Bad News
Bing Crosby & Rosemary Clooney Lyrics

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Well, bad news travels like wildfire,
Good news travels slow.
They all call me "wildfire,",
'Cause everybody knows
I'm bad news, everywhere I go,
Always gettin' in trouble
And a-leavin' little girls
That hate to see me go.

They tried to hang me in Oakland,
And they did in Francisco.
But I wouldn't choke, I broke the rope,
And they had to let me go,
'Cause I'm bad news, everywhere I go,
Always gettin' in trouble
And leavin' little girls
That hate to see me go.

Now, from North to South, to East to West,
The story is the same.
From one state to another,
I have to change my name,
'Cause I'm bad news, everywhere I go,
Always gettin' in trouble
And a-leavin' little girls
That sure hate to see me go.
Well, now I picked peaches in Georgia,
I lumberjacked in Maine.
I've been hired, and fired, and jailed
Any town you can name,
'Cause I'm bad news, everywhere I go,
Always gettin' into trouble

And a-leavin' little girls
That hate to see me go.

Overall Meaning

The song "Bad News" by Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney is a classic country folk tune that centers around the idea that bad news travels much faster than good news. The singer of the song is known as "wildfire," and wherever he goes, he gets into trouble with the law and leaves behind a string of heartbroken women. He recounts his experiences of being almost hung in Oakland and San Francisco, and how he managed to break the rope and escape death. The singer has been to several states across the country, and he has had to change his name because he is unwanted everywhere he goes.

The song has a sense of melancholy and acceptance blended together. The singer seems to have accepted his fate as an outlaw and someone who is not welcomed anywhere. He talks about how he has worked in Georgia as a peach picker and as a lumberjack in Maine, but he always ends up getting fired or jailed. The lyrics are relatable in the sense that we all have experienced moments when bad news travels fast, and it's difficult to shake off the negativity. The song is a lesson that we should focus on spreading good news and avoid getting entangled in negative situations.

Line by Line Meaning

Well, bad news travels like wildfire,
News of bad events and circumstances spreads very quickly among people.

Good news travels slow.
Good news propels slowly as its impact takes time to settle in the hearts of people.

They all call me "wildfire,"
The singer's pre-existing reputation as troublemaker and his/her bad image precede him/her.

'Cause everybody knows I'm bad news, everywhere I go,
The artist's track record of bad behavior is widespread and a known fact to everyone he/she comes across.

Always gettin' in trouble And a-leavin' little girls That hate to see me go.
The artist is known to get into trouble frequently and the girls whom he leaves behind, despite disliking his personality, do not want him to leave.

They tried to hang me in Oakland, And they did in Francisco. But I wouldn't choke, I broke the rope, And they had to let me go,
The singer has been punished in the past with execution by hanging, but miraculously escaped the gallows by breaking the rope, allowing him/her to continue on his/her bad road.

Now, from North to South, to East to West, The story is the same. From one state to another, I have to change my name,
The singer's notoriety follows him/her wherever he/she goes, necessitating a name change whenever his/her past catches up with him/her.

'Cause I'm bad news, everywhere I go, Always gettin' in trouble And a-leavin' little girls That sure hate to see me go.
The artist is a source of negativity and trouble wherever he/she goes, which leads to broken hearts of girls who wished he/she would have stayed.

Well, now I picked peaches in Georgia, I lumberjacked in Maine. I've been hired, and fired, and jailed Any town you can name,
The artist has a long and diverse career history, having done jobs ranging from peach-picking to lumberjacking to a long rap sheet of firings and incarcerations in every town imaginable.

'Cause I'm bad news, everywhere I go, Always gettin' into trouble And a-leavin' little girls That hate to see me go.
The artist possesses a problematic personality that leads to all kinds of trouble and failure, leaving behind a trail of broken hearts wherever he/she goes.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: EVANS, LIVINGSTON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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