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Post by Rick Henry on Jun 6, 2007 11:08:48 GMT -5
 Here is the second installment of this series of song analysis. In this series we find only the good about the featured song. In this thread the featured song is from the 1969 album "Offering" (aka "Ticket To Ride") the song is "All I Can Do". This song was written in 1967 with music composed by Richard Carpenter and lyrics written by John Bettis. Here are the lyrics: All I Can DoOoh, ooh, ba Yesterday I thought you'd stay I thought you'd see things my way But now I see my hopes may be dead I should have known when you said I was the one you wanted Wanting meant nothing more than today All I can do is cry over you And hope you return someday All I can do is cry over you Ever since you've gone away Every road that I follow Leaves me with no tomorrow I need someone to show me the way All I can do is cry over you And hope you return someday All I can do is cry over you Ever since you've gone away Baba, baba, baba Baba, baba, baba |
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Post by beaner on Jun 6, 2007 11:17:48 GMT -5
The good I see in this song is that throughout the negative thoughts there is always hope..."hopes MAY be dead" (then again, may not be dead), "hope you'll return some day" (might come back), "need someone to show me the way" (looking for guidance), and "meant nothing more than today" especially can be taken as at least TODAY MEANS SOMETHING!
What a play on words here....this is what I see on the good in "All I Can Do". Truly, I do see good in all I can do...hehehe.
Beaner
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Post by YesterdayOnceMore on Jun 6, 2007 12:01:50 GMT -5
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Post by wisejester7 on Jun 6, 2007 12:22:33 GMT -5
Musically speaking, I'm right there with you, Tim. Lyrically, I find "All I Can Do" quite dark, although Beaner has pointed out the big obvious case of 'hope'. There is also the realization that (the singer) is well aware of the situation they find themselves in. That of lost love ... a love that they would like to see rekindled. "Yesterday, I thought you'd stay ... I thought you'd see things my way" ...perhaps a little 'growing up' was required on the singers part. A growth that has since (the split up) happened. Personal growth combined with hope = positive. |
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Post by enigma on Jun 6, 2007 17:19:09 GMT -5
No surprise this song is not going to recieve anything negativity from me I love Karens drum playing on this she really shines and her vocal young Karens vocal well its me posting here so of course I love it! The thing that attracts me to this song also is the fact its different its unique its the true Carpenters sound as far as I am concerned. This early sound really makes me respect the Carpenters there is little studio trickery or polishing and other production techniques often used to make a songs sound (orchestras layered sound etc). This sound is pure real musicianship the later productions were great but they were polished perfected and well, sounded like studio efforts as good as they were. All I Can Do is to me the Carpenters at their best musically even if they were not comercial with this song. I really feel like I am in a club listening to the band including R&K of course the sound is simple very musical and great to listen to.   |
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Post by YesterdayOnceMore on Jun 6, 2007 22:33:02 GMT -5
No surprise this song is not going to recieve anything negativity from me I love Karens drum playing on this she really shines and her vocal young Karens vocal well its me posting here so of course I love it! The thing that attracts me to this song also is the fact its different its unique its the true Carpenters sound as far as I am concerned. This early sound really makes me respect the Carpenters there is little studio trickery or polishing and other production techniques often used to make a songs sound (orchestras layered sound etc). This sound is pure real musicianship the later productions were great but they were polished perfected and well, sounded like studio efforts as good as they were. All I Can Do is to me the Carpenters at their best musically even if they were not comercial with this song. I really feel like I am in a club listening to the band including R&K of course the sound is simple very musical and great to listen to.  Well said, E. That's some of what I was hoping to say - and you said it well - even though it was not something they did commercially, what it shows is their incredible talent. Their versatility, if you will. You said it best, Enigma. Thanks for those comments. Wj7, yes I have to agree with both you and Mary Ann lyrically - though it's dark, it has redeeming qualities to it....the storyteller does misunderstand the situation (...when you said I was the one you wanted...wanting meant nothing more than today...), but finds a way to cope....crying is an emotion that is cleansing...so when she says "all I can do is cry over you..." well, I find that to be a cathartic statement, and catharsis is a good thing. Tim  |
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Post by Rick Henry on Jun 7, 2007 22:27:11 GMT -5
From very early on Richard has had an ear for the abstract and for the unique. As much as "All I Can Do" is quite a superior little tune musically - it is one of the Carpenters' most misconceived songs. I think to truly get the idea of the song you have to go beyond the vocals and really listen to the musicianship itself. There's a lot of very tasty twists and turns in this seemingly simple song. The song has a heavy bass guitar line drives the rhythm of the song from beginning to end. Karen's drums work is about the best thing in the song - her timing is natural and very much like you're listening to her live. Richard's electric piano solo in the middle gives the song a flavor which brings the song a lift. Those layered vocals are fantastic and really bring the song home. it's a short but very satisfying tune. This song is what would be termed as jazz fusion. Jazz Fusion's original definition was best: a mixture of jazz improvisation with the power and rhythms of rock, however it may also include a mixture of virtually any style mixed with Jazz including: funk, blues, rock, hip-hop, folk, eastern, African, Cuban, avant-garde, classical, and virtually anything else available to borrow from. I'd say "All I Can do" is a fusion of jazz, pop/rock and avant-garde. One of Richard Carpenter's long time influences, Frank Zappa, is known for his unusual style of jazz fusion which combines elements of avant-garde, rock and humor with jazz chord progression and often times jazz lingo. |
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