"It's Too Late" | ||||
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Single by Carole King | ||||
from the album Tapestry | ||||
A-side | "I Feel the Earth Move" | |||
Released | April 16, 1971 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:51 | |||
Label | Ode | |||
Composer(s) | Carole King | |||
Lyricist(s) | Toni Stern | |||
Producer(s) | Lou Adler | |||
Carole King singles chronology | ||||
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Official audio | ||||
"It's Too Late" on YouTube |
"It's Too Late" is a song from American singer-songwriter Carole King's second studio album, Tapestry (1971). 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 platinum-certified by the RIAA. [4] Billboard ranked "It's Too Late" and its fellow A-side, "I Feel the Earth Move", as the No. 3 record for 1971.
The lyrics describe the blameless end of a loving relationship. [5] Music critic Dave Marsh saw implicit feminism because the woman left the man. [6] Marsh also remarked on the maturity of the theme. [6] 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." [7] Marsh described the melody as Tin Pan Alley and the arrangement as a cross between light jazz and "L.A. studio craftsmanship." [6] Rolling Stone remarked that King's "warm, earnest singing" on the song brought out the song's sadness. [8] 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. [5] Kortchmar and Amy each have an instrumental solo. [5] Cash Box described the song as "a sensitive ballad with a strong rock under-beat." [9] Record World said that it is "quality contemporary pop." [10]
Toni Stern told author Sheila Weller that she wrote the lyrics in a single day, after her relationship with James Taylor ended. [11] [12] 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. In 2003 the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. [13]
"It's Too Late" has been featured in Hollywood films, including Fandango (1985), The Lake House (2006), and Invincible (2006). [14] [15] Also in the sixth season of the television series Glee .
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
All-time charts
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Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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United Kingdom (BPI) [27] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [4] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
"It's Too Late" | ||||
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Single by Quartz introducing Dina Carroll | ||||
from the album Perfect Timing | ||||
Released | 1991 | |||
Genre | Dance | |||
Length |
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Label | Mercury | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Quartz | |||
Quartz introducing Dina Carroll singles chronology | ||||
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Dina Carroll singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"It's Too Late" on YouTube |
British dance music production duo Quartz (Ronnie Herel and Dave Rawlings) released their version of "It's Too Late" in 1991,introducing British singer-songwriter Dina Carroll. The song earned Carroll her first hit,reaching number eight on the UK Singles Chart. [28] It was also a top 30 hit in Austria,peaking at number 21.
James Hamilton from Music Week described the cover as a "gentle Carole King revival". [29] Anthony James from NME wrote,"'It's Too Late' should see a reversal in their fortunes. Featuring the gutsy vocals of Dina Carroll it's a truly kickin' track but with a commercial edge. Carole King will turn in her rave." [30] Another editor,Ian McCann,complimented it as "a genuine hit". [31]
Chart (1991) | Peak position |
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Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) [32] | 21 |
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [33] | 17 |
UK Singles (OCC) | 8 |
UK Dance ( Music Week ) [34] | 8 |
UK Club Chart ( Record Mirror ) [35] | 6 |
"It's Too Late" | ||||
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Single by Gloria Estefan | ||||
from the album Hold Me,Thrill Me,Kiss Me | ||||
Released | May 9, 1995 | |||
Recorded | 1993–1994 | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 3:57 | |||
Label | Epic | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) |
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Gloria Estefan singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"It's Too Late" on YouTube |
Cuban American singer and songwriter Gloria Estefan released her cover of "It's Too Late" in 1995 as the third promotional single (in the US),and fourth overall single released from her fourth studio album, Hold Me,Thrill Me,Kiss Me (1994).
