Carpenters / Now & Then (UA, A&M Records, SP-3519) <May 1, 1973>

Carpenters / Now & Then (UA, A&M Records, SP-3519) <May 1, 1973>
(SIDE 1) A&M SP3555-M1 -EX MR △17883(5)
(SIDE 2) A&M SP3556(DJ VERSION)-M2 MR △17936(3)

1973年5月16日発表との記載もある、カーペンターズ全盛期の5作目。A面が"Now"、B面が"Then"という作りのコンセプト・アルバムで、B面はノスタルジックな名曲"Yesterday Once More"に挟まれ、「ラジオを聴く」体裁で有名なオールディーズのカヴァーが連続する内容になっています。ベスト盤には必ず収録される"Sing"、"This Masquerade"、"Jambalaya (On the Bayou)"、"Yesterday Once More"を収めており非常に聴きやすい内容です。

意外なことに、日本のオリコンで1位になりましたが本国US Billboard 200では最高2位、そのほかの国でも1位になっておらず、Allmusicでは★2.5など評論家からは低評価の作品です。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTaWayUE5XA

"Yesterday Once More"

When I was young
I'd listen to the radio
Waitin' for my favorite songs
When they played I'd sing along
It made me smile

Those were such happy times
And not so long ago
How I wondered where they'd gone
But they're back again
Just like a long lost friend
All the songs I loved so well

Every Sha-la-la-la
Every Wo-o-wo-o
Still shines
Every shing-a-ling-a-ling
That they're startin' to sing's
So fine

When they get to the part
Where he's breakin' her heart
It can really make me cry
Just like before
It's yesterday once more

Lookin' back on how it was
In years gone by
And the good times that I had
Makes today seem rather sad
So much has changed

It was songs of love that
I would sing to then
And I'd memorize each word
Those old melodies
Still sound so good to me
As they melt the years away

Every Sha-la-la-la
Every Wo-o-wo-o
Still shines
Every shing-a-ling-a-ling
That they're startin' to sing's
So fine

All my best memories
Come back clearly to me
Some can even make me cry
Just like before
It's yesterday once more

Every Sha-la-la-la
Every Wo-o-wo-o
Still shines
Every shing-a-ling-a-ling
That they're startin' to sing's
So fine

Every Sha-la-la-la
Every Wo-o-wo-o
Still shines
Every shing-a-ling-a-ling
That they're startin' to sing's
So fine