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It's Too Late (Carole King song)
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = It's Too Late
| cover = It's Too Late by Carole King US vinyl single double A-side.jpg
| alt =
| caption = US vinyl single; picture is also used for the "I Feel the Earth Move" side and the parent album 'Tapestry'
| type = single
| artist = Carole King
| album = Tapestry
| A-side = I Feel the Earth Move
| released = April 16, 1971
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Soft rock
| length = 3:51
| label = Ode
| writer = Carole King, Toni Stern
| producer = Lou Adler
| prev_title = Up on the Roof
| prev_year = 1970
| title =
| title2 = I Feel the Earth Move
| next_title = So Far Away
| next_title2 = Smackwater Jack
| next_year = 1971
| misc =
}}
"'It's Too Late'" is a song from Carole King's 1971 album 'Tapestry'. Toni Stern wrote the lyrics and King wrote the music. It was released as a single in April 1971 and reached number 1 on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary charts. Sales were later gold-certified by the RIAA. 'Billboard' ranked "It's Too Late" and its fellow A-side, "I Feel the Earth Move", as the No. 3 record for 1971.
Music and lyrics
The lyrics describe the blameless end of a loving relationship. Music critic Dave Marsh saw implicit feminism because the woman left the man. Marsh also remarked on the maturity of the theme. Music critic Robert Christgau wrote that "if there's a truer song about breaking up than 'It's Too Late,' the world (or at least AM radio) isn't ready for it." Marsh described the melody as Tin Pan Alley and the arrangement as a cross between light jazz and "L.A. studio craftsmanship." 'Rolling Stone' remarked that King's "warm, earnest singing" on the song brought out the song's sadness. According to author James Perone, the feel of the song is enhanced by the instrumental work of Danny Kortchmar on guitar, Curtis Amy on saxophone and King on piano. Kortchmar and Amy each have an instrumental solo. 'Cash Box' described the song as "a sensitive ballad with a strong rock under-beat."
Toni Stern told author Sheila Weller that she wrote the lyrics in a single day, after her relationship with James Taylor ended. The recording won a Grammy Award for Record of the Year in 1972, and the song is included in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Personnel
*Carole King piano, vocals
*Curtis Amy soprano saxophone
*Danny "Kootch" Kortchmar conga, electric guitar
*Charles "Charlie" Larkey bass guitar
*Joel O'Brien drums
*Ralph Schuckett electric piano
Soundtracks
"It's Too Late" has been featured in Hollywood films, including 'Fandango' (1985), 'The Lake House' (2006), and 'Invincible' (2006).
Awards and recognition
* King's version of "It's Too Late" peaked at No. 1 on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary charts. It was on the Hot 100 as a double A-side with "I Feel the Earth Move".
* King's version of "It's Too Late" was gold-certified by the RIAA.
* "It's Too Late" won a Grammy Award for Record of the Year in 1972.
* "It's Too Late" is ranked No. 469 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest songs of all time. It was dropped in the 2010 version but updated to No. 310 in the 2021 version.
* Together with its other A-side, it was named by the RIAA as No. 213 of 365 Songs of the Century.
Charts
Weekly charts
;Carole King;Bill Deal & the Rhondels
Year-end charts
All-time charts
Certifications
Gloria Estefan version
{{Infobox song
| name = It's Too Late
| cover = Gloria Estefan It's Too Late Single.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Gloria Estefan
| album = Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me
| released =
| recorded = 19931994
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Pop
| length = 3:57
| label = Epic
| writer = *Carole King
*Toni Stern
| producer = *Emilio Estefan, Jr.
*Jorge Casas
*Clay Ostwald
| prev_title = Everlasting Love
| prev_year = 1995
| next_title = Cherchez La Femme
| next_year = 1995
| misc =
}}
In 1995, Cuban American singer and songwriter Gloria Estefan released her cover of "'It's Too Late'" as the third promotional single (in the US), and fourth overall single released from her fourth studio album, 'Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me'.
Critical reception
AllMusic editor Eddie Huffman described the song as a "moment of genuine pathos" in his review of 'Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me'. Phil Shanklin of ReviewsRevues stated that "Kings voice does possess the same warmth as Estefans."Official versions
# Album version 3:57# Piano mix 3:38
# Radio mix 3:19
Release history
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Formats and track listings
Other versions
The song has been covered by
* 1970: Bill Deal and the Rhondels
* 1971: Johnny Hammond on his album 'Breakout'
* 1971: Bobbi Humphrey on her album 'Flute In'
* 1972: The Isley Brothers on their album 'Brother, Brother, Brother'; reaching 39 on the R&B chart
* 1972: Billy Paul on his album '360 Degrees of Billy Paul'
* 1972: The Stylistics on their album 'Round 2 (The Stylistics album)'
* 1972: Denise LaSalle on her album 'Trapped By A Thing Called Love'
* 1972: Dennis Coffey on his album 'Goin' for Myself'
* 1973: Isaac Hayes on his album 'Live at the Sahara Tahoe'
* 1975: Dennis Brown, featured on the Herman Chin Loy album 'Aquarius Dub'
*1990: David Lasley on his album 'Soldiers On The Moon'
* 1991: Dina Carroll with the duo Quartz, earning her first hit; it reached No. 8 in the UK Singles Chart
* 1991: Culture Beat on their album 'Horizon'
* 1995: Amy Grant for 'Tapestry Revisited: A Tribute to Carole King'
* 2000: Kyle Vincent on his album 'Solitary Road'
* 2015: China Crisis on the cover versions album '80's Re:Covered - Your Songs with the 80's Sound'
* 2015: Chris Colfer and Darren Criss in 'Glee'
References
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