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
Winter Wonderland Silver Bells White Christmas
Carpenters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Are you listening
In the lane
Snow is glistening
A beautiful sight
We're happy tonight
Walking in a winter wonderland
Here to stay is a new bird
He songs a love song
As we go along
Walking in a winter wonderland
In the meadow we can build a snowman
And pretend that he is Parson Brown
He'll say are you married?
We'll say no man
But you can do the job
While you're in town
Later on we'll conspire
As we dream by the fire
To face unafraid
The plans that we made
Walking in a winter wonderland
Silver Bells
Silver Bells
Hear them ring
Silver Bells
City sidewalks
Busy sidewalks
Dressed in holiday style
In the air there's a feeling of Christmas
Children laughing
People passing
Meeting smile after smile
And on every street corner you hear
Silver Bells
Silver Bells
It's Christmas time in the city
Ting-a-ling
Ting-a-ling
Hear them ring
Hear them ring
Soon it will be Christmas Day
The sun is shining; the grass is green
The orange and palm trees sway
There's never been such a day in Beverly Hills L. A.
But it's December the 24th and I'm longing to be up north
I'm dreaming of a White Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the tree tops glisten and Children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow
I'm dreaming of a White Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
May your days be merry and bright
And my all your Christmases be white
The Carpenters’ song “Winter Wonderland Silver Bells White Christmas” starts off with the sounds of sleigh bells, which sets the winter wonderland imagery. The singer describes the winter scenery with snow glistening and being happy walking in the winter wonderland. The blue bird that represents the summer season is gone, and a new bird sings a love song as winter sets in, showing the changes that occur with each season. The singer and someone else build a snowman in the meadow and pretend he is Parson Brown. The snowman asks if they are married, and they say no but that he can do the job while he's in town. They then go home and dream by the fire, making plans for the future and facing them unafraid because they are happy walking in the winter wonderland.
The song then moves to the “Silver Bells” melody, with the singer describing Christmas time in the city. The sidewalks are busy with people dressed up and holiday decorations, and there's an overwhelming feeling of Christmas in the air. Children are laughing and people are passing with smiles, and the sound of the bells of silver can be heard on every street corner. The song concludes with the singer longing to be up north, dreaming of a white Christmas, which is a symbolic way of yearning for happiness and romanticizing the ideas of tradition, friendship, and love.
Line by Line Meaning
Sleigh bells ring
The sound of the bells reminds us of the winter holidays
Are you listening
It's time to pay attention to the beauty of the winter season as it surrounds us
In the lane
Outside on the streets, where snowflakes have gently fallen and the atmosphere is serene
Snow is glistening
The snow is reflecting the moonlight, making it look magical
A beautiful sight
The view of the winter landscape is breathtaking and stunning
We're happy tonight
The holiday spirit has made us incredibly joyful and content with our lives right now
Walking in a winter wonderland
Taking a walk in the winter scenery where there is a sense of magic and wonder surrounding us
Gone away is the blue bird
The blue bird, which symbolizes happiness, has left for the winter, but other sources of happiness are here
Here to stay is a new bird
A different type of bird has flown in for the winter season, bringing with it a new sense of reason to celebrate
He songs a love song
The new bird sings a song about love, making winter a season of warmth and togetherness
As we go along
Traveling through the winter season together brings us closer and closer
In the meadow we can build a snowman
The snow-covered landscape provides a perfect opportunity to build a snowman and have fun with loved ones
And pretend that he is Parson Brown
We can imagine that the snowman is a real person, one that can officiate marriages like Parson Brown
He'll say are you married?
The snowman will ask us if we are married
We'll say no man
We will respond by telling the snowman that we are not married
But you can do the job
Even though we are not married, the snowman can still officiate the wedding ceremony
While you're in town
As long as the snowman is present, then the happy couple can get married anywhere
Later on we'll conspire
In the quiet of the evening, we will plot and plan together for the future
As we dream by the fire
We will relax by the fireside, lost in our own thoughts and aspirations
To face unafraid
We will be brave and courageous in the face of any challenge that arises in our lives
The plans that we made
The ideas and ambitions that we come up with, we will implement them together
Silver Bells
The sound of silver bells ringing in the city is a hallmark of the Christmas season
City sidewalks
The paths and thoroughfares of the city are lit up and decorated for the holidays
Busy sidewalks
Everyone in the city is busy preparing for Christmas, shopping for the perfect presents and getting together with friends and family
Dressed in holiday style
The buildings and people are decked out in their finest Christmas attire
In the air there's a feeling of Christmas
The Christmas spirit is palpable and even the air around us is charged with excitement
Children laughing
Kids are filled with joy and are having fun, playing and enjoying the season
People passing
People are hurrying to and fro, busy with their lives but still taking a moment to appreciate the joy of Christmas
Meeting smile after smile
Everyone seems happy and in a good mood, exchanging smiles and good wishes
And on every street corner you hear
The sound of Christmas music and the ringing bells can be heard from all around
It's Christmas time in the city
The arrival of Christmas has transformed the city into a beautiful wonderland
Ting-a-ling
The sound of the bells ringing echoes across the city
Ting-a-ling
The festive sound of the bells ringing is heard by all who are within earshot
Soon it will be Christmas Day
The time is coming when everyone will sit down together to enjoy the holiday and be together
The sun is shining; the grass is green
It's warm and sunny outside in California, with the natural scenery looking lush and green
The orange and palm trees sway
The winds make the orange and palm trees dance and sway in the breeze
There's never been such a day in Beverly Hills L. A.
It's a beautiful day, even by Californian standards, with the weather and scenery being unparalleled in its beauty
But it's December the 24th and I'm longing to be up north
Even though it's warm and sunny, it's still Christmas Eve and the desire to be in a colder climate with snow is tugging at the heartstrings
I'm dreaming of a White Christmas
The idea of a Christmas season that's filled with snow is calling and tugging at my heartstrings even stronger
Just like the ones I used to know
The nostalgia of the Christmases of long ago is drawing me in stronger and stronger
Where the tree tops glisten and Children listen
This would be a winter season where the trees are dusted with snow, making the tops sparkle like gems, and even the children would be stopped in wonder and listen to the bells and sounds of the season
To hear sleigh bells in the snow
The sound of sleigh bells ringing would be so loud and clear within the snowy landscapes that even the children can hear them from far away
With every Christmas card I write
Even when writing Christmas cards, the memories of snowy Christmases are strong and vivid within the mind
May your days be merry and bright
May this season be filled with joy and happiness for everyone and be one that will always be remembered in people's hearts
And my all your Christmases be white
May every Christmas season in the future be filled with the beauty and wonder of snowy landscapes and be remembered fondly by everyone who experiences it
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: FELIX BERNARD, RICHARD B SMITH
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.