Tracey Ullman (born December 30, 1959 in Hackbridge) an English comedienne,… Read Full Bio ↴Tracey Ullman (born December 30, 1959 in Hackbridge) an English comedienne, was a pop star for a brief spell in the early '80s before resuming her focus on acting. She had six singles in the British Top 100 in a 19 month span from March 1983-October 1984. Melody Maker once described her retro '60s style sound as somewhere between "Minnie Mouse and the Supremes".

In 1982 while starring on the BBC TV programme "Three of a Kind", Ullman was persuaded to record an album "You Broke My Heart in 17 Places" for Stiff Records, which quickly became a #14 pop chart album hit in the UK, featuring three top ten singles.

In 1984, a follow up album, entitled "You Caught Me Out" was released. Other than a Kirsty MacColl co-produced cut, it was produced by Peter Colins, as was her debut.

Despite her success in the music biz, Ullman, a talented actress, singer, dancer, screenwriter, and author, is most famous for being the host of her eponymous variety television shows. Ullman has an extraordinary ability to mimic accents, with her numerous characters rarely sounding anything like her normal accent.

Her professional entertainment career began at age 17 as a ballet dancer in Germany, and eventually she appeared in London stage productions of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", "Grease" etc. By 1980, she won the London Theater Critics Award and gained a foothold in television.

Her early appearances were in British TV sketch comedy shows with Rik Mayall in "A Kick Up the Eighties", and "Three of a Kind" with Lenny Henry, and the English comedian, David Copperfield. She also appeared with French and Saunders and Ruby Wax in "Girls On Top".

After some movie work, notably in Paul McCartney's "Give My Regards to Broad Street" and with Meryl Streep in "Plenty", her career skyrocketed in the USA.

in 1987 Ullman scored a coup with her own TV series on the fledgling Fox network, "The Tracey Ullman Show", which eventually won five Emmy awards and launched "The Simpsons"; the world's longest-running animated series. Ullman later unsucessfully sued to gain profits from the Simpsons own show after her Fox program was cancelled.

Tracey later found even greater success producing shows for HBO, including "Tracey Takes On...", for which she has won numerous awards. She has also appeared in many feature films.

Bobby
Tracey Ullman Lyrics

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When people ask of me
what would you like to be,
now that you're not a kid any more?
I know just what to say,
I answer right a away
There's just one thing
I've been wishing for

I wanna be Bobby's girl,
I wanna be Bobby's girl
That's the most important thing to me
And if I was Bobby's girl
if I was Bobby's girl,
what a faithful, thankful girl I'd be

Each night I sit at home
hoping that he will phone,
but I know Bobby has someone else
Still in my heart I pray,
there soon will come a day
when I will have him all to myself

I wanna be Bobby's girl,
I wanna be Bobby's girl
That's the most important thing to me
And if I was Bobby's girl

if I was Bobby's girl,
what a faithful, thankful girl I'd be

Overall Meaning

The Tracey Ullman hit "Bobby's Girl" was released in 1984, but it was actually a cover of the 1962 classic by Marcie Blane. The song tells the story of a girl who wishes to be with a boy named Bobby, even though she knows he already has someone else. She daydreams about how faithful and thankful she would be if she were Bobby's girl. The simple but catchy lyrics are a perfect representation of youthful infatuation and unrequited love.

The song is not only relatable, but it also speaks to the longing for love and acceptance that is universal to all generations. The lyrics are straightforward but are infused with a touch of poignancy that pulls at the heartstrings. The repetition of the chorus creates a sense of yearning, and the melody is upbeat and cheerful, adding to the hopefulness of the lyrics.

The success of "Bobby's Girl" helped to establish Tracey Ullman's career as a singer, actress, and comedian. Interestingly, Ullman went on to find international fame with her sketch comedy show, The Tracey Ullman Show, which was the launching pad for The Simpsons. The song itself also had a lasting impact and has been covered by several other artists over the years, including The Carpenters and Susan Maughan.

Line by Line Meaning

When people ask of me
When others inquire of my aspirations

what would you like to be,
what profession or role I desire, now that I am grown

now that you're not a kid any more?
now that I am no longer a child

I know just what to say,
I am confident in my response

I answer right away
I reply quickly without hesitation

There's just one thing
I have only one request

I've been wishing for
a dream I have nurtured

I wanna be Bobby's girl,
I desire to be the romantic partner of a man named Bobby

That's the most important thing to me
It is my top priority

And if I was Bobby's girl
If my dream were to become a reality

if I was Bobby's girl,
if I were his significant other