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Post by Rick Henry on Aug 14, 2004 22:20:04 GMT -5
Many of the Carpenters songs make a statement. what do you think are some of their strongest or most important statement. The one the gets me the most is "Love Me For What I Am". The song to me is about loving yourself, because you have to love yourself in order for anybody else to love you just the way you are. The lyrics really make a strong statement: We fell in love On the first night that we met Together We’ve been happy I have very few regrets The ordinary problems Have not been hard to face But lately little changes Have been slowly taking place You’re always finding something Is wrong in what I do But you can’t rearrange my life Because it pleases you (*) you’ve got lo love me For what I am For simply being me Don’t love me For what you intend Or hope that I will be And if you’re only using me To feed your fantasy You’re really not in love So let me go I must be free If what you want Isn’t natural for me I won’t pretend to keep you What I am I have to be The picture of perfection Is only on your mind For all your expectations Love can never be designed We either take each other For ev’rything we are Or leave the life We’ve made behind And make another start Repeat (*) And if yo’re only using me To feed your fantasy You’re really not in love So let me go I must be free You’re really not in love So let me go I must be free
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Post by Rob813 on Aug 14, 2004 22:36:12 GMT -5
Wow Rick, this topic and your choice of "Love Me For What I Am" is excellent. Hearing Karen sing this song makes me see her as such a strong, independent person. The reality was so different - which always surprises me.
On another plane I find "Where Do I Go From Here" such a strong statement song. To paraphrase, "you said you'd love me all life and you've left me. What do I do now?" That song is so poetically worded that it just grabs me and forces me to look at life and the depth of searching we must go through.
I'd like to ponder this some more and add another post soon. I can't wait to hear what others have to say about this.
Rob
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Post by enigma on Aug 15, 2004 9:26:58 GMT -5
Good topic Rick tough to pick a song that makes a statement from the Carpenters repetoire but this one has a simple but nice message called:
Look To Your Dreams.
To say I'm romantic would be quite semantically true, But make - believe passion is falling from fashion's milieu. It's understandable why we're a little confused. It's asking for trouble just watching the six o-clock news. But for a moment, all things aside, Look to your self, somewhere inside.
Look to your dreams, Don't they still seem worthwhile? Don't they still seem in style, Aren't you glad they're still there? Look to your dreams There's a need for them now.
When the world has us down, aren't you glad they're around? Once conceived, once believed, fantasy's reality's childhood. And like a seed, visions need constant care, like a child would. We should look to your dreams, we can still make the stars. We can still break the bars we have built here on earth.
Look to your dreams, And tomorrow may be better for you and me. The future may say, Blame blind yesterday for taking dreams away. They could mean more then they say.
With all the information we are bombarded with today, the realism, it is sometimes good to take a break and invest in some self discovery and dream. After all some of the greatest discoveries and works of art including music were created by those who had an imagination and a dream.
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Post by beaner on Aug 15, 2004 9:52:05 GMT -5
My choice is the song "Two Lives"
Two Lives
Maybe I'am a dreamer
Maybe just a fool
Lately I can hardly see the sun
If you had a secret
I could take a guess
But nothin' in your eyes seems to hold me
Truth or consequences
Which one will be?
(*) Someone said
That time would ease the pain
Of two lives love has torn apart
But I believe whoever wrote that song
Never had a broken heart
One of us is hidin'
One of us can tell
And no one likes to be the first to know
Someone has to answer
'Cause someone has to ask
If keepin' on like this is torture
And goin' undecided
You know, is twice as bad for sure
Repeat (*)
No, I can't believe it's over
It's over
And I love you more than ever
And ever
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Post by karen69roland on Aug 15, 2004 10:21:06 GMT -5
I use to say *no promises* let's keep it simple, but, freedom only helps you say *goodbye*... Freedom? Goodbye? Yes..., goodbye..., to love. You see, all I get from love..., is a love song, but, I need to be in love...Yeah..., I know...[glow=red,2,300][/glow][shadow=red,left,300] [/shadow][shadow=red,left,300]Roland C.[/shadow][shadow=red,left,300] [/shadow]
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Post by BethMosior on Aug 16, 2004 15:49:00 GMT -5
OK, lets see, really their are soooooo many songs to pick from, so far I'm in agreement with all of your choices but the one that seems like a strong statment song to me When You Got What It Takes because the song basiclly tells you to be yourself, to be independent the core of the song is the golden rule' Do unto others as you would have them do unto you' but really their are so many but right now that one song sticks out for me
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Post by Rob813 on Aug 16, 2004 21:06:32 GMT -5
"Look To Your Dreams" is probably the most quintessential Carpenter song there is. Here is the reality of our lives, but we can look to something deep inside us for the inspiration to transform our lives. That's why the Carpenters were so underrated. People thought they were polyanna, but they weren't. They knew full well how tough life could be, but they chose to look at things in a positive light. In the end, that's the only way to survive in this world. Yup, that's quite a statement!
