"All I Am" is a song written by Lynsey de Paul and Susan Sheridan. [1] It was first released as an album track on Candles , the 1980 Billboard charting album from the soul group, Heatwave. [2] Band member Johnnie Wilder, Jr. revealed that he invited de Paul to contribute the track. [3] It was also released as the B-side to the Heatwave single "Dreamin' You" released in 1980 in Australia. [4] [5] This version has also been released on the Heatwave compilation album Maximum Heat, [6] as well as on the compilation albums The Love Box II: 75 Love Song Sensations, Hits of the Year 3, [7] Greatest Slow Legendary [8] and Do You Remember This. [9] In 2010, it was released as a track on the expanded and remastered CD version of Candles . [10] It ranked number 7 in the Indonesian top 100 "JazzyTunes songs" chart [11] and was included on the album Young Generation Jazz Vocal Jazz (The Best Of Jazzy Hits 1981). [12]
A version of the song was also released as a track on the January 1981 Marti Webb album, Won't Change Places , which also featured another Lynsey de Paul/Susan Sheridan song "What You Gonna Do With Your Freedom". Both of the songs were produced by de Paul. [13] "All I Am" was released as a single by Webb in South Africa on the Polydor label and was backed with "Won't Change Places". [14]
The former lead singer of Heatwave, Johnnie Wilder, Jr. recorded a new version of "All I Am" on his 1996 solo album One More Day. [15] The Indonesian artist Yana Julio, also covered the song and it appeared on his 1998 album, Kucinta and the track was released as a single, accompanied by an official video directed by Jose Poernomo. [16] In 2007, Indonesian Jazz and R&D singer Lala Suwages released her version of the song on her album, Devoted To You. [17] An instrumental version of the song was also the title track of jazz pianist Bubi Chen's album, released in 1997. [18]
The music from "All I Am", formed the basis for the Buddha Monk song "Dedicated", that appeared on his 1998 Billboard charting album The Prophecy; de Paul and Sheridan received co-writing credits on the song. [19] The song was also included on the 2005 album, The Prophecy Revisited. [20] "All I Am" was also sampled on the 2006 song "Treat Me Right" by German DJ Syncopix, [21] as well as on the track "When I Get There" by DJ Wich and Rasco feat. Hi-Def [22] on the album, The Untouchables – Al Capone's Vault. [23]
Although de Paul never released her version of the song, she did perform it on Ladybirds, the Channel 4 television program about her life in music. [24]