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All or Nothing at All
Composer
Arthur Altman
Lyricist
Jack Lawrence
Published
1939
Album
Original Single (1942)
Sinatra and Strings (1962)
A Man and His Music (1965)
Strangers in the Night (1966)
Disco Single (1977)
Sinatra: Vegas (2006)
Artist
Release
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Recording
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Release
1939
Recording
1939
Royalties
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Audio
Strangers in the Night
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"All or Nothing at All" is song originally composed in 1939 by Arthur Altman with Harry James' Orchestra, then Don Costa for Sinatra and Strings in 1962, and later composed by Nelson Riddle in 1966; it was written by Jack Lawrence. "All or Nothing at All" is also the first song recorded by Frank Sinatra during his professional career.

The song has been recorded by Sinatra many times after his original with Harry James, in albums such as A Man and His Music and Sinatra and Strings. Sinatra recorded his second to last recording of this song for hit album Strangers in the Night in 1966, this time, it was composed by Nelson Riddle and was set to a more upbeat rhythm than the previous 1939 and 1962 ballad recordings. Sinatra again re-recorded it in a disco beat in 1977, and later performed this song live in 1982 for Sinatra: Vegas.

Lyrics[]

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

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

Hey 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 it may grow very dizzy and fall

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

And if I fell, fell under the spell of your call
Don’t you know I would be caught in the undertow
So you see, I’ve just got to say no, no
All or nothing at all
All or nothing at all

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