Ruth Etting (November 23, 1897 – September 24, 1978) was an American singin… Read Full Bio ↴Ruth Etting (November 23, 1897 – September 24, 1978) was an American singing star and actress of the 1920s and 1930s, who had over sixty hit recordings and worked in stage, radio, and film. She was known as America's Radio Sweetheart, and was the top female vocalist in America for several years, often singing in the 'torch' song style. In 1925, Ruth Etting was discovered by a Columbia record executive in Chicago and was signed to a nation-wide deal. In 1927 she was recommended by Irving Berlin to Florenz Ziegfeld for a spot in his Follies. She was an instant success in New York, and the top vocalist in the country for a number of years.

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.

A Cottage For Sale
Ruth Etting Lyrics

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Our little dream castle with every dream gone,
Is lonely and silent, the shades are all drawn,
And my heart is heavy as I gaze upon
A cottage for sale

The lawn we were proud of is waving in hay,
Our beautiful garden has withered away,
Where you planted roses,the weeds seem to say,

A cottage for sale.

From every single window, I see your face,
But when I reach a window, there's empty space.
The key's in the mail box the same as before,
But no one is waiting any more,

The end of the story is told on the door.
A cottage for sale.

Overall Meaning

In Ruth Etting's poignant song "A Cottage For Sale," the lyrics vividly describe a once vibrant and beloved dream castle that now lies empty and desolate. The singer conveys a sense of loss and longing as she reflects on the remnants of a life that has come to an end. The imagery of a lonely and silent cottage, with drawn shades and a heavy heart, invokes a feeling of melancholy and a sense of abandonment.

The mention of the lawn waving in hay and the garden withered away paints a picture of neglect and decay, symbolizing the passing of time and the fading of once cherished memories. The contrast between the beauty of the past and the desolation of the present is starkly highlighted, as the singer laments the loss of what once was. The reference to roses replaced by weeds further emphasizes the theme of decay and the inevitability of change.

The lyrics also delve into the emotional aspect of the singer's experience, as she sees the ghost of her former lover in every window, only to be met with empty space when she approaches. This haunting imagery underscores the pervasive sense of absence and the ache of loneliness that permeates the empty cottage. The repetition of the phrase "A cottage for sale" serves as a somber refrain, underscoring the finality of the situation and the impending sense of closure.

As the song reaches its conclusion, the singer notes the key still in the mailbox, a poignant reminder of a bygone era when someone was eagerly awaited. The image of an empty mailbox and the finality conveyed by the phrase "no one is waiting any more" encapsulate the heart-wrenching realization of a love lost and a chapter closed. The lyrics culminate with the acknowledgment that the story has come to an end, symbolized by the words told on the door of the forlorn cottage. Ruth Etting's emotive rendition of "A Cottage For Sale" encapsulates the bittersweet nature of reminiscence and the ache of lost love.

Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Larry Conley, Willard Robinson

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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