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
Rainy Days And Mondays
Carpenters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sometimes I'd like to quit
Nothin' ever seems to fit
Hangin' around
Nothin' to do but frown
Rainy days and Mondays always get me down
What I've got they used to call the blues
Feelin' like I don't belong
Walkin' around
Some kind of lonely clown
Rainy days and Mondays always get me down
Funny, but it seems I always wind up here with you
Nice to know somebody loves me
Funny, but it seems that it's the only thing to do
Run and find the one who loves me (the one who loves me)
What I feel has come and gone before
No need to talk it out (talk it out)
We know what it's all about
Hangin' around (hangin' around)
Nothin' to do but frown
Rainy days and Mondays always get me down
Funny, but it seems that it's the only thing to do (only thing to do)
Run and find the one who loves me (ooh)
What I feel has come and gone before
No need to talk it out (to talk it out)
We know what it's all about
Hangin' around (hangin' around)
Nothin' to do but frown
Rainy days and Mondays always get me down
Hangin' around (hangin' around)
Nothin' to do but frown
Rainy days and Mondays always get
Me down
The Carpenters’s classic song, “Rainy Days and Mondays,” is a contemplation of gloom, loneliness, and isolation. The lyrics reveal the singer talking to herself and feeling old, wishing everything will just stop, and life would be easier. She struggles to fit in, feeling like a clown that walks around aimlessly, trying to find purpose in life. Rainy days and Mondays become the trigger that brings forth the emotional state of the singer. They both make her gloomy and depressed, making her feel like there is nothing to do but frown. The chorus talks about how they seem to always end up with the one they love on such days, making it better to have someone to lean on when things go wrong.
The song’s general theme is melancholy, dissatisfaction, and loneliness. It somewhat touched on depression, as shown in the first verse where the singer admits to feeling old and sometimes wishing to quit. The lyrics are introspective, showing the thoughts of an individual lost in their thoughts and emotions, trying to make meaning out of life. While many people might resonate with the song’s melancholic themes, the Carpenters delivered it in a soothing, melodious way that makes it appealing to a broad audience.
Line by Line Meaning
Talkin' to myself and feelin' old
Feeling lost and alone, with no one to talk to.
Sometimes I'd like to quit
Feeling overwhelmed and considering giving up.
Nothin' ever seems to fit
Feeling like there's no place to belong or no way to find a sense of purpose.
Hangin' around
Just waiting and wasting time, with no real direction or motivation.
Nothin' to do but frown
Feeling down and unhappy, with no clear way to improve the situation.
Rainy days and Mondays always get me down
Feeling especially low and unhappy on days that are dark and gloomy.
What I've got they used to call the blues
Recognizing that these feelings of sadness and isolation are all too familiar and often unshakable.
Nothin' is really wrong
On the surface, everything may seem okay, but inside there's a deep sense of sadness and unease.
Feelin' like I don't belong
Feeling disconnected from the world and unsure of where to turn or how to connect with others.
Walkin' around
Going through the motions of life without a real sense of purpose or direction.
Some kind of lonely clown
Feeling like a sad and ridiculous figure, putting on a brave face even when nothing feels right.
Funny, but it seems I always wind up here with you
Finding comfort in the fact that someone else understands what it's like to feel lost and alone.
Nice to know somebody loves me
Feeling grateful for the support and understanding of someone who cares.
Run and find the one who loves me (the one who loves me)
Desperately seeking out the love and companionship of another person to help make sense of the world.
No need to talk it out (talk it out)
Feeling like there's no point in trying to explain or justify these feelings to others.
We know what it's all about
Understanding that the source of these feelings is deep and complex, and may never be fully understood.
Hangin' around (hangin' around)
Continuing to pass the time without any clear direction or sense of purpose.
Nothin' to do but frown
Feeling trapped in a cycle of sadness and frustration, with no clear way out.
Rainy days and Mondays always get me down
Feeling especially vulnerable and unhappy on days that already feel heavy and difficult.
Hangin' around (hangin' around)
Feeling trapped and directionless, with no clear way to move forward.
Nothin' to do but frown
Feeling stuck in a pattern of melancholy and unhappiness, with no clear way to break free.
Rainy days and Mondays always get me down
Feeling especially weighed down by sadness and hopelessness on days that feel even more difficult than usual.
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.