Podunkian Music Club

Carole King-It's too Late

We go a little melancholy and jazzy tonight on the music club, winding our way back to 1971 and Carole King's monster album Tapestry for our selection of the week.

The album was one of those all dominating epic creations, spawning a number of hits, holding down a high spot on the record sales charts for over a year and gaining the kind of radio airplay that an artist can only dream of. Every song was a classic, the definition of a concept album of sorts a twelve track tour through the realm of human emotions.

It is by far King's most celebrated recording and no doubt provided a daunting task for future recordings to try and relate to. In the end, her successive recordings would not have the wide commercial appeal that Tapestry had, but perhaps that is to be expected for it was truly one of those one of a kind recordings, one that came out at just the right time to catch the right audience.

The selection tonight, a tribute to those that have loved and lost is perhaps one of the greatest break up songs ever to be put out. The lyrics come with equal parts of bite and compassion as a love affair goes terribly wrong.

Stayed in bed all morning just to pass the time
There's something wrong here, there can be no denying
One of us is changing
Or maybe we just stopped trying

And it's too late, baby, now it's too late
Though we really did try to make it
Something inside has died
And I can't hide and I just can't fake it

It used to be so easy living here with you
You were light and breezy and 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
Something inside has died
And I can't hide and I just can't fake it
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

But it's too late, baby, now it's too late
Though we really did try to make it
Something inside has died and I can't hide
And I just can't fake it

By the end of the song, you're wondering if there really were any good times again for either and if the declaration of attachment coming to an end was mutual!

The music is a jazz influenced set, some great guitars to go with the earnest piano playing of Ms. King, but it's the delivery of the vocals that made It's too late the massive hit that it became and the soundtrack to romance and relationships all gone wrong.

Of interest to our Podunkian audience tonight will be the reaction of the audience of the video we feature. When they're not sitting there as though understudies for the Soviet politburo, there are some strange scenes where the gals in the crowd are singing along to the key lyrics of the tune, while their significant others sit there silently staring blankly ahead, you have to wonder that there may have been a few messages being delivered on this night in question.

Artist-- Carole King
Recording-- Tapestry