"It's Too Late" (Carole King)

My mother owned Carole King's album Tapestry when I was a kid, and she would play it at least monthly.  Even as a kid, I understood why it was one of my mom's favorites: King knows how to write a damn fine tune.  Listening to Tapestry years later, I still think it's a solid album--better than a lot of platters by other self-important "singer-songwriters" of the early 1970s by a mile.  That's not to say it's completely free of post-hippie cheese.  ("Smackwater Jack?"  Oof.)  But the majority of it is honest and timeless.  And even when King's voice wavers or warbles on the high notes, the sincerity of the delivery and wisdom of the lyrics shine through, and all is forgiven.

Anyway, I always liked the track "It's Too Late" best.  Lyrically, it's a frank, mature examination of a relationship that, despite the best efforts of the protagonist and her mate, is effectively dead.  Musically, it is soulful, bluesy pop that easily could have been a Marvin Gaye or Curtis Mayfield original.

I still marvel at how deep and funky the first :25 of the song are: the bass, congas, Fender rhodes, guitar, and King's piano all float like Blunt smoke across a crowded bar before she casually drops Toni Stern's lyric, "Stayed in bed all morning just to pass the time..."  It is just a perfect, evocative opening line.  You immediately know what frame of mind she's in, and it sets up the entire groove of the song.

I also love the instrumental vamp in the middle after the second chorus.  The solos are brief--just a little taste of guitar, a little taste of soprano sax--but they feel so right in context.  It's almost like each partner in the relationship speaks his/her piece, and that's all there is to say.

And I always thought it was such a genius move to have the chorus shift from a minor to major key, even though, lyrically, she's coming to grips with the reality that "it's too late."  Breaking up never sounded so good.