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".
It Could Happen to You
Rosemary Clooney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It could happen to you
Don't count stars or you might stumble
Someone drops a sigh and down you tumble
Keep an eye on spring, run when church bells ring
It could happen to you
All I did was wonder how your arms would be
Keep an eye on spring, run when church bells ring
It could happen to you
All I did was wonder how your arms would be
And it happened to me
Rosemary Clooney's song It Could Happen to You is a cautionary tale about falling in love unexpectedly. The opening lines, "Hide your heart from sight, lock your dreams at night" warn the listener to be careful with their heart and not to let their guard down. The song suggests that falling in love can happen to anyone at any time, and that it is important to be prepared for it.
The lyrics continue with the advice to "keep an eye on spring" and to "run when church bells ring", suggesting that love often comes when we least expect it. The line "Don't count stars or you might stumble" warns against obsessing over finding love, as it can cause one to miss opportunities that are right in front of them.
The final verse reveals the personal experience of the singer, who simply wondered how it would feel to be held in the person's arms and found herself falling in love. The refrain "It could happen to you" serves as a warning and reminder that love is unpredictable and can happen to anyone, no matter how much they prepare or guard their heart.
Line by Line Meaning
Hide your heart from sight, lock your dreams at night
Don't reveal your innermost thoughts and desires to the world, keep them hidden and protected
It could happen to you
Be aware that unexpected and wonderful things can happen in life
Don't count stars or you might stumble
Don't get too caught up in your own thoughts and fantasies or you may fall and be disappointed when they don't come true
Someone drops a sigh and down you tumble
A small action or expression from someone can change everything in an instant, for better or for worse
Keep an eye on spring, run when church bells ring
Be aware of the changing seasons and be ready to move on to new opportunities when they arise
All I did was wonder how your arms would be
I simply had a passing thought about what it would be like to be held by you
And it happened to me
And suddenly, unexpectedly, I found myself falling in love with you
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAMES VAN HEUSEN, JOHNNY BURKE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ianhendersonjazz
Beautiful! I listened to this because I'm a jazz musician learning this tune so I'm memorizing the lyrics. This is gonna be a tough process. :)
voicegirl555
Love this song! Love you! Happy Happy Birthday Rosemary! You are so missed!!!
voicegirl555
Happy Happy Birthday Rosemary! I love this song and the way you sing it. You are so missed!!!!
hansli46
"It Happened To Me," almost 69 years ago when I married my German War Bride where I was stationed in her hometown near Heidelberg and Mannheim, Germany. Rosie's lovely rendition is incomparably beautiful of this Van Heusen|Burke melodic
winner!
voicegirl555
Gone 18 years today, but still one of the best of the girl singers! I love this song and the way you sing it!
voicegirl555
Happy Happy Birthday Jimmy Van Heusen! I love this and all your songs. What a song writer you were! Just marvelous.
Satyajit Roychaudhury
Gorgeous version.
voicegirl555
Gone 31 years but never forgotten! Jimmy Van Heusen you were one terrific song writer! You wrote some of the most beautiful love songs of the 20th Century! Thank you!!!
voicegirl555
Happy Birthday Rosemary Clooney! 90 years young! Miss you!
Roguelle
do you know what year this song was recorded?? wow, her voice is amazing