It's Just a Little Bit Too Late

Last updated

"It's Just a Little Bit Too Late" is a song written by Clint Ballard Jr. and Les Ledo, which was originally recorded by Clyde McPhatter in 1963. A British beat group named the Druids would release their version in 1964 before the definitive version by Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders was recorded and released as a single in 1965. Their version was the second of three songs by Clint Ballard Jr. that the group recorded together with "The Game of Love" and "She Needs Love". Their rendition of the song reached number 20 in the UK's Record Retailer but failed to emulate the success of their previous single "The Game of Love", only reaching number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Contents

Background

Clint Ballard Jr. wrote the song together with Les Ledo, an American songwriter who previously had written the chart hit "Cotton Candy" for Al Hirt under the pseudonym Russ Damon; [1] it brought him success as a songwriter, with it reaching number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1964. [2] Clint Ballard Jr. had on the hand enjoyed success as a songwriter since the late 1950s, writing several top-ten hits for various acts, including Frankie Avalon's "Ginger Bread" in 1958 which reached number nine in the charts that year. [3] [4] He had also enjoyed success with "The Game of Love", a song he gave to Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders to record; it topped the American chart and reached number two in the UK. [5] [6] Being two established songwriters, the pair decided to sit down and write, with the result becoming "It's Just a Little Bit Too Late". [7] It was one of only two songs they wrote together, the other being "How Long Is So Long" in 1965. [8]

The suspected first version of the song was recorded by the Drifters frontman Clyde McPhatter in the year 1963. [9] [10] McPhatter's version features prominent claves in the backing which also largely consists of a female backing along with a brass quartet. [10] However, it i unclear whether or not his version actually got released as there is no information available. [9] It would tie in with the year Ballard Jr. and Ledo copyrighted the song in 1963. [7] [11] The first released version of the song were from a British merseybeat band named the Druids, who featured Gearie Kenworthy of the Knack. [12] [13] Their version was released as their final and second single on 8 May 1964 through Parlophone Records. [14]

Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders version

"It's Just a Little Bit Too Late"
Wayne-fontana-and-the-mindbenders-its-just-a-little-bit-too-late-fontana-6.jpg
Single by Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders
from the album Eric, Rick, Wayne And Bob — It's Wayne Fontana And The Mindbenders
B-side "Long Time Comin'"
Released4 June 1965
Recorded1965
Studio Philips, Marble Arch, London
Genre Beat
Length2:17
Label Fontana
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Jack Baverstock
Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders singles chronology
"The Game of Love"
(1965)		"It's Just a Little Bit Too Late"
(1965)		"She Needs Love"
(1965)

Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders had by this point become acquainted with Clint Ballard Jr. as a songwriter, having previously recorded his song "The Game of Love" in 1964. [15] When released as a single the following year, it reached number one on Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the Record Retailer chart during the spring of 1965. [5] [6] This led to a tour of the United Kingdom on which they most likely picked up the song while performing together with the Hollies, [16] who had had a number one hit with the Clint Ballard Jr. composition "I'm Alive" that year. [17] [18] Nonetheless, they liked the song well enough to record it, which they did at Philips Studio in London with Fontana Records head producer Jack Baverstock. [19] [20] It was eventually released as a single on 4 June 1965 with "Long Time Comin'" as its B-side. [21]

"It's Just a Little Bit Too Late" entered the UK singles chart on 23 June 1965 at a position of 47 before peaking at number 20 on 14 July. [6] It soon thereafter exited the chart on 4 August at a position of 50 after spending only seven weeks on the chart. [6] In the US, the single entered the charts on 12 June at a position of number 88, [22] before peaking at 45 on 24 July. [23] It dropped from the charts on the following week with a position of number 59, after spending eight weeks on it. [24] In Cash Box magazine it reached number 52, [25] while also reaching number 44 in Record World . [26] Internationally, it was also commercially successful, though not on the level of "The Game of Love". In Canada's RPM magazine, it reached number nine, [27] while it reached number 55 on the Australian charts. [28]

Upon release, it received primarily positive reviews. In Billboard magazine, it is considered a "No. 1 rhythm contender", noting the previous collaboration with Clint Ballard Jr. [29] In Cash Box it is referred to as "a bright, funky-styled ditty" while simultaneously noting the lyrics of the song. [30] In Music Business magazine it was considered a pick of the week while Record World describes it as "fast-moving follow-up item". [31] [32] Both sides of the single were featured on the group's second studio album Eric, Rick, Wayne And Bob — It's Wayne Fontana And The Mindbenders which was released in October 1965. [33] [34]

Personnel

Charts

Chart performance for "It's Just a Little Bit Too Late"
Chart (1965)Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report) [28] 55
Canada (RPM) Top Singles [27] 9
UK ( Disc Weekly ) [35] 30
UK ( Record Retailer ) [6] 20
US Billboard Hot 100 [5] 45
US Cashbox 100 [25] 52
US Record World 100 Top Pops [26] 44

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Mindbenders</span> English beat band

The Mindbenders were an English beat group from Manchester, England. Originally the backing group for Wayne Fontana, they were one of several acts that were successful in the mid-1960s British Invasion of the US charts, achieving major chart hits with "The Game of Love" in 1965 and "A Groovy Kind of Love" in 1966.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stop! In the Name of Love</span> 1965 single by the Supremes

"Stop! In the Name of Love" is a 1965 song recorded by the Supremes for the Motown label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baby Love</span> 1964 single by the Supremes

"Baby Love" is a song by American music group the Supremes from their second studio album, Where Did Our Love Go. It was written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland and was released on September 17, 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Come See About Me</span>

"Come See About Me" is a 1964 song recorded by the Supremes for the Motown label. The track opens with a fade-in, marking one of the first times the technique had been used on a studio recording.

Unit 4 + 2 were a British pop band, who had a number one hit on the UK Singles Chart in 1965 with the song "Concrete and Clay". The track topped the UK chart for one week.

"Always on My Mind" is a ballad written by Wayne Carson, Johnny Christopher, and Mark James, first recorded by Brenda Lee, and first released by Gwen McCrae in March 1972. Lee's version was released three months later in June 1972. The song has been a crossover hit, charting in both the country and western and pop categories. Elvis Presley's recording was the first commercially successful version of the song.

"A Groovy Kind of Love" is a song written by Toni Wine and Carole Bayer Sager based on a melody by the classical composer Muzio Clementi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yes, I'm Ready</span>

"Yes, I'm Ready" is a song by Barbara Mason from her album Yes, I'm Ready (1965). It has been covered by numerous artists, and was a hit single for Teri DeSario and K.C. when they recorded a duet version in 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My World Is Empty Without You</span> 1965 single by the Supremes

"My World Is Empty Without You" is a 1965 song recorded and released as a single by the Supremes for the Motown label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love Is Like an Itching in My Heart</span> 1966 single by The Supremes

"Love Is Like an Itching in My Heart" is a 1966 song recorded by the Supremes for the Motown label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wayne Fontana</span> English pop singer (1945–2020)

Glyn Geoffrey Ellis, known professionally as Wayne Fontana, was an English rock and pop singer best known for fronting the beat group the Mindbenders, with whom he recorded the hit singles "Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um" (1964) and "The Game of Love" (1965). After leaving the Mindbenders to pursue a solo career, Fontana had further UK successes including "Pamela Pamela" (1966). Despite legal issues in the 2000s, he continued to perform on the 60s nostalgia circuit until his death.

"I'm Alive" is a 1965 number-one UK hit single by the Hollies, written for them by American songwriter Clint Ballard Jr. However they originally passed the song over to another Manchester band, the Toggery Five, before changing their minds and recording the song, which became their first No. 1 hit in the UK Singles Chart. It spent three weeks at number one in the UK and was also a No. 1 hit in Ireland. The song was released as a single in the US, entering the Cash Box singles chart on July 17, 1965, and peaking at No. 84 week of August 14, 1965; it also appears on the US version of the 1965 Hollies album, Hear! Here!.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Game of Love (Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders song)</span>

"The Game of Love" is a 1965 song by Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders, released in the United States as "Game of Love".

"Road Runner" is a 12-bar blues song performed by American rock and roll performer Bo Diddley, originally released as a single by Checker Records in January 1960, and later released on the LP record Bo Diddley in the Spotlight. The song reached #20 on Billboard magazine's Hot R&B Sides chart, and #75 on the Hot 100. The song has since been recorded by many artists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes</span> 1963 single by The Supremes

"When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes" is a song written by Holland–Dozier–Holland and recorded in 1963 by Motown singing group The Supremes. It is notable as the Supremes' first Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 recording, following seven previous singles between January 1961 and September 1963 which failed to enter the Top 40. The single is also notable as the first Supremes single written and produced by Holland–Dozier–Holland, who had previously created hits for Martha and the Vandellas and Mary Wells.

Clinton Conger Ballard Jr. was an American songwriter, singer, and pianist. He wrote two Billboard Hot 100 number one hits. The first was "Game of Love" by Wayne Fontana and The Mindbenders in 1965. The second was the 1975 hit, "You're No Good" by Linda Ronstadt. He wrote two UK number one singles, recorded by Jimmy Jones and The Hollies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um</span> 1963 single by Major Lance

"Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um" is a song, written by Curtis Mayfield.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Where Did Our Love Go</span> 1964 song by the Supremes

"Where Did Our Love Go" is a 1964 song recorded by American music group the Supremes for the Motown label.

