Clooney's first recordings, in May 1946, were for Columbia Records. She sang with Tony Pastor's big band. Clooney continued working with the Pastor band until 1949, making her last recording with the band in May of that year and her first as a solo artist a month later, still for Columbia.
She came to prominence in the early 1950s with the novelty hit Come On-a My House written by William Saroyan and his cousin Ross Bagdasarian (better known as David Seville, the father figure of Alvin and the Chipmunks), which was followed by other pop numbers such as "Botch-a-Me" (a cover version of the Italian song Ba-Ba-Baciami Piccina by Alberto Rabagliati), "Mambo Italiano", "Tenderly", "Half as Much", "Hey There" and "This Ole House", although she had success as a jazz vocalist. Clooney's career languished in the 1960s, partly due to problems related to depression and drug addiction, but revived in 1977, when her White Christmas co-star Bing Crosby asked her to appear with him at a show marking his 50th anniversary in show business. She continued recording until her death in 2002. She was the aunt of Academy Award winning actor George Clooney; mother-in-law of singer Debby Boone; and sister to former television personality Nick Clooney. She was the ex-wife of Jose Ferrer; mother of actor Miguel Ferrer
Clooney was diagnosed with lung cancer at the end of 2001. Around this time, she gave her last concert, in Hawaii, backed by the Honolulu Symphony Pops; her last song was "God Bless America".
As Long As I Live
Rosemary Clooney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As long as I want to
Life isn't long enough, baby
But I can love you as long as I live
And maybe I can't give you diamonds
And things like I want to
But I can promise you, baby
Well, I never cared, now I'm scared
I won't live long enough
That's why I wear my rubbers when it rains
And eat an apple everyday, see the doctor anyway
And what if I can't live to love you
As long as I want to
Long as I promise you, baby
I'm gonna want to as long as I live
Maybe I can't live to love you
As long as I want to
Life just isn't long enough, baby
But I'm gonna love you as long as I live
And maybe I can't give you diamonds
And things like I want to
But I can promise you, baby
I'm gonna want to as long as I live
Well, I never cared, now I'm scared
I won't live long enough
That's why I wear my rubbers when it rains
And eat an apple every day, see the doctor anyway
What if I can't live to love you
As long as I want to
Long as I promise you, baby
I'm gonna love you as long I live
I'm gonna love you, love you
Love you long as I live
Just long as I live
Love you as long as I live
Yeah, I'm gonna love you, love you, love you long as I live
I'm gonna love you, love you, I'm gonna love you
Love you
The song "As Long as I Live" by Rosemary Clooney talks about the fear of not having enough time to love one's partner as long as they want to. The singer acknowledges that life is not long enough to love someone the way they want to, but they promise to love their partner for as long as they are alive. The singer also talks about not being able to give their partner materialistic things like diamonds, but they promise to always want to give them everything they can.
The lyrics suggest that the singer has realized how important their partner is to them, and they are afraid of not having enough time to show them the love and affection they deserve. This realization has also brought out a fear of mortality, as the singer takes precautions like wearing rubbers when it rains and maintaining a healthy lifestyle to make sure they live long enough to love their partner.
In the end, the song is a declaration of the singer's love for their partner, promising to love them for as long as they live, even though life may not be long enough. It suggests that love is the most important thing and that it's worth dedicating all the time one has to it.
Line by Line Meaning
Maybe I can't live to love you
Perhaps I cannot survive long enough to love you endlessly
As long as I want to
To the extent that my heart yearns to love you forever
Life isn't long enough, baby
My lifespan is limited, dear
But I can love you as long as I live
Yet, I can still cherish you with every breath I take.
And maybe I can't give you diamonds
Surely, I won't have the means to present you with gems of value
And things like I want to
Or the other possessions I'd love to give you
But I can promise you, baby
Nonetheless, I can vow to you, my dear
I'm gonna want to as long as I live
That my desire to provide for you will last in my heart for as long as I exist
Well, I never cared, now I'm scared
Before I was indifferent, but now I'm concerned
I won't live long enough
That my days are numbered
That's why I wear my rubbers when it rains
I take every precautious measure to ensure a healthier life
And eat an apple every day, see the doctor anyway
I maintain a healthy diet and routinely visit a medical professional
What if I can't live to love you
Even so, what if I don't survive long enough to love you forever?
As long as I promise you, baby
Despite the uncertainty, my commitment to you remains resolute
I'm gonna love you as long I live
There's no denying that I will love you for all my days on this earth.
Just long as I live
For an entire lifetime, without end.
Love you as long as I live
I will adore you for every moment that I am alive
Yeah, I'm gonna love you, love you, love you long as I live
I am determined to cherish you for eternity.
I'm gonna love you, love you, I'm gonna love you
My love for you will never dwindle or falter.
Love you
I will love you forever and always
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Roy Acuff
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind