It's Too Late (Chuck Willis song) explained

It's Too Late
Type:	single
Artist:	Chuck Willis
Album:	King of the Stroll
B-Side:	Kansas City Woman
Released:	May 1956
Genre:	R&B
Label:	Atlantic
Prev Title:	It Were You
Prev Year:	1956
Next Title:	Juanita
Next Year:	1956

"It's Too Late" is a song written by and performed by Chuck Willis. It reached #3 on the U.S. R&B chart in 1956.^[1] The song was featured on his 1958 album, King of the Stroll.^[2]

Other charting versions

• Johnny O'Keefe released a version of the song as a single in Australia in 1960 which reached #17.^[3]
• Ted Taylor released a version of the song which reached #30 on the U.S. R&B chart and #118 on the U.S. pop chart in 1969.^[4]

Other versions

• Dorothy Collins released a version of the song as the B-side to her 1957 single "Rock Me My Baby".^[5]
• The Crickets released a version of the song on their 1957 album The "Chirping" Crickets.^[6]
• Roy Orbison released a version of the song on his 1961 album At the Rock House.^[7]
• Les Paul and Mary Ford released a version of the song as the B-side to their 1961 single "Mountain Railroad".^[8]
• Charlie Rich released a version of the song as the B-side to his 1961 single "Just a Little Bit Sweet".^[9]
• Ruth Brown released a version of the song on her 1962 album Along Came Ruth.^[10]
• Jerry Keller released a version of the song as the B-side to his 1963 single "What Will I Tell My Darling?"^[11]
• Sunny and the Sunliners released a version of the song as a single in 1964, but it did not chart.^[12]
• Otis Redding released a version of the song on his 1965 album The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads.^[13]
• Freddie King released a version of the song on his 1969 album Freddie King Is a Blues Master.^[14]
• Derek and the Dominos released a version of the song on their 1970 album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs.^[15] The band also performed the song on The Johnny Cash Show which was the band's only television appearance.^[16]
• John Hammond released a version of the song on his 1970 album Southern Fried.^[17]
• Conway Twitty released a version of the song on his 1976 album 20 Greatest Hits by Conway Twitty.^[18]
• Freddy Fender released a version of the song on his 1972 album If You're Ever in Texas.^[19]
• Merl Saunders, Jerry Garcia, John Kahn, and Bill Vitt released a version of the song on their 1988 album Keystone Encores.^[20]
• The Alligators featuring The Jordanaires released a version of the song on their 1996 album The History of Rock'n'Roll.^[21]

Samplings

• Kanye West sampled Redding's version in the song "Gone" on his 2005 album Late Registration.^[22]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Chuck Willis, "It's Too Late" Chart Position. July 16, 2018.
2. Web site: Chuck Willis, King of the Stroll. . July 16, 2018.
3. Web site: Johnny O'Keefe, "It's Too Late" Single Release. . 1960 . July 16, 2018.
4. Web site: Ted Taylor, "It's Too Late" Chart Positions. July 16, 2018.
5. Web site: Dorothy Collins, "Rock Me My Baby" Single Release. . July 16, 2018.
6. Web site: The Crickets, The "Chirping" Crickets. . 27 November 1957 . July 16, 2018.
7. Web site: Roy Orbison, At the Rock House. . 1961 . July 16, 2018.
8. Web site: Les Paul and Mary Ford, "Mountain Railroad" Single Release. . 1961 . July 16, 2018.
9. Web site: Charlie Rich, "Just a Little Bit Sweet" Single Release. . 1961 . July 16, 2018.
10. Web site: Ruth Brown, Along Came Ruth. . September 1962 . July 16, 2018.
11. Web site: Jerry Keller, "What Will I Tell My Darling?" Single Release. July 16, 2018.
12. Web site: Sunny and the Sunliners, "It's Too Late" Single Release. . 1964 . July 16, 2018.
13. Web site: Otis Redding, The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads. . March 1965 . July 16, 2018.
14. Web site: Freddie King, Freddie King Is a Blues Master. . 1969 . July 16, 2018.
15. Web site: Derek and the Dominos, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs. . 1970 . July 16, 2018.
16. Web site: Derek and the Dominos Play The Johnny Cash Show. 2019-03-04. 2020-06-25. https://web.archive.org/web/20200625000000/https://udn.com/news/story/121424/4659358. dead.
17. Web site: John Hammond, Southern Fried. . 1970 . July 16, 2018.
18. Web site: Conway Twitty, 20 Greatest Hits by Conway Twitty. . 1972 . July 16, 2018.
19. Web site: Freddy Fender, If You're Ever in Texas. . 1976 . July 16, 2018.
20. Web site: Merl Saunders, Jerry Garcia, John Kahn, Bill Vitt, Keystone Encores. . 1988 . July 16, 2018.
21. Web site: The Alligators featuring The Jordanaires, The History of Rock'n'Roll. . 1996 . July 16, 2018.
22. Web site: Kanye West, Late Registration. . 30 August 2005 . July 16, 2018.