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
Man Smart Woman Smarter
Carpenters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And see wich one is smarter
Some say man, but I say no
The women got the man like a puppet show
It ain't me, it's the people that say
The men are leadin' the women astray
But I say, that the women today
Are smarter than men in every way
Well, that's right, the women are smarter
That's right, the women are smarter
Little boy sat down and cried
An old man passin' asked him why, he said
I can't do what the big boys do
Old man sat down and he cried too
Ain't me, it's the people that say
The men are leadin' the women astray
But I say, that the women today
Are smarter than men in every way
That's right, the women are smarter
That's right, the women are smarter
That's right, the women are smarter
That's right, the women are smarter
Well that's right, the women are smarter
Smarter than man in every way
The Carpenters' song "Man Smart Woman Smarter" is a commentary on gender roles and stereotypes. The first verse poses the question of which gender is smarter, with the suggestion that many people believe men to be more intelligent. However, the singer argues that women have power over men and can manipulate them like puppets. The second verse tells the story of a little boy who feels inadequate because he can't do what the bigger boys can. An old man tries to console him but ends up crying too. The repeated refrain emphasizes that women are indeed smarter than men.
The song is a statement on gender equality and challenges the traditional belief that men are superior to women. The lyrics suggest that women have always had the ability to outsmart men and that it's time for society to acknowledge this fact. The song also highlights the emotional intelligence that women possess, which allows them to empathize with others and manipulate situations to their advantage.
Line by Line Meaning
Let us put man and woman together
Let's compare and contrast men and women
And see which one is smarter
And let's determine who is more intelligent
Some say man, but I say no
Some argue that men are smarter, but I disagree
The women got the man like a puppet show
Women have control over men like puppets on a string
It ain't me, it's the people that say
I'm not the one saying this, but others are
The men are leadin' the women astray
Some believe that men are steering women in the wrong direction
But I say, that the women today
But I assert that women today
Are smarter than men in every way
Are more intelligent than men in all aspects
Well, that's right, the women are smarter
Yes, it's true that women are smarter
Little boy sat down and cried
A young boy sat and wept
An old man passin' asked him why, he said
An elderly man passing by inquired why he was upset
I can't do what the big boys do
The boy couldn't do what older, more experienced boys could do
Old man sat down and he cried too
The old man also cried, sympathizing with the boy
That's right, the women are smarter
Again, it's accurate that women are more intelligent
That's right, the women are smarter
Yes, it's true that women are smarter
That's right, the women are smarter
Yes, it's true that women are smarter
That's right, the women are smarter
Yes, it's true that women are smarter
Well that's right, the women are smarter
Yes, it's a fact that women are more intelligent than men
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Norman Span
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
MeloLand
So underrated album.
Maurise Grant
A bit of an oddity for the carpenters but still beautifully sung by karen carpenter
hollyyt53
Love this!!!
Lily Emma Lindsay
This song is in I Love Lucy in the episode Ragtime Band. Ricky sings, Lucy, Ethel, Fred & Little Ricky play the instruments.
500vdc
Funny! :-) https://youtu.be/KABw4n2UwgY
Chris Hansen
Never knew this was a Dead song. Learn things every day.
Chris Hansen
different from their norm, but a great song.
Dr. Mitch Medina
Surprisingly nice! But I'll take the Grateful Dead's version any day. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9fF8yptn8E
The Marble Index
Three men were offended and pressed the dislike button.
Chris Hansen
they picked up a fourth.