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".
Gee Baby Ain't I Good to You
Rosemary Clooney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gee, Baby ain't I good to you
There's nothing in the world
Too good for a girl that's good and true
Gee, Baby ain't I good to you
Bought you a fur coat for Christmas
A diamond ring
A big Cadillac car
It's love that makes me treat you the way I do
Gee, Baby ain't I good to you
What makes me treat you the way I do
Gee, Baby ain't I good to you
There's nothing in the world
Too good for a guy that's good and true
Gee, Baby ain't I good to you
Fur coat for Christmas
A diamond ring
A big Cadillac car
And everything
There's nothing in the world that I wouldn't do
Gee, Baby ain't I good to you
What makes me treat you the way I do
Gee, Baby ain't I good to you
There's nothing in the world
Too good for a girl that's good and true
Gee, Baby ain't I good to you
Fur coat for Christmas
A diamond ring
Big Cadillac car
and everything
It's love that makes me treat you the way that I do
Gee, Baby ain't I good to you
Gee, Baby ain't I good to you
The lyrics to Rosemary Clooney's song "Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You" showcase a man expressing his love for his significant other and boasting about his abilities to provide her with material possessions. In the first verse, he acknowledges that there is nothing too good for a girl who is good and true, implying that she deserves all the gifts he has given her. He then lists all the lavish presents he has bestowed upon her, including a fur coat, a diamond ring, and a big Cadillac car. In the second verse, he switches the gender pronouns to emphasize that his loyalty is not gender-specific as he expresses that there's nothing too good for a guy that's good and true. He continues to boast about all the luxuries he's given his partner, which further supports the idea that he believes that his love is displayed through his material gifts. The chorus, "Gee, Baby ain't I good to you," acts as a refrain that reiterates the singer's intentions and displays his belief that he's an exceptional partner.
Clooney's song delves into themes of love, materialism, and the idea that love can be demonstrated through gifts. The lyrics showcase a man whose idea of love is heavily based on his ability to provide his partner with luxuries, implying that his love is only validated through his financial capabilities. However, the song doesn't delve into the emotions or the experiences that the partner has towards his actions or reflect on her thoughts and feelings about the relationship. While the song may seem like an expression of love, it is, in fact, a reflection of a certain romantic ideology, where love is contingent on material gain.
Line by Line Meaning
What makes me treat you the way I do
I'm pondering what motivates me to treat you in the way that I do.
Gee, Baby ain't I good to you
I'm asking you rhetorically if I'm not a great partner to you.
There's nothing in the world
There's no amount of money or object that is more valuable than
Too good for a girl that's good and true
a good and honest girl like you deserves the very best.
Gee, Baby ain't I good to you
Again I'm asking you rhetorically if I'm not a great partner to you.
Bought you a fur coat for Christmas
I got you a luxurious fur coat as a gift for Christmas.
A diamond ring
I also got you an expensive diamond ring to show my affection.
A big Cadillac car
I went as far as buying you a luxurious Cadillac car as well.
And everything
I even gave you every material thing that I possibly could.
It's love that makes me treat you the way I do
My love for you is the reason I'm treating you this way.
Gee, Baby ain't I good to you
One more time, I'm asking you rhetorically if I'm not a great partner to you.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: ANDY RAZAF, DON REDMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind