Too Late for Goodbyes

"Too Late for Goodbyes" is the first single (second in the US) from Julian Lennon's debut studio album Valotte (1984). It featured the harmonica of Jean "Toots" Thielemans, and it was a top-10 hit, reaching No. 6 in the UK Singles Chart in November 1984,^[1] and No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in late March 1985.^[2] B-side "Big Mama" has been described by Lennon as "semi-hard rock".^[3][4]

B-side

• "Well I Don't Know" (UK 7")
• "Let Me Be" (US 7")
• "Big Mama", "Well I Don't Know" (UK 12")

Released24 September 1984 (1984-09-24) (UK)
January 1985 (US)

RecordedFebruary – August 1984

StudioBearTracks Studios (Suffern, New York)

Quick facts Single by Julian Lennon, from the album Valotte ...

"Too Late for Goodbyes"
Single by Julian Lennon
from the album Valotte
B-side	"Well I Don't Know" (UK 7") "Let Me Be" (US 7") "Big Mama", "Well I Don't Know" (UK 12")
Released	24 September 1984 (1984-09-24) (UK) January 1985 (US)
Recorded	February – August 1984
Studio	BearTracks Studios (Suffern, New York)
Genre	New wave
Length	3:30
Label	Charisma (UK) Atlantic (US)
Songwriter	Julian Lennon
Producer	Phil Ramone
Julian Lennon singles chronology
"Too Late for Goodbyes" (1984) "Valotte" (1984)
Music video
"Too Late for Goodbyes on YouTube

Close

Cash Box said that "a galloping reggae backbeat and some exquisite Muscle Shoals guitar work back up Lennon's spare lyric phrasing and lend the song a strong ride."^[5]

"Too Late for Goodbyes" peaked at #1 on 16 March 1985 at the US Adult Contemporary chart,^[2] spending two weeks at the top of this chart. The music video for the song was directed by Sam Peckinpah,^[6] and produced by Martin Lewis.^[7] To date, it is the most successful song of Lennon's career.