-
[silence]
-
[footsteps approaching]
-
[water running]
-
(female voice)
Karen?
-
[footsteps approaching]
-
It's nearly a quarter after
-
and Sachs is jammed by 11.
-
We better get going.
-
Karen?
-
Karen?
-
[door creaks]
-
[soft ominous music]
-
Karen?
-
Karen!
-
Oh God!
-
KAREN!
-
HARRY, IT'S KAREN!
-
KAREN!
-
HARRY! HARRY! HARRY!
-
[loud ominous music]
-
[sudden silence]
-
(male voice)
What happened?
-
Why at the age of 32
-
was this smooth-voiced girl
from Downey, California,
-
who led a ruckus nation
smoothly into the 70s
-
found dead in her parent's home.
-
Let's go back.
-
Back to Southern California
where Karen and Richard grew up.
-
Back to the home in Downey
where their parents still live today.
-
♪ Long ago and oh so far away ♪
-
♪ I fell in love with you ♪
-
♪ Before the second show ♪
-
♪ Your guitar, it sounds
so sweet and clear ♪
-
♪ But you're not really here ♪
-
♪ It's just the radio ♪
-
♪ Don't you remember you
told me you loved me, baby ♪
-
♪ You said you'd be coming back
this way again, baby ♪
-
♪ Baby baby baby baby, oh baby ♪
-
♪ I love you ♪
-
♪ I really do ♪
-
[music fades]
-
[birds chirping]
-
[pop music playing in background]
-
♪ What do you get when you fall in love ♪
-
♪ A guy with a pin to burst your bubble ♪
-
♪ That's what you get
for all your troubles ♪
-
♪ I'll never fall in love agaaaain ♪
-
♪ I'll never fall in love again ♪
-
♪ What do you get
when you kiss a guy ♪
-
[music fades]
-
(mother)
Now Richard, I'm not trying to criticize.
-
You know we love your music.
-
All I'm saying is that it needs more...
-
(father)
More punch.
-
(mother)
Exactly. To break in.
-
What you need is a singer.
-
(Richard)
Mother, I can't sing and play keys
-
and lead a band all at the same...
-
(mother)
Shhh.
-
What is that?
-
Is that Karen?
-
[Karen singing with the radio]
-
It is Karen.
-
Richard, I think we just
found you your singer.
-
(Richard)
And lost me my drummer.
-
[knocking on door]
-
(Karen)
Yeah.
-
(mother)
Was that you just now singing?
-
(Karen)
Sorry, too loud?
-
(mother)
No.
-
(Richard)
Mom thinks that you should sing lead.
-
(Karen)
What? No way.
-
♪ I'll never fall in love again ♪
-
♪ Oh, I'll never fall in love again ♪
-
(agent)
Who else has heard this tape?
-
(Richard)
RCA.
-
Columbia.
-
Ah, Dekka.
-
(agent)
And they all turned you down?
-
(Karen)
They said it wouldn't sell.
-
(Richard)
That hard rock is in.
-
(Karen)
And wholesome is out.
-
(agent)
What's your name?
-
(Karen)
Me? Karen.
-
(agent)
Karen. I like your voice.
-
To tell you the truth,
-
I think you kids have really
got something here.
-
Karen and Richard Carpenter,
-
just a couple of kids next door.
-
Now listen to me.
-
You kids are young, fresh.
-
And it'll just be up to me
-
to make young and fresh
a happening thing.
-
I know it's a rough road out there
-
and the stakes are high.
-
But don't you worry,
-
we're a real family here at A&M.
-
We'll take real good care of you.
-
All you have to do is
put yourself in my hands.
-
[strange noises]
-
[loud scream]
-
[silence]
-
(male voice)
Ladies and gentlemen,
-
we have a real treat tonight.
-
It's my pleasure to introduce to you
-
the Carpenters!
-
[applause and cheers]
-
♪ We've only just begun to live ♪
-
♪ White lace and promises ♪
-
♪ A kiss for luck and we're on our way ♪
-
(chorus)
♪ We've only begun ♪
-
♪ Before the risin' sun, we fly ♪
-
♪ So many roads to choose ♪
-
♪ We start out walking
and learn to run ♪
-
(chorus)
♪ And yet we've just begun ♪
-
♪ Sharing horizons that are new to us ♪
-
♪ Watching the signs along the way ♪
-
♪ Talkin' it over, just the two of us ♪
-
♪ Workin' together day to day ♪
-
♪ Together ♪
-
♪ Together ♪
-
♪ And when the evening comes ♪
-
(chorus)
♪ We smile ♪
-
♪ So much of life ahead ♪
-
♪ We'll find a place
where there's room to grow ♪
-
♪ And yes, we've just begun ♪
-
[music fades]
-
(male voice)
The year is 1970.
-
And suddenly the nation finds itself
-
asking the question:
-
What if.
-
Instead of the riots
and assassinations,
-
the protests and the drugs,
-
instead of the angry words
and hard rock sounds,
-
we were to hear something soft and smooth
-
and see something of wholesomeness
-
and easy-handed faith.
-
This was the year that put
the song on to the charts
-
that made the Carpenters
a household word.
-
♪♪