He was born as William Thomas Murray in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of immigrants from Ireland. He became fascinated with the theater and joined a traveling vaudeville troupe in 1893. He also performed in minstrel shows early in his career. He made his first recordings for a local phonograph cylinder company in San Francisco, California in 1897. He started recording regularly in the New York City and New Jersey area in 1903, when the nation's major record companies as well as the Tin Pan Alley music industry were concentrated there.
In 1906 he waxed the first of his popular duets with Ada Jones. He also performed with Aileen Stanley, the Haydn Quartet, the Premier Quartet, and the American Quartet (the latter two actually being the same group), in addition to his solo work.
He had a strong tenor voice with excellent enunciation and a more conversational delivery than common with bel canto singers of the era. On comic songs he often deliberately sang slightly flat, which he felt helped the comic effect.
While he often performed romantic numbers and ballads which sold well at the time, his comedy and novelty song recordings continue to be popular with later generations of record collectors.
Murray's popularity faded with changes in public taste and recording technology; the rise of the electric microphone in the mid 1920s coincided with the rise of the crooners. His "hammering" style, as he called it, essentially yelling the song into the recording horn, did not work in the electronic era, and it took him some time to learn how to soften his voice. While he continued to work, his singing style was considered "dated" and less in demand. In the late 1920s and early 1930s he also did voices for animated cartoons, especially the "follow the bouncing ball" type which incorporated songs from his salad days. He also did radio work.
Murray made his last recordings in 1943 and retired to Freeport, Long Island, New York in 1944. He died in nearby Jones Beach.
Pretty Baby
Billy Murray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You hate to have me call you "Pretty Baby."
I really thought that I was pleasing you,
For you're just a baby to me.
Your cunning little dimples and your baby stare,
Your baby talk and baby walk and curly hair,
Your baby smile
Makes life worthwhile.
Everybody loves a baby that's why I'm in love with you,
Pretty baby, pretty baby,
And I'd like to be your sister, brother, dad and mother too,
Pretty baby, pretty baby.
Won't you come and let me rock you in my cradle of love
And we'll cuddle all the time.
Oh, I want a lovin' baby, and it might as well be you,
Pretty baby of mine.
Your mother said you were the cutest kid.
No wonder, Dearie, that I'm wild about you
And all the cunning things you said and did.
Why, I love to fondly recall.
And just like Peter Pan it seems you'll always be
The same sweet cunning little baby dear to me,
And that is why
I'm sure that I
Will always love you best of all.
Everybody loves a baby that's why I'm in love with you,
Pretty baby, pretty baby,
And I'd like to be your sister, brother, dad and mother too,
Pretty baby, pretty baby.
Won't you come and let me rock you in my cradle of love
And we'll cuddle all the time.
Oh, I want a lovin' baby, and it might as well be you,
Pretty baby of mine.
In Billy Murray's song "Pretty Baby," the singer is teasing someone he cares about, calling them "Pretty Baby," and seems to think that it's a term of endearment. He admires the person's childlike qualities, like their dimples, curly hair, and baby talk. He finds the person sweet and charming, and notes that everyone loves a cute baby, so he is in love with this person. He imagines being part of their family as a sibling, parent, or even their own child, and wants to cuddle and rock them in his "cradle of love." At the end of the song, he declares that he will always love this person best of all.
Line by Line Meaning
You ask me why I'm always teasing you.
You question why I tease you constantly.
You hate to have me call you 'Pretty Baby.'
You despise it when I use the nickname 'Pretty Baby' for you.
I really thought that I was pleasing you,
I genuinely believed that my teasing and nickname were giving you pleasure.
For you're just a baby to me.
To me, you're still a child.
Your cunning little dimples and your baby stare,
Your adorable, slyly smiling dimples and innocent gaze,
Your baby talk and baby walk and curly hair,
Your childish mannerisms, toddling gait and curly locks,
Your baby smile
Makes life worthwhile.
Your cute grin makes existence feel worthwhile.
You're just as sweet as you can be.
You're exceedingly charming and delightful.
Everybody loves a baby that's why I'm in love with you,
Everyone adores babies, which explains why I'm enamored with you.
Pretty baby, pretty baby,
My dear and darling child,
And I'd like to be your sister, brother, dad and mother too,
I aspire to be your sibling, father, and mother figure simultaneously.
Won't you come and let me rock you in my cradle of love
And we'll cuddle all the time.
Please come to me so that we may embrace in my loving arms and cuddle forevermore.
Oh, I want a lovin' baby, and it might as well be you,
Pretty baby of mine.
I long for an affectionate child, and who better than you, my dear child?
Your mother said you were the cutest kid.
According to your mother, you are the most adorable child.
No wonder, Dearie, that I'm wild about you
It's no surprise that I'm completely smitten with you.
And all the cunning things you said and did.
I cherish all the clever and wily things you've said and done.
Why, I love to fondly recall.
In fact, I adore remembering them.
And just like Peter Pan it seems you'll always be
The same sweet cunning little baby dear to me,
Like Peter Pan, it appears you'll forever be the same lovable and devious little child to me.
And that is why
I'm sure that I
Will always love you best of all.
That is precisely why I'm convinced that I will always love you the most.
Contributed by Aiden F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@tylerbaldwin9513
Nice, more early songs from the professor, Thank you very much.
@sedonaz
Please make a playlist of the the 1910's.
@the78prof72
Maybe someday....still a lot of tracks to gather.
@erichuffstutler9734
@@the78prof72 I second that. Now that everyone seems to be home for one reason or another, it would be a perfect time to at least add more 1910s and early 1920s songs with the usual wonderful restorations. Even if not complete at least more offerings than we have now 😉
@deewesthill1213
This song is from the late ragtime era, with its quaint pre-jazz charm.
@GavinLepley
Tony Jackson was a contemporary and friend of Jelly Roll Morton. This was one of his only published songs, and from Morton's descriptions, it is clear this was highly simplified from how Jackson would play it.
@user-wb9yb3yw4b
Frumoasă dragă.
@sireceh
Doris Day's was all I knew.
Surprised to know this is a centenarian!
@thegizzardofmars7453
I think I first heard this song in The Shape of Water. I had no clue it was this old!
@thecardinalcritique7856
I can’t help wanting to say boom- (from Ruggles of Red Gap)