The Tragic True Story Behind "The Way I Want to Touch You" 

"I think he loved me in his own weird way." ~Toni Tennille

For Toni to be by his side when he was dying says it all. She loved that man!

According to her memoir, shortly after the divorce is when Daryl's health began to take a downturn, and he went into the hands of caregivers who apparently did a very poor job. Toni stepped in. She moved back to their home in Prescott, AZ snd handled things right up to his final trip to hospital. For all intents and purposes, they were DINO - divorced in nae only. So in the end, love DID keep them together.

How could anybody who listened to this song think or say it had something to do with sex?? Thank you Toni for such a loving, uplifting song & melody. Beautiful 🌈 🎶 💎

Its really a sad story for him and her. What ever was his issue may he RIP and feel the LOVE of GOD for eternity. Thank You both for the music

My take on this is that Toni Tennille fell hopelessly, madly, desperately in love with a brilliant and talented man. Daryl loved Toni too in his own weird way. But Toni couldn't accept the weirdness. As much as she loved him, she couldn't accept Daryl as he was. She had to try to bring him "into the light" and "fix" things. That only resulted in 42 years of trying to get a leopard to change its spots. It wasn't going to happen.

The Captain seemed like a nice person. Though as far as appreciating Toni's singing to him with those seductive, complementary lyrics, he seemed to be lacking in feeling. It almost seemed like he was staring off into space, instead of falling for the song bird. After the divorce, he did mention that she had a beautiful voice. So, at least he appreciated her as a singer...

Some parents are so destructive to their children it is a wonder some children grow up like Daryl or worse where they keep to themselves and won't get involved with the opposite sex. Sad to learn the truth of Daryl's childhood.

I work with kids on the spectrum....this makes me sad, because if he was on the spectrum it would explain his feelings about being touched and may explain why he was unavailable emotionally. My boyfriend's dad is and he is very capable of love he just needs some help to be reminded to reach out. Doesn't mean he doesn't want to, they probably wouldn't initiate touch because sometimes it bothers them.

I had this song on my head today cause i love this song so much since I was a kid; however, finding out today the other side of the story made go and looked all of their pictures etc...and I realized that either her husband suffered some type of disorder or trauma cause he did not even smile at all! She always looked like a sunshine, but when you look at him he seems very sad!

lot of sadness in this, she definitely loved him and i thank them both for wonderful music for years, Love you Toni and you are a diamond for sure !

I remembered The Way...and her backup vocals from forty years ago and looked up the song. Disco era gem, but possibly the most beautifully composed and performed piece of music in pop history.

Love 💓 did keep them together.she was by his side when he died and had nothing but beautiful things to say about him.This is Love.

You never know what's going on inside someone, they seemed to be happy, how wrong I was. Thank you for sharing this story. ❤❤

There is no emotional response from a person on the autism spectrum. Their brains are wired differently especially around the amygdala, I fell deeply in love with a man just like Toni.She loved her man but he could not love her .The words in this song says what we feel ,but it's to no avail and it HURTS.BEAUTIFUL SONG.

Great information in this video, but I think there’s clarity when you reflect on Tony’s book. I’m nearly finished with the book. The reason that I was drawn to the book, which is a really fantastic autobiography which you can listen to Toni narrate herself, an added bonus, the reason I was drawn to the book beyond my interest in music is that Toni was trapped in a narcissistic relationship. Daryl dragon was a narcissist. Of that I have no doubt. As far as autism is concerned, I don’t believe it. Let’s look at a few things about narcissists: they like to control things, especially their spouse, who as Tony admits in the book treats them like an object that they own. Tony discussed this when she mentioned appearance on the love boat. Daryl was very upset that Tony was called to kiss her costar during her performance. Why would Daryl be upset about something that he was never willing to do to Tony himself? Daryl could care less about affection: for narcissists it’s all about control, not affection. When you read the book you will see that Daryl was very controlling in every aspect of his life, he was only interested in things that would benefit him directly according to Toni. I could go on and on about his narcissism, people would do well to investigate narcissism on RU-vid there are many doctors and specialists and coaches who mostly agree about the signs of narcissism and the fact that it is incurable for most. And now, just look at Tony, she really looks like a person who feels for others. She really has a lot of love to offer. She would probably offer it to strangers, listening to them and caring about them because of her big heart. Unfortunately, these people like Toni called empaths and can end up being romantically involved with narcissists. The narcissist will get their supply from empaths in an almost vampiric way. Tony was trapped. She was trapped by her own belief in the power of love. Unfortunately, there are some people in this world called narcissists, and your love will never stop them from being narcissists. You can never love them enough. You can never get through to them. You can never connect with them. If you feel that you do connect with them, it is only in your hopes and dreams and not in reality at all. That’s why her book is so important, because her marriage was a textbook case of a narcissistic relationship. There is no way that a normal person or an empathic person will ever be satisfied in a narcissistic relationship. The reason why is because the love only goes one way and it’s never returned. I’m looking forward to finishing Tony’s book. She is a great lady, a great singer, and a very decent woman. Her ex-husband didn’t ask to become a narcissist, but I don’t really feel sorry for him, because he didn’t have a real self, a self that could feel loneliness and heartache like his beautiful wife. God bless you all for reading this, and spread the word about narcissism. Protect yourself. Do not get involved or married to a person that has no empathy.

