I confess to not knowing the existence of this song, at least not this version by the Carpenters, until early in this new millennium. Crazy, right? Especially once hearing the way Karen Carpenter sings, so beautifully and so earnestly, the lyrics written by Leon Russell. Part of the reason I love Karen Carpenter is the obvious connection of her voice to my childhood, but to find a song by an artist so long after said artist’s death, and to be moved so profoundly by that song, speaks deeply to me. There is subtle sadness in a song that is a true love song sung by a girl who, in her own life, was tortured, constantly battling self-loathing. Talk about bittersweet. A Song For You, has been recorded by many different diverse artists, notably by another tragic artist from the seventies named Donnie Hathaway, and also by American Idol runner-up Elliott Yamin, whose unbelievable performance was what struck me to research the song, and led me to this version by the Carpenters. And for me, this one is, and should be, the staple. When something so beautiful is done in such an understated way, it needs to be revered. I hope you feel the same way.
From the historical writing archive. Original date: December 14, 2016. Recovered from local source material; editorial review is still in progress.