Although Rooney had flirted with enlisting Ric Ocasek to produce, they eventually opted to rehire Keith Forsey, the producer responsible for the the strong batch of demos that had gotten them signed in the first place. Rooney's sunny, self-titled debut arrived in 2003 and its sales spiked considerably the following year when the band appeared on Fox's popular teen drama The O.C. (the first in a long line of bands to do so). Later that year, the concert DVD Spit and Sweat was released, highlighting the group's transformation from teenage musicians into a road-seasoned outfit. Rooney began recording their follow-up later that year with producer Tony Hoffer, but the album was eventually scrapped despite several songs being posted on the band's MySpace page. A second attempt to record their sophomore album was made in fall 2005, this time with Howard Benson in the producer's seat. Although it was slated for a 2006 release, this version too was scrapped as friction between the band and its label increased.
Following a 2006 tour with Kelly Clarkson, Rooney returned to the studio with producer John Fields for a third -- and successful -- attempt at recording their second album. The slightly darker, but no less catchy Calling the World was released in summer 2007 and debuted on the Billboard charts at number 42. By this point, though, the band's relationship with Geffen had suffered too much damage and Rooney eventually left the label's roster in 2009. That same year, the band celebrated their independent status by self-releasing an EP, Wild One, and launching a brief tour. They didn't remain independent for long, though, eventually partnering with Warner Bros. for the release of their third full-length album, the self-produced Eureka, in June 2010. Although bassist Matt Winter played on the record, he left the band's lineup several months before its release, with Brandon Schwartzel climbing aboard in his place. By the end of 2011, support for the record had mostly ceased and Rooney essentially entered into a lengthy hiatus. Schwartzman remained busy with a number of projects, including two solo records and a pair of film scores. Following years of silence regarding his band's fate, Schwartzman revealed in early 2016 that he had completed a new Rooney album entirely on his own. Released in May 2016, Washed Away was the fourth LP under the Rooney banner, and was supported on the road by a completely retooled lineup. In June 2017, the band issued the single "Second Chances" in anticipation of the release of the El Cortez EP, which arrived in July of that year.
All Or Nothing
Rooney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Changing every single way
I can't stop this train I'm on when it's still in motion
I don't want to fail you now
But it's a-coming somehow
Look at me here on my knees begging you please
Cause it's all or nothing
All or nothing now
What happened to the golden days?
Was it just another teenage craze?
It's so hard to let it go when it's all you know
I don't want to compromise
The way I feel behind my eyes
Listen to the conversation, give it time
If I were you, I'd be hurting too
Cause it's all or nothing
All or nothing now
If you were me, I know you'd see
That it's all or nothing
All or nothing now
Come on do you think I just want to use you
Don't think that I can't see through all the hurting you do
If I were you, I'd be hurting too
Cause it's all or nothing
All or nothing now
If you were me, I know you'd see
That it's all or nothing
All or nothing now
All or nothing
All or nothing
All or nothing
All or nothing
All or nothing
All or nothing
All or nothing
All or nothing
All or nothing
All or nothing
All or nothing
All or nothing
All or nothing
All or nothing now
The song All or Nothing by Rooney talks about the struggles of relationships, the effort it takes to keep them going, and the fear of failure that comes along with it. The lyrics describe a protagonist who is going through changes every day and can't stop the motion of the train they are on. They are at a point in their relationship where they don't want to fail, but they see the end of it coming somehow. They beg their partner to stay and give them a chance, as they know they would be hurting too if they let go of what they have altogether.
The second verse tries to reminiscence of the times when everything used to be perfect, and the singers want to hold onto those memories. However, they don't want to compromise the way they feel, and they ask their partner to listen to the conversation and give it some time. The last part of the song is the plea of the singer to their partner that they don't want to use them and that they can see through all the hurt that they are causing.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm a-changing every day
I am continuously evolving and growing as a person every day.
Changing every single way
I am changing in every aspect of my life.
I can't stop this train I'm on when it's still in motion
I cannot stop my progress or trajectory while I'm still moving forward.
I don't want to fail you now
I have a fear of disappointing you at this point in time.
But it's a-coming somehow
But I can foresee that disappointment arriving soon.
Look at me here on my knees begging you please
I am pleading with you while vulnerably kneeling before you.
If I were you, I'd be hurting too
I can imagine myself in your position and can recognize that you too would feel pain.
Cause it's all or nothing
This situation will have one of two outcomes, there is no in-between.
What happened to the golden days?
What happened to the joyful and peaceful times of the past?
Was it just another teenage craze?
Were those experiences just a result of youthful excitement and recklessness?
It's so hard to let it go when it's all you know
It is difficult to move away from what is familiar and comfortable.
I don't want to compromise
I refuse to sacrifice my feelings and desires.
The way I feel behind my eyes
The underlying emotions that I hold within.
Listen to the conversation, give it time
Take the time to thoughtfully consider and understand the details of the discussion.
If you were me, I know you'd see
If you were in my place, you would understand.
That it's all or nothing
This situation will have one of two outcomes, there is no in-between.
Come on do you think I just want to use you
Do you honestly believe that my intentions are to take advantage of you?
Don't think that I can't see through all the hurting you do
I am aware of the pain that you are experiencing and I empathize with you.
All or nothing
This situation will have one of two outcomes, there is no in-between.
All or nothing now
This decisive moment is happening presently and cannot be postponed any longer.
Contributed by Cole K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.