It's too Late
The Crickets/Buddy Holly Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

It's too late, she's gone
It's too late, my baby?s gone
Wish I had told her, she was my only one
But it's too late, she's gone
It's a weak man that cries
So I guess I'd best dry my eyes
Guess I will miss her more than any one
But it's too late, she's gone
She's gone, yes, she's gone
She's gone, my my baby's gone
She's gone, yes, she's gone
Where can my baby be
I wonder does she know
When she left me, it hurt me so




I need your lovin', please don't make me weep
And tell me, it's not too late

Overall Meaning

The Crickets' song "It's Too Late" is a sorrowful ballad about lost love. The lyrics express regret and a sense of helplessness for not being able to salvage a relationship that has already ended. The singer regrets not telling his lover that she was his only one before she left him. He knows that it is too late to undo the damage and bring her back. He acknowledges that crying is a sign of weakness and tries to hold back his tears. However, he cannot help but miss her profoundly. He wonders where she is and if she knows the pain he is going through. He pleads for her to come back, asking for her love and begging her not to make him weep. The song ends on a hopeful note, with the singer asking his lover to tell him that it's not too late.


The song's theme of lost love and regret struck a chord with many listeners when it was released in 1958. The simple and straightforward lyrics were complemented by an upbeat melody and the distinctive twangy guitar sound that became a hallmark of rock and roll. The song became a hit, reaching number five on the US Billboard Hot 100.


Line by Line Meaning

It's too late, she's gone
Regretful thoughts after it's too late, now that she's left


It's too late, my baby?s gone
Realization that it's too late, she left him


Wish I had told her, she was my only one
Desire to have expressed his feelings to her when he had the chance


But it's too late, she's gone
Reiterating his regret that it's too late to salvage the relationship


It's a weak man that cries
Societal pressures on men to not show their emotions openly, especially crying


So I guess I'd best dry my eyes
Abiding by the societal norm and suppressing his emotions


Guess I will miss her more than any one
Understanding that he will miss her more than anything else


But it's too late, she's gone
Reiterating the regretful situation


She's gone, yes, she's gone
Reiterating that she's no longer with him


She's gone, my my baby's gone
Highlighting the significant loss he feels


She's gone, yes, she's gone
Continuing to emphasize her departure


Where can my baby be
Wondering where she might be now that she's gone


I wonder does she know
Questioning if she knows how much he loved her


When she left me, it hurt me so
Expressing the pain her leaving caused him


I need your lovin', please don't make me weep
Underscoring his desire for her love and affection


And tell me, it's not too late
Hoping against all odds that it's not too late to reconcile




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Abkco Music Inc.
Written by: JOHN STERLING, ERIC VICTOR BURDON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

Donny Pinedo

It's too late - she's gone
It's too late - my baby's gone
Wish I had told her - she was my only one
But it's too late - she's gone
It's a weak man that cries
So I guess I'd best dry my eyes
Guess I will miss her more than anyone
But it's too late - she's gone

She's gone - yes, she's gone
She's gone - my my baby's gone
She's gone - yes, she's gone
Where can my baby be

I wonder does she know
When she left me - it hurt me so
I need your loving - please don't make me weep
And tell me - it's not too late

I need your loving - please don't make me weep
And tell me - it's not too late (not too late)



Appalachian Outcast

An interesting fact:

look almost just like him. I’m from Texas, have a bit of a similar voice, and play guitar and some other instruments. I remember singing a while ago and my parents and everybody said I reminded them of Buddy Holly. Then my parents looked at my family tree. There he was. On my family tree. I’m also same religion as him. I’m a baptist he was too. And I realized that my father looked like buddy too. I am happy to be related to him. I impersonate him

Some information about Buddy Holly:

Buddy Holly was only 22 when he died and sang since he was around 13. He was in a country and western duo with bob Montgomery for a while then he joined the crickets in late 1957. They had good songs together, such as, Oh Boy!, Peggy Sue, That’ll be the day, Everyday, and words of love. He was no doubt great at a lot. I don’t like him because he’s my relative, I like him because he has talent. I was a fan of him before I figured out I was related to him. But his band was mainly friends but he had his 3rd cousin by marriage join. Niki Sullivan was in there but then quit because he wasn’t a fan of the traveling. Then it was stuck with Buddy Holly, Joe B Mauldin, and Jerry Allison. Then the crickets got in a argument because Buddy wanted to record in New York. But Jerry and joe wanted to stay in Clovis New Mexico. Also Joe and Jerry were drinking a little bit. Then Buddy on a tour that took his life along with Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper. Maria Elena Holly had a miscarriage and lost the baby. She was devastated and she never remarried again. February 3rd 1959 was then nicknamed The Day The Music Died. And there is some theories that Buddy shot The Big Bopper but there was no way it was possible for Buddy, Ritchie, or The Big Bopper to live. The last thing I want to say is....


R.I.P



All comments from YouTube:

Jeff Lipinski

I can relate to this.. Buddy was so good.. I'm glad these rare songs are not forgotton by youtube or the public.. LONG LIVE BUDDY AND HIS MUSIC !!!!!!!!

D Doeser

Onvergetelijk R.I.P ❤🇳🇱🙏Jaar 2023 Tijdstip 09:48 UUR Woensdagochtend (8 Augustus)

buddyhollylive

This is my favourite Holly song, even though he wasn't the author - he owns it completely and it permeates his spirit. You can hear the early use of echo - In fact, "It's not too late" - the music lives on. 5 stars

Terry Winter

Derik and the Dominos do a fantastic cover of this song.

Jason Touvi

This is one of my favorite ballads written by Larry Williams and sung by the immaculate Buddy Holly.

Tonetwisters

Buddy's Blues-Rock powerhouse. Tremendous vocal range and great feeling of despair. This man could sing ballads and hard rockers and Gospel-sounders (Early In The Morning) and Blues like this one ... what an incredible talent.

Ronnie Knight

I cry inside every time i hear his voice, in all these years he has never been matched in talent

brad b

He never will be either .

Kevin holly

I do as well! He was so so special👍👌

Kevin holly

No end to this boy’s talent! RIP Buddy👌

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