AllMusic editor Eddie Huffman described Estefan's version as "[a] moment of genuine pathos" in his review of the Hold Me,Thrill Me,Kiss Me album. [36] Steve Baltin from Cash Box felt that the singer "does a decent job with the vocals,but this is one of those songs that everybody feels they own. As such,it’s better off being left alone." [37] Chuck Campbell from Knoxville News Sentinel viewed it as a "faithful" remake of Carole King's 1971 hit,"though Tim Mitchell's intrusive electric-guitar solo is an unwelcome addition." [38] Phil Shanklin of ReviewsRevues remarked that King’s voice does possess the same warmth as Estefan's. [39]
Region | Date |
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US | May 9,1995 [40] |
Europe | June 12,1995 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "It's Too Late" (Radio Mix) | Carole King, Toni Stern | 3:19 |
2. | "It's Too Late" (Album Version) | Carole King, Toni Stern | 3:57 |
3. | "It's Too Late" (Piano Mix) | Carole King, Toni Stern | 3:58 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "It's Too Late" (Radio Mix) | Carole King, Toni Stern | 3:19 |
2. | "It's Too Late" (Piano Mix) | Carole King, Toni Stern | 3:58 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "It's Too Late" (Radio Mix) | Carole King, Toni Stern | 3:19 |
2. | "It's Too Late" (Piano Mix) | Carole King, Toni Stern | 3:58 |
3. | "Cherchez La Femme" (Radio Club Mix) | August Darnell, Stony Browder, Jr. | 3:54 |
4. | "Cherchez La Femme" (Album Version) | August Darnell, Stony Browder, Jr. | 4:58 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "It's Too Late" (Radio Mix) | Carole King, Toni Stern | 3:19 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "It's Too Late" (Album Version) | Carole King, Toni Stern | 3:57 |
2. | "Cherchez La Femme" (Album Version) | August Darnell, Stony Browder, Jr. | 4:58 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "It's Too Late" (Radio Mix) | Carole King, Toni Stern | 3:19 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "It's Too Late" (Radio Mix) | Carole King, Toni Stern | 3:19 |
2. | "It's Too Late" (Album Version) | Carole King, Toni Stern | 3:57 |
3. | "It's Too Late" (Piano Mix) | Carole King, Toni Stern | 3:58 |
4. | "Cherchez La Femme" (Doom Dub) | August Darnell, Stony Browder, Jr. | 8:17 |
5. | "Cherchez La Femme" (Piano Mix) | August Darnell, Stony Browder, Jr. | 6:41 |
The song has been covered by
Carole King Klein is an American singer-songwriter and musician. One of the most successful female songwriters in the US, she wrote or co-wrote 118 pop hits appearing on the Billboard Hot 100 over the latter half of the 20th century. She also wrote 61 hits that charted in the UK, making her the most successful female songwriter on the UK singles charts between 1962 and 2005.
Tapestry is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Carole King, released on February 10, 1971, by Ode Records and produced by Lou Adler. The album's lead singles, "It's Too Late" and "I Feel the Earth Move", spent five weeks at number one on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Easy Listening charts.
"You've Got a Friend" is a 1971 song written by American singer-songwriter Carole King. It was first recorded by King and included on her second studio album, Tapestry (1971). Another well-known version is by James Taylor from his album Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon. His was released as a single in 1971, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and number four on the UK Singles Chart. The two versions were recorded simultaneously in 1971 with shared musicians.
"On Broadway" is a song written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil in collaboration with the team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.
"River Deep – Mountain High" is a song by Ike & Tina Turner released on Philles Records as the title track to their 1966 studio album. Produced by Phil Spector and written by Spector, Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich. Rolling Stone ranked "River Deep – Mountain High" No. 33 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. NME ranked it No. 37 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame added it to the list of the 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll. The song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.
"Turn the Beat Around" is a disco song written by Gerald Jackson and Peter Jackson, and performed by American actress and singer Vicki Sue Robinson in 1976, originally appearing on her debut album, Never Gonna Let You Go (1976). Released as a single, the song went to #10 on the Billboard pop charts, and #73 on the Billboard soul chart. The song earned Robinson a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. The track also went to number one on the Billboard disco chart for four weeks. "Turn the Beat Around" is considered a disco classic and is featured on many compilation albums.
"(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" is a 1967 song by American soul singer Aretha Franklin released as a single by the Atlantic label. The lyrics were written by Gerry Goffin from an idea by Atlantic producer Jerry Wexler, and the music was composed by Carole King. Written for Franklin, the record reached number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, and became one of her signature songs. It made history on the UK Singles Chart a week after her death, finally becoming a hit almost 51 years after it was first released, entering at No. 79. Franklin also included a live recording on the album Aretha in Paris in 1968.
"I've Been Loving You Too Long" (originally "I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)") is a soul music ballad written by Otis Redding and Jerry Butler. Considered by music critics and writers to be one of Redding's finest performances and a soul classic, it is a slow, emotional piece with Redding's pleading vocals backed by producer Steve Cropper's arpeggiated guitar parts and a horn section.
