1971 Ultimate Breakup Song by the 'Greatest Songwriter of All Time' Topped The Charts 55 Years Ago Today
A defining breakup hit of the early 1970s topped the Billboard charts 55 years ago today, cementing its place as a timeless anthem of heartbreak and reflection.
Carole King's "It's Too Late" was one of the songs on her masterpiece solo effort, Tapestry. The LP also included "You've Got a Friend," "I Feel the Earth Move," and "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman."
The song ranked at No. 2 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart for the third full week of June, 1971. The song was also at the No. 1 position on the Billboard Hot 100.
King's Tapestry was a collection of songs written after her split from Gerry Goffin. Their marriage and creative partnership ended in 1968. Following their split, King relocated to California and recorded the LP's songs in February 1971.
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According to American Songwriter, King wrote "It's Too Late" as a final goodbye to her romance with Goffin. They met when she was 16, and he was 19 while students at Queens College, and married one year later. The couple welcomed daughters Louise and Sherry Goffin.
"It's Too Late," and other songs for Tapestry were recorded at A&M Studios in Los Angeles. Lou Adler produced the tune, and King and Toni Stern were its songwriters.
In an interview with CBS News, King shared that the song's lyrics were inspired not only by her own breakup, but also by Stern's split with James Taylor. "Those lyrics are by Ms. Toni Stern. And her lyrics really do speak for people going through divorces."
Stern wrote the lyrics in 20 minutes. Ironically, Stern's ex-Taylor and his then-girlfriend Joni Mitchell contributed to Tapestry with guitar by Taylor and vocals by Mitchell.
King's most popular song on iTunes remains "It's Too Late." Her essential album is still listed as Tapestry.
Upon inducting King into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021, Taylor Swift called one of her biggest musical influences "The Greatest Songwriter of All Time."
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This story was originally published June 16, 2026 at 6:51 AM.