All or Nothing

"All Or Nothing"
Single by Small Faces
from the album From the Beginning
B-side	"Understanding" (Marriott/Lane)
Released	5 August 1966
Recorded	IBC Studios, Portland Place, London
Genre	Rock
Length	3:04
Label	Decca {12470}
Writer(s)	Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane
Producer	Don Arden
Small Faces singles chronology
"Hey Girl" (1966) "All or Nothing" (1966) "My Mind's Eye" (1966)

"All or Nothing" is a hit song written by Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane of British mod group Small Faces in 1966.

The song reached number one on the UK Singles Chart two weeks after being released and due to a change in the TOTP chart that week, shared the spot with The Beatles song "Yellow Submarine".^[1]

Song information

The song begins with a loud drum roll, an idea possibly taken from the Young Rascals song "Baby Let's Wait". The song then hits a tricky guitar riff which acts as if it is actually winding the song down not introducing it; the effect is disorientating until Marriotts' vocals enter, soft and controlled. Quickly his voice and the music gathers pace until a powerful chorus takes over. A touch of the band's humour is heard when the backing vocals switch to a chanting style and then suddenly are disrupted by Marriott's voice and guitar.

According to Kay Marriott, Steve's mother, Steve wrote this song about his split with ex-fiancee Sue Oliver, though first wife Jenny Rylance states that Marriott told her he wrote the song for her as a result of her split with Rod Stewart. Both statements are said to be correct.^[2]

The song was recorded at IBC Studios in Portland Place, London. It appears on the Decca album From the Beginning. A live version is found on the BBC Sessions album.

The song was covered in 1981 by Tygers of Pan Tang and in 1985 by X (U.S. band). It was also covered on BBC Radio 2 by Manic Street Preachers on 15 September 2010 as part of the Great British Songbook Library.

The song appeared in the soundtrack for the 2010 film Made in Dagenham. Nigel Cole's film is a dramatisation of the 1968 Ford sewing machinists strike at Ford Dagenham, where female workers protested against sexual discrimination and the desire for equal pay.

The song is used as the theme tune (over the opening credits) on the 2012 BBC UK TV series The Syndicate about a group of lottery winners.

See also

• Small Faces discography

Notes

• Paolo Hewitt/John Hellier (2004). Steve Marriott All Too Beautiful. Helter Skelter Publishing ISBN 1-900924-44-7.

External links

• The Darlings of Wapping Wharf Laundrette