Too Late To Appologise

Apologize
Lyrics by One Republic

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I'm holding on your rope,
Got me ten feet off the ground
I'm hearin' what you say but I just can't make a sound
You tell me that you need me
Then you go and cut me down, but wait...
You tell me that you're sorry
Didn't think I'd turn around, and say...

That it's too late to apologize, it's too late
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late

I'd take another chance, take a fall
Take a shot for you
And I need you like a heart needs a beat
It's nothin' new - yeah yeah
I loved you with a fire red-
Now it's turning blue, and you say...
"Sorry" like the angel heaven let me think was you
But I'm afraid...

It's too late to apologize, it's too late
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late
Whoaa whooa

It's too late to apologize, it's too late
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late
It's too late to apologize, yeah
I said it's too late to apologize, yeah-
I'm holdin' on your rope, got me ten feet off the ground...

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Too

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'Too' can be used as an adjective (meaning also and as well as) but that is not how it is used in the apologize lyrics. Do you know how it is used?

What does the expression "too late" mean?

Too- means 'more than enough' or 'more than was wanted' and late means after a specific time. (Like if you arrive late for work.

Notice what follows the "too late" structure?
It's too late to apologize. A verb in the infinitive.

So you can say anything like,
It's too late to eat dinner.
It's too late to go see a movie.
It's too late to apologize to me.

Phrasal verbs

holding on- This phrasal verb can be used in a couple ways. In the song it means that the man is holding something. In the song he is holding on the rope.

If you say to some one "hold on a minute", it means to wait. "hold on a minute" means "wait a minute".

cut down- In the song they put the subject in the middle "cut me down" and this can have two meanings. Physically, to cut them free from something. Imagine that you are in a tree tied to it with a rope. A swords man comes along and cuts the rope and you fall to the ground. They just cut you down.

A different interpretation is when you verbally belittle or make someone feel small or stupid. If your partner cuts you down it means they are insulting you but in a sharp and cruel way.

turn around- is a physical action. Imagine that the man in the song has his back to the woman who is talking to him. He then changes his position so that he is facing her. When he moves and turns his body, he turns around to face her.

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Take something

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The verb to take can sometimes be tricky (difficult). It is used in many expressions like to take medicine, take a nap or take something somewhere. Take is used three times in this song, and they are three great expressions.

1) take a chance - When you take a chance, you don't know what will happen but you do something anyways. You gamble or trust someone. You take a chance when you ask someone out for a drink and you take another chance when you tried something once and you want to try again.

2) take a fall- This comes from the expression to take the fall for someone. If your friend does something wrong but you say that you did it, you take the fall for them. In the song, the man takes a fall (just once).

3) take a shot- is very similar to take a chance, just another expression. Take a shot is a bit more direct. Think about taking a shot with a gun. BANG!

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Where is the 'g' at the end?

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Throughout the apologize lyrics, and in general with native speakers, the g in the 'ing' at the end of verbs in the present continuous is not pronounced. So instead of hearing, I was hearin' the words but I didn't understand. Instead of nothing, there was nothin' I could do.

Listen to the difference between 'holding' and 'holdin' at the beginning and at the end of the song.

Just something to sound a little more natural.

I hope you enjoyed the apologize lyrics, video and song in general!