In regard to the father son abuse… This reminds me of how the males in some species will destroy their own offspring for fear of competition. I watched a family member grow up in the shadow of his own father… he drank himself to death by the age of 45. It is hard to love someone when you don’t know how to love yourself.

This was always my favorite song by C&T! So lovely! Such lovely sentiments!

Love did keep them together. They did love each other in their own ways and she ended up staying by his side because she really did love him.

Toni I think that somewhere deep inside he knew that he was loved by you. You are a beautiful soul.

I can relate to Toni.

My favorite was The way I want to touch you🎶🎶🎵🎤 Beautiful ❤️ Classic

I think that Darryl didn't really like himself and was more into the music than her. If he would have agreed to therapy, he could have given her a better life. Toni could only do so much, and it must have been a challenge to endure the constant struggles. I must give Toni credit for how well she adapted to the divorce and even took care of him to the end.

This was so beautiful . I always loved their music. Thank u for posting. And God bless u

This song is in my top 50 of all time...

Thank you for that story. Unfortunately, I understand it. She is lovely.

She was his ray of sunshine.

I'm sorry to hear that Toni. It was very very hard for you.

My favorite 😍 song by C&T!

Wow! Thanks for sharing this.

Sounds like a very lonely marriage for Toni, and I am sorry for this ...she is such a lovely person, love her voice.

You could see it on the album covers Daryl didn't look too impressed.

Wow😢😢

Thank you for this take....

You can always tell an abused person by their eyes. There is a very deep pain there that comes through. Daily torture from a bad father damaged him and made him afraid of physical affection. I kind of get that. He was very talented, and she was too.

How so very sad!

The execs that banned The Way I Want to Touch You would flip if they saw a Cardi B video. LOL!

It's kind of sad, but life is not fair to anyone. So cheer up everyone.

39 years of marriage was a good effort for a showbiz couple, I could always relate to this song, I never wanted to touch a man either.

I understand the way she felt ✌🏻✌🏻✌🏻💯😢

Daryl The Captain, may not have been in his right mind to love Toni back the way she needed, but the feelings were there. He just couldn't express them the way she needed him to.

Thought provoking, thank you!

Sounds like the fella suffered a lot in early life. If she could only understand what that does to some people, it locks you up inside and keeps everything else out!

Why she stayed is a mystery.

Poor Toni

Their Best song ! IMO

Beautiful example of living up to the marriage vows. I have loved this music ALL my life. Here are two Audiobooks that might interest you, "The Prince" by Niccolo Machiavelli... celebrating Chiron the Asclepian Spirit of Psychiatry & "The Two Babylons by Alexander Hislop celebrating the vindication of TRUTH.

I had no idea Carmen Dragon, the composer of the 1956 Invasion Of The Body Snatchers was a child abuser!

After people dies they feel they have the right to talk about him like that !

ok Monorail - That is most fantastic name. Also - great vid. I subbed.

Sad. That is true that, based on my limited knowledge of the subject, people who are on the autistic spectrum have no desire for sex. I had a friend like that who had no interest in sex, and seemed to be asexual. So either the captain was homosexual or on that autistic spectrum. He did seem to have a dampened affect when he played the keys, which is strange for a musician, possibly indicating that he was on that spectrum.

Not to be mean at all. I always found Darryl a bit "Odd". Not in a bad way, kind of like he was troubled? I guess after seeing this video, I may have been right - he had an awful childhood, which ids not his fault... I think he did love her, but some men just have a hard or different way of showing their affection? He was maybe the strong silent type? ...The song is lovely.

*Monorail Beyond the Veil** music add spices in life ! thank u so much

From my understanding , Darryl came from a dysfunctional family. I think that contributed to his aloofness ,somewhat distant attitude. As far as this song goes ,I think Toni should have approached him in a more direct way if she wanted to express how she felt toward him. Writing a song and collaborating with your significant other on it ? Of course he wouldn't easily figure out it was about him

Have always loved hearing this song. Strangely, I imagine Paul Michael Glaser's face every time! Crazy right?

Wow, talk about opposites attracting!

no surprise

I get he was narcissistic and sounds like he was also on the autistic spectrum. Many artists unknowingly are. Maybe she saw him as a challenge and I think she was also deranged by the overpowering and intoxicating effects of love and empathy. I love her singing which came from her big heart and passion for music…. but every form of addiction is bad, no matter whether the narcotic is alcohol, morphine, love, or idealism. I’m hearing a lot of “poor little Toni!” but it always takes two to tango. I have gotten away from the “poor little me, them, her, him” delusion. You wake up when you stop pretending you’re not god. In the meantime you’re just playing the silly little game of “Oh I’m just poor little me! That’s god’s humble grand game being played!😉 Peace out.

Wonder what she meant by "Do That To Me One More Time" then.

Interesting info-- but of course, listening to the lyrics of the song- you automatically assume it's about sex