All of the songs were from the New York solo sessions with producer Phil Ramone in 1979 and 1980.
Carpenter suffered from anorexia nervosa, a little known disease at the time, and eventually died from complications related to the illness at the age of 32, in 1983.
midnight
Karen Carpenter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Waiting for the sun in the morning
Frightened by the dark
I would always leave lights on when I'd sleep
But darling, I've left all that behind
And now my days I find
It's the midnight calling
When you hold me in that special way
When midnight comes around
Telling me I don't need to be blue
Lovin' you
Restless as the world
But I always keep the world on my shoulder
Like all of its worries
Are coming down on me
From above
But baby
When evening starts to fall
I forget them all
**Cause midnight never lets me down
There's a magic moment everyday
When you hold me in that special way
And when midnight always comes around
Telling me that I don't need to be blue
Lovin' you
I'm the only woman at your side
Don't ever let me go
We're dreaming about tomorrow
And drifting on a star in the sky
Repeat **
The song Midnight by Karen Carpenter depicts a story of a person who used to be scared of the dark and would always leave the lights on when sleeping. But she has now left that fear behind and has found happiness in the company of her loved one. She used to be restless and would carry the weight of the world on her shoulders, but when evening comes, she forgets all the worries and finds solace in her lover's arms. The song portrays the magic that the midnight hour holds, which brings a special moment every day when her lover holds and comforts her. It's a moment of love and happiness that leaves her feeling content and not blue. The song ends with a hope for tomorrow, where they will dream and drift off on a star in the sky.
Overall, the song is a tribute to the power of love and how it can transform lives. The midnight hour holds a certain enchantment and magic that brings a sense of peace and happiness to the couple.
Line by Line Meaning
Used to spend my evenings
In the past, I used to spend my evenings doing something else
Waiting for the sun in the morning
I would stay up late, waiting for the sunrise, symbolizing my restlessness
Frightened by the dark
I had a fear of the dark, so I always kept lights on when I slept
I would always leave lights on when I'd sleep
I found comfort in having the lights on while I slept
But darling, I've left all that behind
Now, I have moved on from those fears and habits
And now my days I find
I am now enjoying my days and my life
It's the midnight calling
I feel drawn to the late night hour
It's a magic moment everyday
I experience a magical moment every night
When you hold me in that special way
When my partner holds me in a certain way, it's a significant moment
When midnight comes around
It always happens at midnight
Telling me I don't need to be blue
It reassures me that I don't have to be sad
Lovin' you
My love for my partner is bringing me comfort and happiness
Restless as the world
I feel as restless and troubled as the world itself
But I always keep the world on my shoulder
I bear the weight of the world's problems on my shoulders
Like all of its worries
All the world's anxieties and issues
Are coming down on me
I feel the weight of the world pressing down on me
From above
As if the worries and problems are raining down from the sky
But baby
Honey, or dear
When evening starts to fall
As the evening begins to approach
I forget them all
I forget about those worries and anxieties
Cause midnight never lets me down
I trust in the midnight hour to bring me comfort and peace
I'm the only woman at your side
I am confident in my partner's commitment to me
Don't ever let me go
I hope that my partner will never leave me
We're dreaming about tomorrow
Together, we are looking forward to the future
And drifting on a star in the sky
We feel as though we are floating among the stars
Contributed by Emily T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@davidcrumpton2489
Karen's voice was a gift.
@Fishkeeper59
Karen Carpenter was a tormented soul with the voice of an Angel. There will never be another lady quite like her no matter how long the music industry continues.
@ericindallas5293
The music industry is shit today.....there will never be anyone else like Karen....all they know how to do today is talk about sex and drugs and sleeping around and cheating
@DraPaulaFlor
I think that KC was an amazing pure soul that couldn't keep on hollywood's lifestyles cuz she was damaged because the collateral effects of the fame and hypocrici of that world.
@richardea4223
@Paula FLOR VLASICH 😥
@internetdinosaur8810
WHY WASN'T THIS RELEASED THIS IS AMAZING
@mythtree
THANK YOU for sharing this. "That album is Fucking great"...now from what we've been able to hear, & Karen knew... It's more than a shame, the decisions that were made ...I wonder what may have passed, had Karen been given creative freedom to express as was her due. When they said no in L.A. I can't imagine how devastating that must have been. Karen was so insightful, talented, fantastic drummer and angelic singer... trapped in a cage set up on stage where she couldn't be her own dreamer.
@SuperRoshua
You're right!! This album is Fucking awesome!! And unfortunately I can imagine how devastating it was for her to have this album shelved, the rejection must have been blinding. Ya can't do this type of stuff to an artist. What was she supposed to do after 10 years in the business when she knew she needed to grow as an artist? She did her job, A&M Records didn't do theirs. I'm a DJ and I was a kid when Karen died so I'm just recently becoming of fan of the Carpenters in my own right but this album is really starting to make me change how I felt about a lot of the albums coming out at that time, because now I have to compare Karen's album to those others from that time and honestly, her's might be the best!! I know that sounds like a stretch but those other albums have been with me for years, but her's gets to me from a place that the other albums just don't hit. Anyway, enough of my venting, thanks for reading.
@richardea4223
You really have to cuss here! I agree that anything Karen sang turned Gold.
@maleficentdiva
LOVE THIS SONG very jazzy/disco style to it LOVE IT! Karen was amazing! I wish she was still around, she will never be replaced! :)