"Long Lonely Nights" is a song that was originally released by Lee Andrews & the Hearts in 1957. Hit versions were also released by Clyde McPhatter, later in 1957, and Bobby Vinton in 1965. The song was written by Lee Andrews, though Larry Brown, Doug Henderson, and Mimi Uniman were given songwriter credit as well, in a practice that was common at the time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">She Needs Love</span> 1965 single by Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders

"She Needs Love" is a song written by Clint Ballard Jr. for Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders. It was the third and final song written by him that the group recorded, following "The Game of Love" and "It's Just a Little Bit Too Late". Upon release, the single only reached number 32 in the UK, which prompted Fontana to pursue a solo career while the Mindbenders continued as a trio.

References

  1. ↑ "Jersey Girls Sing: Les Ledo". www.jerseygirlssing.com. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  2. ↑ Al Hirt's "Cotton Candy" Chart Positions Retrieved March 25, 2013
  3. ↑ Frankie Avalon, "Ginger Bread" Single Release Retrieved April 16, 2014
  4. ↑ Frankie Avalon, "Ginger Bread" Chart Positions Retrieved April 16, 2014
  5. 1 2 3 Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - ISBN   0-89820-089-X
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Mindbenders". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  7. 1 2 Shapiro, Nat; Pollock, Bruce (1965). Popular Music: An Annotated Index of American Popular Songs. Adrian Press. p. 307.
  8. ↑ Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series. Library Of Congress. 1966. p. 228.
  9. 1 2 "The Originals Project". www.originalsproject.us. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  10. 1 2 Ruppli, Michel (1993). The Mercury labels: a discography. Ed Novitsky. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. ISBN   0-313-27371-5.
  11. ↑ Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series. Library of Congress. 1964. p. 293.
  12. ↑ Eder, Bruce. "The Knack". Allmusic. All Media Network, LLC. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
  13. ↑ Gurvitz, Paul. "The Knack". Paul Gurvitz. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
  14. ↑ "The New Singles". The New Singles. 23 (1 May 1964).
  15. ↑ Martin, Douglas (19 January 2009). "Clint Ballard Jr., Writer of Hit Songs, Dies at 77". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  16. ↑ Dunbavan, Peter (2017). An Avid's Guide to Sixties Songwriters. AuthorHouse. ISBN   9781524633455.
  17. ↑ "Hollies information page". Hollies.co.uk. 1 September 1965. Archived from the original on 25 May 2014. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  18. ↑ "Hollies". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  19. ↑ Eric, Rick, Wayne And Bob — It's Wayne Fontana And The Mindbenders Plus (liner notes pg. 2). Schuh, Olive. Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders. Bear Family Records. 2012.
  20. ↑ "Recording Notes" (PDF). Beat Instrumental (6): 27. June 1965.
  21. ↑ "New Discs by Wayne". Record Mirror (27 May 1965).
  22. ↑ "Billboard Hot 100 for week ending June 12, 1965" (PDF). Billboard . No. 12 June 1965. p. 24.
  23. ↑ "Billboard Hot 100 for week ending July 24, 1965" (PDF). Billboard. No. 24 July 1965. p. 19.
  24. ↑ "Billboard Hot 100 for week ending July 31, 1965" (PDF). Billboard. No. 31 July 1965. p. 19.
  25. 1 2 "Cash Box Top 100 July 17, 1965" (PDF). Cash Box (17 July 1965): 4.
  26. 1 2 "100 Top Pops" (PDF). Record World (24 July 1965): 15.
  27. 1 2 "RPM Top 40 Singles – July 26, 1965"". RPM (26 July 1965).
  28. 1 2 Kent, David (2005). Australian Chart Book 1940 - 1969. Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd. ISBN   978-064-644-43-90.
  29. ↑ "Single Reviews Spotlight" (PDF). Billboard. No. 5 June 1965. p. 35.
  30. ↑ "Record Reviews: Pick Of The Week" (PDF). Cash Box (5 June 1965): 12.
  31. ↑ "Impressions Have Gospel "Meeting" Sound" (PDF). Music Business (5 June 1965): 14.
  32. ↑ "Singles Reviews: Four Star Picks" (PDF). Record World (5 June 1965): 8.
  33. ↑ "10cc : A Pure Injection Of Pop". www.the10ccfanclub.com. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  34. ↑ Thompson, Dave. "Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders - Artist Biography By Dave Thompson". AllMusic . Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  35. ↑ "Disc Weekly Top 30". Disc Weekly (18 September 1965): 12.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.