all of me

This jazz standard has been recorded over two thousand times. Composer Gerald Marks and lyricist Seymour Simons wrote 'All of Me' together in Detroit in 1931. Marks took the song to New York with enough money to stay for one week. When he played the song for vaudeville star Belle Baker, she began to sob uncontrollably because the lyrics reminded her of her recently deceased husband. She performed the song live on the radio, the first of numerous versions recorded in the years that followed. "From then on," said Marks, "she plugged my song and made it a hit all by herself." In 2000, 'All of Me' received the Towering Song Award by the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Ruth Etting recorded her version in December of 1931.

Paul Whiteman & his Orchestra with Mildred Bailey had the first hit version in January of 1932, when it spent three weeks at number one.

Louis Armstrong took it to number one that same year and helped to make the song a standard.

Billie Holiday

Benny Goodman

Ella Fitzgerald

Count Basie and his orchestra went to number fourteen in 1943.

Dinah Washington

Frank Sinatra did several versions of the song; he took it to number twenty-one in 1948.

Django Reinhardt

Lester Young & Teddy Wilson

Sidney Bechet & Teddy Buckner

('Disse Alguém') João Gilberto with Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Maria Bethânia

Johnny Ray hit number twelve with his version in 1952.

Willie Nelson had a number three country hit with his version.

'All of Me' also gave the name to a movie starring Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin

'Muppet Show' featuring the Greasy Gopher

'Sanford & Son' with Redd Foxx and Scatman Crothers

Harry Connick, Jr.

NOFX

You took my kisses and all my love

You taught me how to care

Am I to be just remnant of a one side love affair

All you took

I gladly gave

There is nothing left for me to save

All of me

Why not take all of me

Can't you see

I'm no good without you

Take my lips

I want to loose them

Take my arms

I'll never use them

Your goodbye left me with eyes that cry

How can I go on dear without you

You took the part that once was my heart

So why not take all of me