How we made Everything I Own: Ken Boothe and David Gates on their shared hit

Singing artist Ken Boothe
During my time in Canada, I was staying with a friend. Once he had finished playing me Andy Williams’ rendition of Everything I Own, he told me, “Ken, when you get back to Jamaica, make sure you do this song.” During that time period, in order to finish an album, you required at least ten new songs. Consequently, in 1974, when we were in Federal studios in Kingston looking for a tenth song, I recalled the song “Everything I Own.”

I started singing “You sheltered me from harm…” and everyone’s eyes lit up. The producer was not interested since he preferred to maintain control and suggest the songs, but when I started singing, everyone’s eyes lit up. Due to the fact that there was a great deal of violence in Jamaica at the time, the words had a significant meaning for us. A statement was made by the proprietor of the studio, who stated, “If that song isn’t a hit, I’m going to sell the entire studio complex altogether.”For the voice, I delved deep within myself since I had such a strong affection for the song and I wanted to add something to it that would leave a lasting impression on others. It was a number one hit in Jamaica, and the Trojan label decided to release it in the United Kingdom. My home was where I was when the postman arrived with a telegram informing me that the BBC wanted me to appear on Top of the Pops.Everyone looked up to and respected my father because he was kind and polite. According to what he shared with me, “People will do what you do, not what you say.” In addition to teaching me how to read and write music, play a variety of instruments, and introduce me to classical music, which served as my foundation, he made sure to always make time for me. I was unable to afford to send my mother an orchid for her birthday one year, but I nevertheless managed to send it to her. I received a letter from my father in which he told me that I could have had “anything she owned” in exchange for her kindness.

The year 1963 was the year that my father passed away, and I decided to compose a song in his honour. However, dad did not live to witness the major songs or popularity that I achieved with Bread. dad did live to witness some of my early efforts towards success. It was the music that took the lead in all of my songs, and the words tried their best to keep up with it, but they came quite rapidly. I composed the words, which read, “I would give everything I own just to have you back again,” with the intention of having them be perceived as a love song; but, when I played it for my wife, she immediately understood that it was about my father without any further explanation. She shed a tear.

Because I wanted to express the emotion that was present in the vocal that existed when I played it with an acoustic guitar, the recording session with Bread seemed like it was under a lot of pressure. It has been a fantastic experience to sing, and the versions that have been done by Rod Stewart, Shirley Bassey, and Boy George have all seemed authentic. My song “Everything I Own” has been more successful than any other song I’ve ever performed or written. The fact that the song was able to become reggae is a recognition of both Ken and the song itself.

It wasn’t until many years after it was written that I began to explain to audiences what the story was about. With the help of the music, you will have the chance to experience intense feelings of regret about the time you spent with someone you cared about. It has been a privilege for me to witness it having such an effect on a large number of individuals.

On the 21st of August, Inna De Yard will have its world premiere at the Film4 Summer Screen at Somerset House in London. The film will then be distributed in theatres on the 30th of August.

I was unable to travel to London since I was performing gigs, and we did not have a video. As a result, the BBC positioned a man at a window with a shadow hiding his face and mimed to the song. Everyone believed that it was me. After a couple of weeks had passed, I finally participated on Top of the Pops. As a result of this song and its subsequent single, “Crying Over You,” I appeared on the program a total of fourteen times, sharing the stage with notable artists such as Elton John and Hot Chocolate. Bob Marley contacted me to offer his congratulations when the song reached number one on the British charts. When that time period was in effect, the British charts featured a significant number of Jamaican music. Reggae was experiencing a period of great success.

Following the fact that it was a success, I learnt that Trojan was going out of business. When I arrived in London, there was no one working in the office; instead, there were record covers scattered all over the place. I had not been paid my royalties, and my career had been going downhill for a time. I had lost all I owned, just like it says in the song, but I never gave up on music. I’ve worked on a number of songs, but I’ll always be thankful to David Gates, who was the one who wrote it on my behalf. In the film Inna De Yard, I have just finished recording a new acoustic version of the song. At this point in time, whenever I do it live, the entire audience joins me in singing it.

The original version of Bread, which was released in 1972, was sung by David Gates.