Frank Hamilton spent the whole of 2012 writing, recording and releasing one… Read Full Bio ↴Frank Hamilton spent the whole of 2012 writing, recording and releasing one song a week.

‘The Best of’ #OneSongaWeek’ was released on December 10th 2012 and charted at #1 in iTunes S/S charts & #21 in iTunes overall album chart.

Supporters and collaborators include Ed Sheeran, Newton Faulkner, Lauren Aquilina, Ryan Keen, The Crimea, Dion Dublin, Mark Grist and many more…

The project was 100% DIY, cost absolutely nothing (apart from the endless supply of tea-bags) and culminated in a sell-out live show at Camden Barfly on December 20th.

2013 will see Frank Hamilton stepping out of #OneSongaWeek HQ (his living room) and into the spotlight.

All or Nothing
Frank Hamilton Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

All or nothing I just need something to be
Waste a life time chasing things you can't see
And if life's a game when we pack the box away will the pressure fall out on me?
Cos its been to long since my head felt problem free

Hazy mornings and days spent crawling along
I'm a walking crossword but half the answers are wrong
And if love's a set of lyrics

Then I just don't know the words to this song
But I'll just keep moving my mouth and pretend that I'm singing along

And I want you
While there's air in my lungs and feet in my shoes
I want you
I want you

Work through nights just to sleep through days at a time
Awkward glances and words that cross the line
And every time my parents call I do my best to tell them I'm fine
Even though I'm mixed up cos there's far too much stuff in my mind

And when the days fall short and nights get cold
Growing up's like growing old
We both need something real to hold
So lets make do

And I want you
While there's air in my lungs and feet in my shoes
I want you
I want you

It's cold and I'll wait for you
(It's cold and I'll wait for you)
I'll open the gate for you
(I'll open the gate for you)
And get to work late for you
(Get to work late for you)
I'd lie and I'd fake for you
(I'd lie and I'd fake for you)
And I'd walk round the shops for you
(And I'd walk round the shops for you)
Give opinions on tops for you
(Give opinions on tops for you)
Waste money and time on you
(Waste money and time on you)
And all cos I wanted to

And I want you
While there's air in my lungs and feet in my shoes
I want you
I want you

And I want you
While there's air in my lungs and there's feet in my shoes

I want you
You know I want you

Overall Meaning

Frank Hamilton's song "All or Nothing" is a musing on the difficulties of life, love and growing up. The song suggests that life is too precious to waste and that we need to seize opportunities and live fully, even if it means taking risks. The opening lines "All or nothing I just need something to be, Waste a lifetime chasing things you can't see" highlight the fear of not achieving anything significant in life and chasing unrealistic goals. The song's main theme revolves around the uncertainty and anxiety that comes from living in a world where there are no obvious answers or clear paths to follow. The line "And if life's a game when we pack the box away will the pressure fall out on me?" suggests that when we die, we may face the consequences of our actions.

Hamilton is unsure about love as well. "And if love's a set of lyrics, Then I just don't know the words to this song, But I'll just keep moving my mouth and pretend that I'm singing along" - he feels like he can't express himself adequately enough in words or actions, but he's willing to try for the one he loves. He's willing to lie, fake, walk around the shops, waste money and time, and do anything to be with the one he wants - even if it means sacrificing his own values and principles. Hamilton is essentially saying that life is too short to second-guess ourselves and that we should follow our hearts, no matter what. The song ends with Hamilton repeating the line "And I want you, while there's air in my lungs, and there's feet in my shoes" - he knows what he desires, and he's determined to go after it no matter what.

Line by Line Meaning

All or nothing I just need something to be
I don't want everything, I just want something that gives me satisfaction.

Waste a life time chasing things you can't see
Life is too short to pursue unattainable things.

And if life's a game when we pack the box away will the pressure fall out on me?
Will I be able to handle the stress and challenges of life when everything comes crashing down?

Cos its been too long since my head felt problem free
I have been burdened with too many issues for too long.

Hazy mornings and days spent crawling along
I feel like I'm just going through the motions and not really living my life.

I'm a walking crossword but half the answers are wrong
I feel lost and confused, unable to figure things out.

And if love's a set of lyrics Then I just don't know the words to this song
I'm unsure about what love really entails and how to express it.

But I'll just keep moving my mouth and pretend that I'm singing along
I'll try to fake it till I make it when it comes to love.

Work through nights just to sleep through days at a time
I'm unable to find a sense of balance in my life.

Awkward glances and words that cross the line
I struggle with social interactions and communication.

And every time my parents call I do my best to tell them I'm fine
I don't want to burden others with my issues and pretend that everything is okay.

Even though I'm mixed up cos there's far too much stuff in my mind
Although I'm feeling confused and overwhelmed, I'm still trying to put on a brave face.

And when the days fall short and nights get cold Growing up's like growing old We both need something real to hold
Life can be difficult and lonely, so we need something genuine and authentic to hold onto.

So lets make do
Let's do our best with what we have and make the most of it.

It's cold and I'll wait for you
Even if it's difficult, I'll wait for you.

I'll open the gate for you
I'll do what it takes to make things easier for you.

And get to work late for you
I'm willing to make sacrifices for you.

I'd lie and I'd fake for you
I'm willing to compromise my own values and principles for you.

And I'd walk round the shops for you
I'm willing to do mundane and trivial things for you.

Give opinions on tops for you
I'm willing to offer my opinions and thoughts on even the smallest things for you.

Waste money and time on you
I'm willing to spend my resources and time on you, even if it's not practical or beneficial.

And all cos I wanted to
I'm doing all of this because I love you and it's worth it to me.

And I want you While there's air in my lungs and feet in my shoes
I want you more than anything while I'm still alive and able to pursue you.

I want you You know I want you
My desire for you is strong and unwavering.

Contributed by Taylor J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.