Karen Carpenter's calm, often somber voice was the most distinctive element of their music, settling in perfectly amidst the precise, lush arrangements provided by her brother Richard. The duo's sound drew more from pre-rock pop than rock & roll, but that didn't prevent the Carpenters from appealing to a variety of audiences, particularly Top 40, easy listening, and adult contemporary. While their popularity declined during the latter half of the '70s, they remained one of the most distinctive and recognizable acts the decade produced.
The Carpenters formed in the late '60s in Downey, CA, after their family moved from their native New Haven, CT. Richard had played piano with a cocktail jazz trio in a handful of local Connecticut nightclubs. Once the family had moved to California, he began to study piano while he supported Karen in a trio that featured Wes Jacobs (tuba/bass). With Jacobs and Richard forming her backup band, Karen was signed to the local Californian record label Magic Lamp, who released two unsuccessful singles by the singer. The trio won a Battle of the Bands contest at the Hollywood Bowl in 1966, which led to a record contract with RCA. Signing under the name The Richard Carpenter Trio, the group cut four songs that were never released. Jacobs left the band at the beginning of 1968.
Following Jacobs' departure, the siblings formed Spectrum with Richard's college friend John Bettis. Spectrum fell apart by the end of the year, but the Carpenters continued performing as a duo. The pair recorded some demos at the house of Los Angeles session musician Joe Osborn; the tape was directed toward Herb Alpert, the head of A&M Records, who signed the duo to his record label in early 1969.
Offering, the Carpenters' first album, was released in November 1969. Neither Offering or the accompanying single, a cover of the Beatles' "Ticket to Ride," made a big impression. However, the Carpenters' fortunes changed with their second single, a version of Burt Bacharach and Hal David's "(They Long to Be) Close to You." Taken from the album Close to You, the single became the group's first number one, spending four weeks on the top of the U.S. charts. "Close to You" became an international hit, beginning a five-year period where the duo was one of the most popular recording acts in the world. During that period the Carpenters won two Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist of 1970, and had an impressive string of Top Ten hits, including "Rainy Days and Mondays," "Superstar," "Hurting Each Other," "Goodbye to Love," "Yesterday Once More," and "Top of the World."
After 1975's number-four hit "Only Yesterday," the group's popularity began to decline. For the latter half of the '70s, the duo were plagued by personal problems. Richard had become addicted to prescription drugs; in 1978, he entered a recovery clinic, kicking his habit. Karen, meanwhile, became afflicted with anorexia nervosa, a disease she suffered from for the rest of her life. On top of their health problems, the group's singles had stopped reaching the Top Ten and by 1978, they weren't even reaching the Top 40. Consequently, Karen decided to pursue a solo career, recording a solo album in 1979 with Phil Ramone. The record was not completed at that time (though it would be released in 1996), and she returned to the Carpenters later that year. The reunited duo released their last album of new material, Made in America, in 1981. The album marked a commercial comeback, as "Touch Me When We're Dancing" made it to number 16 on the charts. However, Karen's health continued to decline, forcing the duo out of the spotlight. On February 4, 1983, Karen was found unconscious at her parents' home in Downey; she died in the hospital shortly after due to cardiac arrest, which was later due to the strain on her heart caused by years of crash dieting caused by anorexia nervosa.
After Karen's death, Richard Carpenter concentrated on production work and assembling various compilations of the Carpenters' recorded work. In 1987, he released a solo album called Time, which featured guest appearances by Dusty Springfield and Dionne Warwick. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
from http://music.msn.com/artist/?artist=1607403&contenttype=artistsongs
B'wana She No Home
Carpenters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I like to be here alone
You just answer the door and feed the deer
And fight the telephone
Got to learn these words and I know you will
Or I'll send you right back to Guayaquil
Say b'wana she no home
Say b'wana she no home
Say b'wana she no home
Got to peel your eyes for the heat, my dear
You got to froth and foam
Got to send away the mad puppeteer
Who seems to think this is home
I want you to speak the English right
I want you to smile and be polite
Say b'wana she no home
Say b'wana she no home
Say b'wana she no home
Say b'wana she no home
I don't care if you drive my three fifty, honey
Don't let them steal my chrome
I don't care if you spend all my money, honey
Long as you leave me alone
I just want you to try and remember one thing
If somebody knocks or the telephone rings
Say b'wana she no home
Say b'wana she no home
Say b'wana she no home
Say b'wana she no home
The lyrics to Carpenters' song "B'wana She No Home" tell the story of a woman who wants to be left alone in her home, and who gives her maid instructions on how to handle any interruptions. The woman warns her maid not to invite her boyfriend over and instead to feed the deer and answer the door. She tells her to be on the lookout for any trouble, to speak English properly, and to be polite. If someone comes knocking or the phone rings, her maid is to tell them that "b'wana she no home."
