He cut two of his own singles as an artist for Motown, one credited to “Mike and the Modifiers”, the other to “the Hornets”, but ironically his best-known contribution on the fun side of the mic was his foot-stomping on the Supremes’ breakthrough million-seller Where Did Our Love Go.
Mike left Motown in the mid-Sixties to set up his own production and writing company, scoring a big hit with If This Is Love I’d Rather Be Lonely for the Precisions. Stiffed by another record label over unpaid work in the late Sixties, he was invited back to Motown, where he masterminded sessions for several of the white rock acts on the company’s Rare Earth subsidiary label.
It's Too Bad
Mike & The Modifiers Lyrics
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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.
And 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, no.
It's too late baby, it's too late now darling
It's too late.
The lyrics to Mike & The Modifiers's song "It's Too Bad" speak to the end of a romantic relationship. The singer describes staying in bed all morning just to pass the time, indicating perhaps that they've lost interest in the day-to-day routine of their life with their partner. They acknowledge that something is wrong, but they can't deny that one of them is changing, or perhaps they've just stopped trying. The chorus repeats the refrain that it's too late, despite their efforts to make it work, something inside has died, and they cannot fake their feelings any longer.
The second verse describes how things used to be easy, with the singer feeling light and breezy in their life with their partner, knowing just what to do. However, now their partner looks unhappy, and the singer feels foolish for not being able to fix things. The singer ultimately comes to the decision that while there may be good times again in the future, they cannot stay together any longer, as they both feel that it's time to move on.
Overall, the lyrics of "It's Too Bad" are poignant, capturing the sadness and regret of a failed relationship. The song acknowledges the efforts that were made to keep things together, but ultimately accepts that sometimes things don't work out and that it's better to move on.
Line by Line Meaning
Stayed in bed all mornin' just to pass the time.
I didn't have the energy or desire to do anything productive, so I just stayed in bed.
There's somethin' wrong here, there can be no denyin'.
I can feel that something is off in our relationship, there's no denying it.
One of us is changin', or maybe we've just stopped tryin'.
Either one of us has gone through a change and we're not connecting like we used to, or we've both stopped putting in the effort to make our relationship work.
And it's too late, baby now, it's too late, Though we really did try to make it.
We tried to make our relationship work, but it's too late now.
Somethin' inside has died, and I can't hide, And I just can't fake it, oh, no, no.
There's a part of me that's no longer invested in our relationship and pretending to be happy is no longer an option.
It used to be so easy, livin' here with you. You were light and breezy, an' I knew just what to do.
Our relationship used to be effortless and enjoyable. You were carefree and easy to be around and I knew how to keep you happy.
Now you look so unhappy, and I feel like a fool.
You don't look happy anymore and I feel silly for not recognizing the signs earlier.
There'll be good times again for me and you, But we just can't stay together; don't you feel it too?
We may have good memories but it's time to accept that we can't stay together. Don't you feel the same way?
Still I'm glad for what we had and how I once loved you.
It's bittersweet to reflect on the past, but I'm still grateful for the love we shared.
It's too late baby, it's too late now darling It's too late.
Our relationship is beyond repair and it's too late to salvage it.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID JOHANSEN, JOHNNY THUNDERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind