Arthur Russell (May 21 1951 - April 4, 1992) was a prodigious talent. Class… Read Full Bio ↴Arthur Russell (May 21 1951 - April 4, 1992) was a prodigious talent. Classically trained on cello while growing up in Oskaloosa, USA, Arthur studied with Ali Akbar Khan in San Francisco in the early 1970's.

During this period he also collaborated with Allen Ginsberg, accompanying him on cello while Ginsberg read or sang. Russell also spent time in a Buddhist commune in California; he left when they decided to collectivize his cello.

By the mid-1970's Russell relocated to New York City, where he studied at The Manhattan School of Music. He formed a band from 1975-1979, The Flying Hearts, recorded by John Hammond and featuring David Byrne, Rhys Chatham, Jon Gibson, Peter Gordon, Jerry Harrison, Garret List, Frank Pagano, Andy Paley, Leni Pickett, and Peter Zummo.

In the late 1970s Russell became enamored with the disco scene in New York. At the time it represented a liberation force, particularly for the gay scene, just a few years after the Stonewall riots. (For more see "Turn the Beat Around: The Secret History of Disco" by Peter Shapiro).

'Kiss Me Again' was Russell's first dance track. Released under the name Dinosaur L by Sirerecords, it was to be the first of many innovative dancefloor tracks released under different names and with different collaborators, such as 'Is It All Over My Face' by Loose Joints, released in 1980. In 1982, Arthur Russell and William Socolov founded Sleeping Bag records and their first release was his 24-24 Music. This featured 'Go Bang' which was re-mixed as a 12" single by Francois Kevorkian.

Arthur Russell continued to release dance singles such as 'Tell You Today' (4th and Broadway, 1983) an upbeat dance groove featuring the vocals of Joyce Bowden . 'Wax the Van' (Jump Street, 1985) with vocals by Lola Blank, wife of notorious BobTreehouse aka Bob Schoolbell (Sleeping Bag, 1986) and 'Let's Go Swimming' (Upside / Rough Trade, 1986).

At the same time, he produced more meditative works on the albums 'Tower of Meaning' (Chatham Square, 1983) and 'World of Echo' (Rough Trade, 1986), which presented many of his pop and dance compositions in solo cellist form.

Arthur Russell died of AIDS on April 4, 1992, at the age of 40. The obituary in the Village Voice wrote: "his songs were so personal that it seems as though he simply vanished into his music."

In 2004 a renewed interest in Arthur Russell saw the release of "The World of Arthur Russell" on Soul Jazz records, which compiled his best-known dance hits alongside more introspective love songs such as "Little Lost" and "Keeping Up".

In the same year Audika records reissued "World Of Echo" and produced "Calling Out Of Context", 12 unreleased songs from 1985-90. The songs were taken from an album "Corn", recorded in 1985 but never released. They showcase a set of visionary pop songs years ahead of their time, minimalist and expansive, evidence that Russell's best work was perhaps never realized before his death.

In 2006 Audika released "First Thought Best Thought", compiling Russell's out of print orchestral and instrumental works with previously unreleased material.

All-Boy All-Girl
Arthur Russell Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Still, they are tough
They go
Still alive they know

All boy, all girl, yeah
All boy, all girl
All boy, all yeah yeah
All boy, all girl, yeah

All boy, yeah
All boy, all girl
All boy, yeah
All boy, all girl, yeah
All boy, all girl, yeah

Kiss, yeah, oh yeah
Kiss, at the door, it all
Kiss, at the door, standing in the light, they know

At the same time that they were letting go
They were kissing
They were kissing
They were kissing

Dry-eyed inside
Dry-eyed inside, they walk on
Dry-eyed inside
Now they′re taking off
And now they're yet, they′re taking off
And now they're taking off
And now they're taking off

And now they′re taking off
And now they′re taking off

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Arthur Russell's song "All-Boy All-Girl" describe a scene of two people who are tough and still alive, who have shared a kiss and are now taking off. The repetition of "all boy, all girl" suggests that the two people are from different genders, but the use of "all" emphasizes their shared humanity.

The lines "dry-eyed inside, they walk on" and "now they're taking off" could suggest that the two people are leaving a difficult situation, perhaps a relationship or an emotional struggle. However, the lyrics are ambiguous enough to allow for different interpretations. The imagery of kissing and taking off could also suggest a moment of liberation or ecstatic release.

Overall, the lyrics of "All-Boy All-Girl" are enigmatic and impressionistic, leaving much open for interpretation. The use of repetition and ambiguous imagery creates a sense of mystery and depth, inviting the listener to engage with the song on multiple levels.

Line by Line Meaning

Still, they are tough
Despite facing challenges, they remain strong and capable

They go
They keep moving forward

Still alive they know
They are aware of their own vitality and worth

All boy, all girl, yeah
Gender doesn't define them; they are all simply human

All boy, all girl
Regardless of gender, they are all valuable individuals

All boy, all yeah yeah
Yes, they are all human beings regardless of gender

Kiss, yeah, oh yeah
Expressing affection and love freely and openly

Kiss, at the door, it all
Showing love before parting ways

Kiss, at the door, standing in the light, they know
They are aware of the joy and beauty of love and don't hide it

At the same time that they were letting go
Even though they were saying goodbye

They were kissing
They expressed their love and affection for each other even as they said goodbye