All of Me (Ruth Etting song)
All of Me is a pop song with the composition by Gerald Marks (1900-1997) and text by Seymour Simons (1896-1949), which for a small Revue at Fisher Theatre Detroit in 1931 and was developed for Evergreen.
The song
All of Me is a song in the song form ABAC with 32 bars, for an interpretation is provided in a moderately fast pace. The melody consists mainly of the chord tones of the song lying underlying harmonies.
Effect story
The vaudeville artist Belle Baker (1893-1957) sang the song in the Detroit show. She had recently lost her husband; the set as a reason for the press, nationally to report, so that the song was played in its recording frequently on the radio. In December 1931 was followed by a recording of Paul Whiteman Orchestra with singer Mildred Bailey. In January 1932, this version was for three weeks at the top of the charts. Shortly after, the interpretation of Louis Armstrong came to square one.
More versions that were successful in the American charts were recorded by:
- Ben Selvin and His Orchestra (1932, # 19)
- Count Basie and His Orchestra ( 1943 singer Lynne Sherman, # 14)
- Frank Sinatra (1948, # 21)
- Johnnie Ray (1952, # 12)
The song was also featured in the film Careless Lady from 1932.
The song was developed during the Second World War to the jazz standard; Benny Carter played the piece in 1942 in a stunning arrangement with a beautiful clarinet solo. Formative are still versions of Sidney Bechet (1953), Earl Bostic, Savannah Churchill, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Erroll Garner (1949 ), Lee Konitz (1961 ), Billie Holiday, Harry James, King Pleasure (1960 ), Gene Krupa, Red Norvo, Oscar Peterson, Sonny Stitt (1962), with Lester Young Teddy Wilson (1956 ), Sarah Vaughan (1954) and Caterina Valente and the Duke Ellington Orchestra ( the Great Paris Concert, 1963). Other cover versions existed by Chaka Khan ( with Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, Chick Corea, 1982), Dean Martin, Willie Nelson, Michael Bublé, Harri Stojka, Bireli Lagrene, Helga Sven ( in the movie Family Heat ), Touching Moods and a punk rock version of NOFX. In German there are versions of Karel Gott and Georgette Dee.
On the chord progressions of the songs are based the title " Background Music " by Warne Marsh and "Lo Flame" by Bill Dobbins.