Rose Murphy was known as “the chee chee girl” thanks to her habit of regularly singing the phrase “chee chee” in many of her numbers. She began her musical career in the late 1930’s, playing intermission piano for such performers as Count Basie, and achieved strong popularity in both the US and UK in the late 1940’s. Despite being a very talented pianist, she is best known for her high pitched singing style, which incorporated a range of jazz style ad lib scat, giggling, and percussive sound effects. ‘Busy Line’, one of her most well known songs, made use of perhaps her most famous vocal sound effect: the ‘brrp, brrrp’ of a telephone ring. A version of the song was later used in 1990 by BT (British Telecom) in one of their television adverts. The advert was such a success that RCA reissued Rose’s original recording of the song.
From the fifties to the 80s, Rose continued to play at “many of the top clubs of New York, like the Cookery, Michael’s Pub, Upstairs At the Downstairs, and was “usually accompanied by bassist Slam Stewart or Morris Edwards.” These were interspersed with engagements in London and tours of the Continent. During a two week engagement at Hollywood Roosevelts Cinegrill in June 1989, she became ill and returned to New York City.
She was 78 when she died, and, though married 4 times, left no direct descendants.
(2) Rose Murphy, the captivating fiddle and accordion player, was born in 1900 into an intensely musical family in Milltown, County Galway. She spent much of her adult life living around Rotherham in South Yorkshire U.K., and was 76 years young when she recorded the album that delightfully recaptures the dancing repertoire styles of her youth in the West of Ireland.
Busy Line
Rose Murphy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Got a brrr, brrr, brrr, brrr, busy line
Each time I tried I got a busy tone
Not my baby's number
Just a brrr, brrr, brrr, brrr, busy line
Called his uncle in Jamaica
Left a message with the bakerEven checked the number in the telephone book
Got so awfully, awfully worried
To my baby's house I hurried
When I looked inside, the phone was off the hook
And as I walked up to my baby - then
I got my baby's number
He was busy in the parlour doing fine
Busy kissing someone else
While I was keeping busy
Getting a brrr, brrr, brrr, brrr, busy line
...busy line
Just brrr, brrr, brrr, brrr, busy line
Just biz-biz-biz-biz busy line
Biz-biz busy line
I put my nickel in the telephone
Dialled my baby's number
Got a brrr, brrr, brrr, ... line
Each time I tried I got a busy tone
Not my baby's number
Just a brrr, brrr, brrr, brrr, busy line
In Jamaica, left a message with the baker
Even checked his number in the telephone book
Got so awfully, awfully worried
To my baby's house I hurried
When I looked inside, the phone was off the hook, hook, hook
Walked up to my baby - then
I got my baby's number
He was busy in the parlour doing fine
Busy kissing someone else
While I was keeping busy
Getting a brrr, brrr, brrr, brrr, busy line
"Busy Line" by Rose Murphy is a classic song about a woman who tries to call her lover but keeps getting a "busy line" signal. The lyrics describe her frustration and concern as she tries different methods to reach him. She even calls his uncle in Jamaica and leaves a message with the baker, but cannot get through. She is so worried that she hurries to his house, only to find that the phone is off the hook. Eventually, she discovers her lover is kissing someone else while she has been getting a busy signal. The song has a catchy, upbeat melody, which contrasts with the disappointment of the lyrics.
The song is a playful but poignant representation of the frustrations of long-distance relationships in the era of telephones. It also highlights the challenges of communication and the possibility of being deceived or disappointed. The song's ending suggests that the singer has accepted her lover's infidelity, implying that she may not be able to change the situation. However, the catchy jingle and chipper tone underscore the possibility of moving on and finding another love.
Line by Line Meaning
I put a nickel in the telephone, dialled my baby's number
I inserted a coin into the phone and called my lover's phone number
Got a brrr, brrr, brrr, brrr, busy line
However, all I got was a busy signal
Each time I tried I got a busy tone
Every attempt resulted in a busy signal
Not my baby's number
I realized that I must have misdialed or had the wrong number
Called his uncle in Jamaica
I reached out to my lover's uncle in Jamaica to try to locate him
Left a message with the baker
I even left a message with the local baker in the hope that he might have seen my lover
Even checked the number in the telephone book
I went through the phone book to re-check the number
Got so awfully, awfully worried
I started to panic and became extremely anxious
To my baby's house I hurried
Without wasting any more time, I rushed to my lover's house
When I looked inside, the phone was off the hook
Upon entering the house, I discovered the phone was not hung up properly
And as I walked up to my baby - then
Finally, I approached my lover
I got my baby's number
I was able to reach my lover directly after all the hassle
He was busy in the parlour doing fine
However, my lover was preoccupied with another individual in the living room
Busy kissing someone else
They were actively engaging in a passionate kiss
While I was keeping busy
Meanwhile, I was busy trying to reach my lover
Getting a brrr, brrr, brrr, brrr, busy line
But I continued to receive a busy signal
...busy line
Throughout the song, the busy signal was a recurring theme
Just brrr, brrr, brrr, brrr, busy line
My attempts to reach my lover were futile, leaving me with only the busy signal
Just biz-biz-biz-biz busy line
The repeated sound of the busy signal was a constant annoyance
Biz-biz busy line
All I could hear was the sound of the busy signal on the phone
Writer(s): Frank Stanton, Murray Semos
Contributed by Julia Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@gerardtordjman5178
Un régal !!!
@mrskamran
So cute 💖
@zudlow
I love Rose. Thanks for sharing!
@amstepheninlondon
Glad you enjoyed it.
@damoisellecadillacducarlad6626
Comment je kiff cette musique ... De ouff ! ☎
@Hak_Hyuna4859
This is the beeeeest version!
@amstepheninlondon
I love it !!
@micheldindaine8403
sure it is, I just love it
@johnoconnell6231
Most definitely the best!
@janosvass3525
Perfect ringtone :)