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.
Reason To Believe
The Carpenters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'd find the way to believe that it's all true
Knowing that you lied straight face
While I cried
(*) And still I look
To find a reason to believe
Someone like you makes it hard to live
Without somebody else
Never thinking of myself
If you took the time to change my mind
I could find a way
To leave the past behind
Knowing that you lied straight face
While I cried
Repeat (*)
If I listen long enough to you
I'd find the way to believe that it's all true
Knowing that you lied straight face
While I cried
Repeat (*)
The Carpenters song "Reason To Believe" is a poignant and emotional exploration of the struggle to find truth and hope in the face of heartbreak and betrayal. The lyrics speak to the difficulty of trusting someone who has lied to you, of the pain of being vulnerable and loving deeply only to be let down. The singer expresses a deep sense of disappointment and sadness, but also a persistent desire to find a reason to believe that things can get better.
The song opens with the singer acknowledging the power of their partner's words, and the seductive allure of their promises. However, they also recognize that these words have been revealed as lies, causing them to feel deeply hurt and betrayed. Despite this pain, the singer remains committed to the search for truth and hope, determined to find a reason to believe that there is still light at the end of the tunnel.
As the song progresses, the singer reveals the extent to which their partner's behavior has impacted their ability to trust and love. They note that someone like their partner makes it hard to live without somebody else, and that they have become accustomed to putting the needs of others before their own. However, they also express a willingness to change and to leave the past behind, if only their partner would take the time to change their ways.
Line by Line Meaning
If I listen long enough to you
If I give you enough time to convince me
I'd find the way to believe that it's all true
I could start believing what you're saying
Knowing that you lied straight face
Despite knowing that you've lied to my face
While I cried
While I was emotional and vulnerable
And still I look
Yet I continue to search
To find a reason to believe
To find a justification for believing you
Someone like you makes it hard to live
Being with someone like you makes life difficult
Without somebody else
Without the support or companionship of another person
Someone like you make it easy to give
However, being with someone like you makes it easy for me to put their needs before mine
Never thinking of myself
I never prioritize my own needs or desires
If you took the time to change my mind
If you were willing to put in effort to convince me otherwise
I could find a way
I would potentially be able to see things differently
To leave the past behind
To move on from past issues
Repeat (*)
Repeating the chorus
If I listen long enough to you
If I give you enough time to convince me
I'd find the way to believe that it's all true
I could start believing what you're saying
Knowing that you lied straight face
Despite knowing that you've lied to my face
While I cried
While I was emotional and vulnerable
Repeat (*)
Repeating the chorus
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: TIM HARDIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lady Vöreva
"If I listened long enough to you
I'd find a way to believe that it's all true
Knowing that you lied
Straight-faced while I cried
Still I look to find a reason to believe
Someone like you
Makes it hard to live without
Somebody else
Someone like you
Makes it easy to give
Never think about myself
If I gave you time to change my mind
I'd find a way just to leave the past behind
Knowing that you lied
Straight-faced while I cried
Still I look to find a reason to believe
If I listened long enough to you
I'd find a way to believe that it's all true
Knowing that you lied
Straight-faced while I cried
Still I look to find a reason to believe
Someone like you
Makes it hard to live without
Somebody else
Someone like you
Makes it easy to give
Never think about myself
Someone like you
Makes it hard to live without
Somebody else
Someone like you
Makes it easy to give
Never think about myself
Whoo
Someone like you
Makes it hard to live without
Somebody else
Someone like you
Makes it easy to give
Never think about myself
Someone like you
Makes it hard to live without
Somebody else"
Written, composed & first recorded by Tim Hardin (1965).
Josivaldo Campos
Lindíssima / lindíssima / lindíssima / lindíssima / lindíssima !!! Karen Carpenter um anjo que desceu à Terra !!!
Robert Peterson
One of my favorite songs by Karen and Richard! Great song and rendition!! So sad she died so young!
Lashed but not Leashed
Karen died young and so did the guy who wrote this song.
,,m
Underrated gem.
mkl62
Always tear up when I hear her voice. Karen, why did you have to leave us so soon? God only knows what else was out there waiting for you to accomplish. We miss you. On The Carpenters LP that was advertised on TV years back, Richard tears and frowns up right at the end. You know that it really affected him. I mean, you didn't see one without the other.
snokimamesa
This album cover was photographed at Malaga Cove in Palos Verdes Estates CA, just south of Redondo Beach. When I was 13 years old, we went down there with a some friends, and saw some professional photographers taking pictures of these two young people out on the rocks. We were a bit baffled because, even though they were good looking people, they didn't look like models. When the album came out, we recognized the setting and the white outfits.
Jim Davies
Lovely story, thanks
Salazar Mark
I cant believe you actually saw this photo shoot!! Thats a great story!
stnicholas54
That's the kind of thing that happens to children a lot. They just come across things.
magilla gorilla
awesome. must be close to my age. great times in california in those days. wonder how the white sea bass fishing was at palos verdes then? and how was it in san pedro when there was a fishing fleet in operation?