“It’s Now or Never” – Elvis Presley
It’s now or never,
come hold me tight
Kiss me my darling,
be mine tonight
Tomorrow will be too late,
it’s now or never
My love won’t wait.
When I first saw you
with your smile so tender
My heart was captured,
my soul surrendered
I’d spend a lifetime
waiting for the right time
Now that you’re near
the time is here at last.
It’s now or never,
come hold me tight
Kiss me my darling,
be mine tonight
Tomorrow will be too late,
it’s now or never
My love won’t wait.
Just like a willow,
we would cry an ocean
If we lost true love
and sweet devotion
Your lips excite me,
let your arms invite me
For who knows when
we’ll meet again this way
It’s now or never,
come hold me tight
Kiss me my darling,
be mine tonight
Tomorrow will be too late,
it’s now or never
My love won’t wait.
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Elvis Presley
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Regarded as one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century, he is often referred to as “the King of Rock and Roll”, or simply, “the King”.
Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi as a twinless twin, and when he was 13 years old, he and his family relocated to Memphis, Tennessee. His music career began there in 1954, when he recorded a song with producer Sam Phillips at Sun Records. Accompanied by guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black, Presley was an early popularizer of rockabilly, an up-tempo, backbeat-driven fusion of country music and rhythm and blues. RCA Victor acquired his contract in a deal arranged by Colonel Tom Parker, who managed the singer for more than two decades. Presley’s first RCA single, “Heartbreak Hotel“, was released in January 1956 and became a number-one hit in the United States. He was regarded as the leading figure of rock and roll after a series of successful network television appearances and chart-topping records. His energized interpretations of songs and sexually provocative performance style, combined with a singularly potent mix of influences across color lines that coincided with the dawn of the Civil Rights Movement, made him enormously popular—and controversial.
In November 1956, he made his film debut in Love Me Tender. In 1958, he was drafted into military service. He resumed his recording career two years later, producing some of his most commercially successful work before devoting much of the 1960s to making Hollywood movies and their accompanying soundtrack albums, most of which were critically derided. In 1968, following a seven-year break from live performances, he returned to the stage in the acclaimed televised comeback special Elvis, which led to an extended Las Vegas concert residency and a string of highly profitable tours. In 1973, Presley was featured in the first globally broadcast concert via satellite, Aloha from Hawaii. Several years of prescription drug abuse severely damaged his health, and he died in 1977 at the age of 42.
Presley is one of the most celebrated and influential musicians of the 20th century. Commercially successful in many genres, including pop, blues and gospel, he is the best-selling solo artist in the history of recorded music, with estimated record sales of around 600 million units worldwide.[9] He won three Grammys, also receiving the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at age 36, and has been inducted into multiple music halls of fame. Forbes named Elvis Presley as the 2nd top earning dead celebrity with $55 million as of 2011.
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It’s Now or Never (Song)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
“It’s Now or Never” is a ballad recorded by Elvis Presley and published by Gladys Music, Elvis Presley’s publishing company, in 1960. The melody of the song is adapted from the Italian standard, “‘O Sole mio“, but the inspiration for it came from the song, “There’s No Tomorrow“, recorded by U.S. singer, Tony Martin, in 1949. The lyrics were written by Aaron Schroeder and Wally Gold. The single is the second best-selling single covered by Presley, and one of the best-selling singles of all time.
In the late 1950s, while stationed in Germany with the U.S. Army, Presley heard Martin’s recording. According to The New York Times, quoting from the 1986 book Behind the Hits, “he told the idea to his music publisher, Freddy Bienstock, who was visiting him in Germany… Mr. Bienstock, who many times found songwriters for Presley, returned to his New York office, where he found songwriters, Mr. [Aaron] Schroeder and Wally Gold, the only people in that day. The two wrote lyrics in half an hour. Selling more than 20 million records, the song became number one in countries all around and was Presley’s best selling single ever… a song [they] finished in 20 minutes to a half hour was the biggest song of [their] career.”
In 1960, “It’s Now or Never” was a number-one record in the U.S., spending five weeks at number one and the U.K., where it spent eight weeks at the top in 1960 and an additional week at number one in 2005 as a re-issue, and numerous other countries, selling in excess of 25 million copies worldwide, Elvis Presley’s biggest international single ever. Its British release was delayed for some time because of rights issues, allowing the song to build up massive advance orders and to enter the UK Singles Chart at number one, a very rare occurrence at the time. “It’s Now or Never” peaked at number seven on the R&B charts.
A live version featuring “‘O Sole mio” is available on the 1977 live album Elvis in Concert. “‘O Sole mio” is sung by tenor Sherrill Nielson.
