Too Much, Too Little, Too Late
Encyclopedia
"Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" is a song performed by singers Johnny Mathis
and Deniece Williams
. Words and Music are by Nat Kipner and John McIntyre Vallins. Released as a single in 1978, it reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
pop chart, number nine on the Canadian Singles Chart
and number three on the UK Singles Chart
. It also topped the US R&B
and adult contemporary
charts. The duo released a follow-up duet, "You're All I Need to Get By", peaking at number 47 on the Hot 100.
The single was a comeback of sorts for Mathis as it was his first number one since his chart-topping hit, 1957's "Chances Are
". The success of the duet with Williams prompted Mathis to record duets with a variety of partners including Dionne Warwick
, Natalie Cole
, Gladys Knight
, and Nana Mouskouri
.
A compilation album also called Too Much, Too Little, Too Late released by Sony Music in 1995 featured the title track among other songs by the duo.
band Silver Sun
recorded a cover of "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" for their album, Neo Wave
. It was also released as a single, reaching number 20 in the UK Singles Chart
in 1998.
Johnny Mathis
John Royce "Johnny" Mathis is an American singer of popular music. Starting his career with singles of standards, he became highly popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums achieving gold or platinum status, and 73 making the Billboard charts...
and Deniece Williams
Deniece Williams
June Deniece Chandler known by her stage name Deniece Williams is an American Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and record producer who achieved success in the 1970s and 1980s...
. Words and Music are by Nat Kipner and John McIntyre Vallins. Released as a single in 1978, it reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
pop chart, number nine on the Canadian Singles Chart
Canadian Singles Chart
The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays....
and number three on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. It also topped the US R&B
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
and adult contemporary
Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States...
charts. The duo released a follow-up duet, "You're All I Need to Get By", peaking at number 47 on the Hot 100.
The single was a comeback of sorts for Mathis as it was his first number one since his chart-topping hit, 1957's "Chances Are
Chances Are (song)
"Chances Are" is a popular song with music by Robert Allen and lyrics by Al Stillman. It was published in 1957. The song was one of a large number of compositions by the Stillman-Allen team that were chart hits in the 1950s. It was listed on Billboards "Most Played by Jockeys" survey for Johnny...
". The success of the duet with Williams prompted Mathis to record duets with a variety of partners including Dionne Warwick
Dionne Warwick
Dionne Warwick is an American singer, actress and TV show host, who became a United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization, and a United States Ambassador of Health....
, Natalie Cole
Natalie Cole
Natalie Maria Cole , is an American singer, songwriter and performer. The daughter of jazz legend Nat King Cole, Cole rode to musical success in the mid-1970s as an R&B artist with the hits "This Will Be ", "Inseparable" and "Our Love"...
, Gladys Knight
Gladys Knight
Gladys Maria Knight , known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer-songwriter, actress, businesswoman, humanitarian, and author...
, and Nana Mouskouri
Nana Mouskouri
Nana Mouskouri , born Ioánna Moúschouri on October 13, 1934, in Chania, Crete, Greece, is a Greek singer who has sold about 300 million records worldwide in a career spanning over five decades, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. She was known as Nána to her friends and...
.
A compilation album also called Too Much, Too Little, Too Late released by Sony Music in 1995 featured the title track among other songs by the duo.
Silver Sun version
English power popPower pop
Power pop is a popular musical genre that draws its inspiration from 1960s British and American pop and rock music. It typically incorporates a combination of musical devices such as strong melodies, crisp vocal harmonies, economical arrangements, and prominent guitar riffs. Instrumental solos are...
band Silver Sun
Silver Sun (band)
Silver Sun are an English indie power pop band, who formed in 1995 in Camden, London. They are best known for their use of The Beach Boys-esque backing vocals.-Career:...
recorded a cover of "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" for their album, Neo Wave
Neo Wave
Neo Wave was the second full studio album from the British power pop band Silver Sun. It was released in the autumn of 1998 to mixed review...
. It was also released as a single, reaching number 20 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in 1998.
See also
- List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 1978 (U.S.)
- List of number-one R&B singles of 1978 (U.S.)
- List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1978 (U.S.)