He Gives Us All His Love
Encyclopedia
"He Gives Us All His Love" is a song written and performed by Randy Newman
. It first appeared in the 1971 film Cold Turkey
, for which it served as a sort of theme song and played during the opening credits.
The ballad is both brief (1:52 in length) and very sparsely-arranged. It opens with the delicate sounds of a string section
and is maintained by Newman's piano
in a slow "four to the bar" tempo
.
The song is gospel
-influenced and shares both musical and thematic similarities with such American
hymn
s as Jesus Loves Me
. It does not, however, discuss Christian
themes of redemption but merely gives a testament of faith ("he's lookin' down on us, from up above / and he's givin' us all his love").
The tone of the song is bittersweet; the succinct lyrics include the assertion that the divine witnesses human suffering ("he hears the babies crying / he sees the old folks
dying") and include the implication that being seen, and loved, might comfort. More explicitly, the narrator tells the listener "...you can lean on him."
The lyric which gives the song its title has a built-in ambiguity. The phrase "He gives us all his love" could mean that God gives his love to all of us, it could mean that God gives us all the love he has to give, or both.
The song has, however, often transcended this simple interpretation and has been appreciated for the earnest narrative voice and the dignity
it offers to the mundane trials of human existence. As such, it is sometimes taken at face value and has been covered by Wanda Jackson
and Sherie Rene Scott
, both born-again Christians.
It has also been covered by Roy Ayers
, Birtles & Goble
and others. Some versions are extended to four minutes or more in length and few, if any, are as brief as Newman's original rendition.
In the 2007 CD reissue of the Cold Turkey soundtrack (which was Newman's first film work), the two original versions of this song are published (2:35" and 2:03"). In the film, the song segues into a choral gospel number called "I Love the Lord"; this portion is omitted from both the original soundtrack LP and the reissue.
Randy Newman
Randall Stuart "Randy" Newman is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, composer, and pianist who is known for his mordant pop songs and for film scores....
. It first appeared in the 1971 film Cold Turkey
Cold Turkey (film)
Cold Turkey is a 1971 satirical comedy film. It stars Dick Van Dyke plus a long list of comedic actors, several of whom are well known to North American television audiences...
, for which it served as a sort of theme song and played during the opening credits.
The ballad is both brief (1:52 in length) and very sparsely-arranged. It opens with the delicate sounds of a string section
String instrument
A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
and is maintained by Newman's piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
in a slow "four to the bar" tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
.
The song is gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
-influenced and shares both musical and thematic similarities with such American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hymn
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
s as Jesus Loves Me
Jesus Loves Me
Jesus Loves Me is a Christian hymn set to words by Anna Bartlett Warner. The lyrics first appeared as a poem in the context of a novel called Say and Seal, written by Susan Warner and published in 1860. The tune was added in 1862 by William Batchelder Bradbury who found the text of "Jesus Loves Me"...
. It does not, however, discuss Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
themes of redemption but merely gives a testament of faith ("he's lookin' down on us, from up above / and he's givin' us all his love").
The tone of the song is bittersweet; the succinct lyrics include the assertion that the divine witnesses human suffering ("he hears the babies crying / he sees the old folks
Old age
Old age consists of ages nearing or surpassing the average life span of human beings, and thus the end of the human life cycle...
dying") and include the implication that being seen, and loved, might comfort. More explicitly, the narrator tells the listener "...you can lean on him."
The lyric which gives the song its title has a built-in ambiguity. The phrase "He gives us all his love" could mean that God gives his love to all of us, it could mean that God gives us all the love he has to give, or both.
The song has, however, often transcended this simple interpretation and has been appreciated for the earnest narrative voice and the dignity
Dignity
Dignity is a term used in moral, ethical, and political discussions to signify that a being has an innate right to respect and ethical treatment. It is an extension of the Enlightenment-era concepts of inherent, inalienable rights...
it offers to the mundane trials of human existence. As such, it is sometimes taken at face value and has been covered by Wanda Jackson
Wanda Jackson
Wanda Lavonne Jackson is an American singer, songwriter, pianist and guitarist who had success in the mid-1950s and 60s as one of the first popular female rockabilly singers and a pioneering rock and roll artist...
and Sherie Rene Scott
Sherie Rene Scott
Sherie Rene Scott is an American actress, singer and writer. She is a co-founder of Grammy winning Sh-K-Boom Records and Ghostlight Records and has appeared in numerous Off-Broadway and Broadway musicals and plays appears on numerous solo and original cast recordings.-Life and career:Scott was...
, both born-again Christians.
It has also been covered by Roy Ayers
Roy Ayers
Roy Ayers is an American funk, soul, and jazz composer and vibraphone player. Ayers began his career as a post-bop jazz artist, releasing several albums with Atlantic Records, before his tenure at Polydor Records beginning in the 1970s, during which he helped pioneer jazz-funk .- Biography :Ayers...
, Birtles & Goble
Birtles & Goble
Birtles & Goble was an Australian pop music duo composed of Beeb Birtles and Graeham Goble...
and others. Some versions are extended to four minutes or more in length and few, if any, are as brief as Newman's original rendition.
Re-release
In the 2002 CD reissue of Sail Away, this song is extended by three seconds.In the 2007 CD reissue of the Cold Turkey soundtrack (which was Newman's first film work), the two original versions of this song are published (2:35" and 2:03"). In the film, the song segues into a choral gospel number called "I Love the Lord"; this portion is omitted from both the original soundtrack LP and the reissue.