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
I'll Be Yours
Carpenters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You'd be the one to cure my loneliness
And so every night I pray,
Pray that some day you will say
I see you everyday you say "hello"
But I can't say a word
I love you so
And so every night I pray,
Pray that some day you will say
Pray that you'll say you love me and then I'll be yours
I love you so, but you will never know
You think I'm just a friend, that all I'll ever be, I know
I just a dreamer, it's nothing new
But still I hope someday they'll all come true
And so every night I pray,
Pray that some day you will say
Pray that you'll say you love me and then I'll be yours
Say you'll love me and then I'll be yours
The lyrics in the song "I'll Be Yours" by the Carpenter speak about unrequited love and the longing for the person to reciprocate their affections. It talks about the feeling of loneliness and how the person hopes that their love interest would feel the same way they do. The song begins with the singer's heart saying "yes" when they first saw the person, and how they believe that this person could help cure their loneliness. However, the person they love only sees them as a friend and nothing more. The lyrics express the desire for the person to say they love them back so that they can finally be together, and how every night the singer prays for that moment to come.
The second verse of the song talks about how the singer sees the person every day, but they are unable to say anything since they fear that their love is unrequited. The lyrics portray the pain of loving someone who does not share the same feelings and how the singer is just a dreamer who hopes that someday their love will be reciprocated. The chorus of the song repeats the hope for the person to say they love them, and if that happens, the singer would be theirs.
Overall, the song speaks to anyone who has experienced unrequited love and the pain that comes with it. It portrays the longing for mutual love and the hope that someday the person they love will see them in the same way.
Line by Line Meaning
When I first saw you my heart said, "yes"
I felt an instant attraction to you and believed that you could end my feelings of loneliness.
You'd be the one to cure my loneliness
I thought that you were the person who could make me feel happy and fulfilled.
And so every night I pray,
Every night I hope and wish for something.
Pray that some day you will say
I hope that one day you will speak to me and share your feelings with me.
Pray that you'll say you love me and then I'll be yours
If you tell me that you love me, I will feel like I belong to you and we can share a life together.
I see you everyday you say "hello"
I have regular contact with you, but our interactions feel superficial.
But I can't say a word
I am too nervous or scared to speak up and share my true feelings with you.
I love you so
My feelings for you run deep and strong.
You think I'm just a friend, that all I'll ever be, I know
You see me as nothing more than a friend, but I understand that I want more from our relationship.
I just a dreamer, it's nothing new
I am a person who dreams of finding love, and this is a familiar feeling to me.
But still I hope someday they'll all come true
Despite my awareness that I am a dreamer, I continue to hold onto the hope that my desires will become reality.
Say you'll love me and then I'll be yours
All I need to feel like I belong to you is for you to express your love for me.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALBERT HAMMOND, JOHN BETTIS, RICHARD CARPENTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nicky Naime
I love this stuff. Definately an early mid 60s sound.
Peggy McMillin
Unbelievably, this song not only never made it to an lp, but it was side b on the single that was released.
My opinion…..it’s one of their best songs of their early music.
rkmugen
There is simply no way for me to have known about this song without having watched the made-for-TV film. No way at all. And, despite how so many people didn't (and probably still don't) like that film, thank GOD it was made - I LOVE this song! It's just too bad Karen never re-sang it like she did with "Ticket to Ride" in 1973.
Verla Schupbach
rkmugen me too!
Christi Brown
rkmugen J
I was 10 when the movie aired and I have never understood the anti feelings about it and you are absolutely right, I wouldnt have known this song without either.
Mad MCG
That song came to me in the shower this morning. I remember it from the film. I haven't heard it for 30 years and with the magic of the internet there it is.
Bru Schmidt
Why should she have resung it? Perfecting it in any way would've been a take-away. It was superb as her youthful 16 year old voice delivered it.
Carlos Carpinteyro
What a melodious song! My older brother would wait on Richard Carpenter when he worked at a music store in Lakewood, Ca. in the early 1970's, where Richard frequently came in.
Jared Jacob
Man, how I wish I was born at that time. I live in Lakewood!
Nicky Naime
@Jared Jacob Yeh...the 50s and 60s were a great to be a kid growing up. That I can attest to.