"Will You Love Me Tomorrow", sometimes known as "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow", is a song with words by Gerry Goffin and music composed by Carole King. It was recorded in 1960 by the Shirelles at Bell Sound Studios in New York City, and hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song was the first by an African-American all-girl group to reach number one in the United States. It has since been recorded by many other artists, including a version by co-writer King released on her 1971 album Tapestry.
"All I Ever Need Is You" is a popular song written by Jimmy Holiday and Eddie Reeves, and initially recorded by Ray Charles for his 1971 album, Volcanic Action of My Soul. The most well-known version of the song is the hit single by Sonny & Cher which, in 1971, reached No. 7 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and was their single of greatest chart longevity, spending 15 weeks on that chart. Their album by the same title sold over 500,000 copies reaching RIAA gold status.
"I Feel the Earth Move" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Carole King, for her second studio album Tapestry. Additionally, the song is one half of the double A-sided single, the flip side of which was "It's Too Late". Together, both "I Feel the Earth Move" and "It's Too Late" became among the biggest mainstream pop hits of 1971.
"Patches" (sometimes known as "Patches (I'm Depending On You)") is a country soul song written by General Johnson and Ron Dunbar and best known as the 1970 hit version by Clarence Carter. It won the 1971 Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Song.
Thoroughbred is the seventh album by American singer-songwriter Carole King, released in 1975. Her final release on Ode Records, it was produced by Lou Adler, who had been her collaborator since Tapestry (1971). After Carole King self produced for a number of years on Capitol and Atlantic Records, Lou Adler later rejoined King to produce her 1984 album Speeding Time.
“So Far Away” is a song written by Carole King, which appeared on her 1971 album Tapestry. The recording features James Taylor on acoustic guitar. In addition to Taylor, and King on piano, instruments include Russ Kunkel on drums, Charles Larkey on bass guitar and Curtis Amy on flute.
"Only Love Is Real" is a song written and performed by Carole King. The song was included on her 1976 album, Thoroughbred. The single peaked at No. 28 in the Billboard Hot 100 and was King's fourth and final No. 1 on the Easy Listening chart, where it remained for one week in March 1976. It is ranked as the 40th biggest AC/Easy Listening hit of 1976.
You've Got a Friend is the twenty-eighth studio album by American pop singer Andy Williams, released in August 1971 by Columbia Records. The album bears a striking resemblance to the Johnny Mathis album You've Got a Friend released that same month. Besides sharing their name, the two albums are both made up of covers of easy listening hits of the time, with 11 songs each, and the two albums have seven songs in common that are positioned in a similar order.
You've Got a Friend is an album by American pop singer Johnny Mathis that was released on August 11, 1971, by Columbia Records. The phrase "Today's Great Hits" can be found above the title on both sides of the record jacket as well as both sides of the LP label as if to emphasize that this is essentially an album covering songs that were recently on the charts. This was a common practice of many vocalists of the period, so much so in fact that fellow Columbia artist Andy Williams also released an album titled You've Got a Friend in August 1971 on which he coincidentally covers seven of the 11 tracks that Mathis recorded for this album.
“Sweet Seasons” is a song written by Carole King and Toni Stern which appeared on King's 1971 album Music. It was the only charting single from the album, and was her second of four Top 10 hits in the US.
"Long Ago and Far Away" is a song written by James Taylor and first released on his 1971 album Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon. It was the follow-up single to "You've Got a Friend" and became a Top 40 hit in the U.S. and a Top 20 hit in Canada, and made the Top 10 on the Adult Contemporary chart in the U.S. It has also been covered by New York Voices and Johnny Mathis.
"One Man Parade" is a song written by James Taylor that was first released as the first track on his 1972 album One Man Dog. It was also released as the second single from the album, following up on the Top 20 hit "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight," after receiving significant airplay as an album track. The single was issued twice with two different B-sides, "Hymn" and "Nobody But You." It did not achieve the same chart success as "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight," peaking at #67 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also charted on the Adult Contemporary chart in Canada, reaching #55. In some regions, such as in Europe, it was released as the B-side of the single release of "One Morning in May."
"It's Too Late," the album's one dominant hit, represents a whole different form of pop music...
"...over a gently laid-back, percussion-driven jazz samba [King] plays a string of figures...the verse-chorus segues nicely into some cool jazz-guitar grooves...
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