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 Got Rhythm
Carpenters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I let you take my heart and I like it
So what if I have been to be
A little bit out of my mind
I better steal your heart and you'll like it
And I don't think it's any kind of secret
I feel you from a million miles away
And your love is the best thing that I got
And it's only just begun, but it's never gonna stop
It's the best thing, the best thing that I got
I know sometimes it seems like I
I'm just a little bit behind
I get back on the beat and you know it
And sometimes I can tell that I
I'm just a little out of time
I make you skip a beat and I know it
But I don't think it's any kind of secret
I think of you a billion times a day
And your love is the best thing that I got
And it's only just begun, but it's never gonna stop
It's the best, the best thing that I got
So don't feel lonely tonight
You know I'll never be hard to find
So don't go out of your mind (your mind)
You know I'll never be too hard to find
I know sometimes it seems like I
I'm just a little bit behind
I get back on the beat and you know it
Your love is the best thing that I got
And it's only just begun but it's never gonna stop
It's the best thing, the best thing that I got (best thing that I got)
Your love (best thing that I got) is the best thing (best thing that I got)
And it's only just begun (best thing that I got)
It's the best thing
The lyrics to Carpenter's song "I Got Rhythm" express the idea of being a little crazy and out of sync at times, but being loved and accepted nonetheless. The singer is unapologetic about their eccentricities and is confident in the fact that their love interest loves them for who they are. The lyrics are full of imagery, with lines like "I make you skip a beat and I know it" and "I feel you from a million miles away" painting a picture of a strong connection between the two characters.
The chorus repeats the phrase "Your love is the best thing that I got," emphasizing the importance of love and relationships in life. The song is an upbeat and catchy tune, with upbeat instrumentation including a strong drumbeat and guitar riffs.
Overall, the song is about accepting oneself and finding love despite imperfections. The lyrics convey a sense of confidence and joy, encouraging listeners to embrace themselves fully and find someone who loves them for who they are.
Line by Line Meaning
So what if I just wanna be a little bit out of my mind
It doesn't matter if I want to let go a little and act crazy.
I let you take my heart and I like it
I am willing to surrender my heart to you and I am happy about it.
So what if I have been to be a little bit out of my mind
It's okay if I act a little crazy sometimes.
I better steal your heart and you'll like it
I should take your heart away, and you will enjoy it.
And I don't think it's any kind of secret
I don't believe that what I am about to say is hidden or unknown.
I feel you from a million miles away
I sense your presence even from a faraway place.
And your love is the best thing that I got
Your love is the most valuable thing I possess.
And it's only just begun, but it's never gonna stop
Our love is just starting, but it will never come to an end.
So don't feel lonely tonight
You don't have to be all by yourself tonight.
You know I'll never be hard to find
I will always be easily accessible to you.
So don't go out of your mind (your mind)
Don't let yourself get too worked up (in your head).
I know sometimes it seems like I
I'm aware that at times, it may appear that I
I'm just a little bit behind
I am slightly slow at times and need to catch up.
I get back on the beat and you know it
However, I always recover and get back in sync with you eventually, and you are aware of this.
Sometimes I can tell that I
Occasionally, I can sense that I
I'm just a little out of time
I am not keeping up with the tempo as I should.
I make you skip a beat and I know it
But despite that, I still manage to make your heart skip a beat and I am conscious of that.
I think of you a billion times a day
I consider thoughts about you repeatedly, every single day.
Your love is the best thing that I got
Your love is the most exceptional and valuable thing I possess.
It's the best thing, the best thing that I got
It is the most preeminent and incomparable thing I own.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Julie Frost, John Gordon
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.