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.
There's Something In The Air
Ruth Etting Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That warns me to beware tonight
There's something in the air
Hm-There's music in the breeze
I never saw the stars so bright
There's something in the air
Tho I find there's danger in your eyes
I've been blind, but now I realize
What love can do, hm, I feel it ev'rywhere
So whisper you'll be mine tonight
There's something in the air
Ruth Etting's song "There's Something in the Air" is a love song that addresses the complex emotions and feelings associated with the beginning stages of a romantic relationship. The lyrics describe a sense of foreboding mixed with excitement and anticipation. The singer senses that danger may be lurking, but is unable to resist the pull of the moment. The language used, such as "music in the breeze" and "stars so bright," conveys a sense of magic and heightened emotion.
The line "I've been blind, but now I realize what love can do" suggests that the singer has previously been closed off or guarded emotionally, but is now open to the possibility of love. Despite the warnings in the air, the singer urges her lover to "whisper you'll be mine tonight." This final line suggests a sense of urgency and desire to be in the present moment without worrying about the future.
Line by Line Meaning
Hm-there's something in the air
I sense something ominous or significant coming my way
That warns me to beware tonight
I feel a premonition of danger or caution for tonight
There's something in the air
There's an intangible feeling or energy present
Hm-There's music in the breeze
I hear a pleasant, almost melodic sound in the wind
I never saw the stars so bright
The stars seem more radiant than ever before
There's something in the air
The feeling or energy is still present
Tho I find there's danger in your eyes
I sense peril or risk in your gaze
The thrill is new
The excitement or exhilaration is novel or fresh
I've been blind, but now I realize
I was unaware or ignorant before, but now comprehend
What love can do, hm, I feel it ev'rywhere
I see the transformative and powerful nature of love, and sense its pervasive presence
So whisper you'll be mine tonight
Ask me to be yours tonight in a soft, gentle tone
There's something in the air
The prevailing feeling or energy remains constant
Contributed by Callie T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@phredl
So Beautiful!
@rjtwigg1
The 1935-1936 period is the best period of her career. The 1927-1929 period is a close second,
@songanddanceman100
WHEN DID SHE STOP RECORDING? THIS MUST BE CLOSE TO THE END, EH? She sounds good here!
@rjtwigg1
She retired in 1937. It was largely due to her husband's incarceration, the subsequent divorce and the advent of the swing era. She married her piano player-arranger, Merle Alderman. She made a few recordings around 1960. They sounded nothing like she had when she retired.
@normancharles7953
Ruth Etting could do no wrong as a singer, but this one belonged to Tony Martin, but both good...