There seems to be a sense of loneliness and isolation in the woman's desire to be alone, as well as a theme of control - she wants to be the one in charge and is asserting her authority over the maid. The lyrics also touch on issues of race and class, with references to the maid's hometown of Guayaquil and the woman's expensive car.
Overall, the meaning of the lyrics seems somewhat elusive, but they suggest a complicated relationship between the woman and her maid, and a desire for control and isolation.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't you ever invite your boyfriend here
I prefer to be by myself, so please don't bring anyone else over, especially not your boyfriend
I like to be here alone
I enjoy being by myself when I am here
You just answer the door and feed the deer
Your only responsibilities here are to answer the door and care for the deer that come to visit
And fight the telephone
You should screen calls and only answer the phone if it's important
Got to learn these words and I know you will
You need to become familiar with certain words and phrases that are important to me, and I have confidence that you can do it
Or I'll send you right back to Guayaquil
If you don't follow my rules, I will send you back to your hometown of Guayaquil
Say b'wana she no home
If someone comes to the door or calls, tell them I am not home
Got to peel your eyes for the heat, my dear
You need to always be on the lookout for potential problems or danger
You got to froth and foam
You need to be vigilant and on edge
Got to send away the mad puppeteer
You need to keep away anyone who is behaving strangely or erratically
Who seems to think this is home
There are people who may try to invade my privacy and make themselves at home here, but you need to keep them away
I want you to speak the English right
It's important that you speak proper English and communicate effectively
I want you to smile and be polite
You should always be friendly and courteous
I don't care if you drive my three fifty, honey
You can use my car if you need to, it doesn't bother me
Don't let them steal my chrome
But be sure to protect the car and its valuable parts
I don't care if you spend all my money, honey
You can spend my money if you need to, as long as you leave me alone
Long as you leave me alone
As long as you respect my boundaries and don't bother me, we're good
I just want you to try and remember one thing
There's one important rule you need to remember
If somebody knocks or the telephone rings
If someone comes to the door or calls, remember to tell them I am not home
Contributed by Carter G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
J Parker
on Happy
Wrong lyrics shown. Correct ones --- Happy by Carpenters
I've played the game of love before.
Too young to know
How hard the fall could be;
I never thought I'd try again.
Somehow you brought
The gambler out in me.
You can deal me in this time around.
Even though the odds are high,
We'll play them down.
You may be a chance I need to take,
And the hand I'm holdin' says it's no mistake.
Happy is the way I'm feelin',
And I know it comes from being with you.
All at once my life is changin',
And I know it's 'cause I'm fallin' in love with you.
Fallin' in love with you.
Fallin' in love.
Fallin' in love with you.
If this is luck then let it ride.
If it's the starts,
They're surely on my side.
I've never been so safisfied
By love before;
For all the times I've tried.
These beginnings could mean more
Than the brief affair I bargained for.
Little did I know, when we began,
That my time had come to win a hand.
Happy is the way I'm feelin',
And I know it comes from being with you.
All at once my life is changin',
And I know it's 'cause I'm fallin' in love with you.
Fallin' in love with you.
Fallin' in love.
Fallin' in love with you.
Please forgive me if I seem
To be walking through a waking dream.
Laughter never came so easily;
There's a freedom here that's new to me.
Happy is the way I'm feelin',
And I know it comes from being with you.
All at once my life is changin',
And I know it's 'cause I'm fallin' in love with you.
Fallin' in love with you.
Fallin' in love.
Fallin' in love with you.