‘Love Or Life’ is the first song I composed after I formed Just Suddenly. It had been in the making since 2015 and was part of another side project. Going back to it, it sounds like a very poorly mixed song, and I didn’t even know how to master a song at that time. I might revisit the song in the future and mix and master it again if I find the time.
I remember having endless conversations with Edlyn Dcruz about Love. She is of the opinion that given the choice, she would choose Love over Life. She would face all the hardships in the world and sacrifice herself to love someone or protect her love. And I found the idea ridiculous. How will you love, if you’re not alive? If your love becomes the reason for your demise. What’s the point of that love that kills you, even if it’s metaphorically killing you?
To me, Love is something that can only be given. You can never take Love. Love is an emotion, a feeling that brings happiness and joy to your life. However, Love is pointless if it only resides in your heart and mind. We live in a materialistic world. So, to bring Love to our world, just feeling it is not enough, you need to show it through your actions. You have to physically do something to show Love or to give it to someone.
And if these actions are causing harm, then it’s not Love anymore. If you love someone and don’t tell them, it’s all in your head, that Love isn’t alive yet. You have to take action for your love to take birth. And you can only love a person if they are willing to accept the love. Otherwise, your love will eventually die, because love needs reciprocity to survive.
Coming back to the song, the song is about a person who falls in love, and after the honeymoon period is over, starts to see the relationship turn toxic. However, since she’s so in love, she continues to face the abuse to keep the love alive. So I want to ask everyone the question, should this person continue to stay in a toxic relationship for the sake of her love, or end the relationship and start a new one with someone else? Cause if she or her heart is alive, she can love again. But If her love is the reason she’s unhappy, it isn’t love anymore. Feel free to leave a comment on the video about what you would want the girl to choose. Love Or Life?
PS: Now Edlyn Dcruz feels one person can at times and should give as much as 80% for a relationship. I feel you should never step your boundary, and never give more than 50% to a relationship, the other 50% is always your partner’s responsibility. Most relationships fail because of an imbalance between the commitment the two partners provide. You’re only in charge of Half-Love. The other person is in charge of their half. And only together, with great teamwork can you make a relationship work, or stay in love for as long as you live.