God Is Love (song)

Infobox Song
Name = God is Love


Artist = Marvin Gaye
Album = What's Going On
Released = 1971
track_no = 5
Recorded = June 1, 1970
May 1-10, 1971, Hitsville USA (Studio A)
Golden World (Studio B)
Hitsville West
Genre = Soul
Label = Tamla
Length = 2:48 (original version)
1:41 (album version)
Writer = Marvin Gaye
Anna Gordy Gaye
James Nyx
Elgie Stover
Producer = Marvin Gaye
Tracks
prev = "Save the Children"
prev_no = 4
next = "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)"
next_no = 6

"God is Love" is a 1970 song written by Marvin Gaye, Anna Gordy Gaye, James Nyx and Elgie Stover and recorded by Marvin for his "What's Going On" album. The song was a return of sorts to Gaye's religious background dedicating this song to God and his father, Marvin Pentz Gay, Sr. The song was originally recorded as the b-side to "What's Going On" shortly after that song was recorded. The original 45" version of "What's Going On" included a slower, string-laden version of this song as its b-side. The song was later retooled in a more joyous, faster version brought on after the success of "What's Going On" as a hit song. It also ended in a much faster and abrupt tone leading into the album's next single, "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)". The original version has since been re-issued on several greatest-hits sets and re-issues of the album.

Credits

1970 version

*All vocals by Marvin Gaye
*Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers
*Arranged by Paul Riser
*Produced by Marvin Gaye

1971 (album) version

*Lead and background vocals by Marvin Gaye
*Additional background (harmony) vocals by The Andantes: Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow and Louvain Demps
*Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers
*Arranged by Paul Riser
*Produced by Marvin Gaye