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
Druscilla Penny
Carpenters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Are you sure you didn't make it up yourself.
You're very pretty, yes you are, but with all the junk you wear it's hard to tell.
Man you must work hard to get your hair to look like that.
I don't need a horoscope to tell me where you're at.
Your family's probably given up on you
Since you began to follow groups of long - haired rock and rollers.
Ah, Ah, Ah, Ah
Druscilla Penny what a girl.
Where's the purpose to the crazy life you lead.
It doesn't matter after all you're so sure that instant love is all you tell.
I've seen your face at least a thousand times,
You're always standing there behind the stages at the concerts.
Waiting for an offer to be with someone after.
Ah, Ah, Ah, Ah
Druscilla Penny how's your head.
Do you ever wake up lonely in the night.
It isn't easy, for a girl when she can't decide if love is wrong or right.
I hope I live to see a change.
Could you ever really love, ever really care?
Ever really get it together?
No!
The Carpenters 'Druscilla Penny' is a melancholic song that talks about a lost girl who has lost her purpose in life. The opening verse of the song holds a skeptical tone where the singer is intrigued by the name of the subject 'Druscilla Penny.' The name raises a doubt in the singer's mind, wondering if the girl made the name up herself. The following line goes on to praise her for her looks but criticizes her for the clothes she wears.
In the second verse, the song describes the girl's aimless life, where she seems to be chasing instant love and following rock bands. The singer sees through her facade and discusses how he has seen her around a lot of times, behind the stage at concerts or waiting for someone to take her along. The lyrics might indicate how the girl is involved in a promiscuous lifestyle and how she is looking for someone to offer her an easy escape.
The final verse is addressed to Druscilla Penny, where the singer wonders about her mental state. He infers how it must not be easy for a girl to be unsure about the 'right' or 'wrong' of love. The song concludes with the singer expressing his hopes to see a change in her life and questioning the possibility of her ever loving or caring for someone, indicating the girl's disinterest in anything meaningful in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Druscilla Penny what a name.
The singer is remarking on how unusual the name 'Druscilla Penny' is.
Are you sure you didn't make it up yourself.
The singer is implying that the name is so strange that it seems like Druscilla Penny invented it.
You're very pretty, yes you are, but with all the junk you wear it's hard to tell.
The singer is complimenting Druscilla's appearance, but pointing out that her clothing choices make it difficult to appreciate her beauty.
Man you must work hard to get your hair to look like that.
The singer is commenting on Druscilla's styled hair, suggesting that it requires significant effort to maintain.
I don't need a horoscope to tell me where you're at.
The singer believes they understand Druscilla's personality and lifestyle without needing any kind of astrological prediction or other guidance.
Your family's probably given up on you Since you began to follow groups of long - haired rock and rollers.
The singer implies that Druscilla's family disapproves of her lifestyle and behavior, particularly her interest in rock music and its subculture.
I can hear your mother crying for her daughter Ah, Ah, Ah, Ah
The singer uses this poetic line to illustrate the emotional impact of Druscilla's choices on her family.
Druscilla Penny what a girl.
The singer is reflecting on Druscilla's personality in general.
Where's the purpose to the crazy life you lead.
The singer is questioning the meaning or point of Druscilla's lifestyle, which they consider to be unusual and unconventional.
It doesn't matter after all you're so sure that instant love is all you tell.
Even without any apparent purpose or direction in her life, the singer believes that Druscilla is convinced that all she needs is love and affection.
I've seen your face at least a thousand times, You're always standing there behind the stages at the concerts.
The singer has repeatedly spotted Druscilla at various music events, indicating that she frequently attends live performances and may be a groupie.
Waiting for an offer to be with someone after. Ah, Ah, Ah, Ah
The singer believes that Druscilla is hoping to be approached or propositioned by a musician or other celebrity after the concert ends.
Druscilla Penny how's your head.
The singer is posing a rhetorical question to Druscilla, inquiring about her mental state or emotional well-being.
Do you ever wake up lonely in the night.
The singer is asking whether Druscilla experiences feelings of isolation or loneliness during the nighttime, when she may be more reflective.
It isn't easy, for a girl when she can't decide if love is wrong or right.
The singer suggests that Druscilla struggles with uncertainty or confusion when it comes to romantic relationships or personal values, particularly in a culture that may not support her beliefs.
I hope I live to see a change.
The singer is expressing a hope for a different future, either for himself or for society as a whole, in which people like Druscilla might find greater acceptance or success.
Could you ever really love, ever really care?
The singer is questioning whether Druscilla is capable of true love or genuine emotional connections with others.
Ever really get it together?
The singer doubts whether Druscilla will ever achieve a sense of meaningful purpose or direction in her life.
No!
The singer offers a final, emphatic rejection of Druscilla's situation or beliefs, and suggests that he does not believe in her ability to change or improve her life.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN BETTIS, RICHARD LYNN CARPENTER
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.