Shortly before his father's death in a 1973 plane crash, Croce's family moved west to San Diego, California, where his mother, Ingrid, raised him.
At the age of four, Croce was completely blinded, as the result of a brain tumor. Between the ages of four and ten, Croce gradually regained vision in his left eye. It was during this difficult time in Croce's life that he began to play the piano. "I learned to play music by listening and playing along to the radio and to records..." Croce says, "At some point I was given the music of Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder as inspiration, which it was, and has been ever since."
Croce's first paying gig was at the age of 12, when he was paid $20 to perform at a Bat-Mitzvah party. By the age of 16, Croce was performing regularly at San Diego nightclubs, as a sideman and band leader. Croce reflects, "I was into every kind of music... you might say I was unfocused, but I consider an eclectic taste in music to be the foundation of versatility." Croce's house burned down when he was age 15.
Ron Goldstein and Peter Bauman of Private Music signed Croce to his first record deal at age 19. He recorded two CDs for Private Music: his self-titled debut, "A.J. Croce," produced by T-Bone Burnett and John Simon, and "That's Me In The Bar," produced by Jim Keltner, and featuring artists such as Ry Cooder, David Hidalgo, and Keltner himself.
Croce's third release, "Fit To Serve," was recorded in Memphis, and produced by Jim Gaines, who had previously produced Van Morrison, Santana, and The Steve Miller Band. Croce then took a musical turn with the release of his album Transit. He explained, "I had been playing blues-based music for a long time, and I was ready to try something new." Transit was compared by critics to the work of John Lennon, Elvis Costello, Bob Dylan, and Van Morrison. Glen Starkey of New Times labeled Croce "a song crafter of the first order."
A fifth CD, titled "Adrian James Croce" was released in the summer of 2004, and a sixth CD, Cantos, in 2006.
Croce has performed as an opening act for artists such as Carlos Santana, Rod Stewart, Aretha Franklin, Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett, James Brown, Ben Harper, Dave Matthews, Earth, Wind and Fire and Ray Charles. He has also performed on such national venues as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Today Show, Good Morning America, and Austin City Limits.
Too Late
A.J. Croce Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I hurt myself everyday but I don't wanna change need to go to therapy cause I'm fucked In the brain
There's something that I really hate and that something is fucking me
I am a, a loser I am a fucking loner, I hurt myself again
The blood drips down and I can't stop now and I think that it's too late
(It's way too late)
Woah woah here we go I'm fucked up on the road and swerving into the other lane
(I think I'm going insane)
Smelling like weed and alcohol I think I'm gonna end it all
I am a, a loser I am a fucking loner, I hurt myself again
The blood drips down and I can't stop now and I think that it's too late
Tough love to myself I wonder if I ask for help then maybe therapy and ecstasy will pull Me out this mental hell
Self sabotage with good intentions, camouflage avoid attention
Live my life with no direction, so nothings gonna stop me when the
(Blood drips down and I can't stop now and I think that I'm too late)
The blood drips down and I can't stop now and I think that it's too late
(It's way too late)
The Blood drips down and I can't stop now and I think that it's too late
(It's way too late)
The song "Too Late" by A.J. Croce depicts the struggles of someone who is in a deep state of mental distress and is self-destructive to the point of feeling like it's too late to change. The lyrics are highly emotional and convey a sense of hopelessness and despair, with the singer unable to control their behavior and convinced that they are beyond help. The first line, "Blood drips down and I can't stop now," conjures up images of self-harm and the desperation that comes with it.
The singer admits to hurting themselves every day but is unable to change their behavior due to their mental state. They feel like they need therapy but also acknowledge that they are "fucked in the brain." The recurring motif of being a "loser" and a "fucking loner" further emphasizes their sense of isolation and alienation from society. The second verse highlights the danger of their behavior, as the singer admits to being under the influence while driving and feeling like they're losing their mind.
The chorus is repeated, with the singer feeling like it's too late to change and that they're doomed to keep harming themselves. However, in the final verse, there's a glimmer of hope as the singer contemplates seeking help through therapy and perhaps even using drugs like ecstasy to lift themselves out of their mental hell. The final repetition of the chorus leaves the listener with a sense of unease, as it feels like the singer is still just barely holding on.
Line by Line Meaning
Blood drips down and I can't stop now and I think that it's too late woah
I am stuck in this self-destructive cycle and I am aware that it is probably too late to change.
I hurt myself everyday but I don't wanna change need to go to therapy cause I'm fucked In the brain
I am aware that I am hurting myself, but I am resistant to change and I know I need professional help.
There's something that I really hate and that something is fucking me
There is something within me that I despise, and it is causing my own destruction.
I am a, a loser I am a fucking loner, I hurt myself again
I have a negative self-image and I feel alone and isolated. I am hurting myself again.
It's way too late
I am convinced that it is too late to change my current situation.
Woah woah here we go I'm fucked up on the road and swerving into the other lane
I am in a dangerous state while driving due to my substance abuse and deteriorating mental state.
I wake up and I'm too fucked up to walk go in the house too fucked up to talk
My substance abuse has taken over my life to the point where I am unable to function properly in everyday tasks.
Smelling like weed and alcohol I think I'm gonna end it all
The substance abuse has led me to feel suicidal.
Tough love to myself I wonder if I ask for help then maybe therapy and ecstasy will pull Me out this mental hell
I am struggling to love myself but I realize that seeking help may save me from my current state.
Self sabotage with good intentions, camouflage avoid attention
I am unintentionally harming myself as a way to cope with my problems and also to avoid attention from others.
Live my life with no direction, so nothings gonna stop me when the
I am living my life without any clear goals or direction, so I am easily led down a self-destructive path.
The blood drips down and I can't stop now and I think that it's too late
I am still hurting myself and I feel that it is too late to reverse the damage I have already caused.
Lyrics Š DistroKid, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: RICHARD MINIER, JAKE BAILEY, Ruth Eva Bekono Booh
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@joekovach5789
Jim Croce needs to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
@vc27r
The fact that musicians like he and Warren Zevon among others are still not enshrined makes the RnR Hall of Fame lose a great deal of its credibility.
@raymondhoagland4976
Along with other great artists Johnny Rivers !
@sophieoshaughnessy9469
Heâs not??!! He absolutely spilled out beautiful and memorable songs in short order!
@752brickie
Amen to that .
@birdsfan57
@@vc27r Don't worry...JayZ's in, Beyonce will be next...rappers and hip hop artists continue to be enshrined and will soon dominate the Hall. It's become too concerned with being "woke" and politically correct to be taken seriously anymore...
@paullandgraf4682
Iâm 70 years old. My teen years were filled with Jimâs music. I still listen to his albums on vinyl! This was a great story that bright back great memories. Lost him way too soon.
@vilstef6988
Jim's music still moves me. I'm so happy AJ has embraced his Dad's music. So many great songs!
@timin770
It is difficult to overstate how popular Jim Croce was when I was in high school. You couldn't turn on the radio without hearing one of his beautiful songs
@cindyguillard216
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