Comments: 22

• Toomanychoices from GreaterlondonMy take on this song is that he isn't actually married yet to this woman, but, possibly the families have been expecting them to get married. He's happy to have proof that she does in fact love him, the way he loves her and that they are both looking forward to the wedding, something he wasn't sure she was committed to. He talks to her about how she doesn't need to hide the way she feels, but she's still quiet about her feelings. He reads more of the diary where it becomes obvious that she loves someone else and he decides to do the decent thing and let her go.
• Mick Kleber from AshevilleA man reads a passage in his wife's diary revealing "that she has found the love she waited for." Inferring she's written about him, the man is surprised because his wife never expresses these feelings. Stoked with unexpected gratitude, he muses hopefully of a blissful future with his wife, blessed with "all the sweet things we can find."
  
  As he reads on, the man realizes that the love his wife has waited for is someone else, not him. When questioned about the issue, she deflects; but the uncomfortable truth looms. While most might dive into their personal pain, he considers instead the woman now wedded to his wife's paramour. Is she -- like him -- doomed to the heartache of knowing she will never be her partner's one true love? And what of her husband? Has fate also sentenced him to yearn, forever unfulfilled, for his authentic soulmate?
  
  With unusual, compassionate grace, the singer wishes this wife (and ultimately her husband, as well) the same tempered destiny -- now ironically a bittersweet consolation -- that he pledged to his own spouse: "all the sweet things they can find." Sadly, each of them must accommodate different dimensions of their dead romantic dreams. This sensitively sophisticated shift in philosophical perspective endows "Diary" with unique emotional impact.
• Debb Hanoman from FloridaThis song appears to tell the story of a woman who has settled not for the man she wanted but for the man who wanted her. In the end he refers to her as "his" wife but earlier in the song he refers to her as "my" wife. The reference to "his" wife is obviously sarcasm after coming to grips with who she was really referring to in her diary. I get the impression that although set in the 1970s this woman was a modern day gold digger and he speak of her disconcerting air so she seems to have played on his emotions in an unsettling way.
  I suppose back in the 70s it was fashionable to keep a diary but that is all she did since purity and chastity was the order of the day so I think he was safe with her even though he was her second choice. Note the location of the diary --he found it under a tree wheich suggests that in her private space outside she was reflecting on the facts that she memorialized in that diary but obviously got so caught up and confused that she forgot it under the tree.
  Will somebody correct the lyrics ---it is DISCONCERTING air not DISCONCERNING.
• Kathryn from TexasLovely song!
• Seventh Mist from 7th Heaven Happily, this never happened to Mr. Gates. He has been married to his wife since 1959.
• The Mixter from BostonJudy S.....I relate to this song. I would marry you tomorrow. Before our first date....I told you I looked a bit like Clark Kent....so I called you Lois Lane.
  We dated for a year.....always wonderful. You married another guy....and moved to LOIS LANE in Lexington.....I always called you Lois Lane.
  I never stop thinking about how special you were.....I still love you Somes......and always hope he gave you the love you always deserved.....just as in the song.
  The Mixter
• Tim from Los Angles Absolutely the saddest song ever written
• Humberto Campos from Recife BrazilIt is a letter so easy of understanding. In the first part it is the euphoria of the mistake when the narrator thinks to be him in the girl's narrative daily
  in the second part it is the deception when the narrator understands that it IS NOT HIM the girl's love.
  Then he concludes that's both to be very happy in the marriage. Simple like this
• Seth B from Warwick at the end of the song the lyric 'i will wish for her his wife' can show how much he loved her and he just hoped they would be happy together, it also can show him letting her go.
• Labed from IndianaSeriously, how many guys have you met who could or would handle that situation in the same way...0. Love the song but I always thought it was unrealistic. Plus, I read he made the song up. Bread should be in the Rock Hall of Fame.
• Bob E from Richardson TxYes - the ending is completely surprising and selfless that shows how much he cares for the girl; so much so that he not only wishes all happiness for the girl that he lost but also for another guy that ends up marrying her. David Gates is a true poet !!
• Kenneth from PhilippinesI think the meaning of "I will wish for her his wife" is having the other guy call the girl "his wife"
  The singer, wishes for the girl to be called "his wife" by the guy he originally fell inlove with.
• Dan Olivero from Schaumburg, Il1974 Iroquois Jr. High Des Plaines, IL mandatory dancing at gym time. Could not tell you who I was dancing with but the gym teachers were playing a Bread album. Diary came on and for some reason I concentrated on the lyrics. It hit me like a punch. I fell in love with the emotional impact music can have. It has been a huge part of my life ever since, 42 years later and hopefully beyond. David Gates, what a guy. Love to meet him.
• Katie from Tucson, AzGilbert, the lyrics are: "And as I go through my life, I WILL WISH FOR HER HIS WIFE, all the sweet things she can find" There's no "he will give to her....." line.
  
  He's found she loves another man, so he's wishing for her to be happy with this other man. It's not about a lesbian couple.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn April 16th 1972, "Diary" by Bread entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #81; and on June 4th it peaked at #15 (for 2 weeks) and spent 11 weeks on the Top 100...
  Between 1970 and 1977 the group had thirteen records make the Top 100; with six making the Top 10 and one reaching #1 ("Make It With You" for 1 week in 1970)...
  Besides "Diary", they had two other records peak at #15; "Sweet Surrender" and "Aubrey"...
  R.I.P. James Griffin (guitarist, 1943 - 2005), Michael Botts (drummer, 1944 - 2005), and Larry Knechtel (bassist, 1940 - 2009).
• Gilbert from Quezon City, PhilippinesI can't understand that line... "And as I go through my life, he will give to HER his WIFE?" Is that his wife's love is waiting for is a LESBIAN? Because he will to HER his wife? I'm so curious please answer it :)
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyIn 1959 Neil Sedaka released a completely different song titled "Diary", it peaked at No. 14, one position higher than Bread's song...
• Bill from Tuscon, AzWhat an suprising end to such a beautiful song.
• Ladylhai from Q.c., Philippineswhen the first time i heard it, i just laugh.... coz i remember the time when my crush got my diary.... its so funny.... hahaha
• Jeff from Columbia, MdI think it's supposed to be disconcerting air, not disconcerting wish
• Lench from La Mirada, CaWhat a painful song! I mean, it's great, but painful for the one who's perspective it's from. Incredible love the dude shows, singing at the end, "and as I go through my life, I will wish for her HIS wife, all the sweet things she can find, all the sweet things THEY can find." Talk about true love, eh? Completely selfless. A much bigger man than I could ever be! Excellent lyrics.
• Mark from Mchenry, IlThis song is absolutely beautiful. The story is very moving and is woven together so well. But then I expect no less from David Gates, one of the best songwriters of his generation but rarely mentioned in discussions about such things.

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