Sexsmith started his first band at 14. After moving to Toronto he formed the Uncool and released his cassette Out of the Duff, and a year later, There's a Way. Meanwhile, he worked as a courier, and released Grand Opera Lane in 1991. On the strength of this album he earned a contract which led to the self-titled album Ron Sexsmith of 1995. Between 1997 and 2001, Sexsmith released three more albums before the acclaimed Cobblestone Runway in 2002.
Too Late
Ron Sexsmith Lyrics
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We don't know what it all means
Though the stars look down as if to say
We're too late
We've missed the start of the show
We don't know what's happening
In this world where timing's everything
After the parade has been and gone
When the party ends, that's when we show up
Just in time to see where we keep going wrong
Aiming but always missing us
Ron Sexsmith's song Too Late seems to convey a sense of disillusionment and loss, as the lyrics dwell on the realization that we are often too late to experience or understand the deeper meaning of life. The opening lines, "We don't know why we're here / We don't know what it all means," suggest a certain existential uncertainty, a feeling that we are groping in the dark when it comes to understanding our place in the world. The reference to the stars looking down and implying that we're too late might also be interpreted as a reminder of our smallness and insignificance in the grand scheme of things.
As the song progresses, we get the sense that the singer and his loved one are struggling to keep up with or make sense of the world around them. The lines "We've missed the start of the show / We don't know what's happening" seem to suggest a feeling of being left behind or out of the loop, unable to grasp the full import of current events or cultural trends. The phrase "In this world where timing's everything," further underscores this theme, underscoring how crucial timing can be in determining our level of success or fulfillment. Ultimately, the song's refrain-- "We're too late, my darling" --seems to convey an air of resignation, a sense that we have already missed out on the best parts of life and are left to watch from the sidelines as the parade passes us by.
Line by Line Meaning
We don't know why we're here
We're unsure of the purpose of our existence
We don't know what it all means
We lack understanding of the bigger picture
Though the stars look down as if to say
The stars seem to offer guidance
We're too late
We've missed our chance
We've missed the start of the show
We arrived late to an event
We don't know what's happening
We're confused about the situation
In this world where timing's everything
The timing of events is crucial in our world
We're too late, my darling
We've missed the opportunity, my love
After the parade has been and gone
Once the celebration is over
When the party ends, that's when we show up
We arrive when it's too late
Just in time to see where we keep going wrong
We finally realize our mistakes
Aiming but always missing us
Something always prevents us from achieving our goals
Contributed by Jackson R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.