The Carpenters were a vocal and instrumental duo, consisting of siblings Ka… Read Full Bio ↴The Carpenters were a vocal and instrumental duo, consisting of siblings Karen and Richard Carpenter. Though often referred to by the public as "The Carpenters", the duo's official name on authorized recordings and press materials is simply Carpenters without the definite article. During a period in the 1970s when louder and wilder rock was in great demand, Richard and Karen produced a distinctively soft musical style that made them one of the best-selling music artists of all time.

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.

Eventide
The Carpenters Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Lying under barren skies

The light escaping

From my eyes

Below the moon

Walking down the avenue

I' followed by

The afterglow

The velvet rose of evening grows

Weary to be home again

Among the faces

Of my friends

The day is done

Candles burning by the sea

Are waiting for me

Patiently

I wish the same

For you

Overall Meaning

The Carpenters’ song “Eventide” was written by A. S. Neill and Richard Carpenter. It carries a message of hope and warmth, even in the midst of darkness and despair. The song’s opening lines set the stage for the melancholic mood it carries throughout its duration. When the singer speaks of “lying under barren skies” with “the light escaping from my eyes”, it seems as though they have lost all hope and are on the verge of giving up. However, as the moon rises and they begin to walk down the avenue, they are followed by an afterglow, and the “velvet rose of evening grows”. This symbolizes that a new day is on the horizon, and though things may seem bleak now, there is the possibility for brighter times, just beyond the horizon.

As the song continues, the singer speaks of being “weary to be home again”, but finds comfort in the prospect of being “among the faces of my friends”. The day is ended and the candles are burning by the sea, waiting for the singer patiently. And though they wish that same peace and comfort for their listeners, they know that it may not be easy to achieve. However, they offer a message of hope and a promise to always be there with a shoulder to lean on when needed.

Line by Line Meaning

Lying under barren skies
I am lying down, looking up at the empty sky with no clouds or stars

The light escaping
I am feeling tired and drained; light is escaping from my eyes

From my eyes
My eyes are the source of the light escaping

Below the moon
I am on the ground, looking up at the moon in the sky

Walking down the avenue
I am walking along a street lined with trees or buildings

I' followed by
There is a glow behind me, likely from the setting sun

The afterglow
The afterglow created by the setting sun

The velvet rose of evening grows
The sky is taking on a deep, rich color like velvet as the sun sets

Weary to be home again
I feel tired and long to be home with familiar surroundings

Among the faces
I want to be among my friends and family, who are familiar faces to me

Of my friends
My friends are the people I want to see