"All or Nothing at All" is a song composed in 1939 by

Arthur Altman Arthur Altman (1910, in Brooklyn – January 18, 1994, in Lake Worth, Florida) was an American songwriter whose credits include " All or Nothing at All", with lyrics by Jack Lawrence, and the lyrics for " All Alone Am I", "I Will Follow Him", a ...

, with lyrics by Jack Lawrence.

Frank Sinatra recording

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the " Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular entertainers of the 1940s, 1950s, and ...

's August 31, 1939 recording of the song, accompanied by

Harry James Harry Haag James (March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983) was an American musician who is best known as a trumpet-playing band leader who led a big band from 1939 to 1946. He broke up his band for a short period in 1947 but shortly after he reorganized ...

and his Orchestra was a huge hit in 1943, when it was reissued by

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. It was founded on January 15, 1889, evolving from the A ...

during the 1942-44 musicians' strike. The record topped the Billboard charts in 1943 during a 21-week stay and sold over a million copies. On the Harlem Hit Parade chart, "All or Nothing at All" went to number eight.

Popular culture

A rendition of the song is used and sung by B.O.

Skunk Skunks are mammals in the family Mephitidae. They are known for their ability to spray a liquid with a strong, unpleasant scent from their anal glands. Different species of skunk vary in appearance from black-and-white to brown, cream or gin ...

disguised as Sinatra in

Tex Avery Frederick Bean "Tex" Avery (February 26, 1908 – August 26, 1980) was an American animator, cartoonist, director, and voice actor. He was known for directing and producing animated cartoons during the golden age of American animation. His mo ...

's 1948 animated cartoon, '' Little 'Tinker''. The "all for nothing at all" segment in Murders, from the 2012 album Hawaii: Part II, is in reference to this song.

Other versions

Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday had an innovative influence on jazz music and pop s ...

- '' All or Nothing at All'' (1958) *

Diana Krall Diana Jean Krall (born November 16, 1964) is a Canadian jazz pianist and singer known for her contralto vocals. She has sold more than 15 million albums worldwide, including over six million in the US. On December 11, 2009, ''Billboard'' maga ...

- '' Love Scenes'' (1997) *

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...

- '' Fallen Angels'' (2016) *

Billy Daniels William Boone Daniels (September 12, 1915 – October 7, 1988) was an American singer active in the United States and Europe from the mid-1930s to 1988, notable for his hit recording of "That Old Black Magic" and his pioneering performances on e ...

- '' Momma Come Get Your Baby'' (1978) *

Freddie Hubbard Frederick Dewayne Hubbard (April 7, 1938 – December 29, 2008) was an American jazz trumpeter. He played bebop, hard bop, and post-bop styles from the early 1960s onwards. His unmistakable and influential tone contributed to new perspectives ...

recorded the song for his album ''

Open Sesame "Open sesame" (french: Sésame, ouvre-toi; ar, افتح يا سمسم) is a magical phrase in the story of "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves" in Antoine Galland's version of ''One Thousand and One Nights''. It opens the mouth of a cave in which ...

'' (1960).

References

External links

Entry on songfacts.com
Songs with music by Arthur Altman Songs with lyrics by Jack Lawrence Frank Sinatra songs 1939 songs 1940 singles 1943 singles Jazz compositions in A minor {{Pop-standard-stub