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
Christ Is Born
Carpenters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Christ who is born today
Hear him crying
In the manger
King of Heaven
Son of God
Alleluia, Alleluia
There with the lambkin
Only swaddle for his garment
With his Holy Mother Mary
Alleluia, Alleluia
Glory, Glory to almighty God
And on earth peace to all men
Hear the joyful angels singing
Alleluia, Alleluia
He is born
Let us adore him
Christ the Lord
King of Kings
Prince of Peace
For all the universe
Alleluia, Alleluia
The Carpenters' song, "Christ is Born," is a beautiful hymn that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. The song opens with the announcement that "It is he Christ who is born today." The lyrics describe the scene of the nativity, where the baby Jesus is crying in the manger. The song then goes on to praise Christ as the King of Heaven and the Son of God, and the choir responds with "Alleluia, Alleluia."
The song takes an intimate turn as it describes the nativity scene. Jesus is surrounded mostly by animals, and he is only swaddled in simple garments. The only prominent human in the scene is his Holy Mother Mary. The song ends with a message of peace on earth, and a call to adore and recognize Christ as the King of Kings and Prince of Peace for all the universe.
The lyrics of the song are powerful and moving, especially when coupled with Karen Carpenter's beautiful voice. The song is a celebration of the birth of Christ, emphasizing the significance of this event in Christian faith. It is a song that takes the listener on a journey from the humble beginning of Jesus' life to the grandeur of his role as the ruler of the universe.
Line by Line Meaning
It is he
The one who is born today is Jesus.
Christ who is born today
Jesus, the Savior, has been born today.
Hear him crying
Listen to the cries of the newborn Jesus.
In the manger
He lies in a manger, a feeding trough for animals.
King of Heaven
Jesus is the ruler of Heaven.
Son of God
Jesus is the Son of God and Savior of the world.
Alleluia, Alleluia
Let us praise God!
There he lies
Jesus is lying in the manger.
There with the lambkin
Jesus is there with a baby lamb.
Only swaddle for his garment
He is wrapped only in strips of cloth as his clothes.
With his Holy Mother Mary
Mary, his mother, is there with him.
Glory, Glory to almighty God
Let's give all the glory to God.
And on earth peace to all men
May there be peace on Earth for all people.
Hear the joyful angels singing
Listen to the angels singing in joy.
He is born
Jesus has been born.
Let us adore him
Let's worship and show reverence to Jesus.
Christ the Lord
Jesus is the Lord and Savior.
King of Kings
Jesus is the King of Kings.
Prince of Peace
Jesus is the Prince who brings peace.
For all the universe
Jesus is the Savior for all people in the universe.
Alleluia, Alleluia
Let us praise God!
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ROBERT WELLS, MEL TORME
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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.