All Mine (Portishead song)


"All Mine" is the second track and first single from English band Portishead's self-titled second album. It was released as a single, along with "Cowboys", "Only You" and "Over". The music video—based on a 1968 Italian music show and The Outer Limits—featured a little girl singing in front of an orchestra. The single reached No. 8 in the United Kingdom and is so far the band's only Top 10 hit there. The song was also covered on Tom Jones's album Reload.

Critical reception

editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine described the song a "impeccable modern-day torch song" and "horn-punctuated" in his review of the Portishead album. Larry Flick from Billboard wrote that it "shows in a typically melancholy mood" and noted that singer Beth Gibbons "has perfected her Shirley Bassey vocal inflections, while partner Geoff Barrow builds a richly textured groove that compresses snakey guitars and ominous horn fills into a dark trip-hop groove." He added that it is "nourishment for the adventurous at heart, but accessible to the mainstream at the same time." The Daily Vaults Sean McCarthy noted its "elaborate orchestral setup, a jarring mix of strings and horns drive the chorus." He added that conductor Nick Ingman "deserves major props for adding, but not overpowering Portishead's intoxicating gloom." Jason Rugg from The Ithacan picked the song as a highlight of the album, describing it as a "soul-influenced" track "which swings with wan-wan guitar and a tight horn section". Sal Cinquemani from Slant wrote in his review, that "All Mine" "which first appears to be a "happy" love song, descends into a possessive declaration: "From that cloud, number nine/Danger starts the sharp incline."" Dave Tompkins for Vibe said that the song is "soul controlling with horn blows and stalking snares."

Track list

  1. "All Mine" − 3:59
  2. "Cowboys" − 4:38
  3. "Cowboys " − 4:38

    Charts