Pop Rock
The song “It’s Too Late,” with lyrics written by Toni Stern and music by Carole King, expresses the breakup of a relationship in a sad but reasonable and mature way. There isn’t a lot of drama and blame. There is a realization, a jazzy-blues feel that adds to the wistfulness, and an ending that musically does not end fully resolve in that the song ends on a chord within the scale, but one that is not the tonal center. It mirrors the singer’s emotions as she tries to let go. The song was released first on King’s 1971 album Tapestry. Then, it was released as a single, backed with “I Feel the Earth Move.” Both songs were wildly successful and pure gold. “It’s Too Late” went to #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary Charts in 1971. It went to #5 in Canada, #6 in the U.K., and #8 in Ireland.

Recording engineer Hank Cicalo, singer-songwriter Carole King, and record producer Lou Adler gather around the mixing desk for a playback in the control room of A&M Records Recording Studio during the recording of King’s album ‘Tapestry’ in January 1971 in Los Angeles, California, United States. (Photo by Jim McCrary/Redferns)
And what of Tapestry? Although King did not have the commercial success she was hoping for with her 1970 debut album Writer, Tapestry was a smash. In 1971, it topped the U.S . album chart for 15 weeks and stayed on the charts for more than six years.