Rosemary Clooney (born 23 May 1928 in Maysville, Kentucky, USA – 29 June 20… Read Full Bio ↴Rosemary Clooney (born 23 May 1928 in Maysville, Kentucky, USA – 29 June 2002) was an American singer and actress.

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".

The Christmas Song
Rosemary Clooney Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
Jack Frost nipping at your nose
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir
And folks dressed up like Eskimos
Everybody knows, a turkey and some mistletoe
Help to make the season bright

Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow

Will find it hard to sleep tonight
They know that Santa's on his way
He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh
And every mothers child is gonna spy
To see if reindeer really know how to fly
And so I'm offering this simple phrase
To kids from one to ninety two
Although it's been said many times, many ways
Merry Christmas to you

And so I'm offering this simple phrase
To kids from one to ninety two

Although it's been said many times, many ways
Merry Christmas to you

Overall Meaning

The Christmas Song by Rosemary Clooney is a classic holiday tune that has been covered by many artists over the years. The song celebrates the joy and magic of Christmas with its vivid imagery and cheerful message. The opening lines "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose" evoke a cozy, warm feeling that perfectly captures the essence of Christmas. The second line "Yuletide carols being sung by a choir, And folks dressed up like Eskimos" emphasizes the communal aspect of the holiday season where people come together to celebrate and spread joy.

The third verse of the song emphasizes the magic of Christmas for children. The line "Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow will find it hard to sleep tonight" suggests the excitement and anticipation that children have for the arrival of Santa Claus. The verse goes on to describe Santa's journey on his sleigh, loaded with toys and goodies for all the good children. The final verse of the song reiterates the message of the first verse, offering a simple greeting of "Merry Christmas to you" to all, regardless of age.

Line by Line Meaning

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
While chestnuts are getting roasted people are feeling warm and cozy because of the atmosphere created by the combination of the heat, the crackling sound and the aroma.

Jack Frost nipping at your nose
It is very cold outside and the chilly air is making one feel numbness and a slight discomfort in the nose which is akin to being pinched by Jack Frost.

Yuletide carols being sung by a choir
The choir group has come together during Christmas time to sing songs that enliven the festival mood and their melodious voices fill the air with music and joy.

And folks dressed up like Eskimos
People are wearing thick winter clothes that make them look like Eskimos to keep themselves warm from the cold weather.

Everybody knows, a turkey and some mistletoe Help to make the season bright
During Christmas, there are certain things which we all know, like having a turkey meal and decorating with mistletoe, that can make the season more joyous and exciting for everyone.

Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow Will find it hard to sleep tonight
Excited children, with shining bright eyes, would find it difficult to fall asleep on Christmas Eve night as they are looking forward to opening their presents from Santa Claus.

They know that Santa's on his way He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh
The children are sure that Santa Claus is coming soon with his sleigh filled with toys and gifts for them, and they can't wait to see what they will receive.

And every mothers child is gonna spy To see if reindeer really know how to fly
Every child is curious to see if the reindeer can really fly as they are the ones who will pull Santa's sleigh on his journey around the world to deliver gifts.

And so I'm offering this simple phrase To kids from one to ninety two Although it's been said many times, many ways Merry Christmas to you
I would like to offer a simple phrase to all the kids, no matter their age, as it has been said many times before, but it still holds true - Merry Christmas to you! It is a time of joy, love, and togetherness that we should all celebrate.

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Mel Torme, Robert Wells

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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