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Post by Will on Aug 16, 2004 23:06:00 GMT -5
Yes, nice topic.
My sidebar question is: 'Does any other singer / group come close to providing the deep and meaningful lyrics (stories) that the Carpenters so often provide?'
I'm thankful for these wonderful lyrics because they provided Karen the opportunity to demonstrate her ability to personally communicate emotion through music.
Richard always sought perfection and I believe he got as close as anyone with near perfect arrangements, lyrics, voice and execution.
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Post by BethMosior on Aug 17, 2004 7:19:05 GMT -5
wow Will, thats a very good sidebar question and I don't think any have even come close to the Carpenters I agree with you totally Karen & Richard are truly the greatest ever
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Post by Rick Henry on Aug 17, 2004 7:26:39 GMT -5
Another Carpenters song I feel has a strong message is "Sing". Critics have dismissed this song as being trite. But if you really listen to the message of the song, it contains a message of strength, self-confidence, and spreading the universal word of LOVE. It's a song about spreading joy and peace. It's about reaching out to the world. SINGSing, sing a song Sing out loud Sing out strong Sing of good things not bad Sing of happy not sad (*) sing, sing a song Make it simple to last Your whole life long Don’t worry that it’s not Good enough for anyone Else to hear Just sing, sing a song La la la la la La la la la la la... Sing, sing a song Let the world sing along Sing of love there could be Sing for you and for me Repeat (*)
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Post by BethMosior on Aug 17, 2004 15:08:20 GMT -5
Coooooool Rick, you know this is a great topic, I'm just enjoying everything I read, Karen & Richard truly are the greatest and nicest people, and ya'll are also the greatest & the nicest toooo thanx
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Post by enigma on Aug 17, 2004 15:20:36 GMT -5
I think I am going to throw another song in the hat too It's called Don't Be Afraid it was my first choice but I thought it was too simple to make a statement but it does.
Don't Be Afraid
Don't be afraid to love and get love returned, Don't be afraid to tell ev'ryone you loved That love is a groovy thing, it knows how to make you sing. and it fills up your life with sunshine and joy.
Don't be afraid to give all you've got to give. One of these days you'll find that's the way to live, And living is what we all were put on this earth to do, So come on and live and be happy Don't be afraid to love.
Live, give and love a simple but possative message. Alot of people have trouble with one or all these things and I just think the song has such a positive simple message. Lyrically I like it and I happen to find the song itself pleasant.
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Post by Federico Cruz on Aug 17, 2004 17:55:14 GMT -5
Wow!, three of them always were favorites of mine: "Don't Be Afraid", "Sing" and "Love Me For What I Am", lyrically and musically. And what about "Eve"?. Is a song dedicated to a potencial suicide:
Eve, I can't believe that you could mean what you just said, think of what you are, how very far you are from being real. Look into the mirror, nothing there to see, Eve, I can't believe you'd really leave him. Notice how her image saddens, how lonely she's become, just once I'd like to see her happy, before the winter comes. Eve, I wouldn't lie, the open sky is not your home, wide as it may be, reality is here among the stones, thorns among the roses add to what is real, Eve, you are a rose among the thorns here. I wish her only good times, before the winter comes.
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Post by Rick Henry on Aug 17, 2004 21:55:39 GMT -5
I think I am going to throw another song in the hat too It's called Don't Be Afraid it was my first choice but I thought it was too simple to make a statement but it does. Hi enigma, that's the wonderful thing about life the most important messages are those that are the simplest, most pure and uncomplicated ones. "love and get love returned"
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Post by BethMosior on Aug 18, 2004 5:43:08 GMT -5
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Post by Rob813 on Aug 18, 2004 20:44:01 GMT -5
Yes - a simple message is best at conveying deep emotional truths. Here's another favorite of mine.
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 mind 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?
Sad, but true of many an unrequited love.......
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Post by Rob813 on Aug 18, 2004 20:47:05 GMT -5
And on the positive side of the love coin, I agree with Engima's choice. Such a positive and wonderful affirmation of the need for love.
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Post by Moe on Aug 19, 2004 1:54:32 GMT -5
Good topic! I would have to say that "Goodbye to Love" should be added to the list. A very direct song about living without love.
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