All Or Nothing
Sinatras Lyrics


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All or nothing at all
Half a love never appealed to me
If your heart, never could yield to me
Then I'd rather, rather have nothin' at all

All, or nothing at all
If it's love, there ain't no in-between
Why begin, then cry for somethin' that might have been?
No, I'd rather, rather have nothing at all

Oh, please don't bring your lips close to my cheek
Don't you smile or I'll be lost beyond recall
The kiss in your eyes, the touch of your hand makes me weak
And my heart, may grow very dizzy and fall

And if I fell under the spell of your call
I would be caught in the undertow
And so you see, I've got to say no, no
All or nothing at all





All or nothing at all

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "All or Nothing at All" by Frank Sinatra are a declaration of the singer's desire for love to be all-encompassing, rather than settling for just a fraction of it. The opening line "All or nothing at all" establishes this sentiment as the singer refuses to accept anything less than complete devotion. The line "Half a love, never appealed to me" emphasizes this point by suggesting that a love that is only partially given is not worth having. The singer then goes on to explain that if their heart is unable to fully yield to his, then he would prefer to have nothing at all.


He goes on to assert that "If it's love, there is no in between," further emphasizing his desire for absolute devotion. The line "Why begin then cry, for something that might have been?" shows that the singer would rather avoid the heartache of a failed relationship than risk settling for less than he wants. However, despite his resolve, he acknowledges the power that the other person holds over him, as shown in the lines "The kiss in your eyes, the touch of your hand makes me weak, and my heart may go dizzy and fall."


Overall, "All or Nothing at All" is a song about desire, love, and the fear of settling for less than what one truly wants. The lyrics express the sentiment that if love is not all-encompassing, then it is better to have nothing at all.


Line by Line Meaning

All or nothing at all
I want everything you have to offer or nothing at all


Half a love, never appealed to me
I don't want a half-hearted love


If your heart, never could yield to me
If you can't fully give me your heart


Then I'd rather (rather) have nothing at all
Then I don't want anything from you


All or nothing at all
It's either all in or all out for us


If it's love, there is no in between
Either we love each other fully or not at all


Why begin then cry, for something that might have been
There's no point in starting something that won't have a future


No I'd rather (rather) have nothing at all
I would rather not have anything if it's not all


But please don't bring your lips so close to my cheek
Please don't tease me with your affection


Don't smile or I'll be lost beyond recall
I can't handle your charm


The kiss in your eyes, the touch of your hand makes me weak
Your affection has a powerful effect on me


And my heart may go dizzy and fall
I might fall in love with you


And if I fell (I fell) under the spell of your call
If I got too close to you


I would be, caught in the undertow
I would be swept away by my emotions


So you see, I've got to say no, no
That's why I have to reject you


All or nothing at all
I only accept complete love or nothing




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network
Written by: Arthur Altman, Jack Lawrence

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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