CARPENTERS - RAINY DAYS AND MONDAYS

Released: April 23, 1971

Charts:  UK: #63    US: #2 

"Rainy Days and Mondays," performed by The Carpenters and featured on their third self-titled album, was written by Paul Williams and Roger Nichols as one of their early collaborations. The song, with instrumental backing by the Wrecking Crew, reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, spending seven weeks in the Top 10. It was kept from the top spot by Carole King's double A-side hit "It's Too Late"/"I Feel the Earth Move."

"Rainy Days and Mondays" delivers a poignant and empathetic portrayal of the emotional emptiness many 1970s housewives experienced, which feminist Betty Friedan famously termed "the problem that has no name." Karen Carpenter's vocal performance shifts from a sense of resigned misery to a detached indifference, especially in the line "nice to know somebody loves me," highlighting a contrast between the hollow emotional state and the warm, comforting arrangement of the song. This subtle yet powerful delivery mirrors the fatigued isolation often hidden behind societal norms of contentment.

Paul Williams, who began his career as an actor before turning to songwriting, recounted how he struggled with acting roles that did not lead to a breakthrough. Williams shared a personal story about his mother, who had moved in with him during a period of career uncertainty. As he struggled with his acting career and began to focus on songwriting, he drew inspiration from his mother’s reflections on feeling old, which influenced the lyrics of "Rainy Days and Mondays." 

Paul Williams shared that a line in this song was created on the spot. Chuck Kay, head of publishing at A&M, suggested the song for The 5th Dimension but noted that some lyrics were unfinished. Williams came up with the line "What I've got they used to call the blues" during the car ride, as a quick fill to replace a more clichéd expression. Williams later considered this line his favorite in the song. He recounted a memorable moment when Johnny Mercer, a lyricist he admired, recognized him and complimented that very line, which Williams found to be one of the highlights of his career.