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".
Botch-a-Me
Rosemary Clooney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll-botcha you and ev'rything goes crazy
Bah-bah, botch-a-me, bambino
Bah-bah-bo, bo, boca piccolino
When you kiss me and I'm a-kissa you
Tra-la-la-la-la-loo
Bah-bah-bo, bo, just say "Yes" and maybe
If-a you squeeze me and I'm a-squeeza you
Tra-la-la-la-la-loo
Bee-oo, bye-oh, bee-oo, boo
Won't you botch-a-, botch-a-me
Bee-oo, bye-oh, bee-oo, boo
When you botch-a-me
I a-botcha you and ev'rything goes crazy
Bah-bah, botch-a-me, bambino
Bah-bah-bo, bo, boca piccolino
And then we will raise a great big family
Tra-la-la-la-la-lee
Botch-a-me
I'll-botcha you and ev'rything goes crazy
Bah-bah, botch-a-me, my baby
Bah-bah-bo, bo, just say "Yes" and maybe
If-a you squeeze me and I'm a-squeeza you
Tra-la-la-la-la-loo
Bee-oo, bye-oh, bee-oo, boo
Won't you botch-a, botch-a-me "Kiss me"
Bee-oo, bye-oh, bee-oo, boo
When you botch-a-me
I a-botcha you
"C'mon a-you, kissa me, eh"
Bah-bah, botch-a-me, bambino
Bah-bah-bo, bo, boca piccolino
And then we will raise a great big family
Tra la la la la
Bee-oo, bye-oh, bee-oo, boo
Botch-a-me, bambino, botch-a-me
"That's nice"
The song "Botch-a-Me" by Rosemary Clooney is a playful and catchy tune that showcases her vocal range and swing music sensibilities. The song is about the singer's desire for romantic affection from her lover, asking him to "botch-a-me" and promising to do the same to him in return. The lyrics are playful and use nonsense phrases like "bah-bah" and "tra-la-la-la-la-loo" to convey the joy and whimsy of the situation. The song has a light and bouncy rhythm, with a horn section providing a jazzy counterpoint to Clooney's vocals.
In addition to Clooney's cover, "Botch-a-Me" has been recorded by several other artists, including Italian pop singer Adriano Celentano and French singer Françoise Hardy. The song was written by Riccardo Morbelli and Domenico Titomanlio and was originally titled "Ba-Ba-Baciami Piccina" when it was first recorded in Italy in 1951. The lyrics were adapted into English by Al Hoffman and Dick Manning, who added their own playful touches to the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Botch-a-me
I'll mess things up
I'll-botcha you and ev'rything goes crazy
If we are together, things will get chaotic
Bah-bah, botch-a-me, bambino
Call me, baby
Bah-bah-bo, bo, boca piccolino
Whisper to me softly
When you kiss me and I'm a-kissa you
When we're kissing each other
Tra-la-la-la-la-loo
Enjoying the moment
Bah-bah, botch-a-me, my baby
Call me, baby
Bah-bah-bo, bo, just say "Yes" and maybe
Agree with me and maybe we'll see
If-a you squeeze me and I'm a-squeeza you
When we hug each other
Bee-oo, bye-oh, bee-oo, boo
Sounds of passion
Won't you botch-a-, botch-a-me
Won't you mess things up with me
When you botch-a-me
When we're together being chaotic
I a-botcha you and ev'rything goes crazy
We make each other crazy
Bah-bah, botch-a-me, bambino
Call me, baby
And then we will raise a great big family
We'll start a family
Tra-la-la-la-la-lee
Life is beautiful and musical
Bee-oo, bye-oh, bee-oo, boo
Sounds of passion
Botch-a-me, bambino, botch-a-me
Mess things up with me, baby
"That's nice"
End of story
Lyrics © Sugarmusic s.p.a., Kanjian Music
Written by: Luigi Astore, Riccardo Morbelli
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sauquoit13456
In the August 2nd, 1952* issue of Billboard Magazine, "Botch-A-Me" by Rosemary Clooney peaked at #2 {for 2 weeks} on the magazine's 'Most Selling Pop Singles' chart, for the two weeks it was at #2, the #1 record for both those weeks was "Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart" by Vera Lynn...
Also at the time, "Botch-A-Me" was at #5 on Billboard's 'Most-Played By JukeBox Records'...
Between 1948 and 1960 the Maysville, Kentucky native had thirty-five records on the Billboard charts, seven made the Top 10 with four reaching #1, "Come On-A My House" for seven weeks in July of 1951, "Half As Much" for three non-consecutive weeks in July of 1952, "Hey There" for six weeks in September of 1954, and "This Ole House" for one week in October of 1954...
Twelve of her thirty-five charted records were duets, four with Tony Pastor and one each with Guy Michell, Marlene Dietrich, Gene Autry, Harry James, George Morgan, Jimmy Boyd, Betty Clooney, and Benny Goodman...
Rosemary Clooney passed away at the age of 74 on June 29th, 2002...
May she R.I.P.
* And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the remainder of the Most Selling Pop Singles' Top 10 on August 2nd, 1952:
At #3. "Half As Much" by Rosemary Clooney
#4. "Delicado" by Percy Faith with Stan Freeman on harpsichord
#5. "Here In My Heart" by Al Martino
#6. "Walkin' My Baby Back Home" by Johnnie Ray
#7. "Blue Tango" by Leroy Anderson
#8. "Kiss of Fire" by Georgia Gibbs
#9. "Maybe" by Perry Como and Eddie Fisher
#10. "I'm Yours" by Eddie Fisher
@LaSopRAWna
she really performs the heck outta this song. she knew how to sell it. not just a pretty voice. a phenomenal singing actress!
@kevinsimpson8686
Rosemary is having a ball singing this little gem and it shows in every second of this performance. Ah….these were the days when the best singers sang the best songs with great musical arrangements. All done without the technology needed today to make a lousy singer sound brilliantly good. Talent was all you needed and if you looked good too it helped. But Rosemary bounced along with her happy smile and saucy grin and she had a screen presence like no other. Class wins every time 🇬🇧🇺🇸❤️
@direfranchement
The family resemblance between Rosemary and George Clooney is strong.
@VealParmigiana
Rosemary Clooney was an excellent actress. She didn't just sing her songs, she acted them out and was an outstanding song interpreter with outstanding stage presence.
@themischeifguide
I love her facial expressions and hand and arm gestures, she has real showmanship and it seems like she was having fun with it.
@LifeOfJimbo
I never understood the purpose of the arm gestures.. it does show she knows what shes doing!
she never liked this song however
@bforthepeoplenottheelites5835
Her nephew will never reach her class nor get even close to her STATUS as an elegant human.
He can marry "educated " trash but never reach her lowest heel print.
@allisonvernon-williams
James Carson It was Come On-A My House that she hated.
@moneye223
Love it! .... Props to Mad Men for finding this jem!
@Cynane27
yeah i found it there haha