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.
Hits Medley '76
The Carpenters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Make it simple to last
Your whole life long
Don't worry that it's not
Good enough for anyone
Else to hear
Just sing, sing a song
Fall down from the sky?
Everytime you walk by
Just like me
They long to be
Close to you
Just like me
They long to be
Close to you
Ooh-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah, close to you
Ooh-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah, close to you
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah, close to you
Let's take a lifetime to say
I knew you well
For only time will tell us so
And love may grow for all we know
He's got a ticket to ride
He's got a ticket to ride
He's got a ticket to ride
And he don't care (Baby, baby)
Don't care (Baby, baby)
Baby, baby
Feels like maybe things will be all right
Baby, baby
Your love's made me
Free as a song singin' forever
Only yesterday when I was sad
And I was lonely
You showed me the way to leave
The past and all it's tears behind me
Tomorrow may be even brighter than today
Since I threw my sadness away
Only yesterday
(Guitar Solo)
When there's no gettin' over that rainbow
When my smallest of dreams won't come true
I can take all the madness the world has to give
But I won't last a day without you
I don't wanna talk
About the things we've gone through
Though it's hurting me
Now it's history
I've played all my cards
And that's what you've done too
Nothing more to say
No more ace to play
I don't wanna talk
If it makes you feel sad
And I understand
You've come to shake my hand
I apologize
If it makes you feel bad
Seeing me so tense
No self-confidence
The winner takes it all, oh
(Guitar Solo Continued)
The winner takes it all
The loser standing small
Beside the victory
That's her destiny, hee
I can't live, if living is without you
I can't live, I can't give anymore (The winner takes it all, oh)
I can't live, if living is without you
I can't live, I can't give anymore
I can't live, if living is without you
I can't live, I can't give anymore, oh, oh, oh, oh
(Guitar Solo Until End)
The Carpenters’ Hits Medley ‘76 is a combination of some of the greatest hits of the famous American duo. The medley begins with the song "Sing" which encourages everyone to sing along no matter how good or bad their singing is. The lyrics ask people to keep things simple to last their whole life long, and not worry about it being good enough for others to hear, just enjoy the act of singing. The next part of the medley features "Close To You," which speaks of the strong attraction and longing a person has for another. The lyrics suggest that just like stars fall from the sky, this person also longs to be close to you. The song highlights the feeling of love and the strong connection between two people.
Line by Line Meaning
Sing, sing a song
Encouraging everyone to sing along and make music a part of their lives
Make it simple to last
Make the song simple, so that it can be remembered and cherished for years to come
Your whole life long
The song should be timeless and remembered throughout one's entire life
Don't worry that it's not
Do not worry if the song is not perfect or good enough for others to hear
Good enough for anyone
The song does not have to meet anyone else's expectations, but only yours
Else to hear
Do not concern yourself with other people's opinions
Why do stars
How come stars
Fall down from the sky?
Do they descend from the heavens?
Every time you walk by
Much like when you pass by
Just like me
I am similar
They long to be
Astrological bodies desire
Close to you
To be in your proximity
Ooh-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah, close to you
Expressing the desire to be close to you with melodic sounds
Ooh-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah, close to you
Repeating the desire for proximity through vocal expressions
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah, close to you
Continuation of vocal expressions depicting the yearning for physical closeness
Let's take a lifetime to say
It may take forever to express
I knew you well
How much I knew you
For only time will tell us so
As time passes it will reveal how well we truly knew each other
And love may grow for all we know
We may learn to love each other more as time goes by
He's got a ticket to ride
He possesses a train ticket
And he don't care (Baby, baby)
The person is not concerned about anything (words followed by romantic nickname)
Don't care (Baby, baby)
Continuation of the previous line, and repetition of the romantic nickname
Baby, baby
Endearing term of affection
Feels like maybe things will be all right
It seems that all will be okay
Your love's made me
Your love for me has brought about a change in me
Free as a song singin' forever
I feel free like a song that will be sung forever
Only yesterday when I was sad
Not too long ago when I felt melancholic
And I was lonely
And felt alone
You showed me the way to leave
You taught me how to move on from my sadness
The past and all its tears behind me
All the sadness that I felt before is now gone with the past
Tomorrow may be even brighter than today
There is the possibility that the future will be even better than today
Since I threw my sadness away
That's because I have let go of my sadness
(Guitar Solo)
Instrumental portion of the song without lyrics
When there's no gettin' over that rainbow
At times, it feels impossible to reach one's dreams
When my smallest of dreams won't come true
Even the slightest dream seems unachievable
I can take all the madness the world has to give
I can endure all the chaos and madness that the world may throw my way
But I won't last a day without you
I cannot survive even a day without you by my side
I don't wanna talk
I don't want to speak about it
About the things we've gone through
About the things we have experienced together
Though it's hurting me
Even though it causes me pain
Now it's history
Now it's all in the past
I've played all my cards
I have done everything in my power
And that's what you've done too
That's perhaps what you have also done
Nothing more to say
There isn't anything left to say
No more ace to play
No more tricks up my sleeve
I don't wanna talk
Again, I do not want to discuss it
If it makes you feel sad
If it makes you feel unhappy
And I understand
I empathize with how you feel
You've come to shake my hand
You came to shake my hand
I apologize
I am sorry
If it makes you feel bad
If it makes you feel worse
Seeing me so tense
When you witness me being nervous
No self-confidence
My lack of confidence in myself
The winner takes it all, oh
The person who emerges victorious takes everything
(Guitar Solo Continued)
Protraction of an instrumental segment without lyrics
The winner takes it all
The ultimate victor claims everything
The loser standing small
The defeated is standing, insignificant and powerless
Beside the victory
Next to the triumph
That's her destiny, hee
The destiny of the victor
I can't live, if living is without you
I cannot exist if I am not with you
I can't live, I can't give anymore (The winner takes it all, oh)
I cannot continue living or giving if we are apart (the victorious one claims everything)
I can't live, if living is without you
My life is impossible without you
I can't live, I can't give anymore
I cannot survive or give anything more without you
I can't live, if living is without you
I cannot thrive without being with you
I can't live, I can't give anymore, oh, oh, oh, oh
I have nothing left to give or live for
(Guitar Solo Until End)
Instrumental portion of the song that continues until the end
Contributed by Lillian C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Reck Adrian
Isto foi extraordinário! Nunca vi nada igual! 🎤🎹🎼🎸🎺🎷👍👍👍🇧🇷🌎
doug bowling
She didn't have to prance around half naked to get attention she was a true talent. Such a angelic voice
Keith DeLucia
What a group. Richard was a musical genius, and I don't care what anyone says Karen is the greatest female vocalist in music history. Not Aretha, Whitney, Barbara. Nope, it's Karen
Mike Hatch
Your right she just makes you melt
Bryan
@That Little Voice .... don't forget Miley and Marie osmond
Bryan
It is the most ridiculous statement I ever heard she isn't even as good as Yoko and your comparing her to Whitney etc
Bryan
Lennon and McCartney were musical geniuses the carpenter's were barely average
Flora Folhagem
As vezes tem talentos que so se desenvolvem com o olhar do outro gênio. Os arranjos, as composições eram feitas para ela. Pelo genio do arranjo e da composição. Não existiria karen sem Richard.
Jim Magnet Man
Karen Carpenters, to this day, IMO, still has the most beautiful voice I've heard.
Arturo Delgado
The voice of an angel