Too Late for Goodbyes

"Too Late for Goodbyes"
"Too Late for Goodbyes"
Single by Julian Lennon
from the album Valotte
B-side	"Well I Don't Know" (UK 7"); "Let Me Be" (US 7"); "Big Mama", "Well I Don't Know" (UK 12");
Released	24 September 1984 (UK); January 1985 (US)
Recorded	February – August 1984
Studio	BearTracks Studios (Suffern, New York)
Genre	New wave
Length	3:30
Label	Charisma (UK); Atlantic (US)
Songwriter(s)	Julian Lennon
Producer(s)	Phil Ramone
Julian Lennon singles chronology
Music video
	"Too Late for Goodbyes on YouTube

"Too Late for Goodbyes" is the first single (second in the US) from Julian Lennon's debut studio album Valotte (1984). It featured the harmonica of Jean "Toots" Thielemans, and it was a top-10 hit, reaching No. 6 in the UK Singles Chart in November 1984,^[1] and No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in late March 1985.^[2] B-side "Big Mama" has been described by Lennon as "semi-hard rock".^[3]^[4]

Cash Box said that "a galloping reggae backbeat and some exquisite Muscle Shoals guitar work back up Lennon’s spare lyric phrasing and lend the song a strong ride."^[5]

"Too Late for Goodbyes" peaked at #1 on 16 March 1985 at the US Adult Contemporary chart,^[2] spending two weeks at the top of this chart. The music video for the song was directed by Sam Peckinpah,^[6] and produced by Martin Lewis.^[7] To date, it is the most successful song of Lennon's career.

Track listing

UK 7" single (Charisma JL1)^[8]

"Too Late for Goodbyes" – 3:30
"Well I Don't Know" – 4:35

US 7" single (Atlantic 7-89589)^[8]

"Too Late for Goodbyes" – 3:30
"Let Me Be" – 2:12

UK 12" single (Charisma JL112)^[8]

"Too Late for Goodbyes" – 3:30
"Big Mama" – 3:16
"Well I Don't Know" – 4:35

US 12" single (Atlantic 0-86899)^[8]

"Too Late for Goodbyes (Extended Special Mix)" – 5:55
"Too Late for Goodbyes" – 3:30
"Let Me Be" – 2:12

Musicians

Julian Lennon – lead vocals and backing vocals, synthesizers, electronic drums and drum machine
Barry Beckett – synthesizer
Justin Clayton – rhythm guitar
Martin Briley – rhythm guitar
Marcus Miller – bass
Toots Thielemans – harmonica

In popular culture

The song is featured in the video game Grand Theft Auto V on the in-game radio station, Los Santos Rock Radio.

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Chart (1984–1985)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)	13
Canada RPM Top Singles^[9]	6
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary^[10]	1
Germany	26
Ireland (IRMA)^[11]	5
New Zealand	24
South Africa (Springbok)^[12]	18
Sweden	17
Switzerland (Swiss Hitparade)	30
UK (Official Charts)	6
US Billboard Hot 100^[13]	5
US Billboard Adult Contemporary^[14]	1
US Billboard Top Rock Tracks	11
US Cash Box Top 100^[15]	7

Year-end charts

Chart (1984)	Rank
UK Singles (Gallup)^[16]	77

Chart (1985)	Rank
Canada RPM Top Singles^[17]	67
US Billboard Hot 100^[18]	77
US Cash Box^[19]	70

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)^[20]	Gold	50,000^{^}
^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

^ Julian Lennon's UK chart positions Chart Stats. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
^ ^a ^b "Billboard chart history for Too Late for Goodbyes" Billboard.com. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
^ Burianek, CJ. "Valotte: Big Mama". Heyjules.com. Archived from the original on 1 September 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
^ Harvey, Phil (Host); Lennon, Julian (Star) (23–28 May 1985). Too Late For Goodbyes The Julian Lennon Radio Special (Radio). Radio International. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
^ "Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 19 January 1985. p. 8. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
^ Burianek, CJ. "1984 – The Debut Release Valotte". Heyjules.com. Archived from the original on 26 October 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
^ Encyclopedia of American Cinema (illustrated ed.). Boston: MobileReference.com. 2007. ISBN 9781605011455.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Burianek, CJ. "Julian Lennon Singles from the 80s". Heyjules.com. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
^ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". 30 March 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
^ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 4 May 1985. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Too Late for Goodbyes". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
^ "SA Charts 1965–March 1989". 1 February 1985. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 – ISBN 0-89820-089-X
^ Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 138.
^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, March 30, 1985". Archived from the original on 18 February 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
^ "Top 100 Singles 1984" (PDF). Music Week. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
^ "RPM's Top 100 Singles of 1985". RPM. Vol. 43, no. 16. 28 December 1985. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
^ Musicoutfitters.com
^ "Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 27, 1985". Archived from the original on 12 July 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
^ "Gold Record". Beatles Awards. Retrieved 12 September 2017.

External links

"Too Late for Goodbyes – Original Music Video – directed by Sam Peckinpah". 14 July 2011 – via YouTube.
"Too Late for Goodbyes" at Discogs (list of releases)

[1] Julian Lennon's UK chart positions Chart Stats. Retrieved 9 July 2010.

[billboard-2] "Billboard chart history for Too Late for Goodbyes" Billboard.com. Retrieved 9 July 2010.

[hjBig-3] Burianek, CJ. "Valotte: Big Mama". Heyjules.com. Archived from the original on 1 September 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2013.

[RadioToo-4] Harvey, Phil (Host); Lennon, Julian (Star) (23–28 May 1985). Too Late For Goodbyes The Julian Lennon Radio Special (Radio). Radio International. Retrieved 15 June 2013.

[cb-5] "Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 19 January 1985. p. 8. Retrieved 26 July 2022.

[hj84-6] Burianek, CJ. "1984 – The Debut Release Valotte". Heyjules.com. Archived from the original on 26 October 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2013.

[EoAC-7] Encyclopedia of American Cinema (illustrated ed.). Boston: MobileReference.com. 2007. ISBN 9781605011455.

[hj80-8] Burianek, CJ. "Julian Lennon Singles from the 80s". Heyjules.com. Retrieved 15 June 2013.

[9] "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". 30 March 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2018.

[10] "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 4 May 1985. Retrieved 18 February 2018.

[sc_Ireland2_-11] "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Too Late for Goodbyes". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 14 January 2018.

[12] "SA Charts 1965–March 1989". 1 February 1985. Retrieved 13 January 2020.

[13] Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 – ISBN 0-89820-089-X

[14] Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 138.

[15] "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, March 30, 1985". Archived from the original on 18 February 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2018.

[16] "Top 100 Singles 1984" (PDF). Music Week. Retrieved 13 September 2022.

[17] "RPM's Top 100 Singles of 1985". RPM. Vol. 43, no. 16. 28 December 1985. Retrieved 18 February 2018.

[18] Musicoutfitters.com

[19] "Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 27, 1985". Archived from the original on 12 July 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2018.

[20] "Gold Record". Beatles Awards. Retrieved 12 September 2017.

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