Gladys Maria Knight (born May 28, 1944 in Atlanta, Georgia) is a legendary … Read Full Bio ↴Gladys Maria Knight (born May 28, 1944 in Atlanta, Georgia) is a legendary American R&B/soul singer and actress. She is best known for the hits she recorded during the 1960s and 1970s, for both the Motown and Buddah Records labels, with her group Gladys Knight & the Pips, the most famous incarnation of which also included her brother Merald "Bubba" Knight and her cousins Edward Patten and William Guest.
Knight started to record solo material due to legal issues that forced her and The Pips to record separately. Her solo debut "Miss Gladys Knight" was released in 1978 followed by "Gladys Knight" on Colombia Records. Knight recorded the title track for the James Bond movie "Licence To Kill." It became a Top 10 hit in the UK, peaking at #6. Knight's third solo album, "Good Woman" was released in 1991 on MCA Records (now Geffen Records). The album quickly climbed the charts to #1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album features the lead single, "Men" (#2 R&B). Her fourth album, "Just For You" followed in 1995. The album went Gold. Knight most recent album is her critically acclaimed ninth studio album, "Before Me", released in 2006.

Am I Too Late
Gladys Knight Lyrics

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I don't understand your hesitation.
You always were so quick to say
What needed to be said.
But you're standing there,
Just saying nothing.
Please say something,
Just don't tell me I'm too late.

It took a while for me
To understand my feelings for you.
I hope it's not too late,
To say I love you,
'Cause god knows I do.

Before you turn away
And the chance I had to love you is gone,
You got to know
I've finally found the feeling

And though I never told you,
I live my life to hold you

Am I too late
To show myself
Is it too late to let you know

Do you feel me
Am I touching you
Scares me to think you might say no
Cause it's too late for me to let you go

You got to know
I've finally found the feeling
And though I never told you
I live my live to hold you

Am I too late to show myself
Is it too late to let you know
Do you feel me
Am I touching you
It scares me to think you might say no
Cause it's too late
For me
To let you go

Am I too late
To show myself
Am I too late
To let you know
Do you feel me
Am I touching you
Scares me to think that you might say no
Am I too late
To show myself
Am I too late
To let you know
Do you feel me

Am I touching you
Scares me to think that you might say no

Overall Meaning

In Gladys Knight's 1987 song "Am I Too Late," the lyrics tell a tale of hesitancy and regret in a failed relationship. The singer is expressing their love and concern to their partner who seems to be unresponsive, standing there saying nothing. The singer is afraid that they may have missed their chance and that it's too late to make things right. The lyrics deal with the theme of missed opportunities and the fear of rejection.

The opening lines of the song set the stage for the singer's worries about their partner's hesitation. They comment on how their partner is usually so quick to speak up, yet now, they are silent. The lyrics "Please say something, Just don't tell me I'm too late" express the singer's fear of missed opportunity and regret towards their partner who is seemingly not responsive. As the song progresses, the lyrics indicate that the singer has come to terms with their emotions for their partner but is hesitant to share them due to fear of rejection.

The lyrics "Do you feel me, Am I touching you, Scares me to think that you might say no" show the singer's vulnerability and desire for reciprocation in the relationship. The stanza "Before you turn away, And the chance I had to love you is gone, You got to know, I've finally found the feeling" highlights the fear that the singer has of loss and the seeming call to action for the listener to recognize and acknowledge the singer's affections.

Line by Line Meaning

I don't understand your hesitation.
I cannot comprehend why you are quiet and unresponsive.

You always were so quick to say What needed to be said.
In the past, you were never hesitant to speak your mind and now you are silent.

But you're standing there, Just saying nothing.
You are standing there in silence, not expressing your thoughts.

Please say something, Just don't tell me I'm too late.
I implore you to speak up about your thoughts, but do not say that it is too late for us.

It took a while for me To understand my feelings for you.
It took a long time for me to realize my true feelings for you.

I hope it's not too late, To say I love you, 'Cause god knows I do.
I hope that it is not too late for me to express my love for you, because I truly love you.

Before you turn away And the chance I had to love you is gone, You got to know I've finally found the feeling.
Before you walk away and the opportunity for me to love you disappears, you must know that I have finally discovered my true feelings.

And though I never told you, I live my life to hold you.
I have never explicitly stated my love for you, but my one purpose in life is to embrace and cherish you.

Am I too late To show myself Is it too late to let you know
Is it too late for me to reveal my true self and share my emotions with you?

Do you feel me Am I touching you Scares me to think you might say no Cause it's too late for me to let you go.
Do you sense my love? Am I able to reach you emotionally? The idea of you rejecting me is terrifying, as it would be too late for me to let go of my love for you.

Am I too late To show myself Am I too late To let you know Do you feel me Am I touching you Scares me to think that you might say no
Again, I wonder if it is too late for me to reveal myself, express my love to you, and touch your heart. The fear of you rejecting me is overwhelming.

Writer(s): Larry Keith, Jim Hurt

Contributed by Addison P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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