"Too Late the Hero" is a song written and recorded by the English

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...

musician

John Entwistle John Alec Entwistle (9 October 194427 June 2002) was an English musician, best known as the bass guitarist for the rock band the Who. Entwistle's music career spanned over four decades. Nicknamed "The Ox" and "Thunderfingers", he was the band ...

, released as the

lead single A lead single (or first single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. A similar term, "debut ...

from his fifth solo

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...

, '' Too Late the Hero'' (1981). Entwistle's best-selling single, it peaked at No. 76 on the UK singles chart and at No. 101 on the ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

Bubbling Under Hot 100 Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (also known as Bubbling Under the Hot 100) is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. The chart lists the top songs that have not yet charted on the main ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Chart ...

. It was Entwistle's only chart placing in the UK. In the UK the single was released as a limited-run

picture disc Picture discs are gramophone record, gramophone (phonograph) records that show images on their playing surface, rather than being of plain black or colored vinyl. Collectors traditionally reserve the term picture disc for records with graphics ...

of 500, all hand signed by Entwistle in return for a case of the finest

whiskey Whisky or whiskey is a type of liquor made from Fermentation in food processing, fermented grain mashing, mash. Various grains (which may be Malting, malted) are used for different varieties, including barley, Maize, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky ...

Compilation appearances

The song is also found on Entwistle's compilation albums, '' Thunderfingers: The Best of John Entwistle'' (1996), ''Anthology'' (1996), and ''

So Who's the Bass Player? The Ox Anthology ''So Who's the Bass Player? The Ox Anthology'' is a two-CD collection of the work of the late bassist for the Who, John Entwistle. It features rare recordings, spanning from the mid-1960s until his death in 2002. Included are songs written by Ent ...

'' (2005).

Personnel

– lead vocals, bass guitar, synthesizers, tambourine, timps *

Joe Walsh Joseph Fidler Walsh (born Joseph Woodward Fidler; November 20, 1947) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Best known as a member of the rock band Eagles (band), Eagles, his five-decade career includes solo work and stints in other ...

– lead guitar, synthesizers * Joe Vitale – drums, piano, flutes *

Billy Nicholls William Morris Nicholls Jr (born 15 February 1949) is an English singer, songwriter, composer, record producer, and musical director. He was born into a musical family, his father Billy Nicholls (Sr.) being a double bassist and big band singer ...

– backing vocals

Charts

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Too Late The Hero (Song) 1981 songs Songs written by John Entwistle Atco Records singles 1981 singles