"It's Too Late" has been featured in Hollywood films, including 2006's The Lake House and Invincible.
It's Too Late
Carole King Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's somethin' wrong here, there can be no denyin'
One of us is changin', or maybe we've just stopped tryin'
And it's too late, baby, now it's too late
Though we really did try to make it
Somethin' inside has died
And I can't hide and I just can't fake it
(No, no, no, no)
It used to be so easy, livin' here with you
You were light and breezy, and I knew just what to do
Now you look so unhappy and I feel like a fool
And it's too late, baby, now it's too late
Though we really did try to make it
Somethin' inside has died
And I can't hide and I just can't fake it
Oh, no, no
There'll be good times again for me and you
But we just can't stay together, don't you feel it, too?
Still I'm glad for what we had and how I once loved you
But it's too late, baby, now it's too late
Though we really did try to make it
Somethin' inside has died
And I can't hide and I just can't fake it
Oh, no, no, no, no, no
It's too late, baby
It's too late now, darling
It's too late
Carole King's song "It's Too Late" is a heartbreaking portrayal of a deteriorating relationship. The lyrics depict two people who were once in love but now find themselves on different wavelengths. The opening lines "Stayed in bed all mornin' just to pass the time / There's somethin' wrong here, there can be no denyin'" set the tone for the whole song. The singer is hiding in bed from reality, and there is a palpable sense of sadness and resignation. The second verse, "It used to be so easy, livin' here with you / You were light and breezy, and I knew just what to do / Now you look so unhappy and I feel like a fool," highlights how the love has faded away, and both partners are now struggling to find happiness.
The chorus of the song, "And it's too late, baby, now it's too late / Though we really did try to make it / Somethin' inside has died / And I can't hide and I just can't fake it / Oh, no, no, no, no, no," is repeated throughout the song, with a growing emotional intensity. The chorus is the realization that the relationship is over, despite attempts to save it. The bridge, "There'll be good times again for me and you / But we just can't stay together, don't you feel it, too? / Still I'm glad for what we had and how I once loved you," suggests there is hope for the future, but it is too late to save the relationship.
Overall, "It's Too Late" is a poignant song that speaks to anyone who has ever experienced a failed relationship. It captures the emotions of heartbreak, disappointment, and resignation that come with the end of a love affair.
Line by Line Meaning
Stayed in bed all mornin' just to pass the time
I spent the morning in bed because I didn't know what else to do with myself
There's somethin' wrong here, there can be no denyin'
I can feel that things are not right between us; it's impossible to ignore
One of us is changin', or maybe we've just stopped tryin'
Either one of us has changed, or we both stopped trying to keep things the way they were.
And it's too late, baby, now it's too late
It's too late to fix things between us; there's no going back now
Though we really did try to make it
We put in a lot of effort to try to make things work
Somethin' inside has died
We've lost the spark that used to keep us together
And I can't hide and I just can't fake it
I can't pretend that everything is okay when it's not
Oh, no, no, no, no, no
I am really upset about the situation
It used to be so easy, livin' here with you
Things were so much simpler when we were both happy and content
You were light and breezy, and I knew just what to do
You used to be carefree and easy to be around, and I knew how to make you happy
Now you look so unhappy and I feel like a fool
Seeing you unhappy makes me feel like I failed you in some way
There'll be good times again for me and you
Even though things are bad now, I know we'll both be happy again someday
But we just can't stay together, don't you feel it, too?
We have to accept that staying together is not the best thing for us; you feel it too, don't you?
