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
Goodbye I Love You
Carpenters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I know it won't be easy
I've been thinking these past few days
It might be time to leave
You're like a stranger
Then you're a lover
Never the same
Always hard to believe
(*) I'm caught between goodbye and I love you
Never knowing quite where I stand
I'm caught between goodbye and I love you
Falling both ways nowhere to land
So constantly stranded
I can't understant it
(understand)
This double life you've handed me
Is like the devil and the deep blue sea
If we go on much longer
If my doubts grow any stronger
Then I may have to let you go
If only to survive
Give me a reason
Why should I stay here?
(stay)
I've tried so hard
Just to keep love alive
Repeat (*)
The lyrics to Carpenter's song "Goodbye I Love You" express the struggle of being caught between two conflicting emotions: saying goodbye and expressing love. The singer acknowledges that she has been mulling over the decision to leave her lover for a while, but it's a difficult choice to make. She describes her partner as being both distant and close, and their relationship as being unpredictable and hard to believe. The singer is experiencing a range of emotions, being constantly stranded and unable to understand what's going on. She feels unsure about where she stands in the relationship and if it's even worth keeping.
In the chorus, the singer laments that she's caught between saying goodbye and saying 'I love you,' and she's falling both ways with no place to land. The mood of the song is bittersweet, with the singer longing for a reason to stay, but ultimately conceding that she might have to let her lover go, even if it means survival. The lyrics seem to embody the feeling of being stuck in a relationship that has lost its spark, but still holding on to it because of the memories and love shared.
Line by Line Meaning
I have something to tell you
I need to have a tough conversation with you.
And I know it won't be easy
I'm aware this conversation might be rough.
I've been thinking these past few days
I've been contemplating our relationship.
It might be time to leave
We might need to go our separate ways.
You're like a stranger
Sometimes I feel like I don't know you.
Then you're a lover
Other times, you're the perfect partner.
Never the same
You're very unpredictable.
Always hard to believe
It's hard for me to trust you completely.
I'm caught between goodbye and I love you
I'm uncertain whether to break up or stay together.
Never knowing quite where I stand
I'm unsure about the status of our relationship.
Falling both ways nowhere to land
I feel like I'm being pulled in two directions without a clear answer.
So constantly stranded
I feel stuck in this situation.
I can't understant it (understand)
I'm having difficulty comprehending why things are the way they are.
This double life you've handed me
Your behavior has been inconsistent and confusing.
Is like the devil and the deep blue sea
I feel like I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place.
If we go on much longer
If things continue this way for a while.
If my doubts grow any stronger
If I feel even more uncertain about our relationship.
Then I may have to let you go
I might need to end things between us.
If only to survive
To protect myself and my well-being.
Give me a reason
Tell me why I should keep fighting for us.
Why should I stay here? (stay)
Why do you think we should stay together?
I've tried so hard
I've put in considerable effort to make things work.
Just to keep love alive
To maintain the connection and affection we have.
Repeat (*)
The chorus repeats the same sentiment about being conflicted between staying and leaving.
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.