Why Captain Daryl Dragon Didn&apos;t Love Tony Tenille

Transcript

00:00Well, like I say, it was love on my part, and I wrote, you know, songs like The Way

00:06I Want to Touch You about how I felt for Daryl.

00:10I wrote Do That to Me One More Time about how I felt for Daryl.

00:14But the funny thing was, later on he told me he never paid any attention to lyrics,

00:18so he didn't know what I was saying.

00:22He was strictly a music man, strictly a music man, and brilliant at it, I must say.

00:27In the years following their divorce, Toni maintained contact with Daryl, showing the

00:31complex nature of their relationship even after its end.

00:35Their continued connection spoke to the deep bond they shared, even if it wasn't the

00:40romantic one Toni had hoped for.

00:42He knew.

00:43He just didn't think I would do it.

00:47And I'm not sure really how devastated he was, because, you know, he's fine now.

00:53I talk to him about every week or ten days, and he has people that are doing the things

00:58for him that I used to do, and he seems happy.

01:02I know that seems odd.

01:03Well, he's not ever happy, but he seems fine.

01:06This bittersweet postscript to their marriage reveals much about both their relationship

01:11and Daryl's nature.

01:12Even after their separation, Toni continued to care about his welfare, maintaining the

01:17role of caretaker she had assumed throughout their marriage, albeit from a distance.

01:22The distinction she makes about him not being happy but being fine speaks volumes about

01:27her deep understanding of his character and her acceptance of who he fundamentally is.

01:33Today, looking back on their 39-year marriage, Toni finds a measure of peace.

01:37No, I don't.

01:39And the happiness was the joy of the music.

01:43And like I say, that was the one thing that Daryl and I had together that was wonderful.

01:48In other words, I knew that he thought I was a great singer, and he thought I was a

01:54wonderful songwriter, and that was how I could win his approval, even though I could never

01:59get the romantic love that I wanted from him because he simply couldn't do it.

02:04But I knew how much he respected my talent and my abilities, and that was enough to go

02:09on for a while.