Still I'm glad for what we had and how I once loved you
Even though things didn't work out between us, I'm still grateful for the love we had and the memories we shared
It's too late, baby, now it's too late
It's too late to make things right between us; we missed our chance
Though we really did try to make it
We put in a lot of effort to try to make things work
Somethin' inside has died
We've lost the spark that used to keep us together
And I can't hide and I just can't fake it
I can't pretend that everything is okay when it's not
Oh, no, no, no, no, no
I am really upset about the situation
It's too late, baby
We missed our chance to make things work between us
It's too late now, darling
It's too late to salvage our relationship now
It's too late
We've reached the end; there's no turning back
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Carole King, Toni Stern
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@deepfriedsammich
@@adamwadley6086
Carole King: "It's Too Late"
Gordon Lightfoot: "If You Could Read My Mind"
The Eagles: "Best of My Love"
The Eagles: "Already Gone"
Dido: "White Flag"
Dave Mason: "We Just Disagree"
Joni Mitchell: "Big Yellow Taxi"
Crosby, Stills, and Nash: "Southern Cross"
Doobie Brothers: "What a Fool Believes"
Allan Parsons Project: "Games People Play"
Cat Stevens: "Wild World"
Chicago: "Feelin' Stronger Every Day"
Meatloaf: "Two Outta Three"
Elton John: "Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road"
Fleetwood Mac: "Go Your Own Way"
Patty Smyth: "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough"
Diana Ross: "Touch Me in the Morning"
Barbara Streisand: "The Way We Were"
Natalie Imbruglia: "Torn"
Bonnie Raitt: "I Can't Make You Love Me"
Journey: "Separate Ways Worlds Apart"
Sarah McLachlan: "Adia"
@Keyspoet27
Keyspoet27
Right there with you.
I got this album not long after it came out, mostly for "I Feel the Earth Move," since the single had come out right before the 1971 Sylmar/Newhall earthquake, and became an instant hit in L.A. I loved the entire album.
I brought it over to my dad's one afternoon, and he enjoyed it as well, and some years later confided to me that this song was the one that he felt captured the ending of his marriage to my mom most perfectly.
Interestingly, the song that always reminded me of their split was "Overs," by Simon and Garfunkel, but I'm not sure that he had even heard that song, much less knew it.
Still love this album, and Bookends, and SO MANY MORE!!!
@rafmerino5676
Stayed in bed all mornin' just to pass the time
There's somethin' wrong here, there can be no denyin'
One of us is changin', or maybe we've just stopped tryin'
And it's too late, baby now, it's too late
Though we really did try to make it
Somethin' inside has died, and I can't hide
And I just can't fake it, oh, no, no
It used to be so easy, livin' here with you
You were light and breezy, an' I knew just what to do
Now you look so unhappy, and I feel like a fool
And it's too late, baby now, it's too late
Though we really did try to make it
Somethin' inside has died, and I can't hide
And I just can't fake it, oh, no, no
There'll be good times again for me and you
But we just can't stay together, don't you feel it, too?
Still I'm glad for what we had and how I once loved you
But it's too late, baby now, it's too late
Though we really did try to make it (we can't make it)
Somethin' inside has died, and I can't hide
And I just can't fake it, oh, no, no, no, no, no
It's too late, baby, it's too late now, darling
It's too late
@ericengbloom3857
The Greatest compilation of lyrics and music from a Soul n Heart that will never
NEVER BR MATCH IN
HUMAN TIME !
A VOICE A PIANO
THAT SPEAKS TO THE LISTENER WHICH IS WAY DIFFERENT THAN
THE SINGER WHO JUST SINGS OR SCREAMS OR RAPS!
SHE TOUCHES THE HEART THEN THE SOUL. GIVES HOPE.
A CHANCE A WARMTH
THAT PREDACATES
ALL OTHERS OF HER GENERATION AND EVEN TODAY!
GOD BLESS HER.
@tysonatkins2236
I'm a 47 year old construction worker and I heard this song for the first time two years ago and I cried. I was alone in my truck, driving to work, so I had time to dry my eyes by the time I got there and told everyone that I was doing great, even though this song tore into my emotions!
@edyed.95
Beautiful, love what you wrote , & publicizing it - takes some guts. ❤️ I haven't been able to get this song out of my head this past wk, (my not so subconscious at work, no dout), so just listened to it here for 1st time in 20+ yrs. I can't think of a song w/a higher emotional impact that nails the sorrow & loss of falling out of love more poignantly.
@cheesecakefan4880
Me too
This song just came up this week
How interesting
@jennahall5434
❤️ hugs
@lisarousseau788
I'm 60 been loving this song since I was a little girl thanks to my older sister this woman is fantastic Taylor Swift who?????
@jonasprov4883
I believe in you brother!
@paulmartos7730
I'm 76, a lifetime rock 'n' roll fan, and always thought this was one of the most beautiful and poignant songs I ever heard.
@colleenchurm7756
Definitely!
@luzcarrero1288
Yesss,Yessssss!!!!
@TonyTee79
This is the saddest realest song that I've ever heard. Almost everybody has gone through this and it hits the heart hard.