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
Kiss Me The Way You Did Last Night
Carpenters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let's sing and dance as lovers do
When the morning light shines down on me
With you, my love I want to be
We can count them you and I
We can make a wish when one falls from the sky
And my only wish would be
That forever I would see
You movin' thru the darkness smiling that way at me
(*) Kiss me the way you did last, night
Lay down beside me, holdin' me tight
Kiss me the way you did last night,
Tonight until the morning light
Celebrate love while the feeling is new
It's a moment that was meant for me and you
If tomorrow never comes I won't care,
I'll just love you tonight and all we share...
Repeat (*)
Tonight, tonight and every night
(Kiss me)
The way you did last night
The lyrics of Carpenters’ song “Kiss Me The Way You Did Last Night” depict a romantic moment shared by two lovers. The opening lines signify that the couple is enjoying the company of each other and indulging in fun activities such as singing and dancing together. The singer wants to be with their partner in the morning light, signifying that their love should extend beyond just nighttime adventures. The lyrics then describe the couple admiring the stars together and making a wish upon one falling from the sky.
The chorus focuses on the physical intimacy between the two, with the singer asking their lover to kiss them the way they did the previous night and to hold them tight. The lyrics describe a sense of urgency: the couple must celebrate their love while it’s new, they should seize the moment and not worry about the future. The singer expresses their willingness to love their partner tonight and to value all they share, even if tomorrow never comes. The song ends on a note of romance and nostalgia, with the singer asking their lover to kiss them the way they did last night.
Overall, “Kiss Me The Way You Did Last Night” is a song about love, intimacy, and the euphoria that comes with new love. It depicts a moment between two lovers who are deeply in love and cherishing every moment spent together.
Line by Line Meaning
Serenade me by the light of the moon,
Sing to me and play music for me under the moonlight, creating a romantic atmosphere.
Let's sing and dance as lovers do
We should express our love through music and dance, the way all lovers do.
When the morning light shines down on me
When the sun rises in the morning, I want to be with you.
With you, my love I want to be
I desire to spend my life with you, my beloved.
As the stars go sailin' by
As we lay here, we can watch the stars slowly move across the sky.
We can count them you and I
Together, we can count the stars in the sky and enjoy each other's company.
We can make a wish when one falls from the sky
We can make a wish when we see a shooting star.
And my only wish would be
If I had one wish, it would be to consistently see you, my love.
That forever I would see
I want the assurance that I will always see you in my life, and under any circumstance.
You movin' thru the darkness smiling that way at me
Even in the dark, you coming towards me, smiling lovingly at me, is enough to light up my world.
(*) Kiss me the way you did last, night
I want to feel your kiss the way you gave it to me last night because it made me feel loved.
Lay down beside me, holdin' me tight
I want you to lay down next to me, holding me tight, so that I can feel your love.
Kiss me the way you did last night,
I want to feel your kiss the way you gave it to me last night because it made me feel loved.
Tonight until the morning light
I want to feel your love and your kisses tonight and all the way till morning.
Celebrate love while the feeling is new
Let's cherish and celebrate our love while it's fresh, and the excitement of being together is still there.
It's a moment that was meant for me and you
Our love and togetherness is a perfect, destined moment only for us.
If tomorrow never comes I won't care,
If tomorrow never comes, I will not be sad or regretful because of the love we shared today.
I'll just love you tonight and all we share...
All I want right now is to love you and cherish all we share in this moment, tonight.
Repeat (*)
Repeat one more time the lines about wanting to feel your kiss from last night.
Tonight, tonight and every night
I want to hold you and feel your love every night, including tonight.
(Kiss me)
Please give me the kiss I long for, the way you did last night, to feel your love once again.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LYNDA LEE LAWLEY, MARGRET DORN MAGGIE SWANK
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.