About The Song
Released on April 13, 1974, ‘I Won’t Last A Day Without You,’ was the Carpenters’ 14th single to make the Billboard Hot 100.
In 1974, on what was maybe the unlucky 13th of April, Karen and Richard Carpenter had their 14th single enter the Billboard chart, it did so at No.70, the highest new entry of the week. “I Won’t Last A Day Without You” was, in many ways, a curious choice for a single because it came from their album, A Song For You, that had come out close to two years earlier and had already included three big hit singles.
The Carpenters then issued “Sing” and “Yesterday Once More” from their 1973 album, Now & Then. But they had gone back to their A Song For You album for their 13th charting single, “Top of the World,” and it topped the Billboard charts for a couple of weeks in December 1973.
“I Won’t Last A Day Without You” is a peach of a song, featuring some of Karen’s finest harmony vocals. Written by lyricist Paul Williams and with a lovely melody by Roger Nichols, Williams had released his own version of the song in 1973. Williams and Nichols had already contributed “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “I Kept On Loving You,” and “Rainy Days and Mondays” to earlier Carpenters’ albums.
Besides reaching No.11 on the Hot 100 “I Won’t Last a Day Without You” made the top of the Billboard Easy Listening chart. The Carpenters’ next single was “Please Mr. Postman” which also topped the Billboard chart, so “I Won’t Last A Day Without You” really was a little unlucky.
Roger Nichols was one of those Californian musicians (although he was born in Montana) that seemed to have such an assured way with soft pop/rock and in 1968 along with Tony Asher, who wrote lyrics for the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds album, they co-wrote songs on Nichols’ debut album Roger Nichols And The Small Circle Of Friends for A&M Records.
The album is a little gem that was produced by Tommy LiPuma and engineered by Bruce Botnick; it featured contributions from Van Dyke Parks and Randy Newman. If you love the Carpenters you will love this record too.
Video
Lyrics
Day after day I must face a world of strangers
Where I don’t belong, I’m not that strong
It’s nice to know that there’s someone I can turn to
Who will always care, you’re always there
When there’s no getting over that rainbow
When my smallest of dreams won’t come true
I can take all the madness the world has to give
But I won’t last a day without you
So many times when the city seems to be
Without a friendly face, a lonely place
It’s nice to know that you’ll be there if I need you
And you’ll always smile, it’s all worthwhile
When there’s no getting over that rainbow
When my smallest of dreams won’t come true
I can take all the madness the world has to give
But I won’t last a day without you
Touch me and I end up singing
Troubles seem to up and disappear
You touch me with the love you’re bringing
I can’t really lose when you’re near
When you’re near, my love
If all my friends have forgotten half their promises
They’re not unkind, just hard to find
One look at you and I know that I could learn to live
Without the rest, I’ve found the best
When there’s no getting over that rainbow
When my smallest of dreams won’t come true
I can take all the madness the world has to give
But I won’t last a day without you
When there’s no getting over that rainbow
When my smallest of dreams won’t come true
I can take all the madness the world has to give
But I won’t last a day without you
Won’t last a day without you, without you
Beautiful voice died so sadly and so young.
voice of an angel
She had such gift from God. But her music lives on forever!
We lost a singing legend it was so sad that we all especially her family lost her too soon. A Very lovely lady who didn’t need to change anything about her self. She was perfect in every way. Her voice was one of a kind and she also played the drums very well too. She had so much talent and we were and still are very blessed to have her for as long as we did. The Carpenter’s music was always great. We love hearing it as much as we can. Thank you !
I love their music but the fact and way Karen died was so sad. A real case of self hate. She had it all and couldn’t see it. Very sad.
As ever, she sings perfectly. Takes a competent but not exceptional song and turns it into something immortal.