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
When Time Was All We Had
Carpenters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When time was all we had
We saw forever
And caught it in our hands
Life was a charm
Our hearts were filled
With music and laughter
When time was all we had
I never will forget
Your face in silhouette
Your voice will be the sweetest sound
I’ll ever hear and yet
We knew somehow
The song would never end
When time was all we had to spend
I never will forget
Your face in silhouette
Your voice will be the sweetest sound
I’ll ever hear and yet
We knew somehow
The song would never end
When time was all we had to spend
The lyrics to Carpenters's song "When Time Was All We Had" are a nostalgic and sentimental reflection upon a period of time when life was simpler and easier. The first stanza in particular emphasizes this idea, as it describes an "endless season" when "time was all we had." During this time, the singer and their companion were carefree and optimistic, seeing forever ahead of them and catching it in their hands. Life was a charm, and their hearts were filled with music and laughter, suggesting that they were enjoying the fullness of life without any worries or concerns.
The second stanza of the song further emphasizes the sweet memories of this time. The singer talks about the person they were with during this period and how they will never forget their silhouette or the sound of their voice. Even though they know that the song will eventually end and time will move on, during this period, they felt that the song would never end because they had all the time in the world to spend.
Overall, "When Time Was All We Had" is a wistful reflection of a time when everything seemed perfect and easy, and it highlights the importance of cherishing such moments because they are fleeting.
Line by Line Meaning
That endless season
refers to a period of time that felt like it would never end
When time was all we had
when we didn't have many obligations or responsibilities and could just enjoy life
We saw forever
we thought that our happiness and contentment would last forever
And caught it in our hands
as if we were able to hold onto that feeling of contentment and happiness forever
Life was a charm
everything seemed to work out effortlessly and we were lucky in every aspect of our lives
Our hearts were filled
our hearts were full of love, joy and hope
With music and laughter
we were carefree and enjoyed the simple pleasures of life
I never will forget
Your face in silhouette
Your voice will be the sweetest sound
I’ll ever hear and yet
I will always remember your image and voice because they were so important to me during that time
We knew somehow
The song would never end
When time was all we had to spend
we were aware that this time of happiness and contentment would not last forever, but for the time being it felt like it would
Contributed by Alice S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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.