All or Nothing
GINA ÉTÉ Lyrics
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German woods dissolve to brown coal
Megacities make me lonely
Should one person make you whole?
Drawing borders step by step
Your own four walls you call your home
Your rightful heir sells the real estate
All or nothing all or nothing
All for nothing all for nothing
All and nothing all and nothing
All is nothing all is nothing
Each country and its army
Say we defend say we must
Ever thought that we mustn't
Would cities of iron turn to dust?
All or nothing all or nothing
All for nothing all for nothing
All and nothing all and nothing
All is nothing all is nothing
Where to begin where to begin
We're disappearing disappearing
Into nothing into nothing
It's all for nothing all for nothing
I'm disappearing
Disappearing disappearing
Into nothing into nothing
The lyrics of GINA ÉTÉ's song All or Nothing deal with the themes of environmentalism, the dangers of nationalism and war, and the idea of individualism versus collectivism. The opening lines describe the bleak state of our planet, with coral reefs being covered in plastic and German woods dissolving due to brown coal mining. The next lines highlight the fact that while megacities may seem like they offer everything, they can also make one feel incredibly lonely. The following question "Should one person make you whole?" implies that being part of something bigger, and more meaningful than oneself, is necessary for personal fulfillment.
The second verse talks about the idea of drawing borders step by step, creating your own four walls and calling it home. The mention of a rightful heir selling the real estate and leaving their name on the tombstone can be interpreted as a critique of inheritance and the perpetuation of generational wealth. The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "All or nothing" in different ways, suggesting that the issues raised in the song are fundamentally black and white: either we make the difficult but necessary changes to our societies or we don't, and the consequences are dire.
Line by Line Meaning
Coral reefs covered in plastic
The destruction of coral reefs due to plastic pollution
German woods dissolve to brown coal
The loss of natural forests in Germany to the mining and burning of brown coal
Megacities make me lonely
The isolation and loneliness experienced in densely populated urban areas
Should one person make you whole?
Questioning the idea that a single individual can fulfill all of one's emotional needs and desires
Drawing borders step by step
The gradual process of creating physical and ideological divisions between nations and people
Your own four walls you call your home
The concept of home and belonging being tied to the physical space of a house or apartment
Your rightful heir sells the real estate
The loss of family inheritance and tradition through the sale of property
And leaves your name on the tombstone
The idea that one's legacy and impact on the world is more important than physical possessions
All or nothing all or nothing
The dichotomy of extreme choices with no middle ground
All for nothing all for nothing
The possibility of investing time and effort into something only for it to be pointless or without reward
All and nothing all and nothing
The concept of opposites being two sides of the same coin
All is nothing all is nothing
The idea that the ultimate reality of life is emptiness or meaninglessness
Each country and its army
The idea of national identity being associated with military power and aggression
Say we defend say we must
The rhetoric used to justify wars and military actions
Ever thought that we mustn't
The questioning of the necessity for warfare and violence
Would cities of iron turn to dust?
The possibility of even the most imposing and resilient structures being subject to destruction or decay
Where to begin where to begin
The overwhelming feeling of not knowing where to start in addressing complex issues
We're disappearing disappearing
The growing sense of collective loss and decline
Into nothing into nothing
The foreboding sense of a bleak future with no progress or improvement
It's all for nothing all for nothing
The belief that all efforts, no matter how noble or effective, may still result in failure or insignificance
I'm disappearing
The personal experience of feeling lost, powerless, and insignificant
Disappearing disappearing
The repetition of this line emphasizes the urgency and inevitability of this feeling
Into nothing into nothing
The repetition of this line reinforces the idea that the future looks bleak and hopeless
Writer(s): Gina Corti
Contributed by Mateo H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Bruno Frey Nascimento
Just listened to it in the radio, Gina! Had to grab my Shazam app to find it out then figured out that I knew this band and even some of the musicians 👌 keep it up!
Nina Corti
Bravo Gina! Love it !
Giulietta LaStrega
love it!
GINA ÉTÉ
dankeee <3
Faira
Unfassbar gut..... woow!!
Jeremie Revel
Niiiiiiiiice !!!!
Motor Entertainment
wonderful <3
Thomas Wolff
Gut gemacht. Gleich die ersten Takte halten mich fest.
GINA ÉTÉ
Danke dir!!!
greenbanane
Neat