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
What's The Use
Carpenters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lazily here to lose the afternoon
Lying around here on the ground
It's as close to getting up as I can go
Taking a chance to free myself from my worries
Cover them well enough and no one sees
Nobody knows until they show
And the only thing to do is try to cover them again
(*) Hurry yourself, what's the use?
Mountains of wealth, I refuse
To be somebody's slave for a dime
I've got plenty of mountains
I'm lookin' to find, spending my time
Lying around, here on the ground
It's as close to getting up as I can go
Pleasing myself is all that really needs doing
Everything else begins but never ends
Listen to me and you'll agree
That a man is better off
If he has come to realize
Repeat (*) twice
The lyrics to the song "What's The Use" by Carpenters explores the idea of escapism through laziness and taking chances. The first verse talks about getting away from the things that need to be done, and just lying around on the ground. This is seen as the closest the singer can get to getting up. The second verse talks about covering up worries and problems, and how nobody knows until they show. The only solution is to try to cover them again.
The chorus then comes in with the message of the song. The singer hurries the listener to realize that there is no use in chasing mountains of wealth, and being someone's slave for a dime. The singer already has plenty of mountains and is looking to find more, by just spending time and pleasing themselves. The song ends with the idea that everything else begins but never ends, and that a man is better off realizing this.
The lyrics provide a commentary on the value of material wealth and the importance of finding ways to please yourself, rather than being a slave to others. The song emphasizes the importance of finding joy in the simple things and enjoying life while escaping the burnout of endless work and obligations.
Line by Line Meaning
Getting away from all the things that need doing
I am avoiding all the tasks that require my attention
Lazily here to lose the afternoon
I am here with no particular purpose or goal, just to pass time idly
Lying around here on the ground
I am lying down on the ground without any intention to move
It's as close to getting up as I can go
I have no motivation to stand up and be productive
Taking a chance to free myself from my worries
I am attempting to escape from my worries by taking a risk or chance
Cover them well enough and no one sees
If I conceal my worries effectively, nobody will notice or be aware
Nobody knows until they show
Other people will not become aware of my worries until they are manifested or revealed
And the only thing to do is try to cover them again
The only solution is to conceal my worries again and hope they do not resurface
Hurry yourself, what's the use?
Why hurry when it is pointless or futile?
Mountains of wealth, I refuse
I reject the idea of accumulating vast wealth
To be somebody's slave for a dime
I am not willing to be subservient to anyone for a meager profit
I've got plenty of mountains I'm lookin' to find, spending my time
I have numerous personal goals or aspirations that require my time and effort
Pleasing myself is all that really needs doing
My main objective is to satisfy myself and my desires
Everything else begins but never ends
All other tasks or activities may commence, but they do not have a definitive conclusion or purpose
Listen to me and you'll agree that a man is better off if he has come to realize
I believe that it is better for a person to be aware of their own values and priorities
Hurrying yourself, what's the use?
Why hurry when it is pointless or futile?
Mountains of wealth, I refuse
I reject the idea of accumulating vast wealth
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN BETTIS, RICHARD LYNN 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.