Yesterday Once More: Memories of the Carpenters and Their Music

With “Close To You,” “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “Rainy Days and Mondays,” “Yesterday Once More,” “Top of the World” and a string of other hits, the Carpenters were responsible for some of the most popular music of the 1970s. Karen Carpenter’s warm and distinctive vocals and Richard Carpenter’s sophisticated compositions and arrangements were embraced by millions of record buyers. “Yesterday Once Memories of the Carpenters and Their Music” collects over 45 articles, interviews, essays, reviews, and reassessments which chronicle the lives and career of this brother-sister musical duo. Insight into the music and personalities of the Carpenters is provided in writings from pop journalists and historians such as former Billboard columnist Paul Grein, legendary rock critic Lester Bangs, Los Angeles Times pop writer Robert Hilburn, and Carpenters biographer Ray Coleman. Articles The Carpenters’ recordings and concert performances The duo’s love-hate relationship with critics Karen Carpenter’s health problems and tragic death in 1983 The revival of interest in the Carpenters’ music during the 1990s From serious musical analyses of the Carpenters’ vocal and instrumental arrangements to lighter pieces in which Karen and Richard discuss dating, cars, and high school, “Yesterday Once More” will delight Carpenters fans and provide insight to anyone seeking a better understanding and appreciation of the duo which produced some of the most timeless pop music of the 20th century.