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
Touch Me When We
Carpenters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We want to hold each other
Play us a groove so we hardly move
Just let our hearts beat together
Oh baby, 'cause it feels so good
When we're close like this
Whisper is my ear and let me steal a kiss
When we're dancing
You know you've got that loving touch
(Loving touch)
Touch me when we're dancing
I want to feel you when I'm falling in love
Tonight's the night and it feels so right
My heart is saying it to me
You're the one I've waited for so long
So let your love flow through me
Oh baby, 'cause it feels so good
Just to be this close
You've got me up so high
I could fly coast to coast
Come on and touch me
When we're dancing
You know you've got that loving touch
(Loving touch)
Touch me when we're dancing
I want to feel you when I'm falling in love
Touch me when we're dancing
You know you've got that loving touch
(Loving touch)
Touch me when we're dancing
I want to feel you when I'm falling in love
Touch me when we're dancing
You know you've got that loving touch
(Loving touch)
Touch me when we're dancing
The Carpenters' "Touch Me When We're Dancing" is a love song that captures the magic of two people slow dancing and connecting through the power of touch. The lyrics speak of a desire to hold each other and let the music guide their bodies as they move together in perfect harmony. The song paints a picture of a couple who are deeply in love and have been waiting for this moment to express their feelings towards each other.
The opening lines, "Play us a song we can slow dance on, we want to hold each other," set the tone for the entire song. The romantic melody of the song, combined with Karen Carpenter's soothing vocals, make it the perfect slow dance ballad. The lyrics speak of a deep connection between two people, where they don't even have to move very much, as long as they are close and their hearts are beating together.
The chorus of the song, "Come on and touch me when we're dancing, you know you've got that loving touch," emphasizes the power of physical touch in creating a deep connection between two people. This touch can be as simple as a gentle brush of the fingers or a lingering hug, but it has the power to make an unforgettable moment.
All in all, "Touch Me When We're Dancing" is a beautiful love song that encapsulates the essence of intimate connection between two people. It is a celebration of the transformative power of touch, and a testament to the fact that sometimes, words are not enough to express the depth of one's emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
Play us a song we can slow dance on
Please play a song that is suitable for slow dancing
We want to hold each other
We both desire to embrace each other
Play us a groove so we hardly move
Please play a melody that requires little movement
Just let our hearts beat together
Let our hearts sync with each other
Oh baby, 'cause it feels so good
It feels amazing to be this close to you
When we're close like this
Being in each other's arms makes everything better
Whisper is my ear and let me steal a kiss
Tell me sweet nothings and let me kiss you gently
Come on and touch me
Please touch me
When we're dancing
When we are slow dancing together
You know you've got that loving touch
You have a special way of touching me
(Loving touch)
Your touch is full of love and tenderness
I want to feel you when I'm falling in love
I desire to feel you close to me as I fall in love
Tonight's the night and it feels so right
This moment feels perfect and just right
My heart is saying it to me
My heart is communicating how I feel
You're the one I've waited for so long
You are the person I have waited for patiently
So let your love flow through me
Please share your love with me
You've got me up so high
You make me feel so happy and elated
I could fly coast to coast
I feel like I could fly everywhere
You know you've got that loving touch
You have a way of touching me with love
I want to feel you when I'm falling in love
I want to feel your presence as I fall in love
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: J. L. WALLACE, KENNETH E. BELL, TERRY SKINNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-fp7aj2kl3s
Play us a song we can slow dance on
We want to hold each other
Play us a groove so we hardly move
Just let our hearts beat together
Oh baby, 'cause it feel so good
When we're close like this
Whisper is my ear and let me steal a kiss
Come on and touch me when we're dancing
You know you've got that loving touch
Oh, touch me when we're dancing
I want to feel you when I'm falling in love
Tonight's the night and it feels so right
My heart is saying it to me
You're the one I've waited for so long
So let your love flow through me
Oh baby, 'cause it feels so good
Just to be this close
You've got me up so high
I could fly coast to coast
Come on and touch me when we're dancing
You know you've got that loving touch
Oh, touch me when we're dancing
I want to feel you when I'm falling in love
Touch me when we're dancing
You know you've got that loving touch
Oh, touch me when we're dancing
I want to feel you when I'm falling in love
Touch me when we're dancing
You know you've got that loving touch...
@ManuelLopez-vo5qp
She looks very sick here, It’s a shame, she was so talented, one of the best voices I’ve ever heard
@amycollins2429
You can see it in her eyes
@charlesmaeger6162
Manuel, she could sing and was so talented when she performed. It will rip your heart out if you think about it too long.
@Nate4paul4869
She’s angel’s voice of era.
@Navigation24-7
Gone 40yrs now, what a beautiful voice I love this song💐❤️
@sandraatkinson
I agree
@123Rockchild
This is painful to see her, but her voice is so wonderful.
@david-bs2ov
123Rockchild
So true😢
@stevewright4092
When I listen to Karen beautiful voice I have tears roll down my face.there no words to say I was so in love with her she left us so young.she will always be in my heart.
@stevewright4092
I like to share a beautiful voice.look up Lucy Thomas on you tuba.or go on my channel you find her.this girl has a voice from God.