Auld was born in Toronto, but lived in the United States from the late 1920s onward, and was most noteworthy for his work with Bunny Berigan, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, Erroll Garner, Dizzy Gillespie, Al Porcino, Billy Eckstine, Tiny Kahn, Frank Rosolino, and many others. Primarily a swing saxophonist, he did many big band stints in his career and led several big bands, including Georgie Auld and His Orchestra and Georgie Auld and His Hollywood All Stars. Georgie Auld also played some rock'n'roll working for Alan Freed in 1959.
In 1977 he played a bandleader in the box-office failure New York, New York and also acted as a technical consultant for the film.
All Or Nothing At All
Georgie Auld Lyrics
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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 beenNo I'd rather (rather) have nothing at all
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
Georgie Auld's song "All or Nothing At All" is a declaration of romantic devotion and steadfastness. The singer sets his terms at the outset by stating that he has no interest in a "half a love." He is looking for all or nothing at all, and if his lover's heart cannot yield to him, then he would rather have nothing from them. He emphasizes this sentiment by repeating this phrase throughout the song.
The singer explains that for him, love is not something that can be experienced in "in between." Choosing to start something knowing it will not ultimately work out would only set him up for a future agony of regret. His lover's kiss and touch make him weak, but he knows he cannot give in, lest he be caught in the undertow of what he knows to be impossible.
Although the song is a simple and straightforward message of romantic devotion, it is a reminder of the importance of clear communication in relationships. The message is clear: either love me with all your heart, or not at all. There is no in between.
Line by Line Meaning
All or nothing at all
I'm only interested in experiencing love in its complete form, nothing less.
Half a love, never appealed to me
I'm not interested in a relationship that's not completely committed both ways.
If your heart, never could yield to me
If you aren't willing to fully commit to me emotionally, I'd rather not have anything at all.
Then I'd rather (rather) have nothing at all
It's more beneficial for me to have no love than to have love that's not all-encompassing.
If it's love, there is no in between
Love should be complete and not have any gray areas.
Why begin then cry, for something that might have been
There's no point in starting something if it's not going to be a fully committed relationship.
But please don't bring your lips so close to my cheek
I'm afraid I might give in to your advances if you're physically close to me.
Don't smile or I'll be lost beyond recall
Your charm and charisma can easily sweep me off my feet.
The kiss in your eyes, the touch of your hand makes me weak
Your physical touch and eye contact is very alluring and might make me give in to my emotions.
And my heart may go dizzy and fall
Your advances might cause me to fall deeply in love with you.
And if I fell (I fell) under the spell of your call
If I were to give in to my emotions, it would be because I couldn't resist your allure.
I would be, caught in the undertow
If I get swept up in the emotions of a partially committed relationship, I might get hurt.
So you see, I've got to say no, no
For my own sake, I can't take the risk of getting hurt in a partially committed relationship.
All or nothing at all
I will only pursue and accept love that's completely committed and fulfilling.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network
Written by: Arthur Altman, Jack Lawrence
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind