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.
Ain't Misbehavin'
Ruth Etting Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All by myself
No one to walk with
But I'm happy on the shelf
Ain't misbehavin'
I'm savin' my love for you
I know for certain
I'm through with flirtin'
It's just you I'm thinkin' of
Ain't misbehavin'
I'm savin' my love for you
Like Jack Horner
In the corner
Don't go nowhere
What do I care?
Your kisses are worth waitin' for
Believe me
I don't stay out late
Don't care to go
I'm home about eight
Just me and my radio
Ain't misbehavin'
I'm savin' my love for you
Like Jack Horner
In the corner
Don't go nowhere
What do I care?
Your kisses are worth waitin' for
Believe me
I don't stay out late
Don't care to go
I'm home about eight
Just me and my radio
Ain't misbehavin'
I'm savin' my love for you
In Ruth Etting's song Ain't Misbehavin', the lyrics describe a person who is alone and doesn't have anyone to talk to or walk with. However, despite this loneliness, the singer is content to be alone and is "happy on the shelf." The phrase "Ain't misbehavin'" is used throughout the song and can be interpreted as the singer pointing out that they are behaving well and not engaging in any inappropriate behavior that would detract from their love and commitment to another person.
The song then goes on to make it clear that the singer is committed to one person, stating that they know for sure who they love and that they aren't interested in flirting with anyone else. In the second verse, the singer compares themselves to Jack Horner, a nursery rhyme character who sat in a corner and pulled out a plum, using this comparison to say that they don't have any interest in going anywhere else because they believe that the person they love is worth waiting for.
The final verse reiterates the singer's commitment to being alone, stating that they don't stay out late and prefer to be at home with their radio. Once again, they repeat the phrase "Ain't misbehavin'" and make it clear that they are waiting for someone they love and are committed to.
Line by Line Meaning
No one to talk with
I have no one to talk with and find myself alone
All by myself
I am alone and by myself with nobody to keep me company
No one to walk with
I have nobody to go on walks with or to share experiences with
But I'm happy on the shelf
Despite being alone, I find happiness in my own company and am content with being by myself
Ain't misbehavin'
I am not behaving in a way that goes against my loyalty and love for my significant other
I'm savin' my love for you
I am reserving my love for the one person who truly means something to me
I know for certain
I am absolutely certain of what I want and who I love
The one I love
The person I love deeply and am devoted to
I'm through with flirtin'
I am not interested in flirting with anyone else and am solely focused on my significant other
It's just you I'm thinkin' of
I constantly have thoughts of my significant other and am completely committed to them
Like Jack Horner
Similar to Jack Horner who sat in a corner by himself
In the corner
Being alone in a corner with nobody else around
Don't go nowhere
I have no desire to go anywhere or do anything without my significant other
What do I care?
I do not care about anything else as long as I have the love of my significant other
Your kisses are worth waitin' for
I am willing to wait for my significant other's loving kisses because they mean everything to me
Believe me
Trust me, I am completely devoted to you
I don't stay out late
I have no desire to stay out late and party or do anything else without my significant other
Don't care to go
I have no interest in going anywhere without my significant other
I'm home about eight
I prefer to be at home around eight in the evening
Just me and my radio
I am content being alone with my radio because I have the love of my significant other
Ain't misbehavin'
I am not behaving in a way that goes against my loyalty and love for my significant other
I'm savin' my love for you
I am reserving my love for the one person who truly means something to me
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC , Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANDY RAZAF, FATS WALLER, HARRY BROOKS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dale Nichols
Beautiful song; beautiful voice........
maureen1938
Such a sweet voice and lovely to listen to. Thanks for the share.
Aurile Tinmirielle
Found a very old scratched gramophone record of this at a thrift shop. I wanted to hear it I'm so happy that it was archived here so I can hear it while having it on my wall. It's very sweet
limesquared
Love this song!
Garry Horsepower
Love finding these gems
jb hamblen
So nice...THANKS.. What a voice to me....
Thomas .Hennessey
Recorded when this was a brand new song. Louis Armstrong sang it on Broadway in the musical "Hot Chocolates" June 20, 1929. Armstrong's own recording of the song is done June 19,1929.
Thomas .Hennessey
Part of the raft of 1929 versions of this tune coming from Louis Armstrong's performance of it in Connie's Hot Chocolates on Broadway. His version is quite different.
Dale Nichols
One year later. I had to listen again!
dick12235
Thanks for this treat.