Johnny Mathis & Deniece Williams, Too Much, Too Little, Too Late | Dazzling Duets

In the 13^th edition of Dazzling Duets (2025), Johnny Mathis & Deniece Williams collaborate on “Too Much, Too Little, Too Late.” 

Sometimes, two is better than one! That is the case when it comes to Dazzling Duets! On Dazzling Duets, we highlight ear-catching songs performed by two artists collaborating. These duets can be from any musical style, making Dazzling Duets a flexible, versatile column on The Musical Hype. In the 13^th edition of Dazzling Duets (2025), Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams collaborate on “Too Much, Too Little, Too Late”. Let the dazzle begin!

Johnny Mathis (1935 – ) and Grammy-winner Deniece Williams (1950 – ) are two incredibly gifted and versatile musicians.  The chemistry when they collaborated on the 1978 album, That’s What Friends Are For, was awesome, particularly on their cover of the Marvin Gaye and Tami Terrell classic, “You’re All I Need to Get By”. Before experiencing moderate success on the pop charts with that cover, Mathis collaborated with Williams on “Too Much, Too Little, Too Late”. This duet appeared on Mathis’ 1978 album, Better Together – The Duet Album. Nat Kipner and John Vallins penned the original, which peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.  “Too Much” marks Mathis’s only number one hit on the modern-day pop charts.  Williams earned her second career number one hit in 1984 with “Let’s Hear It For The Boy”.

“Too Much, Too Little, Too Late” features a classy, refined musical backdrop. The keys, robust bass, percussive groove, bells, and strings are breathtaking. Johnny Mathis blesses us with his celestial, sophisticated pipes in the first verse. Mathis sings effortlessly, never forcing things. “No reason to pretend,” he sings, and continues, “We knew it had to end someday, this way.” Bummer.  Deniece Williams matches his energy, classiness, and sense of refinement in the second verse:   “Guess it’s over, the kicks are gone / What’s the use of tryin’ to hang on.” They sound marvelous when singing together during the chorus about the end of this relationship.

“Too much, too little, too late to lie again with you

Too much, too little, too late to try again with you

We’re in the middle of ending something that we knew

Was over

Oh, it was over…”

In the third verse, Deniece Williams takes first blood – roles reversed (“Guess it’s over, the chips are down”)! Mathis riffs during her solo (“Whoa, baby”), coming on strong in the second half of the verse (“Whatever chance we try, let’s face it, why deny / It’s over?”).  They rejoin forces on the unforgettable, tuneful chorus.  “Too Much, Too Little, Too Late” doesn’t require extensive analysis – the beauty and sheer vibrance of the music speak volumes. Musically, Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams felt like a match made in heaven.

 

More Johnny Mathis:

Johnny Mathis & Deniece Williams, You’re All I Need to Get By: Covers No. 25 (2023) Marvin Gaye vs. Johnny Mathis: Head 2 Head 🗣️ No. 25 (2023) Johnny Mathis, Chances Are: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 132 (2025) Johnny Mathis & Deniece Williams, Too Much, Too Little, Too Late: Dazzling Duets No. 13 (2025)

 

More Deniece Williams:

Deniece Williams, Free: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 85 (2022) Deniece Williams vs. Seal: Head 2 Head 🗣️ No. 36 (2022) Deniece Williams, Let’s Hear It For the Boy: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 30 (2023) Johnny Mathis & Deniece Williams, You’re All I Need to Get By: Covers No. 25 (2023) Marvin Gaye vs. Johnny Mathis: Head 2 Head 🗣️ No. 25 (2023) Deniece Williams, It’s Gonna Take a Miracle: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 112 (2023) Deniece Williams, Cause You Love Me Baby: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 122 (2023) Deniece Williams: 3 to 5 BOPS No. 65 (2023) Laura Nyro vs. Deniece Williams: Head 2 Head 🗣️ No. 35 (2023) Deniece Williams, Silly: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 178 (2023) Johnny Mathis & Deniece Williams, Too Much, Too Little, Too Late: Dazzling Duets No. 13 (2025)

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Johnny Mathis » Better Together – The Duet Album » John Mat »1978

Johnny Mathis & Deniece Williams, Too Much, Too Little, Too Late: Dazzling Duets No. 13 (2025) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; John Mat; cottonbro studio, Sachith Ravishka Kodikara from Pexels; AcatXIo, andresilva5, OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay]

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