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
Somebody
Carpenters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Somebody's been callin' me tellin' me he still loves me
But not the way I thought it would be
He's makin' fun of me and laughin' at my dreams
And I know that he keeps...
Sayin' not to worry
He's tellin' me to just hold on
But he's not here to learn on
It isn't easy letting go of what we had
And I guess I'm just scared
And I still believe him though
I'd be wiser to go on my own way
Somebody's been lyin'
And I know you're tellin' me only the things you want to
I guess I lie as much as you do
It seems so funny letting go of yesterday
Guess we're much too afraid and we're much too alone
Were we just too much in love
The lyrics to the Carpenters' song "Somebody" express the confusion and pain of a protagonist who is struggling to come to terms with a breakup. The opening verse reveals that someone has been misleading the singer by pretending to still love her. However, it soon becomes clear that this person is actually mocking and belittling the singer behind her back, making her feel foolish and vulnerable. Despite this mistreatment, the singer is still clinging to the hope that they will reunite, even though she knows that she should probably move on.
The second verse suggests that both parties in the relationship may be lying to each other and to themselves. It appears that they are both afraid to let go of the past and face an uncertain future alone. The lines "Guess we're much too afraid and we're much too alone / Were we just too much in love" encapsulate the core dilemma of the song. The singer is struggling to reconcile her emotional attachment to her ex with the harsh reality of their current situation.
Overall, "Somebody" is a poignant and relatable examination of the aftermath of a failed romance, and it showcases Karen Carpenter's soulful vocal performance.
Line by Line Meaning
Somebody's been lyin'
Someone has been deceitful
Somebody's been callin' me tellin' me he still loves me
The same someone has been reaching out and confessing their love in a deceptive manner
But not the way I thought it would be
The confession has disappointed the singer
He's makin' fun of me and laughin' at my dreams
The deceitful person is belittling and ridiculing the hopes and aspirations of the artist
And I know that he keeps...
The artist has knowledge that the deceiver is not genuine
Sayin' not to worry
The deceiver is pretending to care and be comforting
He's tellin' me to just hold on
The singer is being urged to hold on to the false hope of the deceiver's love
But he's not here to learn on
The deceiver is not present to provide support
And words won't warm my bed now he's gone
The artist is alone, and the false words of the deceiver are no comfort in this moment
It isn't easy letting go of what we had
The artist is finding it difficult to move on from a past relationship
And I guess I'm just scared
The singer is afraid of the uncertainty of letting go and moving on
And I still believe him though
Despite evidence to the contrary, the artist still believes in the deceiver's false love
I'd be wiser to go on my own way
The singer acknowledges that it would be better to move forward independently
And I know you're tellin' me only the things you want to
The singer recognizes that the deceiver is selective in what they choose to communicate
I guess I lie as much as you do
The singer admits to being dishonest as well
It seems so funny letting go of yesterday
The act of moving on from the past is unexpected and ironic
Guess we're much too afraid and we're much too alone
Both the artist and the deceiver are scared and feeling isolated
Were we just too much in love
The intensity of their past love may have contributed to their current struggles
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BURT BACHARACH, BURT F BACHARACH, CAROLE BAYER SAGER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Adam V
Lyrics:
Someday, rested from hours of sleeping
We'll stay safely behind what we're keeping
You'll seem warmer than I had remembered you
Lying so close I'll be able to feel you breathe
I could never leave
One day, when I am able to love you
I'll come back from wherever I've been to
I'll see you looking the same as you always have
Lovely, so lovely, I'll cling to the love you give
So I'll start to live
Someday is coming
If I believe it
Someday always brings the good life you knew ...
Ever back to you
How I need you
Someday, all I can give you is someday
Someday, all I can offer is someday
Please say that you'll be waiting when someday comes
Promise me this and a kiss, to keep what you are
Always close to me
How I need you
Someday, all I can give you is someday
Someday, all I can offer is someday
Please say that you'll be waiting when someday comes
Promise me this and a kiss, to keep what you are
Always close to me
Someday
Nicole
There's not one song I've ever heard that would make me more emotional than this song ever will. Words cannot even begin to express how beautiful this song is and how beautiful Karen's voice was and will always be.
Mario Rossi
I'm 100% with you on that!
Shane de León
The first and most underrated true Carpenters masterpiece. Lush yet raw, utterly beautiful, verging on tearjerking.
mbblover
i ALWAYS BAWL TO THIS SONG! FOR YEARS NOW! JUST HER VOICE AND THE LYRICS, ESPECIALLY THE "SOMEDAY IS COMING IF I BELIEVE IT" AND "oh, i need you, someday...."
James Line
The lower register of Karen Carpenter is my favourite sound in the world.
Richard Lynn
Richard always knew what key Karen's voice was most effective in. He always said, "the money's in the basement."
Rita Licari
oh yes
Kadath9969
Agree, none can compare even now or ever.
Adam V
There's no other way for me to describe this song except that it's absolutely heavenly.
gvalley07
I thought the best recording Karen ever did was "Solitaire". However, after listening to this I might have to rethink that. It is mind-boggling to think that a 19 year old female singer can hit those beautiful lower notes the way she consistently does here. Maybe Herb Alpert heard this performance and decided to give the youngsters another go, even though this album (Offering) did not sell that well. He must have known Karen's magnificent natural talent needed a little more time to fully mature. But sounds like her voice was at its absolute best here.