TOO LATE FOR PRAYIN' is one of my favorites also.
I agree with geo Steve. Everything about it is wonderful [the instrumental, lyrics, his voice]. I just love the way the lyrics just draw you in completely in the very beginning of the song with "We were children, you & me."
SUNDOWN on the radio in '73 is what caught my attention to GL, but when I bought the LP, TLFP is the song that blew me away [then 7 ISLAND SUITE] because my grandfather, who was a wonderful part of my childhood, would always tell us "God helps those who help themselves" [he was a self-taught violinist & I would spent hours listening to him play. He died when I was 10 yrs. old and I still miss him]. From my view, this is the underlying message of the song. I think Gord was saying that prayer without our action is not going to cut it [as expressed in the question - "Is it too late for tryin'?"] And I don't think he was being sarcastic with "Why thank you Lord, we're living, in the glory of your care". I believe he was saying God gave us this wonderous world to live in that we have abused by not considering the consequences of our actions [war, pollution, etc.]. Some people see this song in a pessimistic light while I see it as being very optimistic - in the end the message is hope. . .
"Guess we've all got problems of our own to bear
And still we share
Tomorrow, could get better than today..."
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"I spent most of my time to do what never was done." from Can't Depend on Love, GL
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