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.

You re the Cream In My Coffee
Ruth Etting Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm not a poet,
How well I know it,
I've never been a raver,
But when I speak of you,
I rave a bit, its true.

I'm wild about you,
I'm lost without you,

You give my life its flavor,
What sugar does for tea,
That's what you do for me.

You're the cream in my coffee,
You're the salt in my stew
You will always be my necessity,
I'd be lost without you.

You're the starch in my collar,
You're the lace in my shoe
You will always be my necessity,
I'd be lost without you.

Most girls tell love tales,
And each phrase dovetails
You've heard each known way,
This way is my own way:

You're the sail of my loveboat,
You're the captain and crew,
You will always be my necessity
I'd be lost without you.

You're the cream in my coffee,
You're the salt in my stew
You will always be my necessity,
I'd be lost without you.

You will always be my necessity,
I'd be lost without you.

You will always be my necessity,
I'd be lost without you.

You are my life savor,
You bring out that certain flavor,
So dear, this is clear, dear,
You're my Worcestershire, dear!

You're the sail in my love boat,
You're the captain and crew,
You will always be my necessity,
I'd be lost without you.

You will always be my necessity
I'd be lost without you.

You
Sweet, Adorable You

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Ruth Etting's "You're the Cream in My Coffee" express the singer's adoration for the person she loves. She starts off by admitting that she's not a poet or someone who raves, but when it comes to speaking about her love for this person, she can't help but rave about it. She's wild about them and feels lost without them, and compares the flavor that they bring to her life to what sugar does for tea. She then goes on to describe them as the cream in her coffee and the salt in her stew - someone who is not just a want but a necessity in her life. They are the starch in her collar and the lace in her shoe, and without them, she would be lost.

The lyrics use imagery and comparisons to describe the magnitude of the love the singer has for this person. The repetition of the phrase "You will always be my necessity, I'd be lost without you" emphasizes the importance of this person in her life. The last stanza takes a playful turn as the singer compares her love to Worcestershire sauce, a condiment known for its unique flavor, and ends with the final reminder that this person is her necessity, and she would be lost without them.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm not a poet,
I am not a skilled poet or writer,

How well I know it,
I am aware of my lack of poetic talent,

I've never been a raver,
I generally do not get overly excited or hyperbolic about things,

But when I speak of you,
However, when I talk about you,

I rave a bit, its true.
I tend to exaggerate and become passionate because of how much I care for you.

I'm wild about you,
I love you deeply and passionately,

I'm lost without you,
I feel incomplete and aimless when you're not around,

You give my life its flavor,
You bring excitement and joy to my existence,

What sugar does for tea,
Similar to how sugar enhances the taste of tea,

That's what you do for me.
You make my life better in a way that no one else can.

You're the cream in my coffee,
You bring richness and sweetness to my life,

You're the salt in my stew
You bring the perfect amount of seasoning to my life,

You will always be my necessity,
You are essential and very important to me,

I'd be lost without you.
I would not know what to do if you were not a part of my life.

You're the starch in my collar,
You keep me looking sharp and put together,

You're the lace in my shoe
You are the delicate detail that keeps me grounded and comfortable,

Most girls tell love tales,
Many people speak of their love in common ways,

And each phrase dovetails
The language and ideas tend to be similar and predictable,

You've heard each known way,
You are familiar with these common expressions of love,

This way is my own way:
However, my expression of love is unique and my own.

You're the sail of my loveboat,
You guide me through the journey of love,

You're the captain and crew,
You are in control and responsible for keeping us afloat,

You are my life savor,
You are my rescue and salvation,

You bring out that certain flavor,
You enhance my life and bring out the best in me,

So dear, this is clear, dear,
I want to make it clear how much I care,

You're my Worcestershire, dear!
You are the special ingredient that makes everything better.

You will always be my necessity,
You are essential and very important to me,

I'd be lost without you.
I would not know what to do if you were not a part of my life.

You will always be my necessity
You are essential and very important to me,

I'd be lost without you.
I would not know what to do if you were not a part of my life.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LEW BROWN, B. G. DE SYLVA, RAY HENDERSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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