Love Me Now or Love Me Later
Encyclopedia
"Love Me Now or Love Me Later" is a 1980 song recorded by singer Marvin Gaye
, who issued it on his final Motown release, In Our Lifetime, in 1981. The song talked of a conversation between two Lords: "The Good Lord
" and "The Evil Lord
" in which after creating Earth
brings upon man and have a heated discussion over what to do with him. The "evil Lord" wants control of the man while "the good Lord" insists on sharing him equally giving him the reason for love and understanding. When the man, presumably Marvin, messes up, the "evil Lord" fusses that he shouldn't have allowed "the good Lord" to "give him reasons" telling the man in question that he's "got what the soul desires for mankind's flesh" while the "good Lord" tells the man "you can listen to me/I gave you reason for (love and life)". This explains the cover of the album which depicts "the Good Lord" and "the Evil Lord" as clones of Marvin discussing over a table and is probably considered as the album's centerpiece. In the album's alternate version, cut from Odyssey Studios
, found the singer reciting a prayer at the end of the song. The song's musical background was used for an earlier recording, 1979's "Just Because You're So Pretty" for Marvin's aborted Love Man album.
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
, who issued it on his final Motown release, In Our Lifetime, in 1981. The song talked of a conversation between two Lords: "The Good Lord
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
" and "The Evil Lord
Lucifer
Traditionally, Lucifer is a name that in English generally refers to the devil or Satan before being cast from Heaven, although this is not the original meaning of the term. In Latin, from which the English word is derived, Lucifer means "light-bearer"...
" in which after creating Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
brings upon man and have a heated discussion over what to do with him. The "evil Lord" wants control of the man while "the good Lord" insists on sharing him equally giving him the reason for love and understanding. When the man, presumably Marvin, messes up, the "evil Lord" fusses that he shouldn't have allowed "the good Lord" to "give him reasons" telling the man in question that he's "got what the soul desires for mankind's flesh" while the "good Lord" tells the man "you can listen to me/I gave you reason for (love and life)". This explains the cover of the album which depicts "the Good Lord" and "the Evil Lord" as clones of Marvin discussing over a table and is probably considered as the album's centerpiece. In the album's alternate version, cut from Odyssey Studios
Odyssey Studios
Odyssey Studios was a recording studio based near Marble Arch in London and opened in 1979. It was set up by Wayne Bickerton as an extension from State Records, the label he had set up with Tony Waddington and John Fruin in 1975...
, found the singer reciting a prayer at the end of the song. The song's musical background was used for an earlier recording, 1979's "Just Because You're So Pretty" for Marvin's aborted Love Man album.
Personnel
- All vocals, drums, keyboards and synthesizers by Marvin Gaye
- Bass by Frank Blair
- Guitar played by Gordon Banks