bad things in the world, and once the blues begin to affect a person, they are likely to be defeated. The idea of "betting" against the blues is futile because they will inevitably win.
The second half of the lyrics suggest that no one can escape the blues because they are an inescapable part of life. The imagery of hiding behind a prayer suggests that even turning to religion cannot protect one from the blues. The final lines of the song suggest that one can choose to dream of happiness, but only if they are willing to pay the price. And for the singer, he feels "stuck" and "outta luck" with the blues.
In the final stanza, the song references "Pete Kelly's Blues" specifically. Pete Kelly was a jazz musician and bandleader who appeared in a film of the same name in 1955. The inclusion of Pete Kelly in the song may have been a nod to the important role that jazz music played in the African American community, especially during the era of segregation and discrimination.
Line by Line Meaning
There are sad things
There are times in life when we feel sadness
There are bad things, the blues
There are things that cause us to feel down like the blues
When they threaten
When we feel threatened by the blues
Start betting you'll lose
It's likely we'll fail when we're troubled by the blues
You hide yourself behind a prayer
Sometimes, we turn to prayer to conceal our pain
The blues'll come and they'll find you there
However, the blues will find us despite our prayers
I mean the blues, they call Pete Kelly's Blues
These feelings are commonly known as Pete Kelly's Blues
There's no exit
There's no escape
You can try the blues
We can try to resist the blues
If you're born with,
If you're naturally inclined to it
You will die with the blues
You'll likely struggle with the blues for your entire life
Think what you choose
Our thoughts determine how we feel about the blues
That happy dream is yours they say
We're told that we can achieve happiness if we work hard for it
If you can pay the dues
But success requires payment or sacrifice
That's why I'm stuck with,
That's why I'm burdened by
Fresh outta luck with the blues
With no luck to spare when it comes to the blues
None you can try with the blues
There's no way out when it comes to the blues
See if you're born with,
If you're naturally predisposed to it
You gotta die with the blues
You're likely to struggle with the blues for as long as you live
That happy dream is yours they say
We're told that we can achieve happiness if we work hard for it
If you can pay the dues
But success requires some degree of sacrifice or payment
That's why I'm stuck with,
That's why I'm overwhelmed by
So outta luck wit the blues
So devoid of luck when it comes to the blues
Some call em Pete Kelly's Blues
Some refer to these feelings as Pete Kelly's Blues
You can em anything you choose
We can give these feelings any name we like
I call them blues
But I simply call them the blues
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SAMMY CAHN, RAY HEINDORF
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.