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
If We Try
Carpenters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lost in the warm of your smile
Driftin' through the dreams we used to share
Thinkin' 'bout the times we
spent in love without a care
And wishin' you were there
So darlin' if you
should feel you're lonely tonight
Just call me and I'll be there by your side
Cause we can put that feelin' back inside us
If we try
Summer time was feelin' good
Holdin' the world in our hands
Seemed like what we had was growin' strong
Never even crossed our minds that
love would soon be gone
I guess that we were wrong
So darlin' if you
should feel you're lonely tonight
And you need someone next to you to hold you tight
Just call me and I'll be there by your side
Cause we can put that feelin' back inside us
If we try
So darlin' if you feel you're lonely tonight,
And you need someone next to you to hold you tight
Just call me and I'll be there by your side
(I'll be by your side)
Cause we've got all those memories to guide us
And we can put that feelin' back inside us
If we try
The Carpenters' song If We Try is a nostalgic ballad that reflects on the memories of a past relationship. The singer reminisces about the good times they had together, thinking about the moments they spent in love without any worries. The lyrics describe a certain warmth and comfort that the singer found in the presence of the person they used to love. However, things changed, and the relationship came to an end. The singer acknowledges their mistake in thinking that love would last forever, but still hopes for a chance to reignite the old flame. The chorus offers a hand of comfort and support to the lost lover, promising to be there whenever they need someone to hold them tight. The final lines, "Cause we've got all those memories to guide us And we can put that feelin' back inside us If we try," suggest that the singer and their lover could try to revive the past and start over again.
The song's tone is bittersweet, as the singer balances the pain of loss with the hope for a new beginning. The melody and lyrics are filled with a touch of melancholy that tugs at the heartstrings, making the listener feel the weight of the singer's emotions. The lyrics are simple and straightforward, making it easy for listeners to identify with the singer's feelings and connect with the song's message.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been living memories
I've been reminiscing about the past experiences we had together
Lost in the warm of your smile
Reliving the moments when your smile made me feel safe and cherished
Driftin' through the dreams we used to share
Thinking about the shared dreams we had and how they could have become a reality
Thinkin' 'bout the times we spent in love without a care
Recalling the happy times we had when our love was carefree and easy
And wishin' you were there
Longing for your presence in my life again
So darlin' if you should feel you're lonely tonight
If you feel lonely and need someone to talk to or be with
And you need someone next to you to hold you tight
If you need physical comfort or emotional support
Just call me and I'll be there by your side
I am always here for you and ready to help in any way
Cause we can put that feelin' back inside us
We have the power to rekindle our love and bring back the happiness we once shared
Summer time was feelin' good
We were happy and content during summer
Holdin' the world in our hands
Feeling like we had everything we ever wanted
Seemed like what we had was growin' strong
Our love appeared to be strengthening with each passing day
Never even crossed our minds that love would soon be gone
We never envisioned that our love would end
I guess that we were wrong
Our love didn't work out as we expected
So darlin' if you feel you're lonely tonight,
If you ever feel lonely or sad
Just call me and I'll be there by your side
You can count on me to be there for you, even now
Cause we've got all those memories to guide us
Our past memories can help us bring back the love we once felt
And we can put that feelin' back inside us
We can reignite our love and bring back the happy moments we shared
If we try
We just have to put in effort and try, even though it may not be easy
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RODNEY LYNN TEMPERTON
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.