The lyrics describe the blameless end of a loving relationship.[2] Music critic Dave Marsh saw implicit feminism because the woman left the man.[3] Marsh also remarked on the maturity of the theme.[3] Music critic Robert Christgau wrote that "if there's a truer song about breaking up than 'It's Too Late,' the world (or at least AM radio) isn't ready for it."[4] Marsh described the melody as Tin Pan Alley and the arrangement as a cross between light jazz and "L.A. studio craftsmanship."[3]Rolling Stone remarked that King's "warm, earnest singing" on the song brought out the song's sadness.[5] According to author James Perone, the feel of the song is enhanced by the instrumental work of Danny Kortchmar on guitar, Curtis Amy on saxophone and King on piano.[2] Kortchmar and Amy each have an instrumental solo.[2]
The sadness of the song is emphasized by its minor key.[6] Perone pointed out several melodic techniques used by King to help make the song a hit. She builds the melody out of syncopated rhythmic motifs which are modified and combined over the course of the song, in contrast to other songs' commonly repeated rhythmic phrases.[2] Perone also thought that she made the melody memorable by repeating the highest note several times before descending to the tonic.[2] This marks the highest and lowest notes in the listener's ear, aiding recognition.[2] An important emotional element of the melody is that rather than resolving on the tonic at the end, as most songs do, "It's Too Late" ends on the mediant, which is related to the tonic but leaves a sense of inconclusiveness.[2] This contrasts with the lyrics, which imply that the singer has fully accepted the end of the relationship.[2]
In 1995, American singer and songwriter Gloria Estefan released her cover of "It's Too Late" as the third promotional single (in the US), and fourth overall single released from her fourth studio album, Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me.
Critical reception
AllMusic editor Eddie Huffman described the song as a "moment of genuine pathos" in his review of Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me.[21]
^Steve Sullivan (2013). Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings, volume 2. Scarecrow Press. pp. 326–327. ISBN0810882957.
^Sheila Weller (2009). Girls Like Us: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon - and the Journey of a Generation. Washington Square Press. pp. 325–328. ISBN9780743491488.