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 Won't Last A Day Without You
Carpenters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where I don't belong, I'm not that strong
It's nice to know that there's someone I can turn to
Who will always care, you're always there
When there's no gettin' over that rainbow
When my smallest of dreams won't come true
I can take all the madness the world has to give
So many times when the city seems to be
Without a friendly face, a lonely place
It's nice to know that you'll be there if I need you
And you'll always smile, it's all worthwhile
When there's no gettin' over that rainbow
When my smallest of dreams won't come true
I can take all the madness the world has to give
But I won't last a day without you
Touch me and I end up singing
Trouble seems to up and disappear
You touch me with the love you're bringing
I can't really lose when you're near
When you're near, my love
If all my friends have forgotten half their promises they're not unkind
Just hard to find
One look at you and I know
That I could learn to live without the rest
I've found the best
When there's no gettin' over that rainbow
When my smallest of dreams won't come true
I can take all the madness the world has to give
But I won't last a day without you
When there's no gettin' over that rainbow
When my smallest of dreams won't come true
I can take all the madness the world has to give
But I won't last a day without you
The Carpenters’ song “I Won’t Last a Day Without You” is a poignant statement of love and devotion. Written by Roger Nichols and Paul Williams, the lyrics describe someone who faces a harsh, unfriendly world but takes comfort in the knowledge that there is someone in their life who loves and supports them unconditionally. The opening lines, “Day after day, I must face a world of strangers / Where I don’t belong, I’m not that strong” are particularly telling, conveying a sense of isolation and vulnerability that many people can relate to. However, the song’s chorus provides a glimmer of hope, insisting that even in the darkest of times, the singer will always have someone to turn to: “When there’s no gettin’ over that rainbow / When my smallest of dreams won’t come true / I can take all the madness the world has to give / But I won’t last a day without you.”
Throughout the song, the singer expresses gratitude for the love and support they receive from their partner, acknowledging that it is this love that gives them the strength to face the challenges of life. In the second verse, for instance, the singer observes that “So many times when the city seems to be / Without a friendly face, a lonely place / It’s nice to know that you’ll be there if I need you / And you’ll always smile, it’s all worthwhile.” Here, the singer suggests that even the darkest of urban landscapes can be brightened by the presence of a loved one, and that their partner’s smile is enough to make enduring the trials of life worthwhile. Ultimately, the song is a tribute to the transformative power of love, and an affirmation of the singer’s commitment to their beloved, no matter what the future may bring.
Line by Line Meaning
Day after day, I must face a world of strangers
Every day, I am surrounded by people I don't know
Where I don't belong, I'm not that strong
I feel out of place and I don't feel very confident
It's nice to know that there's someone I can turn to
I am grateful that there is someone who supports me
Who will always care, you're always there
I appreciate your constant love and presence in my life
When there's no gettin' over that rainbow
When my dreams seem impossible to achieve
When my smallest of dreams won't come true
When even my humblest aspirations don't happen
I can take all the madness the world has to give
I can handle all the chaos and challenges of life
But I won't last a day without you
But I need you to survive
So many times when the city seems to be
Often, the city feels like a cold and lonely place
Without a friendly face, a lonely place
Without someone to be kind and welcoming, it feels lonely
It's nice to know that you'll be there if I need you
I feel comforted knowing that you'll help me if I require it
And you'll always smile, it's all worthwhile
Your happy expression makes all the difference
Touch me and I end up singing
Your touch fills me with joy and elation
Trouble seems to up and disappear
Problems feel less significant in your presence
You touch me with the love you're bringing
Your affection and care impact me greatly
I can't really lose when you're near
I feel like I can handle anything with you beside me
If all my friends have forgotten half their promises they're not unkind
Even if my friends don't keep their promises, I don't think they're bad people
Just hard to find
I struggle to find reliable friends sometimes
One look at you and I know
Seeing you makes everything clear to me
That I could learn to live without the rest
I believe I could live without everything else as long as I have you
I've found the best
You are the best thing that has happened to me
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Paul H Williams, Roger S Nichols
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.