The Carpenters' melodic pop charted a record-breaking score of hit recordings on the American Top 40 and Adult Contemporary charts, becoming leading sellers in the soft rock, easy listening and adult contemporary genres. The Carpenters had three #1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 and fifteen #1 hits on the Adult Contemporary Chart (see The Carpenters discography). In addition, they had twelve top 10 singles (including their #1 hits). To date, The Carpenters' album and single sales total more than 100 million units.
During their fourteen-year career, The Carpenters recorded eleven albums, five of which contained top 10 singles (Close to You, Carpenters, A Song for You, Now & Then and Horizon), thirty-one singles, five television specials, and one short-lived television series. They toured in the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, the Netherlands and Belgium. Their recording career ended with Karen's death on February 4, 1983. Karen passed away after cardiac arrest due to complications of anorexia nervosa. Extensive news coverage of the circumstances surrounding her death increased public awareness of the consequences of eating disorders.
Their first recordings were not successful, and the recording studio that was recording them, dropped them. That's when their 'savior' came in. Herb Alpert of A&M records heard a couple of their songs and said that he felt that they had good potential. Thanks to him, and his ability to see/hear quality when it appears, we had the GREAT performers of The Carpenters.
At The End Of A Song
The Carpenters Lyrics
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Somewhere this life isn't crazy
But I've traveled the world far and wide
And I say they're wrong
Don't sell me
Stories that music's a lady
It's not when the singer's alone
[Chorus]
At the end of a song
There's no one
After the last note is played
Only the memory stays
Then even that fades away
And there's nothing so hard
As convincing your heart
That you should start singing again
You told me
Nothing could change perfect lovers
But like every promise you made
It broke before long
It's lonely
Falling away from each other
But we've come to the last of your words
And the end of a song
[Chorus]
The lyrics to The Carpenters' "At The End of a Song" explore the bittersweet feeling that comes with the end of a relationship, as well as the transient nature of music. The first verse challenges the idea that there is a place where life is not crazy, suggesting that the singer has traveled extensively and found that peace and stability are elusive. The second line ("But I've traveled the world far and wide") emphasizes the scope of the singer's journey and adds a sense of weariness to the lyric. The singer then declares "they're wrong," rejecting the idea of a perfect or easy life.
The second verse shifts to the topic of music and the singer's relationship to it. The lyric "Don't sell me stories that music's a lady" rejects the common trope of music personified as a seductive woman, highlighting the loneliness and vulnerability of the singer when performing alone. The chorus then describes the emotional aftermath of a song, with the memory of the music lingering even after the last note has faded away. The final lines of the chorus reveal the difficulty of moving on, with the heart needing convincing to begin singing again.
The third verse continues the theme of failed promises, specifically in the context of a romantic relationship. The line "It's lonely falling away from each other" expresses the sadness of growing apart, but the lyric "we've come to the last of your words and the end of a song" suggests a finality or closure to the relationship. The chorus repeats, emphasizing the idea that music has the power to evoke memories and emotions long after the sound has ceased.
Overall, "At The End of a Song" is a poignant reflection on the transience of life and the way music can serve as a source of comfort or catharsis. The lyrics touch on themes of loneliness, isolation, and the pain of letting go, making it a timeless and relatable song.
Line by Line Meaning
They tell me
There are people who tell me
Somewhere this life isn't crazy
There is a place where life isn't chaotic
But I've traveled the world far and wide
However, I have explored various corners of the world
And I say they're wrong
And I disagree with them
Don't sell me
Do not try to convince me
Stories that music's a lady
That music is like a woman
It's not when the singer's alone
But in reality it's not like that, especially when the singer is all by themselves
At the end of a song
After a song concludes
There's no one
There is no one around
After the last note is played
After the final musical notation has sounded
Only the memory stays
Only the memory of the song remains
Then even that fades away
Then even that slowly disappears
And there's nothing so hard
And nothing is as difficult
As convincing your heart
As persuading your own heart
That you should start singing again
That you should begin singing once again
You told me
You said to me
Nothing could change perfect lovers
That no circumstance or outside force could alter the love between two individuals
But like every promise you made
But like all the other promises you made
It broke before long
It ultimately fell apart
It's lonely
It's a lonely feeling
Falling away from each other
Drifting apart from one another
But we've come to the last of your words
But we have reached the end of your spoken words
And the end of a song
And the conclusion of a song
[Chorus]
The repeated section of the musical composition
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN BETTIS, RICHARD CARPENTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind