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Wit & Attitude Quote by Bobby Darin

"Any fool knows that bravado is always a cover-up for insecurity. That's the truth. And on that note, I'll say goodnight. God love you"

About this Quote

Bravado, in Bobby Darin's mouth, isn’t a personality trait - it’s stagecraft with a bruise underneath. He frames the insight as something "any fool knows", a sly reversal that flatters the audience while also cutting through the macho myth: the loudest guy in the room is often the most scared. Darin is calling out a classic performance of masculinity, but he’s also implicating himself. Coming from a musician whose career depended on swagger - from nightclub cool to pop-heartthrob confidence - the line reads like a crack in the spotlight, a confession delivered with a grin.

The rhythm matters: blunt diagnosis ("cover-up for insecurity"), then the hammer-drop ("That's the truth"), then a showman’s exit line ("And on that note..."). He turns vulnerability into a closing bit, using the etiquette of entertainment to cushion what would otherwise be too intimate. It’s a performer’s trick: say something painfully real, then move the room along before anyone can stare too hard. The sign-off, "God love you", lands as both benediction and escape hatch - affection that keeps the audience close while protecting the speaker from follow-up.

Contextually, Darin came up in an era that rewarded polish and punished fragility, especially for men selling charisma as a product. The quote works because it exposes the machinery of confidence while still operating it, letting the audience feel like they’ve been let in on the secret without stopping the show.

Quote Details

TopicConfidence
SourceHelp us find the source
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Citation Formats

APA Style (7th ed.)
Darin, Bobby. (2026, January 17). Any fool knows that bravado is always a cover-up for insecurity. That's the truth. And on that note, I'll say goodnight. God love you. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/any-fool-knows-that-bravado-is-always-a-cover-up-39663/

Chicago Style
Darin, Bobby. "Any fool knows that bravado is always a cover-up for insecurity. That's the truth. And on that note, I'll say goodnight. God love you." FixQuotes. January 17, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/any-fool-knows-that-bravado-is-always-a-cover-up-39663/.

MLA Style (9th ed.)
"Any fool knows that bravado is always a cover-up for insecurity. That's the truth. And on that note, I'll say goodnight. God love you." FixQuotes, 17 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/any-fool-knows-that-bravado-is-always-a-cover-up-39663/. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.

More Quotes by Bobby Add to List
Bobby Darin on Bravado and Insecurity
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About the Author

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Bobby Darin (May 14, 1936 - December 20, 1973) was a Musician from USA.

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