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".
Bad News
Rosemary Clooney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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.
The song "Bad News" by Rosemary Clooney is about a man who is notoriously known as trouble wherever he goes. The opening lyrics, "Bad news travels like wildfire, Good news travels slow," suggest that the man's reputation precedes him and that his wrongdoings spread quickly. The chorus goes on to say that he is called "wildfire" because everyone knows he is bad news. He gets in trouble wherever he goes, and he leaves behind women who hate to see him go.
The second stanza recounts a close call with death, where they tried to hang him in Oakland and San Francisco, but he broke the rope and escaped. The song describes him as a criminal, but it also implies that he has a bit of a rebellious spirit, as he refuses to be restrained even by the law. The third stanza suggests that he has traveled across the country and has had to change his name frequently to escape the law. The final part of the song recounts some of the different jobs he's had, from picking peaches in Georgia to lumberjacking in Maine. However, no matter where he goes or what he does, trouble seems to follow him.
Overall, "Bad News" tells an engaging story of a man who is a product of circumstances beyond his control. He's someone who is constantly on the move, and though that might seem like it would offer an escape, it's clear that his past always catches up with him. The song's simple melody, combined with Clooney's smooth vocals, create a sense of nostalgia for an era when life seemed more straightforward.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, bad news travels like wildfire,
Negative information spreads quickly and easily among people.
Good news travels slow.
Positive news doesn't spread as fast or as extensively as negative news.
They all call me "wildfire,"
The singer is nicknamed after something that represents how quickly bad news spreads.
'Cause everybody knows I'm bad news, everywhere I go,
The artist is notorious for causing trouble and leaving unhappy people in their wake.
Always gettin' in trouble
The artist has a tendency to make mistakes or do things that lead to negative consequences.
And a-leavin' little girls That hate to see me go.
The singer's behavior has the negative effect of hurting and disappointing others who care for them.
They tried to hang me in Oakland,
The singer has faced significant danger and opposition due to their reputation.
And they did in Francisco.
The artist has been through terrible ordeals and barely escaped with their life.
But I wouldn't choke, I broke the rope, And they had to let me go,
The artist is a survivor who has managed to overcome extreme adversity.
'Cause I'm bad news, everywhere I go, Always gettin' in trouble And leavin' little girls That hate to see me go.
The theme of the song is reinforced, repeating the artist's tendency to cause problems and leave unhappy people behind.
Now, from North to South, to East to West, The story is the same.
The negative reputation of the singer is known in many different places.
From one state to another, I have to change my name,
The artist has to create new identities to try and escape the notoriety that follows them.
'Cause I'm bad news, everywhere I go,
Once again emphasizing the singer's reputation and the negative impact they have on others.
Always gettin' in trouble And a-leavin' little girls That sure hate to see me go.
The singer's behavior and the negative effect it has on others is reiterated.
Well, now I picked peaches in Georgia, I lumberjacked in Maine.
The singer has tried a variety of jobs in different places to escape their past.
I've been hired, and fired, and jailed Any town you can name,
The artist's past actions have caused them to lose jobs and be imprisoned in many different locations.
'Cause I'm bad news, everywhere I go, Always gettin' into trouble
Reiterating the negative pattern of the artist's life.
And a-leavin' little girls That hate to see me go.
The effects of the singer's behavior on others is highlighted one last time.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: EVANS, LIVINGSTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind