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.
Theres A Lull In My Life
Ruth Etting Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's just a void and empty space
When you are not in my embrace
Oh, there's a lull In my life
The moment that you go away
There is no night, there is no day
The clock stops ticking
The world stops turning
That keeps burning, burning
Oh, oh, oh
There's a lull In my life
No matter how I may pretend
I know that you alone can end
the emptiness I feel deep within. The lyrics of Ruth Etting's song "There's a Lull In My Life" capture the profound longing and emptiness one experiences when their loved one is absent. The singer describes this state of being as a "lull," which implies a pause or temporary break in the flow of life. This lull is characterized by a void and empty space, a feeling of incompleteness and longing that arises when the person the singer loves is not present.
The absence of the loved one is felt intensely in the singer's embrace. Without the physical closeness, the singer experiences a profound emptiness and a suspension of time. The lyrics suggest that when the loved one is away, night and day lose their distinctiveness, as if time itself ceases to exist. The clock stops ticking, and the world stops turning, highlighting the all-consuming nature of the longing the singer feels.
Despite the lack of movement in the world around them, the flame of love within the singer's heart continues to burn relentlessly. This passionate flame is the only thing that remains active and alive amidst the lull. The singer's heart is consumed by the fire of love, which persists even in the absence of the loved one.
In conclusion, "There's a Lull In My Life" is a poignant exploration of the emptiness and longing one feels when separated from a loved one. The song depicts a state of suspended existence, where time stands still, and only the flame of love keeps burning.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, there's a lull in my life
My life feels incomplete and unfulfilled
It's just a void and empty space
Without you, there is emptiness and loneliness
When you are not in my embrace
When we are apart, I long for your physical presence
Oh, there's a lull In my life
The absence of your love creates a sense of stillness and silence
The moment that you go away
As soon as you leave, nothing feels the same
There is no night, there is no day
Time loses its meaning and distinction without you
The clock stops ticking
Time stands still when you're not with me
The world stops turning
The world feels stagnant and unchanging without you
Everything stops but the flame in my heart
Despite everything coming to a halt, my love for you remains strong
That keeps burning, burning
The intensity of my love for you never fades
Oh, oh, oh
Expressing a strong emotional longing and sadness
There's a lull In my life
My life feels incomplete and dull without you
No matter how I may pretend
Even if I try to hide my true feelings
I know that you alone can end
I am aware that only you can bring an end to this emptiness
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, ANTHEM ENTERTAINMENT LP, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HARRY REVEL, MACK GORDON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind