Siffre released his first six albums of songs between 1970 and 1975, and a further three albums between 1988 and 1998. During this period he had several solo hits, including "It Must Be Love" (No. 14, 1971) (later covered by and a No. 4 hit for Madness, for which Siffre himself appeared in the video); "Crying, Laughing, Loving, Lying" (No. 11, 1972); and "Watch Me" (No. 29, 1972). In 1978 two of his songs, "Solid Love" (performed by Siffre) and "We Got It Bad" (co-written and performed by Bob James) reached the UK finals of the BBC's A Song for Europe. His 1987 hit "(Something Inside) So Strong", which reached No. 4, was an anti-Apartheid anthem that won the Ivor Novello Award for "Best Song Musically and Lyrically", and has since been used in Amnesty International campaigns, a television advertisement and Alice Walker's film against female genital mutilation: Warrior Marks.
In 1997, Siffre's play "DeathWrite" was staged at the Sherman Theatre in Cardiff and later televised.
His song "I Got The..." was sampled in rapper Eminem's hit single "My Name Is," Siffre, who is openly gay, said in an interview that he turned down the offer to approve the song at first until the original sexist and homophobic lyrics were removed: "Dissing the victims of bigotry – women as bitches, homosexuals as faggots – is lazy writing. Diss the bigots not their victims." Siffre eventually allowed its usage when he was sent a censored "clean" version, not realizing that he was also allowing the riffs use on the alternative "dirty" versions with the original lyrics.
In 1984 Siffre began writing poetry and has since released three books of poetry: "Blood on the Page" 1995 and "Monument" 1997. His poetry addresses a variety of themes, from theology and childhood to sociology, love, hate, language, critical thinking, and communication. In 2006, he released a new album, The Last Songs.
Too Late
Labi Siffre Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll get me a hammer and a little black book
Write me a letter just as long as you please
I'll keep it in my pocket 'til I know I'm gonna sneeze
I know you wanna make it up but it's too late
You wanna get me in a corner, kinda smother me with love but
It's too late
About a thousand years
You say you're coming 'round Sunday, gonna ring my bell
You know what you can do babe - go to hell!
Nothing you can do and nothing you can say
Gonna make me change the way I feel today
I know you wanna make it up but it's too late
You wanna get me in a corner, kinda smother me with love but
It's too late
I've just about had it up to here, can't you leave me alone
About a thousand years
About a thousand years
I know you wanna make it up but it's too late
You wanna get me in a corner, kinda smother me with love but
It's too late
I've just about had it up to here, can't you leave me alone
About a thousand years
Don't tell me you're gonna change your ways
Don't tell me that it was just a phase
People like you, you don't deserve a lover
People like you, you just need a brother
I know you wanna make it up but it's too late
You wanna get me in a corner, kinda smother me with love but
It's too late
I've just about had it up to here, can't you leave me alone
About a thousand years
I know you wanna make it up but it's too late
You wanna get me in a corner, kinda smother me with love but
It's too late
I've just about had it up to here, can't you leave me alone
About a thousand years
Come on over baby any day or night
It's alright baby I enjoy the fight
Fall, submisison, knock out to ten
Sleep a little baby, then we start again
I know you wanna make it up but it's too late
You wanna get me in a corner, kinda smother me with love but
It's too late
I've just about had it up to here, can't you leave me alone
About a thousand years
I know you wanna make it up but it's too late
You wanna get me in a corner, kinda smother me with love but
It's too late
I've just about had it up to here, can't you leave me alone
About a thousand years
About a thousand years
Well how about a week? Well how about tonight?
I'll be over right away
The lyrics of Labi Siffre's song "Too Late" convey a sense of frustration and exhaustion in a relationship. The opening lines, "Send me a picture of the way you look, I'll get me a hammer and a little black book," suggest a desire to remember someone's appearance and potentially reference their actions or behaviors. The use of a hammer and a little black book could symbolize a desire to either fix or record these memories.
The following lines, "Write me a letter just as long as you please, I'll keep it in my pocket 'til I know I'm gonna sneeze," indicate a lack of urgency or interest in the recipient's words. The singer seems to be dismissive or indifferent to the content of the letter, hardly attaching any importance to it until it becomes a physical inconvenience.
The chorus emphasizes the sentiment that it is too late for the other person to make amends or try to win back the singer's affection. Despite their attempts to corner the singer and smother them with love, the singer has reached their limit. The repeated phrase "I've just about had it up to here, can't you leave me alone about a thousand years" expresses a significant buildup of frustration and a desire for space.
The lyrics suggest that the other person's promises or apologies hold no weight. The verse "Don't tell me you're gonna change your ways, Don't tell me that it was just a phase" reveals the singer's disbelief and skepticism towards any potential transformation. They feel that the other person does not deserve love and may be better suited to a familial relationship rather than a romantic one.
The final section of the song introduces a more confrontational tone. The lines "Come on over baby any day or night, It's alright baby I enjoy the fight" imply a love-hate dynamic and a willingness to engage in conflict. The reference to falling, submission, and knockout parallel a boxing match or a cycle of struggle and reconciliation. It symbolizes an unhealthy pattern in the relationship where conflicts are inevitable and repetitive.
Overall, "Too Late" portrays a relationship that has reached its breaking point. The singer is tired and unwilling to entertain any more attempts at reconciliation or changes. They express a desire for space and a need to break free from the exhausting dynamics that have characterized the relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Send me a picture of the way you look
Share a visual representation of your current appearance so I can understand your state.
I'll get me a hammer and a little black book
I will collect the tools and reminders necessary to process or confront my feelings.
Write me a letter just as long as you please
Express your thoughts and emotions in a written form, taking as much space as you need.
I'll keep it in my pocket 'til I know I'm gonna sneeze
I will hold onto your words until a moment comes that I feel compelled to react.
I know you wanna make it up but it's too late
I recognize your desire for reconciliation, but the opportunity has passed.
You wanna get me in a corner, kinda smother me with love but
You attempt to corner me emotionally, overwhelming me with affection.
It's too late
The chance for us to mend things is lost.
I've just about had it up to here, can't you leave me alone
I have reached my limit and need you to give me space.
About a thousand years
It feels as if I've been enduring this for an eternity.
You say you're coming 'round Sunday, gonna ring my bell
You claim you will visit me this weekend, ready to make contact.
You know what you can do babe - go to hell!
I feel antagonistic and suggest you stop trying to intrude on my life.
Nothing you can do and nothing you can say
No action or word from you can alter my current feelings.
Gonna make me change the way I feel today
There is nothing that would shift my emotional state right now.
I know you wanna make it up but it's too late
I understand your intent to repair things, but the moment has passed.
You wanna get me in a corner, kinda smother me with love but
Your method of reconciliation seems suffocating and manipulative.
It's too late
The moment to repair our relationship has already slipped by.
I've just about had it up to here, can't you leave me alone
I've reached my limit and desperately need distance from you.
About a thousand years
It feels interminable, as if I have suffered this situation for ages.
Don't tell me you're gonna change your ways
I am skeptical of your promises to adapt your behavior.
Don't tell me that it was just a phase
I refuse to accept that your past actions were merely a temporary issue.
People like you, you don't deserve a lover
Individuals with your patterns do not merit a romantic partner.
People like you, you just need a brother
What you require is not a lover but rather a friend or sibling figure.
I know you wanna make it up but it's too late
You wish to mend our relationship, yet the opportunity is extinguished.
You wanna get me in a corner, kinda smother me with love but
Your attempts at reconciliation feel overwhelmingly controlling.
It's too late
It is too late for us to reconcile our differences.
I've just about had it up to here, can't you leave me alone
I am on the verge of exhaustion and need you to step back.
About a thousand years
This struggle has felt endless, dragging on and on.
Come on over baby any day or night
You are welcome to visit me at any time, regardless of the hour.
It's alright baby I enjoy the fight
I can handle the challenges of our interactions, despite their difficulty.
Fall, submission, knock out to ten
This cycle of contention leads to emotional exhaustion or defeat.
Sleep a little baby, then we start again
After a temporary respite, we will find ourselves back in the same tumultuous situation.
I know you wanna make it up but it's too late
Your wish to repair our relationship is acknowledged, but the timing is off.
You wanna get me in a corner, kinda smother me with love but
You are trying to corner me emotionally with excessive affection.
It's too late
The moment to amend our issues has passed.
I've just about had it up to here, can't you leave me alone
I am overwhelmed and need solitude from your presence.
About a thousand years
This situation feels as if it has dragged on indefinitely.
Well how about a week? Well how about tonight?
Why not adjust your plans or come sooner, as I am open to your company?
I'll be over right away
I will make my way to you swiftly and without delay.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Labi Siffre
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Melanie
on Cannock Chase
So beautiful :)