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".
Sophisticated Lady
Rosemary Clooney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And in this heart of yours burned a flame
A flame that flickered one day and died away
Then, with disillusion deep in your eyes
You learned that fools in love soon grow wise
The years have changed you, somehow
I see you now
Diamonds shining, dancing, dining with some man in a restaurant
Is that all you really want?
No, sophisticated lady
I know, you miss the love you lost long ago
And when nobody is nigh you cry
Sophisticated Lady by Rosemary Clooney is a song about a woman who appears to have everything but is still missing something very important in her life. The first verse of the song talks about the woman's early life when she was in love but the flame of that love eventually died out. The second verse suggests that the woman has now become a sophisticated lady who indulges in smoking, drinking and is nonchalant about life without thinking about tomorrow. The third verse explains that despite all these worldly pleasures, the woman misses the love she lost a long time ago, and she sometimes cries when nobody is around.
The song's meaning, therefore, is a message of the hollowness of a life lived without the richness of love. The woman who is leading a high-flying lifestyle is still ultimately empty and is not happy. It is a cautionary tale about what is truly important in life. A person can have everything, but without love, nothing is truly meaningful or satisfying.
Overall, Sophisticated Lady is a poignant song that encourages us to reflect on the importance of a fulfilling life that includes love, and how the lack of it can lead to emptiness and unhappiness.
Line by Line Meaning
They say into your early life romance came
It's been said that when you were young, you experienced your first romantic encounter.
And in this heart of yours burned a flame
That moment ignited a passionate flame within you, in your heart.
A flame that flickered one day and died away
But that flame only lasted for a brief moment before slowly and eventually disappearing.
Then, with disillusion deep in your eyes
Since then, you've become disillusioned and disappointed with your romantic experiences, which is evident in your eyes.
You learned that fools in love soon grow wise
You've come to realize that people who are foolish and naive in love eventually become wiser and more mature in their approach to romantic relationships.
The years have changed you, somehow
As time has passed, you've undergone various changes that have transformed you into someone new.
I see you now
And now, as I observe you, I see who you've become.
Smoking, drinking, never thinking of tomorrow, nonchalant
You engage in unhealthy habits such as smoking and drinking, and you carelessly live in the moment without considering what the future may bring.
Diamonds shining, dancing, dining with some man in a restaurant
You flash your wealth by wearing expensive diamonds, and you frequently go out to fancy restaurants with different men.
Is that all you really want?
But is that truly what you desire?
No, sophisticated lady
No, because despite your outward appearance, you are a sophisticated and complex woman.
I know, you miss the love you lost long ago
I understand that you still long for the love you once had but have since lost.
And when nobody is nigh you cry
And when you're all alone, you shed tears because of how much you miss that love.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Mitchell Parish
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
loulou2lou
Maturity has ripened her voice into something truly beautiful.
gtownlad77
sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo glad this clip is back !!!!