Alison Krauss (born July 23, 1971) is an American bluegrass-country singer… Read Full Bio ↴Alison Krauss (born July 23, 1971) is an American bluegrass-country singer, songwriter and fiddler. Signed to Rounder Records as a 14-year-old fiddler from Champaign, Illinois, she has become the most recognized face in contemporary bluegrass, a critically acclaimed artist who has brought modern sophistication to the genre while respecting its traditions. Songfacts reports that in 2011 Krauss recorded her first ever number one country album in her home country with Paper Airplane. She has also sold upwards of 11 million records and garnered 2 Oscar nominations as well as 26 Grammy® Awards, the most for any female artist in Grammy® history.

Also impressive is Krauss's unwavering commitment to being an independent-label artist who has succeeded far beyond the scope of many major-label artists. She has circulated freely within pop, mainstream country and roots music circles, as a solo artist and with her long-time band Union Station, creating impeccably produced records that appeal to an equally wide-ranging and inquisitive audience. Krauss has continued doing things the old-fashioned way: following her heart and whatever path the music takes her on.

Too Late to Cry
Alison Krauss Lyrics

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Sitting all alone with my whisky on ice,
I wonder why he's not with me tonight.
If the rain be on tonight then I won't sleep.
I'm haunted by this loneliness I keep.

And it's too late to cry cause we left it all behind,
Too late to cry cause there's nothing left defied.
You won't get more than you're living for,

And it's too late to cry tonight.

It doesn't seem much point in us carrying on,
We pretend to cry but the feelings are gone.
I hear the death man has lost his mate,
The silence that follows him tells me about our fate.

And it's too late to cry cause we left it all behind,
Too late to cry cause there's nothing left defied.
You won't get more than you're living for,
And it's too late to cry tonight.

Empty glass before me tells the story in my eyes,
The dimness it has giving me won't let me realize.
That love is more or less the state of mind we go through,
With no guarantee to what it holds me or you.

And it's too late to cry cause we left it all behind,
Too late to cry cause there's nothing left defied.

You won't get more than you're living for,
And it's too late to cry tonight.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Alison Krauss's song "Too Late to Cry" describe the feeling of loneliness and regret that comes with the realization that a relationship has ended. The singer is sitting alone with a glass of whiskey, wondering why her partner is not with her. She is haunted by the loneliness that she cannot seem to escape. She recognizes that it is too late to cry over the end of the relationship, as they have left it all behind and there is nothing left to be saved. She understands that life only offers us what we are willing to pursue, and she has reached a point where it is too late to try to hold onto something that is no longer there.

Through the use of powerful imagery and metaphors, Krauss captures the emotional depth of the singer's predicament. The reference to the rain suggests a sense of gloom and sadness, while the allusion to the death man emphasizes the inevitability of fate. Even the empty glass becomes a symbol of the sadness in the singer's eyes. Throughout the song, Krauss delicately illustrates the complexities of love and the fragility of relationships. She reminds us that while love may be a state of mind, it does not always offer us the security we desire.

Line by Line Meaning

Sitting all alone with my whisky on ice,
Feeling lonely and sad, drinking whiskey with ice.

I wonder why he's not with me tonight.
Questioning why the person she loves isn't with her tonight.

If the rain be on tonight then I won't sleep.
Unable to sleep if it rains tonight, adding to the feeling of loneliness.

I'm haunted by this loneliness I keep.
Feeling haunted and overwhelmed by the constant feeling of loneliness.

And it's too late to cry cause we left it all behind,
Realizing that it's too late to cry because the relationship is over and there's no going back.

Too late to cry cause there's nothing left defied.
It's too late to cry because there's nothing left to fix or save.

You won't get more than you're living for,
There's no guarantee that you will get more in life than what you are currently living for.

And it's too late to cry tonight.
Reiterating that it's too late to cry and there's no hope of fixing what's broken.

It doesn't seem much point in us carrying on,
Questioning if there's a point in continuing with the relationship.

We pretend to cry but the feelings are gone.
There's no genuine emotion left and any tears shed are just pretending.

I hear the death man has lost his mate,
Hearing that someone else has lost their loved one.

The silence that follows him tells me about our fate.
Feeling that the silence after someone dies signifies that the same fate is in store for the relationship.

Empty glass before me tells the story in my eyes,
The empty glass in front of her represents the sadness in her eyes.

The dimness it has giving me won't let me realize.
The sadness and dimness of the situation is preventing her from fully realizing the situation.

That love is more or less the state of mind we go through,
Realizing that love is a mental state that can change and fluctuate.

With no guarantee to what it holds me or you.
There's no guarantee of what the future holds for both the individual and the relationship.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JOHN HAROLD PENNELL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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