Overview
"All of Me" is a popular song and jazz standard written by Gerald Marks and Seymour Simons in 1931.
Composition and characteristics
Gerald Marks and Seymour Simons wrote the "All of Me" words and music in 1931. It has an ABAC structure, and is written in the key of B-flat major. There is a 20-bar introductory verse, but this is routinely omitted. "The melody ... combines the contradictory possibilities of the song. The downward thrusts of the opening phrases hint at emotional despair while the closing line, with its repeated high notes, seems almost jubilant." It is usually performed at a medium tempo. The harmony is relatively straightforward, and has served as the basis for Lennie Tristano's "Line Up", Warne Marsh's "Background Music", and Bill Dobbins's "Lo Flame". In 2000, "All of Me" was given the Towering Song Award by the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Successful recordings
"All of Me" first came to public awareness when a performance by Belle Baker was broadcast over the radio in 1931. Two years later, Lynne Sherman's recording with Count Basie and His Orchestra reached No. 14 in the charts.
See also
*List of 1930s jazz standards