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".
Count Your Blessings Instead Of Sheep
Rosemary Clooney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I can't sleep,
I count my blessings instead of sheep,
And I fall asleep,
Counting my blessings.
When my bankroll,
Is gettin' small,
I had none at all.
And I fall asleep,
Counting my blessings.
I think about a nursery,
And I picture curly heads,
And one by one I count them,
As they slumber,
In their beds.
If you're worried,
And you can't sleep,
Just count your blessings instead of sheep,
And you'll fall asleep,
Counting your blessings.
I think about a nursery,
And I picture curly heads,
And one by one I count them,
As they slumber,
In their beds.
If you're worried,
And you can't sleep,
Just count your blessings instead of sheep,
And you'll fall asleep,
Counting your blessings.
The lyrics of Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep talk about the simple but effective way to deal with worry and insomnia. The singer suggests that when one is troubled and cannot sleep, the best thing to do is to consciously focus on the good things in life and count one's blessings rather than counting sheep. The song dishes out practical advice on how to shift one's perspective from the negative to the positive by reminding oneself of the things that one is grateful for.
The first verse implies that instead of worrying and not sleeping, one can dwell on the good things happening in their life and visualize gratitude for them. The second verse emphasizes that focusing on the blessings when struggling with financial problems can help shift one's focus and find comfort in things that can't be bought with money. The bridge of the song adds a personal touch where the singer describes visualizing a nursery and counting the curly heads of children who are sleeping to lull herself to sleep. The final verse of the song is a repetition of the chorus, reinforcing the idea that counting one's blessings is a surefire way to overcome worry and insomnia.
The song's message is clear – positive thinking is a powerful tool that helps one overcome negative emotions and situations. The song reminds listeners of the importance of gratitude towards one's blessings in life. The act of counting blessings rather than sheep is a form of meditation that brings calmness and peacefulness to the mind.
Line by Line Meaning
When I'm worried,
When I am anxious or upset,
And I can't sleep,
And I am unable to fall asleep,
I count my blessings instead of sheep,
I choose to focus on the good things in my life instead of worrying about my problems,
And I fall asleep,
And I become sleepy and restful,
Counting my blessings.
By thinking of the positive things in my life, I can calm my mind and relax.
When my bankroll,
When I am worried about my financial resources,
Is gettin' small,
And my money is dwindling or running out,
I think of when
I remember a time in the past when
I had none at all.
I had no money whatsoever.
And I fall asleep,
By reflecting on this memory,
Counting my blessings.
I am able to feel grateful for what I have now, and this helps me to relax and fall asleep.
I think about a nursery,
I imagine a room where babies and young children sleep,
And I picture curly heads,
And I imagine children with curly hair,
And one by one I count them,
And I mentally count each child in the nursery,
As they slumber,
As they peacefully sleep,
In their beds.
In their cozy beds.
If you're worried,
If you are feeling anxious or upset,
And you can't sleep,
And you are having trouble sleeping,
Just count your blessings instead of sheep,
Try to focus on the positive things in your life instead of dwelling on your worries or problems,
And you'll fall asleep,
By doing so,
Counting your blessings.
You may be able to calm your mind and relax enough to fall asleep.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: IRVING BERLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@windstorm1000
I think Rosemary is the best female singer of the 20th century--such warmth to her voice, the phrasing--she's got it all. My partner adores her.
@malcolmlewis6014
Most of the great popular singers reached their peak in the 50's, Rosemary Clooney was one of them.
@JSG1951
beautiful song, moves me to tears ,what a beautiful songstress she was.thank you
@jackiebutterworth
This lady had such class. I could listen to her endlessly.
@jeh500
Rosemary was a blessing like no other. No frills. No gimmicks.Just real.
@davidhanshaw7840
Those real singers back in the day didn't need any special effects, they had a real gift.
@htarceno
i still listen to this when I have trouble getting to sleep, like tonight. Some things never change
@megbailey3562
this so lovely! I've recently re-discovering Rosemary Clooney's splendid voice!
@jamesmcinnis208
Check out Diana Krall's version, too. Lovely.
@amishparadise428
I don't care how 'out-of-season' it is. It's never a bad time for Rosemary Clooney.