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
Don't be Afraid
Carpenters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't be afraid to tell everyone you're learned
(*) That love is a groovy thing
It knows how to make you sing
Don't be afraid to give all you've got to give
One of these days you'll find that's the way to live
And living is what we all were put on this earth to do
So come on and live and be happy
Don't be afraid to love
Repeat (*)
Oh, live and be happy
Don't be afraid to love
Don't be afraid to love
Don't be afraid to love
Don't be afraid to love
The lyrics of the song "Don't Be Afraid" encourages listeners to be unafraid to love fully and openly, to embrace education and knowledge and to live life to the fullest. Karen Carpenter's voice, coupled with the comforting melody, evokes a sense of warmth and reassurance. The opening line, "Love, don't be afraid to love and get love returned," sets the tone for the entire song. It is a call to action, urging listeners to take a chance on love despite the fear of rejection or heartbreak.
The lyrics also endorse the pursuit of knowledge and education. "Don't be afraid to tell everyone you're learned" suggests that there is power in sharing knowledge and one should not be afraid to express their intelligence. The song encourages listeners to take risks and live authentically, believing that love and living life fully are worth the chance of getting hurt. The final line of the song, "Don't be afraid to love," is repeated several times as a reminder of the central message of the song.
Overall, "Don't Be Afraid" is a song about fearlessness and living life authentically. Its message is one of empowerment, encouraging listeners to embrace love, education, and authenticity without fear.
Line by Line Meaning
Love, don't be afraid to love and get love returned
Love shouldn't be feared, instead it should be embraced, reciprocated and enjoyed.
Don't be afraid to tell everyone you're learned
Knowledge is power, and so we shouldn't be afraid to share our wisdom with others.
That love is a groovy thing
Love is a great, positive emotion that has the power to bring us together and make us feel alive.
It knows how to make you sing
Love has the ability to make us feel joyous and uplifted, as if we want to sing from the rooftops.
And it fills up your life with sunshine and joy
Love is incredibly fulfilling and enriching, and has the power to light up our lives with happiness and positivity.
Don't be afraid to give all you've got to give
We should be generous and give of ourselves freely, without fear of rejection or disappointment.
One of these days you'll find that's the way to live
Once we start living our lives with open hearts and a willingness to give, we will find that our lives are richer and more meaningful.
And living is what we all were put on this earth to do
The purpose of our lives is to live them to the fullest, to experience all that we can and to give back to the world.
So come on and live and be happy
Let's embrace life and all its joys, and choose to be happy and fulfilled.
Oh, live and be happy
Repeat of the previous line, emphasizing the importance of happiness in our lives.
Don't be afraid to love
Final reminder that love should not be feared, but rather embraced and celebrated.
Repeat (*)
Repetition of earlier lines, emphasizing the message of the song.
Don't be afraid to love
Final reminder that love should not be feared, but rather embraced and celebrated.
Don't be afraid to love
Final reminder that love should not be feared, but rather embraced and celebrated.
Don't be afraid to love
Final reminder that love should not be feared, but rather embraced and celebrated.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DONALD T. SCHOLZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@keithmoon3190
Karen Carpenter, you are an angel!!!!
@johnconway8070
There has never been - and I suggest there never will be - anyone quite as talented as these siblings. Richard was a truly gifted songwriter and arranger and Karen's voice was not just one in a million, it was a voice the likes of which never was heard before and will never be heard again.
@Coupydog
100% like John
@RitaSora
Completely agree!
@donniemoder1466
And Karen plays drums on this track, really well.
@Highinsight7
yup... and IF she would have lived 60 years longer... they'd be playing in Branson or Vegas... and I'd give it all up to work in the ticket booth...
@angieetheridge6386
Another gem that doesn't get played enough, perhaps boom radio might play it one day
@stephenalanmoore7278
'Don't Be Afraid' represents the very birth of the classic trademark sound of The Carpenters. I love it.
@swampwitch8091
This song/album is so underrated
@bethmc717
I love this album,I own every song they recorded,Voice of angel RIP Karen I love you,Very close to heart as I understand Karen's illness