Ruth was born in David City, Nebraska. Her mother died when she was 5, and her father left her with her grandparents, George and Hannah Etting, who owned a roller mill. Her father remarried and moved away, seldom visiting his daughter. When she was 17 she moved to Chicago to attend art school, and got a job designing costumes at a night club. One night the tenor got sick and since she was the only one who could sing low enough, she took his place, and landed a job in the chorus. By 1918 she was one of the club's featured vocalists. It was there she met Moe "The Gimp" Snyder, a wanna-be gangster who took over management of Ruth's career and married her in 1922.
After her New York sucess, she moved to Los Angeles and had roles in a number of films including Roman Scandals with Eddie Cantor. There are conflicting stories about the scandal that virtually ended her career. The marriage between Ms. Etting and The Gimp was virtually loveless from the beginning, and he was a demanding and controlling manager who would not let other men near his wife. They were divorced in 1937. While in Los Angeles she began spending time with Myrl Alderman, a pianist who had played with her earlier in her career. In 1938, The Gimp forced his way into Ruth's house, and shot Alderman, wounding him. The subsequent trial put a halt to her career, although she did make some appearances in 1947. Ruth and Myrl married and retired to Colorado Springs, where she died in 1978. The academy award nominated movie version of her life story, Love me or Leave Me, with Jimmy Cagney and Doris Day, was apparently highly fictionalized.
'Deed I Do
Ruth Etting Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh my! Do I!
Honey, deed I do!
Do I need you?
Oh my! Do I!
Honey, deed I do!
That's why I'm always hangin' around you . . .
Do I love you?
Oh my! Do I!
Honey, deed I do!
Honey, deed I do!
Hmm! Honey, deed I do!
I'm glad that I'm the one who found you,
That's why I'm always hangin' around you . . .
Oh! Do I love you?
Oh my! Do I!
Honey, deed I do!
Ah Deed I Do!
The song 'Deed I Do' by Ruth Etting is a classic love song about the singer's intense feelings towards their lover. The opening lines, "Do I want you? Oh my! Do I! Honey, deed I do!" immediately convey the singer's desire and passion for their significant other. The repetition of "Oh my! Do I!" emphasizes the extent to which the singer is head over heels for their partner. The phrase "Honey, deed I do!" serves as a constant reminder of the singer's unwavering love and commitment to their significant other.
The following lines, "I'm glad that I'm the one who found you, That's why I'm always hangin' around you . . ." reveal the singer's appreciation for their partner and their happiness at having found them. The phrase "always hangin' around you" signifies the singer's constant presence in their lover's life and their desire to be close to them at all times.
The final lines, "Oh! Do I love you? Oh my! Do I! Honey, deed I do!" reiterate the singer's intense love and affection for their partner. The song as a whole conveys a sense of joy and happiness that comes with being in love, and the lyrics are simple but powerful in their message.
Line by Line Meaning
Do I want you?
Is it my desire to have you?
Oh my! Do I!
Yes, absolutely!
Honey, deed I do!
I really do want you.
Do I need you?
Is it a requirement for me to have you?
Oh my! Do I!
Yes, I cannot go on without you.
Honey, deed I do!
I really do need you.
I'm glad that I'm the one who found you,
I am happy that I discovered you before anyone else.
That's why I'm always hangin' around you . . .
That's why I want to spend time with you, to make sure nobody else takes you away.
Do I love you?
Do I have strong feelings for you?
Oh my! Do I!
Yes, I do love you.
Honey, deed I do!
I really, truly love you.
Hmm! Honey, deed I do!
Yes, I absolutely love you.
I'm glad that I'm the one who found you,
I am happy that I discovered you before anyone else.
That's why I'm always hangin' around you . . .
That's why I want to spend time with you, to make sure nobody else takes you away.
Oh! Do I love you?
Oh, yes, I really do love you.
Oh my! Do I!
Yes, absolutely!
Honey, deed I do!
I really, truly love you.
Ah Deed I Do!
Yes, I definitely love you!
Writer(s): F. Rose, W. Hirsch
Contributed by Christian R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@kimberlymusick3489
lyrics:
I was oh so blue till you came along
Just to make my life a wonderful song
You brought sunshine just to brighten my loneliness
Is it any wonder? In my happiness, I confess
Do I want you? Oh my, do I
Honey, 'deed I do
Do I need you? Oh my, do I
Honey, 'deed I do
I'm glad that I'm the one who found you
That's why I'm always hanging 'round you
Do I love you? Oh my, do I
Honey, 'deed I do
There are lots of others that I have met
Those you meet today, tomorrow forget
You're the only one who ever could stand the test
That's the reason why I choose you from the rest
You're the best
Do I want you? Oh my, do I
Honey, 'deed I do
Do I need you? Oh my, do I
Honey, 'deed I do
@gazingamezz
On the radio my mom was listening to this song 17 years ago, she couldn’t get it out of her head and she taught our parrot this song, this is such a sweet song and our parrot sings this everyday. i would have never heard of this song if it wasn’t for her, something about it is so enjoyable to listen to :)
@HMCS1941
The year I was born! Thank you for the memories!
@overpricedhealthcare
how old are you? what was life like when you were a kid?
@halfabeet
happy 97th
@tamarexxe
This just screams style. Is there anything better than americana from this era? Love it and thanks!
@ForeverJudyGarland
I was born in the wrong era. If only I could go back to this time of great music ( despite the great depression they stayed strong. What happened to good music? Music these days is boring. It all sounds the same. Thanks for posting!!
@kimberlymusick3489
lyrics:
I was oh so blue till you came along
Just to make my life a wonderful song
You brought sunshine just to brighten my loneliness
Is it any wonder? In my happiness, I confess
Do I want you? Oh my, do I
Honey, 'deed I do
Do I need you? Oh my, do I
Honey, 'deed I do
I'm glad that I'm the one who found you
That's why I'm always hanging 'round you
Do I love you? Oh my, do I
Honey, 'deed I do
There are lots of others that I have met
Those you meet today, tomorrow forget
You're the only one who ever could stand the test
That's the reason why I choose you from the rest
You're the best
Do I want you? Oh my, do I
Honey, 'deed I do
Do I need you? Oh my, do I
Honey, 'deed I do
@AadJuijn
Thank you, Ruth was a great singer! Grtz, Aad
@mrbearminkey7676
Why cant we have good music like this today?
@PlanetYokoshima
Because they've lost charm.