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
Only Yesterday
Carpenters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everyone must face their share of loneliness
In my own time, nobody knew
The pain I was goin' through
And waitin' was all my heart could do
Hope was all I had until you came
Maybe you can't see how much you mean to me
The promise of mornin' light
Filling the world surroundin' me
When I hold you
Baby, baby, feels like maybe
Things will be all right
Baby, baby, your love's made me
Free as a song, singin' forever
Only yesterday when I was sad and I was lonely
You showed me the way to leave the past and all its tears behind me
Tomorrow maybe even brighter than today
Since I threw my sadness away
Only yesterday
I have found my home here in your arms
Nowhere else on earth I'd really rather be
Life waits for us, share it with me
The best is about to be
And so much is left for us to see
When I hold you
Baby, baby, feels like maybe
Things will be all right
Baby, baby, your love's made me
Free as a song, singin' forever
Only yesterday when I was sad and I was lonely
You showed me the way to leave the past and all its tears behind me
Tomorrow maybe even brighter than today
Since I threw my sadness away
Only yesterday (only yesterday, only yesterday)
Only yesterday when I was sad and I was lonely
You showed me the way to leave the past and all its tears behind me
The song Only Yesterday by The Carpenters is about the pain of loneliness and the healing power of love. Karen Carpenter, the lead singer of The Carpenters, beautifully sings about the hopelessness of being alone, and how it can lead to sadness and tears. She then expresses gratitude to the person who showed her the way out of her sadness and into a brighter tomorrow.
The lyrics convey the feeling of being lost and alone, with nobody to turn to. However, hope and love emerge as the song progresses. The chorus expresses the hope that everything will be alright, and that the love will always be there to support and uplift. The singer finds a sense of belonging in her lover's arms and predicts that the future will be bright and full of promise. The song ends on a note of positivity and optimism for a better tomorrow.
Line by Line Meaning
After long enough of being alone
Once someone has been alone long enough, they will eventually face loneliness.
Everyone must face their share of loneliness
No one is exempt from experiencing loneliness in their life.
In my own time, nobody knew
I dealt with my loneliness on my own, without anyone else knowing.
The pain I was goin' through
I was experiencing emotional pain and distress due to my loneliness.
And waitin' was all my heart could do
All I could do was wait and hope for someone to come into my life and fill the void in my heart.
Hope was all I had until you came
My only source of comfort and optimism was the hope that someone would come into my life and change it for the better.
Maybe you can't see how much you mean to me
You may not fully realize the depth of my love and appreciation for you.
You were the dawn breaking the night
You brought light into my dark lonely world, like the sunrise marking the end of the night.
The promise of mornin' light
You brought with you the promise of a brighter future and a happier life.
Filling the world surroundin' me
Your love and presence have completely filled my world, leaving no room for loneliness or sadness.
Baby, baby, feels like maybe
I'm starting to feel like things might be okay now that I have you.
Things will be all right
I have faith that everything will turn out okay with you by my side.
Your love's made me
I am a better person because of the love and support you provide for me.
Free as a song, singin' forever
I feel liberated and joyful with you by my side, like a never-ending song.
I have found my home here in your arms
Being in your arms feels like home to me, and nowhere else compares.
Nowhere else on earth I'd really rather be
There is nowhere else I would rather be than with you, as you are my one true love.
Life waits for us, share it with me
Let's live our lives together and share in all that life has to offer.
The best is about to be
The future holds great things for us, and we will experience the best of what life has to offer.
And so much is left for us to see
There is still so much more of the world and each other for us to discover and explore.
Since I threw my sadness away
Since I met you, I have left my loneliness and sadness behind.
Only yesterday when I was sad and I was lonely
It feels like just yesterday that I was feeling sad and lonely.
You showed me the way to leave the past and all its tears behind me
You gave me the strength and guidance to move on from my past and leave behind the pain that came with it.
Tomorrow maybe even brighter than today
I am hopeful that our future together will be even better and more fulfilling than our present.
Only yesterday (only yesterday, only yesterday)
Although it feels like only yesterday that I was sad and lonely, so much has changed since then and I am grateful for it.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN BETTIS, RICHARD CARPENTER
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.