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".
Willow Weep For Me
Rosemary Clooney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Willow weep for me
Bend your branches green along the stream that runs to sea
Listen to my plea
Listen willow and weep for me
Yes, gone my lovers dream
Lovely summer dream
Sad as I can be
Hear me willow and weep for me
[Chorus:]
Oh, whisper to the wind and say that love's a sin
Leave my heart a-breaking, and making a moan
Murmur to the night to hide her starry light
So none will find me sighing, crying all alone
Oh, willow weep tree
Weeping sympathy
Bend your branches down along the ground and cover me
When the shadows fall, bend over willow and weep for me
[Chorus]
Yes, willow weep tree
Weeping sympathy
Bend your branches down along the ground and cover me
When the shadows fall, bend over willow and weep for me
Yes
In Willow Weep For Me, Rosemary Clooney sings about her sorrowful situation, calling upon the willow tree to empathize with her pain. She describes how her lover had a beautiful dream and how it vanished, leaving her alone to weep. She pleads for the willow tree to listen to her cries and weep alongside her. Clooney even asks the tree to cover her with its branches when the shadows fall. The lyrics convey a sense of heartbreak and loneliness, and the willow tree becomes a symbolic representation of the solace that she seeks.
The song's chorus continues with the theme of melancholy and despair, as Clooney implores the wind to acknowledge the pain that love can cause. She asks the night to hide the stars and keep her tears and cries concealed. The use of natural elements such as the willow, wind, and night add to the overall mood of the song, invoking a sense of nostalgia and sadness.
Willow Weep For Me was written in 1932 by Ann Ronell and has been covered by many artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Frank Sinatra. The song has become a standard in the jazz and blues genres, with its haunting melody and poignant lyrics. It has also been used in various movies and TV shows, including The Sopranos and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
Line by Line Meaning
Yes, willow weep for me
Asking the willow tree to weep for the singer and to express sympathy
Willow weep for me
Repeating the request for the willow tree to weep for the singer
Bend your branches green along the stream that runs to sea
Asking the willow tree to bend its green branches towards the stream and to continue until it reaches the sea
Listen to my plea
Asking the willow tree to listen to the singer's sincere request
Listen willow and weep for me
Asking the willow tree to listen and respond to the singer's plea with tears
Yes, gone my lovers dream
Acknowledging the loss of the singer's lover's dream
Lovely summer dream
Describing the wonderful dream that the singer's lover had
Gone and left me here to weep my tears into the stream
Saying that the lover has left the singer alone and sad, crying her tears into the stream
Sad as I can be
Expressing the singer's deep sorrow and sadness
Hear me willow and weep for me
Asking the willow tree to hear the singer's sorrows and to weep with her
Oh, whisper to the wind and say that love's a sin
Requesting the willow tree to convey to the wind that love is a terrible sin
Leave my heart a-breaking, and making a moan
Expressing how love has caused the singer's heart to be shattered and to be filled with pain
Murmur to the night to hide her starry light
Requesting the willow tree to ask the night to hide its stars so that she can mourn alone
So none will find me sighing, crying all alone
Asking the willow tree to keep her hidden, so no one will see her crying and sighing alone
Oh, willow weep tree
Referring to the willow tree as a weeping willow
Weeping sympathy
Describing the willow tree's sympathy for the singer's sadness
Bend your branches down along the ground and cover me
Asking the willow tree to bend its branches all the way down to the ground and to cover the singer
When the shadows fall, bend over willow and weep for me
Asking the willow tree to bend over towards the singer and to weep for her when shadows fall
Yes
A simple affirmative response or confirmation
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Ann Ronell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind