MUSC-21600: The Art of Rock Music Prof. Freeze It’s Too Late (1971) Carole King LISTEN FOR • Compound AABA • Lyrical and intimate singer and piano • Clearer rock orientation • Jazz influences CREATION Songwriters Carole King, Toni Stern Album Tapestry Label Ode Records Musicians Carole King (vocals, piano), guitar, drums, bells, congas, backing vocals Producer Lou Adler Recording 1971; stereo Charts Pop 1 MUSIC Genre Soft rock Form Compound AABA Key A minor Meter 4/4 MUSC-21600 Listening Guide Freeze “It’s Too Late” (Carole King, 1971) LISTENING GUIDE Time Form Lyric Cue Listen For 0:00 Intro • Call-and-response in between bass and guitar supported by piano throughout. • Conga accompaniment gives Latin feel. 0:09 A1 Verse 1 (8) “Stayed in bed” • Reverbed vocals enter. • Minor mode captures the sadness of breaking up. • Rhythmic energy picks up in bar 5, increasing sense of forward motion into chorus. 0:28 Chorus (8) “And it’s too late” • Switch to major mode as vocal hook enters. • Stronger rock beat underpins the jazz harmonies and sparkling bell line. 0:47 Interlude (4) • Verse accompaniment returns, but with vocal echoes across stereo field. 0:56 A2 Verse 2 (8) “It used to be” • As before, but with backing vocals and more rock-oriented time-keeping in drums. 1:14 Chorus (8) “And it’s too late” • As before, but with additional backing vocals enriching texture. • Instead of relaxing at the end (as it did to prepare the return of the A section), intensity build, launching us into contrasting B section. 1:35 B Interlude (8) • Piano (stereo left) and guitar (stereo right) play new melody in unison. 1:52 Instr. verse (8) • Improvisatory, jazz-style guitar solo played over top the music of the verse. 2:10 Instr. verse (8) • Soprano sax solo with organ accompaniment. 2:38 A3 Verse 3 (8) “There will be times” • As before, with altered melodic line. 2:56 Chorus (8) “But it’s too late” • As before, but with more layers of backing vocals. 3:15 Instr. chorus (8) • Guitar/piano melody from B returns. 3:34 Outro (6) • Based on chorus’ jazz harmonies, ending on a lightly dissonance, unresolved chord that leaves the music sounding open- ended. 2 MUSC-21600 Listening Guide Freeze “It’s Too Late” (Carole King, 1971) LYRICS Stayed in bed all morning just to pass the time And it’s too late, baby, now it’s too late There’s something wrong here, there can be Though we really did try to make it no denying Something inside has died and I can’t hide One of us is changing, or maybe we’ve And I just can’t fake it stopped trying There’ll be good times again for me and you And it’s too late, baby, now it’s too late But we just can’t stay together, don’t you Though we really did try to make it feel it too Something inside has died and I can’t hide Still I’m glad for what we had, and how I And I just can’t fake it once loved you It used to be so easy living here with you But it’s too late, baby, it’s too late You were light and breezy and I knew just Though we really did try to make it what to do Something inside has died and I can’t hide Now you look so unhappy, and I feel like a fool 3 .