Her credits include being an original cast member of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1968), the female lead (Sheila) in the Los Angeles company of Hair (1968), a number 1 single "The Right Time of the Night" (1977) and 3 Oscars for Best Song - "It Goes Like it Goes," from Norma Rae (1980), "Up Where We Belong," (with Joe Cocker) from "An Officer and a Gentleman" (1982), & "I've Had the Time of My Life," (with Bill Medley) from "Dirty Dancing" (1987). (Her duets with Cocker & Medley were also #1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100.)
She toured with Leonard Cohen in 1972 & 1979. In 1987, she recorded "Famous Blue Raincoat" - an album of Cohen's compositions.
Too Late Love Comes
Jennifer Warnes Lyrics
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Where now and then I've seen
A rainbow rising over the graves
Down in the gentle green
And as I waltzed across the mine
Time sped to breathlessly
As I fought for love
And I sang for love
I saw you coming over the hill
So strong, so brave, so true
I fell down to my knees and cried
The way I used to do
It came at such surprise to me
I thought those tears had passed
Is it god who laughs this heart awake?
Too late, love comes at last
O lovers how they come and go
Like waves upon the shore
Brave hearts can drown in the briny deep
And still cry out for more
My treasure's in the water now
My pearls are lost at sea
And my heart must bend like a rainbow
Too late, you've come to me
The song Too Late Love Comes by Jennifer Warnes is a melancholic ballad describing the conflicts and battles of relationships but ultimately being too late for love to flourish. The first verse speaks of the singer's past experiences of love, likening it to a "warrior field". However, there are moments of hope as symbolized by the rainbow rising over the graves in the "gentle green". Despite these moments of hope, the singer is well aware of the urgency of love, how time speeds by so quickly, and how one can only fight and sing for love for so long before it becomes too late.
The second verse has the singer seeing someone new who makes her feel so alive that she falls down to her knees and cries, which she hasn't done in a long time. The surprise of feeling love again is overwhelming as she thought those tears had long gone. This sudden awakening raises the question of whether it is God who makes her heart come alive again. The last lines talk about how lovers can come and go like waves, and how one's heart can be shattered and still yearn for more. The singer's heart has already been shattered, and her treasures lost at sea. Therefore, when love comes knocking, it is too late for her.
Overall, the song Too Late Love Comes talks about the fleeting nature of love and how it can only be held onto for so long before it is too late. The lyrics are poignant and heartfelt, capturing the emotions one feels when they are searching for love but it is just out of reach.
Line by Line Meaning
My home has been a warrior field
My life has been a constant battle
Where now and then I've seen
During this tumultuous journey, there have been moments of hope
A rainbow rising over the graves
In the midst of death and loss, there have been moments of beauty
Down in the gentle green
In the midst of this natural beauty
And as I waltzed across the mine
Despite the obstacles in my path
Time sped to breathlessly
My life seemed to move at a fast pace
As I fought for love
As I struggled to find love in my life
And I sang for love
As I expressed my desire for love in song
Too late, love comes to me
But now, it seems that love has come too late
I saw you coming over the hill
I saw you approaching, full of strength and courage
So strong, so brave, so true
You embody all the qualities I have been searching for in a partner
I fell down to my knees and cried
Your arrival moved me to tears
The way I used to do
As I used to do when I was younger and more emotional
It came at such surprise to me
Your appearance was unexpected
I thought those tears had passed
I thought I had overcome my emotional nature
Is it god who laughs this heart awake?
Perhaps it is a higher power that has opened my heart to love
Too late, love comes at last
But now that it has arrived, it seems too late for us to be together
O lovers how they come and go
Love is unpredictable and fleeting
Like waves upon the shore
It comes and goes like the tides
Brave hearts can drown in the briny deep
Even the strongest of us can be overwhelmed by love
And still cry out for more
Yet we continue to seek it out, even when it hurts us
My treasure's in the water now
The things I hold dear have been lost, like treasure thrown into the sea
My pearls are lost at sea
The things that were most precious to me have been lost
And my heart must bend like a rainbow
My heart must remain open and flexible, like a rainbow
Too late, you've come to me
But now that you have arrived, it seems too late for us to be together
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, KAREN SCHAUBEN PUBLISHING ADMINISTRATION
Written by: ERIC RIGLER, JENNIFER WARNES, MARVIN DAVICH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind