A track from their greatest album, "Hard Core Poetry."
Too Late
Tavares Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Am I too late?
Too late
Am I too late?
Pain is my best friend
Makin' me think of you again
Wakin' me up and sayin'
Tears I made you shed
(Look who's cryin')
Me, I made this bad
(No denyin')
I'm the man whose jones
Can't be brought into line
Am I too late to get in your door?
Am I too late? Have you locked the store?
Am I too late to sweep up the floor?
(Too late)
No, no, no, no
Eyes that could not see
(What you needed)
Arms that could not be
(What you wanted)
Lips that would not say
What you waited to hear, my dear
I'm the one to blame
(I admit it)
That and so ashamed
(That I did it)
Girl, I'm comin' home
It's you I wanna be near
(Hey, hey, hey)
Am I too late to get in your door?
Am I too late? Have you locked the store?
Am I too late to sweep up the floor?
Too late
Am I too late?
Too late
Am I too late?
Too late, too late
Too late, too late
Too late, can I get in your door?
Too late, wanna love you some more
Too late, can't you see that I'm here?
Too late, got us love that is real
Girl, I would do anything just for you
If you tell me it isn't too late
Am I too late to get in your door?
Am I too late? Have you locked the store?
Am I too late to sweep up the floor?
Girl, I would do anything just for you
If you tell me
Am I too late to get in your door?
Am I too late? Have you locked the store?
Am I too late to sweep up the floor?
Girl, I was wrong, this is where I belong
Am I too late to get in your door?
The Tavares song "Too Late" appears to be about a man who has finally realized that he has taken his lover for granted and lost her. He is reflecting on his mistakes and expressing regret for not being attentive to her needs. He uses vivid imagery to describe how his pain has become his companion, and how it reminds him of what he has lost. He is aware of the mistakes he has made - how he has caused her tears to fall and is now ready to apologise and ask for a second chance. The man's desperation is palpable as he continuously asks if he's too late to win her back. He wants to know if she has closed off the possibility of a future with him, whether he still has a chance to prove his love.
The repeated chorus of "too late" seems to suggest that he feels that he has missed his chance, and that his love is finished. Despite this, however, the lyrics also express a determination to win her back, with references to "sweeping up the floor" and wanting "to love you some more". These lines make it clear that he is not going to give up easily and that he is ready to do whatever it takes to make things right.
Overall, "Too Late" is a heartfelt and emotional song that speaks to anyone who has ever lost someone they loved due to neglect or carelessness. It is a plea for forgiveness and a second chance, and it is infused with a sense of regret and yearning that is both poignant and relatable.
Line by Line Meaning
Too late
The situation has progressed to a point where the singer is concerned that it may be too late to make things right with the person they're addressing.
Am I too late?
The singer is expressing their uncertainty about whether or not it is too late to make amends with the person they're addressing.
Pain is my best friend
The singer is admitting that they are struggling with the emotional pain caused by their mistakes, and that it is constantly reminding them of the person they hurt.
Makin' me think of you again
The pain the artist is feeling is directly related to the person they're addressing, and they can't help but think about them.
Wakin' me up and sayin'
The pain they're experiencing is so strong that it is affecting their sleep, and they are being jolted awake by it.
"Fool, you've been careless and blind, unkind"
The singer is feeling regretful and acknowledges that their actions were careless, blind, and unkind towards the person they're addressing.
Tears I made you shed
The singer is acknowledging that their actions caused the person they're addressing to cry.
(Look who's cryin')
The artist is acknowledging that they are now the one who is crying and expressing remorse.
Me, I made this bad
The artist is admitting that they are responsible for the current situation and are taking ownership of their part in causing it.
(No denyin')
The artist is emphasizing that they can't deny their role in the situation and the pain they caused.
I'm the man whose jones
The singer is admitting that they have an addiction or strong desire for something (possibly the person they're addressing) that they can't control.
Can't be brought into line
The artist is saying that they can't bring their desire under control or make it fit into the acceptable boundaries of the situation.
Eyes that could not see
The singer is acknowledging that they were blind to the needs and desires of the person they hurt.
(What you needed)
The singer is acknowledging that they failed to provide the person they hurt with what they needed from them.
Arms that could not be
The singer is acknowledging that they were unable to give the person they hurt the comfort and affection they needed.
(What you wanted)
The artist is acknowledging that they failed to provide the person they hurt with what they wanted from them.
Lips that would not say
The artist is acknowledging that they failed to express the things the person they hurt wanted or needed to hear.
What you waited to hear, my dear
The singer is acknowledging that they failed to say things that the person they hurt was waiting to hear from them.
I'm the one to blame
The singer is taking full responsibility for the situation and acknowledging that they are the one who caused it.
(I admit it)
The artist is explicitly stating that they admit they are to blame for the current situation.
That and so ashamed
The artist is expressing that they are deeply ashamed of their actions and the current state of affairs.
(That I did it)
The artist is explicitly stating that they are ashamed of their actions and that they caused the current situation.
Girl, I'm comin' home
The singer is expressing that they're committed to coming home to the person they hurt and making things right between them.
It's you I wanna be near
The artist is expressing that they have a strong desire to be near and with the person they hurt.
Too late, can I get in your door?
The singer is expressing doubt and uncertainty about whether or not they're welcome to come back into the life of the person they hurt.
Too late, wanna love you some more
The singer is expressing that they still have love for the person they hurt and want to give them more love and affection.
Too late, can't you see that I'm here?
The singer is expressing frustration that the person they hurt isn't acknowledging their presence or desire to make amends.
Too late, got us love that is real
The artist is emphasizing that the love they shared with the person they hurt is real and worth fighting for, even if it may be too late.
Girl, I would do anything just for you
The artist is expressing their deep love for the person they hurt and their willingness to do anything to make things right between them.
If you tell me it isn't too late
The singer is acknowledging that it ultimately falls upon the person they hurt to decide whether or not it is too late for them to reconcile and make amends.
Girl, I was wrong, this is where I belong
The singer is apologizing for their past actions and expressing that they believe they belong with the person they hurt.
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRIAN POTTER, DENNIS EARLE LAMBERT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sonmychest2757
Yes I'm here in 2022 listening to this classic... timeless music Never dies.
@user-em9vw4ip5m
Loved this group and their music.
@a.d.j213
Tavares had many great songs,brings back memories of the 70s
@tanyapetersen7426
I love this song. Tavares was one of my favorite groups.
@manuelxavier5659
The music of the 1970s made people feel happy and alive.
@elvingtonred
The best decade by far!
@justinquaylepate1358
This is very true
@keithhackett7912
I saw them perform this song on American Bandstand during the Summer Of 1974 before I was to start 4th Grade. How I wish I could transport back to that time of being a little kid having fun playing without worries. Great memories worth cherishing.
@lovelygivan1442
I loved that song! Still love it in "2023!" β€β€β€
@ingridgibbs5387
Tavares is my favorite all time group, this is the first time I am hearing this song, once again, another great song by super group Tavares.