Gregory Anthony Isaacs ⋆ 15 July 1951 in Kingston, Jamaica ⋆ 25 Oct 2010 in… Read Full Bio ↴Gregory Anthony Isaacs ⋆ 15 July 1951 in Kingston, Jamaica ⋆ 25 Oct 2010 in London UK ⋆ was a Jamaican singer and songwriter. He recorded an enormous amount of songs in the genres (regular) reggae, lovers rock, roots reggae. His nickname was the Cool Ruler. By the late 1970s, Isaacs was one of the biggest reggae performers, regularly touring the US and the UK. Well-known songs are Night Nurse, Mr Cop, My Only Lover, Tune In, and Love Is Overdue. He became an international star 1978 after signed to Virgin Record's Front Line, and appeared in the movie Rockers with the song Slave Master. The two Front Line albums Cool Ruler and Soon Forward did, however, not sell as good as expected from someone regarded to be the third or fourth reggae artist in the world after Bob Marley, Dennis Brown, and maybe Jacob Miller (singer in the band Inner Circle). Drug problems with cocaine and crack cocaine in the early 80s decelerated Isaacs carrier substantially, but not completely. He released 73 studio albums with original material, and over 500 compilation or remix albums. He worked together with almost all big Jamaican music producers of the 70s, 80s and 90s.

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Gregory Isaacs (born on 15 July 1951 in Fletchers Land, Kingston, Jamaica and died on 25 October 2010 in London) was a Reggae singer and songwriter. Gregory Anthony Isaacs is known as "The Cool Ruler" for his seductive crooning vocal style. Gregory attributed his greatest musical influences to R&B greats Sam Cooke and Percy Sledge, in addition to Delroy Wilson, Alton Ellis and Ken Boothe.

In the late 1960s, Gregory first performed in a vocal trio called The Concords, after being encouraged by Byron Lee. By 1970 the group had split up. He subsequently formed his own label, African Museum.

In the late 1970s he emerged as one of the most prolific and popular recording artists in Jamaica. He released a number of self-produced singles on his own African Museum (JA) label with Errol Dunkley. Much of Isaacs' output reflected the 'conscious' themes of Roots Reggae, but Isaacs was equally adept at interpreting more mainstream Lovers Rock material. Early hits include "My Only Lover", "Sinner Man" and "Mr. Cop", recorded at Lee Perry's Black Ark Studio.

A period in the 1970s with the GG's label and its producer Alvin Ranglin produced hits like "Border" and "Number One".

Personal problems affected him, particularly battles with a cocaine addiction and a possession charge, which prevented him from touring in North America for a significant part of his career, until a pardon could eventually be secured.

Isaacs recorded with a number of producers, including the Riddim Twin's (Sly & Robbie) Taxi Records, who gave them their first hit with 1979's "Soon Forward" , After a series of releases with Sly & Robbie, Gregory built a strong relationship with Gussie Clarke of the Music Works label. In addition to these local Jamaican labels, The Cool Ruler had had releases on Trojan, VP, Virgin's Front Line and English producer Tad A. Dawkin's Tad's Records. Isaacs would would eventually sign with Chris Blackwell's Island Records which resulted in the international release of Night Nurse (1982) and Out Deh! (1983).

Perhaps his most popular recordings in his native Jamaica are "All I Have Is Love", "Mr. Brown" and "Hard Drugs", the latter being an anti-drug anthem that dominated radio in the late 1980s and was released as a hidden track on England's Tad Records All I Have Is Love, Love Love LP.

In the 1990s Gregory's African Museum label continued to release all of Gregory Isaacs' music, and that of artists he produced. He continued to record and perform live in the 2000s, and it has been estimated that Isaacs has released over 500 records in his career, which includes singles and compilations.

Isaacs, who was 59 years old, died of lung cancer on 25 October 2010 at his home in London where he spent part of his time. A sad loss to the world.

Love Is Overdue
Gregory Isaacs Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Listen darlin'

Now who's gonna hold and squeeze me tight
Now that she's gone out of my life
Who's gonna make me feel the way she used to do, yeah
Now that my love is overdue
Now that my love is overdue

I'm all alone in the wilderness
Searching to find saint peace and rest
Although she wasn't the best girl
But she brought happiness into my world
And now I'm a prison of loneliness
Said I'm a prison of loneliness

(That's what I am)

Now whose fuss (??) is gonna say goodnight
Now that she's gone out of my sight
Who's gonna tell me lies and let me think the truth
Now that my love is overdue
Now that my love is overdue

Can you see right now
And I don't know just what to do, yeah

Now whose fuss (??) is gonna say goodnight
Now that she's gone out of my sight
Who's gonna tell me lies and let me think the truth
Now that my love is overdue
Now that my love is overdue

Can you see right now
And I don't know just what to do, yeh

Overall Meaning

In Love Is Overdue, Gregory Isaacs is singing about the aftermath of a breakup, and how painful it is to face the reality that you are left alone without the person you loved. He questions who will give him the same affection, who will make him feel loved, and who will show him both the sweet and bitter realities of life. He reflects on the good and bad times they had together, and although she may not have been the best, she still brought so much happiness into his life.

He finds himself in a wilderness filled with loneliness, and even though he knows she wasn't perfect, he still longs for her love. The nights become unbearable as he wonders who will be the one to say goodnight to him and whisper the sweet nothings that he longs for. He reflects on the lies she may have told him, yet they gave him hope for the future, a future that he now feels is overdue.

Overall, the song is an emotional and soulful reflection on lost love, and the pain and loneliness that follows. Isaacs' voice is filled with vulnerability, and his words resonate with anyone who has ever loved and lost.

Line by Line Meaning

Listen darlin'
The singer is asking the listener to pay attention and listen.

Now who's gonna hold and squeeze me tight
The singer is expressing his loneliness and asking who will give him physical affection.

Now that she's gone out of my life
The singer is referring to a past lover who is no longer present in his life.

Who's gonna make me feel the way she used to do, yeah
The artist is asking who can replace his past lover in giving him the same feeling and emotions.

Now that my love is overdue
The artist is indicating that he has not found love yet, despite it being long overdue.

I'm all alone in the wilderness
The singer feels isolated and lost like he is in a deserted place.

Searching to find saint peace and rest
The singer is seeking inner calmness and a sense of relaxation.

Although she wasn't the best girl
The artist acknowledges that his past lover might not have been the best fit for him.

But she brought happiness into my world
The artist recognizes that his past lover added joy and happiness to his life.

And now I'm a prison of loneliness
The artist is currently trapped by his solitude.

Said I'm a prison of loneliness
The singer reaffirms that he is stuck alone and feels imprisoned.

Now whose fuss (??) is gonna say goodnight
The artist is asking who will bid him farewell at night.

Who's gonna tell me lies and let me think the truth
The singer is missing his past lover's lies that he perceived as the truth.

Can you see right now
The singer is asking if the listener can understand his current state of mind.

And I don't know just what to do, yeah
The singer is confessing that he feels lost and doesn't know how to manage his life without his past lover.

Lyrics © TAMMI MUSIC LTD.
Written by: GREGORY ANTHONY ISAACS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

@user-by3pe6yu2x

My love is over due for my Countryman Jamaica
So hey
Payment now order again later 😂❤😮🎉❤

@bettytaylor1839

2y↑9

There is never going to be another Gregory song that touch my soul like this it came into my life when I was old enough to experience all of it go to the Club and dance to it 💃💃💃💃❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️