What pop single from the late 60s starts with an awesome acoustic guitar lick, the most ferocious hand claps ever recorded, contains delicious vocal harmonies to extremely bitter lyrics, and ends with a sitar freakout? Why Carpet Man from the Fifth Dimension's Magic Garden LP, of course! Also released as a 45 rpm single on Soul City Records #762, debuted 2/3/68 and peaked at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Another Jimmy Webb gem wherein the upbeat melodies attempt to hide the intense pain of the subject matter.
I would think you'd get tired of hurtin'
Every now and then
It's no good down there that's for certain
And carpets do get thin
And that's when they have to be thrown away
That's what she'll say to herself some sunny day
And she'll say come to my wedding and of course you do
And then the groom and her will have a dance on you
She walks all over you
You know she can, she knows she can
You're a carpet man
Shel Talmy, 1937-2024
8 hours ago
2 comments:
I had completely forgotten about this song! You are certainly right about those ferocious handclaps. It almost sounds like a Neil Diamond song as it begins -- "Cherry, Cherry," maybe -- but then those sunshine-sweet vocals come in. You're really making me appreciate how the Fifth Dimension mixed soul and Southern California rock.
There was maybe, what, a 3-year, OK, maybe 4-year, window when a record like this could get airplay? We didn't know how good we had it, sonny!
Post a Comment