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
SUPER STAR
Carpenters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I fell in love with you before the second show
Your guitar, it sounds so sweet and clear
But you're not really here, it's just the radio
Don't you remember, you told me you loved me baby?
You said you'd be coming back this way again baby
Baby, baby, baby, baby, oh baby
Loneliness is such a sad affair
And I can hardly wait to be with you again
What to say to make you come again?
Come back to me again and play your sad guitar
Don't you remember, you told me you loved me baby?
You said you'd be coming back this way again baby
Baby, baby, baby, baby, oh baby
I love you, I really do
Don't you remember, you told me you loved me baby?
You said you'd be coming back this way again baby
Baby, baby, baby, baby, oh baby
I love you, I really do
In the song "Superstar", Carpenters’ lead vocalist, Karen Carpenter, sings about a lost love - one that she can’t get over. The song begins with the admission that the singer has loved someone "long ago" and far away. She explains that she fell in love with this someone "before the second show". The singer expresses her love through the guitar playing of this person, saying, "your guitar, it sounds so sweet and clear", even though he is just a memory, and not physically present. She longs for him to return, revealing that he had once promised to come back to her, but hasn't yet. The singer's loneliness is palpable, as she describes it as a "sad affair". She's desperate to make him return, to hear him play his "sad guitar" once more.
The song is not only about lost love but also about the universal feelings of longing and heartache. Karen Carpenter's beautiful vocals perfectly capture the essence of the lyrics by conveying raw emotion. The song is also notable for its simple yet beautiful arrangements, with the guitar playing being particularly exquisite. "Superstar" is a masterful composition that speaks to anyone who has ever lost someone they loved.
Line by Line Meaning
Long ago, and, oh, so far away
It has been a long time since we were together, and we are now separated by a great distance.
I fell in love with you before the second show
I fell in love with you after just one performance, showing how instantly drawn I was to you.
Your guitar, it sounds so sweet and clear
I am enamored with the sound of your guitar and the music you create with it.
But you're not really here, it's just the radio
I am listening to your music on the radio, even though you are not physically present with me.
Don't you remember, you told me you loved me baby?
In the past, you expressed your love for me, do you recall it?
You said you'd be coming back this way again baby
You promised me that you would return to me.
Baby, baby, baby, baby, oh baby
Expressing my love for you in different, heartfelt ways.
I love you, I really do
Stating honestly that I love you very much.
Loneliness is such a sad affair
I find myself very unhappy when I am alone.
And I can hardly wait to be with you again
I am eagerly waiting and counting the days until we can be reunited.
What to say to make you come again?
I am unsure of what to say to convince you to return to me.
Come back to me again and play your sad guitar
I am asking you to come back to me so you can play your music and be with me again.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@BruceLee-zd9bw
Karen Carpenter was, one of, if not the finest female artists of all time.
She had control, tone, feel and a presence.
No electronic aids of autotune back then, just pure natural talent.
Her vocals are so distinctive, and stand alone from anyone else before or after.
She was a living legend, but she just did not know it.
One of the sadest stories ever.
R.I.P Karen
🙏🙏🙏
@TNR-lover
41 years since Karen died. February 4th 1983. After all this time she still remains one of the greatest. Her voice was one in a million and she will never be forgotten.
@davidharris8444
God wanted his angel back to sing in Heaven.
@stephaniemartin-ward4578
She described herself as a "drummer who could sing." She was so much more.
@CarmenMalave-ho8hm
A song that you close your eyes and sing along,👍🤗😀
@travharrell1713
You misspelled one in a trillion trillion.
@SagaciousBoothe
You misspelled one in infinity plus one 😂@@travharrell1713
@anthonydavis4829
This is the voice that greets you when you get to Heaven. It was only on loan to us
@paanne1013
That is what I would expect. 😇
@allantetreault5312
Very well said sir. I believe that wholeheartedly.
@moniquelindholm1381
I love this 💜