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.
Somebody
The Carpenters Lyrics
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Somebody's been callin' me tellin' me he still loves me
But not the way I thought it would be
He's makin' fun of me and laughin' at my dreams
And I know that he keeps...
Sayin' not to worry
He's tellin' me to just hold on
But he's not here to learn on
It isn't easy letting go of what we had
And I guess I'm just scared
And I still believe him though
I'd be wiser to go on my own way
Somebody's been lyin'
And I know you're tellin' me only the things you want to
I guess I lie as much as you do
It seems so funny letting go of yesterday
Guess we're much too afraid and we're much too alone
Were we just too much in love
The Carpenters' song Somebody's Been Lyin' is about a woman who has been receiving phone calls from her ex-boyfriend who tells her that he still loves her but is making fun of her at the same time. She is torn between believing him and moving on as he's not around to support her anymore. Despite his absence, she still believes in him, but ultimately, she knows that it's better for her to let him go, move on and start a new chapter in her life. She realizes that it's not easy, but it's the right thing to do for her well-being in the long run.
The song's lyrics convey the universal experience of a break-up where someone is left behind to question what happens next. The song deals with lingering feelings, self-doubt, and assuming things won't change. The lyrics are relatable and express how easy it is to remain stuck in a cycle of uncertainty rather than embracing a clean break.
The song illustrates the duo's signature style of performing mellow pop ballads with Karen Carpenter's signature voice, which stands out uniquely in the world of music. The melancholic melody contrasts sharply with the lyrics and is the trademark of the group's hit songs.
Line by Line Meaning
Somebody's been lyin'
Someone has been deceitful
Somebody's been callin' me tellin' me he still loves me
Someone has been calling and telling me that they still love me
But not the way I thought it would be
Their love is not the same as I imagined
He's makin' fun of me and laughin' at my dreams
He is mocking me and ridiculing my aspirations
And I know that he keeps...
I am aware that he persists in doing this
Sayin' not to worry
He keeps telling me not to be anxious
He's tellin' me to just hold on
He advises me to persevere
But he's not here to learn on
He is not available to provide support
And words won't warm my bed now he's gone
His comforting words do not compensate for his absence in my bed
It isn't easy letting go of what we had
It is difficult to move on from our past relationship
And I guess I'm just scared
I think my fear is causing me to doubt myself
And I still believe him though
Despite the evidence, I still trust him
I'd be wiser to go on my own way
Perhaps it would be smarter to pursue my own path
Somebody's been lyin'
Someone has been deceitful
And I know you're tellin' me only the things you want to
I recognize that you are only sharing what you choose to
I guess I lie as much as you do
I realize I am just as dishonest as you are
It seems so funny letting go of yesterday
It is almost amusing how we struggle to move on from the past
Guess we're much too afraid and we're much too alone
I suppose we are both too scared and too lonely
Were we just too much in love
Perhaps we were too deeply in love
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BURT BACHARACH, BURT F BACHARACH, CAROLE BAYER SAGER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind