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.
Little Girl Blue
The Carpenters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What can you do? Old girl you're through
Sit there, and count your little fingers
Unlucky little girl blue
Sit there and count the raindrops falling on you
It's time you knew
All you can count on is the raindrops
That fall on little girl blue
(*) No use old girl, you may as well surrender
Your hope is getting slender
Why won't somebody send a tender blue boy
To cheer up little girl blue
When I was very young the world was younger than I
As merry as a carousel
The circus tent was strong with every star in the sky
Above the rings I loved so well
Now the young world has grown old
Gone are the silver and gold
Repeat (*)
The Carpenters’ Little Girl Blue is a poignant and emotive song that speaks to the feeling of loneliness and hopelessness that comes with being unlucky and feeling forgotten. The song opens with the singer addressing the listener, urging them to count their fingers because they have nothing else to do – they are down on their luck, and there is nothing they can do. The singer goes on to address the listener again, calling them an unlucky little girl blue, emphasizing their misfortune and the feeling of isolation they must be experiencing.
The chorus of the song is particularly striking, as the singer tells the listener that all they can count on are the raindrops falling on them. The raindrops serve as a metaphor for the difficulties and hardships the listener is facing, and the singer is telling them that they will continue to face these troubles, and there is no escaping them. The second stanza of the song shifts focus slightly as the singer reminisces about their own childhood, a time when the world was younger, and everything was possible. This is likely meant to underscore the sense of loss and loneliness the singer is feeling, as they remember a time when things were much better.
Overall, Little Girl Blue is a moving and relatable song about loneliness and feeling forgotten. The lyrics are beautifully written, and Karen Carpenter’s powerful voice serves to drive home the emotion and message behind the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Sit there, and count your fingers
Take a seat and start counting your fingers
What can you do? Old girl you're through
You've lost your purpose, what's left for you to do?
Sit there, and count your little fingers
Take a seat and start counting your little fingers
Unlucky little girl blue
You're an unhappy little girl filled with sorrow
Sit there and count the raindrops falling on you
Stay still and count each raindrop as they fall on you
It's time you knew
It's important that you understand
All you can count on is the raindrops
The only constant for you is the raindrops
That fall on little girl blue
As you sit there, count the raindrops that fall on you
No use old girl, you may as well surrender
It's pointless to resist, you might as well give up
Your hope is getting slender
Your optimism is waning
Why won't somebody send a tender blue boy
Why can't someone send a gentle, loving companion
To cheer up little girl blue
To comfort and bring happiness to the sad little girl
When I was very young the world was younger than I
The world seemed more vibrant when I was a child
As merry as a carousel
As joyous as a carousel in motion
The circus tent was strong with every star in the sky
The circus tent was filled with an abundance of stars
Above the rings I loved so well
Above the rings where I found great pleasure
Now the young world has grown old
The once youthful world has aged
Gone are the silver and gold
The precious gifts of the past are no longer present
Repeat (*)
Repeat the previous verse
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, IMAGEM MUSIC INC
Written by: LORENZ HART, RICHARD RODGERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind