Bittersweet Melodies(????:???????)

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Bittersweet Melodies(???????????)

• aren and Richard Carpenter first began making
  music together while growing up in Connecticut,
  USA. They couldn't have known it then, but they
  would someday become pop music superstars. Known
  simply as "The Carpenters," this brother and
  sister team produced such timeless hits as "Close
  To You" and "We've Only Just Begun." Their unique
  sound, dominated by Karen's pure, natural voice,
  is still recognized the world over. Attaining
  success, however, was no bed of roses.

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• Socially and artistically, the 1960s were a
  chaotic time when most pop music had an edge. At
  first, the Carpenters' music was rejected by the
  music industry as being too soft. In 1969,
  however, they finally won a record contract and
  began their rise to the top. Sadly, Karen died
  suddenly in 1983 from heart failure brought on by
  her eight-year struggle with anorexia. It is a
  bitter irony that one who produced such
  optimistic music would meet with such a tragic
  end.

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• Richard and John Bettis wrote Yesterday Once
  More in response to the nostalgia craze of the
  early 70s. The wistful ballad, which set up the
  oldies medley on the Now And Then album, became a
  smash in its own right in the summer of 1973. The
  song went gold and reached 2 in both the U.S.
  and the U.K. It did even better in Japan, where
  it became one of the best-selling singles of all
  time.

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• Karen and Richard were teenagers in Downey,
  Calif. When the Beatles Ticket To Ride hit 1
  in 1965. The Carpenters were just about the
  hottest recording group in the world nine years
  later when Paul McCartney invited them to stop by
  at a recording session. McCartney greeted his
  American visitors by singing a few bars of their
  1 hit, Top Of The World. The Carpenters
  version of Ticket To Ride made the lower
  reaches of the Billboard chart in February 1970.

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• It dropped off in March, but came back stronger
  than ever following the April 10 announcement of
  the Beatles breakup. The duos melancholy
  interpretation of the Fab Four fave seemed to set
  just the right mood for bummed-out Beatlemaniacs.
  Richards arrangement is among his most
  inventive His baroque piano introduction
  increases the listeners surprise when he finally
  realizes that hes listening to a Beatles song.