Two Of A Kind
Bobby Darin & Johnny Mercer with Billy May & His Orchestra Lyrics
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For your information
We're two of a kind
Two of a kind
It's my observation
We're two of a kind
And birds of a feather
Alone or together you'll find
That we are two of a kind
What's so wrong thinkin' life is a song and reachin' for a star
And who's to say if we'll go the whole way - at least we got this far
Sharin' our lot, our vittles and viands, we're two of an ilk
Say, what if we've got rare Chateaubriands or crackers and milk
Makin' it plain
Explainin' it fully
We're simila-la-larly inclined
Because we're two of a kind
Two of a kind
When he's out of rhythm, I'm singin' off key
(I never heard ya do that, John)
Say, never you mind, cause I'm stickin' with 'im, to C above C
(He's-a for me)
Oh, need we explain
When he warbles sweetly, I'm flat and completely behind
Because we're two of a kind
I get kicks when I meet the cute chicks who hang around this lad
And especially when they whisper to me, "Hey, honey, who's your dad?"
Two of a sort
Like two pomegranates from off the same tree
I'm with ya sport, whatever you plan it's-a goes double with me
(It's-a goes double with you, huh?) (Yeah!)
Yeah, I got a terrible thought
Most frightfully upsetting
And yet we are getting resigned
To being two of a kind
We're two of a kind
We like workin' single
Or workin' in twos
Keep us in mind, give us a jingle, we've got taps on our shoes
(We'll dance!)
We're both of us like, the Tower of Pisa
I'm-a lean-a like he's-a inclined
Because we're two of a kind
Because we're
Two of a kind
The song "Two of a Kind" by Bobby Darin, Johnny Mercer, and Billy May & His Orchestra is a lighthearted declaration of friendship and camaraderie. The lyrics play with the acknowledgement of the similarities between the two men singing, with lines like "Like peas in a pod / And birds of a feather" and "Sharin' our lot, our vittles and viands, we're two of an ilk." They poke fun at each other's flaws, with the line "When he's out of rhythm, I'm singin' off key."
The lyrics are ultimately a celebration of their bond, with lines like "Say, what if we've got rare Chateaubriands or crackers and milk" and "Keep us in mind, give us a jingle, we've got taps on our shoes (We'll dance!)." The song suggests that life is better when you have someone to share it with, and that no matter what comes their way, they'll be sticking together.
Overall, the song is a fun, upbeat tribute to friendship and the joy of companionship. It offers a positive message that emphasizes the power of having someone to rely on and share life's ups and downs with.
Line by Line Meaning
Two of a kind
Both of us are very similar
For your information
Letting you know
We're two of a kind
We have a lot in common
It's my observation
In my opinion
Like peas in a pod
Very similar
And birds of a feather
People who have similar personalities
Alone or together you'll find
Whether alone or together, you will see
That we are two of a kind
That we have many things in common
What's so wrong thinkin' life is a song and reachin' for a star
What's wrong with having dreams and aspirations?
And who's to say if we'll go the whole way - at least we got this far
We may not achieve all our dreams, but we have already accomplished a lot
Sharin' our lot, our vittles and viands, we're two of an ilk
We share everything, we are very similar
Say, what if we've got rare Chateaubriands or crackers and milk
We don't mind what we have, we can share anything
Makin' it plain
Making it clear
Explainin' it fully
Explaining it in detail
We're simila-la-larly inclined
We have similar interests and attitudes
Because we're two of a kind
Because we are very similar
When he's out of rhythm, I'm singin' off key
When he is not doing well, I am not doing well either
(I never heard ya do that, John)
(I have never heard you sing off key, John)
Say, never you mind, cause I'm stickin' with 'im, to C above C
I don't care, I will always support him, no matter what
(He's-a for me)
(He is the right one for me)
Oh, need we explain
Do we have to explain
When he warbles sweetly, I'm flat and completely behind
When he sings well, I am not doing well
Because we're two of a kind
Because we are very similar
I get kicks when I meet the cute chicks who hang around this lad
I enjoy meeting the girls who are around him
And especially when they whisper to me, "Hey, honey, who's your dad?"
And especially when they ask me about him
Two of a sort
We are very similar
Like two pomegranates from off the same tree
Very close friends
I'm with ya sport, whatever you plan it's-a goes double with me
I am with you, no matter what
(It's-a goes double with you, huh?) (Yeah!)
(You feel the same way, right?) (Yes!)
Yeah, I got a terrible thought
I had a bad idea
Most frightfully upsetting
Very scary
And yet we are getting resigned
We are starting to accept it
To being two of a kind
To being very similar
We're two of a kind
We are very similar
We like workin' single
We can work alone
Or workin' in twos
Or we can work together
Keep us in mind, give us a jingle, we've got taps on our shoes
Contact us anytime, we are ready to perform
(We'll dance!)
(We love to dance!)
We're both of us like, the Tower of Pisa
We are very similar
I'm-a lean-a like he's-a inclined
I lean towards him, we have similar opinions
Because we're two of a kind
Because we are very similar
Contributed by Nicholas R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@DrJonesJazzMore
0:00 Two Of A Kind (A)
0:50 Indiana
3:31 Bob White
7:08 Ace In The Hole
10:21 East Of The Rockies
13:10 If I Had My Druthers
17:09 I Ain't Gonna Give Nobody None Of My Jellyroll
18:58 Lonesome Polecat
22:26 My Cutey's Due At Two-To-Two Today
24:49 Medley - Paddlin' Madelin Home / Row Row Row
26:46 Who Takes Care Of The Caretaker's Daughter
29:57 Mississippi Mud
32:10 Two Of A Kind (B)
@gordonmorris6359
Thanks for posting this wonderful stuff (and the list of musicians), I'm an old fan of Bobby Darrin (multi-instrumentalist/composer/singer/actor/impressionist, whose untimely tragic end occurred when I was teen and fan, his Sing a Song of Freedom captured the minds of that generation as a rallying cry after his hit with If I Was a Carpenter demonstrated his versatility when he was known as a 'crooner' with hits like Mack the Knife and Beyond the Sea, Splish Splash, etc.) and Johnny Mercer (I have his song book, and always thought of him as a superbly delightful lyricist, having discovered him through seeing his credits on so many great songs, particularly some he wrote for Betty Hutton, and for the immortal musical Lil' Abner), but I've never heard Johnny Mercer SING !! This is GOLD to me ! Incidentally, I've never heard the jazz rendition of Mississippi Mud either !
@user-eo9ie7zn9p
Johnny Mercer BD.❤❤❤❤Dumb Joanie.
@zander1020
i bet these two would be good to see live,a natural stand up musical
comedy duo.
@miraclebigevent142
A classic LP, performances, musicianship and some lesser known parts of the American Songbook. And the damned banter between them... damn wonderful.
@americandancebands814
Thanks so much for posting. I owned an original copy of the LP when it was first released. Besides the great vocal shenanigans, consider the backing band. The personnel list reads like a dance band hall of fame. And Billy May on piano is a surprise! He started in the late 1930s as a trombonist with Baron Elliot's Pittsburgh-based band, then shows up in Barnet's and Miller's trumpet section! The whole production glows with genius.
@DrJonesJazzMore
Yes! Even George Van Eps on rythm guitar, a legend!
@DeepHouseLovers-keepitdeep.
Geniales gracias suena de miedo.