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Nothing At All
Dr. Manette Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Half a love, never appealed to me
If your heart, never could yield to me
Then I'd rather (rather) have nothing at all
All or nothing at all
If it's love, there is no in between
Why begin then cry, for something that might have been
But please don't bring your lips so close to my cheek
Don't smile or I'll be lost beyond recall
The kiss in your eyes, the touch of your hand makes me weak
And my heart may go dizzy and fall
And if I fell (I fell) under the spell of your call
I would be, caught in the undertow
So you see, I've got to say no, no
All or nothing at all
The song "Nothing At All" by Dr. Manette speaks about the importance of having all or nothing in a relationship when it comes to love. The lyrics suggest that half-hearted love does not appeal to the singer, and if the other person's heart cannot yield, they would rather have nothing instead. The idea behind this is that love is not something that should be taken lightly, and if two people are not on the same page, it is better to walk away before anyone gets hurt.
The song also presents the idea that there is no in-between when it comes to love. It is either all or nothing. Beginning a relationship with uncertainty only leads to heartache, and longing for something that might have been. Therefore, the singer would rather have nothing than something that is not real or does not have the commitment needed for love to thrive.
The chorus of the song, which says, "But please don't bring your lips so close to my cheek, don't smile or I'll be lost beyond recall," suggests that even though the singer knows that they want all or nothing when it comes to love, they still have feelings for the other person. They are aware that a simple touch or gesture could make them weak and cause them to fall under the other person's spell.
Line by Line Meaning
All or nothing at all
I must have everything, or I refuse to accept anything less.
Half a love, never appealed to me
I don't believe a love affair can be satisfactory if one person is not completely devoted to the other.
If your heart, never could yield to me
If you are not capable of giving me your complete love and devotion.
Then I'd rather (rather) have nothing at all
I would rather have no part of you, than have you hold back your affection.
If it's love, there is no in between
Love is absolute, there is no such thing as loving 'half-way.'
Why begin then cry, for something that might have been
Why start a relationship that you know will never be complete, and then regret it afterwards?
No I'd rather (rather) have nothing at all
I would rather have no love at all, than a love that is not complete.
But please don't bring your lips so close to my cheek
I am afraid that if we become too intimate, I will not be able to resist you.
Don't smile or I'll be lost beyond recall
If you should show me affection, I will lose my self control.
The kiss in your eyes, the touch of your hand makes me weak
Your mere touch is enough to make me feel weak and helpless.
And my heart may go dizzy and fall
I may become so overwhelmed with emotion that I lose my self control and fall in love with you.
And if I fell (I fell) under the spell of your call
If I were to be seduced by your charms.
I would be, caught in the undertow
I would be swept away by the force of my emotions.
So you see, I've got to say no, no
I cannot take the risk of falling for you and losing all control.
All or nothing at all
My love cannot be conditional; I must have all of you or none of you.
Lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Arthur Altman, Jack Lawrence
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ethan
I bought this CD for fifty cents last year, such an unsung gem
Steve Shoes
was my fav record in hs.... thanks mark!