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.

I Can Dream Can't I
The Carpenters Lyrics

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As we eye

The blue horizon's bend

Earth and sky

Appear to meet and end

But it's merely an illusion

Like your heart and mine

There is no sweet conclusion

I can see

No matter how near you'll be

You'll never belong to me

But I can dream

Can't I

Can't I pretend

That I'm locked in the bend

Of your embrace

For dreams

Are just like wine,

And I am drunk

With mine

(*) I'm aware

My heart is a sad affair

There's much disillusion there

But I can dream

Can't I

(**) can't I adore you

Although we are oceans apart

I can't make you open your heart

But I can dream

Can't I

Can't I pretend

That I'm locked in the bend

Of your embrace

For dreams

Are just like wine,

And I am drunk

With mine

Repeat (*)

Repeat (**)

Overall Meaning

The Carpenters' song "I Can Dream Can't I?" is about unrequited love and the power of dreams. The lyrics begin by drawing comparisons between the seemingly boundless horizon and the vastness of emotions between two people. While it may appear that the earth and sky meet and end, this is only an illusion, much like the fleeting hope of a happy ending to a love that is not meant to be. The singer acknowledges that no matter how close this person may be, they will never belong to her.

However, the singer refuses to give up hope and imagines a world where she is locked in the embrace of the object of her affection. She recognizes that these dreams may only be temporary, like the intoxicating effect of wine, but they offer temporary respite from the sadness of a heart filled with disillusionment. Despite knowing that her heart is a "sad affair," she still clings to the possibility of love, even if it is just in her dreams.

Overall, the song is a poignant exploration of the bittersweet nature of unrequited love and the power of imagination to provide comfort in difficult times.

Line by Line Meaning

As we eye
As we observe

The blue horizon's bend
The point where the blue sky meets and blends with the visible horizon

Earth and sky
The land and the atmosphere

Appear to meet and end
Seem to converge and cease

But it's merely an illusion
However, it is only an unreal misunderstanding

Like your heart and mine
Similar to both of our hearts

There is no sweet conclusion
There is no satisfying ending

I can see
I can envision

No matter how near you'll be
Despite how close you may be

You'll never belong to me
You will never be mine

But I can dream
But I can imagine