In early 2005, the song was re-released along with the other Presley singles in the UK, and again reached number one on the UK Singles Chart for the week of 5 February 2005. The song also appears in the TV mini-series Elvis.
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“It’s Now or Never” is composed of eloquent lyrics that condemn the oft used bad habit of human beings to postpone and procrastinate in most things, when the matter at hand could easily be completed or settled at the present moment, instead of later. Later, it just might be too late – that is the powerful message of this beautiful song. In the late 1950s, Elvis Presley was stationed in Germany with the U.S. Army. A young soldier is on the threshold of going to fight in the war and he sings a farewell love song to his one true love – it is as they bade each other goodbye that he fervently urges her to proclaim her love for him, before it is too late. He is not prepared to wait for years for her – hence the words, “my love won’t wait.” He had always thought that they had a lifetime to proclaim their love for each other, but now the inevitable moment has presented itself. He states that only deep regret is to be had if a golden opportunity is not grabbed when it presents itself at one’s door – they would weep bitterly, like the weeping willow, at the loss of their “true love and sweet devotion.” He keeps urging her “to strike while the iron is hot” – golden opportunities don’t present themselves every day.
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The “Dohas” (couplets) of Kabir
By James Khan
Hindi/Urdu Verse, Translation and Meaning
(Source: http://detoxifynow.com/kabir-dohas.htm)
Dohas are two line poems in Hindi. The translation presented here is a literal translation of the Hindi verses where this is possible, rather than a poetic re-phrasing of the original verses in English.
With this approach, in most cases, the meaning of the verse is conveyed to the reader, which is the most important part, though sadly, much is lost, including the taste and aspects of the meaning. I have, however, added text to further explain the meaning as best I can.
In my view, it is better to learn Kabir’s verse in Hindi, and know its additional meaning from the use and sound of the original words, otherwise the meaning that Kabir wanted to convey is lost. Hindi/Urdu is considered the ideal language for Poetry, but it often does not have equivalent expressions in English, simply because the experience that those expressions contain don’t exist in the English culture, where different experiences exist.
There is power in Kabir’s choice of words, the sounds convey the power and it is well worth learning the sound and meaning of the Hindi words. The same as for example, the verses of Shakespeare, you would need to learn English to start to understand Shakespeare.
A true poetic translation of Kabir into English that keeps the meaning, tone, meter, rhyme and maintains the vocal and psychological power of the words is not possible. You would need a true genius like Shakespeare to do that. Lesser Poets like Tagore have tried, but the end result is way, way short of the original.
Rabindranath Tagore’s work, One Hundred Poems of Kabir, for example, does not even convey the simple, basic meaning of the original, never mind the subtler, spiritual meaning. In addition, his English is lofty, high English, which conveys little to the average English reader, who would not be much impressed by it. Tagore’s language is not the simple, down to earth language used by the ordinary, generally poor person as Kabir’s use of Hindi was. This is because Tagore’s command of common, native, everyday English was poor, because he never lived in the slums of east London for example. Also even Tagore, who is considered a mystical genius, did not have the required spiritual awareness to understand Kabir fully.
Kabir tended to use simple, common, slang words, rather than the high minded Sanskrit words. Kabir was familiar with Sanskrit, but he wanted to reach the ordinary person on the streets, so he used Hindi. Many of Kabir’s words are not in use today in modern Hindi, which makes understanding him more difficult.
For example, ‘Punyah‘ would not be understood in today’s Hindi, Urdu or Punjabi. Punyah is an expression used in Pahati, my native Kashmiri tongue, which contains Hindi, Punjabi and Sanskrit terms. It means ‘under’ as in ‘under the feet’, or ‘floor’ as in ‘sit on the floor.’ In modern Hindi/Urdu, it would be ‘Nicheh‘, in Punjabi it would be ‘Thelah‘, but these do not convey the sense of Punyah:
Kall pereh punya letna, uper gemsi ghass!
(Tomorrow you’ll be laying under feet, on top will grow grass!).
This literally, in simple words explains what Kabir wanted to convey – that tomorrow you will be laying in your grave, on top the grass will grow. There is humour, as well as meaning about the impermanence of life, in Kabir’s simple original, which is conveyed here.
Most Kabir translations available in English (like Kabir: Ecstatic Poems by Robert Bly), are based on Tagore – they improve on Tagore’s English only. Other English translations are no better than Tagore’s for the same reasons.
Here at least the English reader will have a truer understanding of the meaning of Kabir’s poem/verse.
The tradition of Hindi Spiritual songs in India, rather than Sanskrit Bhajans, derives from the songs and dohas of Kabir. They are still sung in India today. Scholars say that Kabir’s influence on the development of the modern Hindi/Urdu language was the same as Shakespeare’s influence on the development of the English language.
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Tomorrow’s Work Do Today
“Kaal Kare So Aaj Kar, Aaj Kare So Ub
Pal Mein Pralaya Hoyegi, Bahuri Karoge Kub?”
Translation
Tomorrow’s work do today, today’s work do now
If the moment is lost, how will the work be done?
Meaning
Do the work that needs to be done now. There is no other time than Now.
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Kabir Dohas (Couplets)
(Source: http://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=DohaDetails&DohaID=3)
“Kaal Kare So Aaj Kar, Aaj Kare So Ub
Pal Mein Pralaya Hoyegi, Bahuri Karoge Kub?”
Translation
Tomorrows work do today, today’s work now.
If the moment is lost, the work be done how?
My Understanding
This doha is a little difficult to translate, particularly when the words “Pal mein Pralaya Hoyegi”, have been translated by many scholars as the doomsday may come at any moment or in similar words. In my understanding Kabir, would not have meant this. He knew more than anyone else that if God is eternal, his creation is also eternal. Also being a Guru, Kabir would not like to talk about doomsday, as he himself was full of life.
In this Doha, Kabir has clearly tried to explain the human tendency of laziness and procrastination. It is a known fact that we all tend to postpone matters, we are indecisive and given a choice we would like others to be doing work and we simply enjoying a cool time. When it comes to us, we try to get away by saying, “Very busy, no time.” Don’t we?
This lethargy is what Kabir is condemning. Besides, according to me, his emphasis is on now, the present, the moment as it is. Now, that is Life, the moment. It is in the now, in the spontaneity that one gets energized to do, to achieve, to realize. As they say, it is now or never.
Keeping this context in mind, this Kabir Doha clearly teaches us to shed all procrastination and lethargy. It motivates us to do whatever we have to do, and do it now. If we will keep postponing it, then the work will never be done.
Visual Art by Simi Nallaseth
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“Now or Never” is a significant Philosophy of the Mind and of Life, in general, that strongly condemns sloth, laziness and basic procrastination. Why should you postpone to tomorrow that which could easily be accomplished today? This philosophy can be applied to a variety of contexts but the underlying meaning will always remain the same – don’t postpone to next month that which can just as well be completed this week. Do not postpone to tomorrow what you can do today – in fact, do not postpone what you can do today, to what can be done NOW and can be finished in the present moment. This is the philosophy of Life.
I am not going to give you a long list of various contexts where this important rule applies – I am sure that you will realize well enough when the opportunity presents itself. Golden Opportunities will not be knocking at your door often or every day – learn to grab them when they are up, for the taking.
The most significant things that should NEVER be postponed to later are a proclamation of love or the expression/verbalization/acceptance of an apology. Either learn to strike while the iron is hot or forever make your peace with the fact that you never ever got down to doing it. It is true that there is no “statute of limitations” (legal terminology for a fixed and set time-limit) on the expression of love or in offering/accepting of an apology. However, it is equally true that the true efficacy of the expression of love or the expression of an apology get lost forever in the Mists of Time when unequivocal procrastination sets in & when issues concerning a huge ego and false pride arise. All that is to be had from False Pride and Ego issues are deep regret and an inevitable sense of loss. In the case of an apology, never allow anger, hurt, bitterness and hatred to set in – an apology at such a time loses its efficacy and effect and it becomes useless and invalid. LEARN TO APPRECIATE WHAT YOU HAVE, LONG BEFORE IT BECOMES SOMETHING THAT YOU HAD.
AFTER ALL, IT NEVER WAS ALL ABOUT YOU AND WHAT YOU WANT. PLEASE DON’T FORCE ME TO SHAKE YOU OUT OF YOUR INHERENT NARCISSISM AND BASIC LAZINESS. LEARN TO LOOK BEYOND THE END OF YOUR NOSE – THERE’S A WORLD OUT THERE, JUST IN CASE YOU NEVER NOTICED. OTHER PEOPLE AND THEIR FEELINGS MATTER TOO!
Let me give you some very sound advice and it works every single time like a charm. Whenever, I am seething with anger and bitterness, I take a moment to sit back and gage what is more important to me – my false pride and ego or the love that I share for the person involved. LOVE WINS OUT EACH AND EVERY SINGLE TIME.
I sincerely hope that it works out for you this way too, as this manner of thinking and behaviour have certainly contributed in making me a happier and a more contented individual. Why not try it out? It cannot harm you in any way, can it?
“Hooked on Inspiration’s Blog” by Sherna Bhumgara 