Credits
- Freddie Mercury - lead and backing vocals
- Brian May - guitars, backing vocals
- John Deacon - bass guitar
- Roger Taylor - drums, backing vocals
Discography
Albums:
Singles:
Alternate Versions:
- 7" US Edit (3:49) - Elektra E-45478
- BBC 14.11.1977 - Freddie's Boys At The Beeb: Bulsara 001
- 1998 eYe 1:06 Edit - Electronic Arts DDE05501 101S
Queen Talks
Interviewer: Do you tap on the fingerboard with your right hand in 'It's Late'?
"Yes, that was actually hammering on the fingerboard with both hands. I stole it from a guy who said that he stole it from Billy Gibbons in ZZ Top. He was playing in some club in Texas, doing hammering stuff. I was so intrigued by it, I went home and played around with it for ages and put it on 'It's Late'. It was a sort of a double hammer. I was fretting with my left hand, hammering with another finger of the left hand, and then hammering with the right hand, as well. It was a problem to do onstage; I found it was a bit too stiff. It's okay if you're sitting down with the guitar. If I persevered with it, it would probably become second nature, but it wasn't an alleyway which led very far, to my way of thinking. It's a bit gimmicky."
Brian May - 1982, On The Record
"It's another one of those story-of-your life songs. I think it's about all sorts of experiences that I had, and experiences that I thought other people had, but I guess it was very personal, and it's written in three parts, it's like the first part of the story is at home, the guy is with his woman. The second part is in a room somewhere, the guy is with some other woman, that he loves, and can't help loving, and the last part is he's back with his woman."
Brian May - 1989, In The Studio radio programme
Covers
Cover Versions
Chords & Tabs
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Lyrics
You say you love me
And I hardly know your name
And if I say I love you in the candlelight
There's no-one but myself to blame
But there's something inside
That's turning my mind away
Oh how I could love you
If I could let you stay
It's late, but I'm bleeding deep inside
It's late, is it just my sickly pride?
Too late, even now the feeling seems to steal away
So late, though I'm crying I can't help but hear you say
It's late it's late it's late
But not too late
The way you love me
Is the sweetest love around
But after all this time
The more I'm trying
The more I seem to let you down
Now you tell me you're leaving
And I just can't believe it's true
Oh you know that I can love you
Though I know I can't be true
Oh you made me love you
Don't tell me that we're through
It's late, but it's driving me so mad
It's late, yes I know but don't try to tell me that it's
Too late, save our love you can't turn out the lights
So late, I've been wrong but I'll learn to be right
It's late it's late it's late
But not too late
I've been so long
You've been so long
We've been so long trying to work it out
I ain't got long
You ain't got long
We gotta know what this life is all about
Too late much too late
You're staring at me
With suspicion in your eye
You say what game are you playing?
What's this that you're saying?
I know that I can't reply
If I take you tonight
Is it making my life a lie?
Oh you make me wonder
Did I live my life alright?
It's late, but it's time to set me free
It's late, yes I know but there's no way it has to be
Too late, so let the fire take our bodies this night
So late, so let the waters take our guilt in the tide
It's late it's late it's late it's late
It's late it's late
It's all too late
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