"Solitaire" is a ballad composed by Neil Sedaka with lyrics by Phil Cody and originally recorded by Sedaka on his 1972 album Solitaire. It uses the card game of solitaire as a metaphor for a man "who lost his love through his indifference"—"while life goes on around him everywhere he's playing solitaire". A version by Andy Williams reached number 4 in the UK Singles Chart in 1973. In 1975, the song was a U.S. top-20 single for the Carpenters.
Early versions Sedaka originally was inspired by Frederic Chopin (his favorite classical composer) for the chorus and by Roberta Flack in the verses. When he presented the tune to Cody, he came up with the words based on his recent divorce; Cody had been playing solitaire frequently as a coping mechanism. Both Sedaka and Cody considered the composition to be a spiritual experience.Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine:
Neil Sedaka recorded "Solitaire" as the title cut for a 1972 album at Strawberry Studios, Stockport, England backed by Lol Creme, Kevin Godley and Graham Gouldman while Eric Stewart engineered the session. Creme, Godley, Gouldman and Stewart would later go on to record under the name 10cc.
Appearing on 1972 album releases by both Tony Christie and Petula Clark, "Solitaire" had its first evident single release in February 1973 as recorded by the Searchers; however it was an autumn 1973 single by Andy Williams which would reach number 4 in the UK Singles Chart and afford Williams a number 1 hit in South Africa. The title cut from an album produced by Richard Perry, Williams' "Solitaire" also became a US Easy Listening hit at number 23. In 1974, Neil Sedaka's 1972 recording of "Solitaire" was included on his comeback album Sedaka's Back. Later in 1975, a live-in-concert version recorded by Sedaka at the Royal Festival Hall was issued as the B-side of "The Queen of 1964". This is the version of "Solitaire" that was released as part of Razor & Tie's 2007 Definitive Collection album.
Carpenters version The Carpenters recorded "Solitaire" for the 1975 Horizon album; Richard Carpenter, familiar with the song via the versions by Neil Sedaka and Andy Williams, was "not crazy" about the song, but he felt it would showcase Karen Carpenter's vocal expertise. Despite assessing her vocal performance on "Solitaire" as "one of [her] greatest", Richard says that, "she never liked the song [and]...she never changed her opinion."John Tobler. The Complete Guide to the Music of the Carpenters (1997); Omnibus Press, London; ; p. 66
"Solitaire" was issued as the third single from Horizon; for the single version a guitar lead was added between the first verse and chorus.
The single reached number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became the duo's least successful single since "Bless the Beasts and Children" in 1971. However "Solitaire" did afford the Carpenters their twelfth of fifteen number 1 Easy Listening hits.
Personnel Karen Carpenter – lead and backing vocals Richard Carpenter – backing vocals, piano, Fender Rhodes electric piano, Hammond organ, orchestration Joe Osborn – bass Tony Peluso – guitar Jim Gordon – drums Earle Dumler – oboe
Chart performance Andy Williams version Chart (1973–1974)PeakpositionCanada RPM Adult Contemporary34New Zealand (Listener)Flavour of New Zealand, 4 May 197418South Africa (Springbok)1UK Singles Chart4US Billboard Easy Listening23
Year-end charts Chart (1974)RankSouth Africa5UK52
Carpenters version Chart (1975)PeakpositionAustralia (Kent Music Report) 61Canada RPM Top Singles 12Canada RPM Adult Contemporary3Quebec (ADISQ)47Oricon (Japanese) Singles Chart44New Zealand (RIANZ)6UK Singles Chart32US Cash Box Top 10015US Cashbox Radio Active Airplay Singles2
Year-end charts Chart (1975)RankCanada116U.S. Billboard Easy ListeningTop 50 Adult Contemporary Hits of 197540
Other notable cover versions
Clay Aiken (US #4, Canada #1, 2004) Tony Christie Jann Arden Iveta Bartošová ("Solitér" Czech) Shirley Bassey – from her album All by Myself (1982) Beat Crusaders Sheryl Crow - on the 1994 tribute album If I Were a Carpenter Vic Damone - from his album Now and Forever (1982). Gallon Drunk Johnny Goudie Sissel Kyrkjebø Johnny Mathis - included on his album Feelings (1975) Joe McElderry Nana Mouskouri Jane Olivor Patricia Paay (Netherlands number 24) 1983 Elvis Presley - included on his album From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee (1976) Brett Smiley Westlife Roger Whittaker Mark Lanegan on his 2013 album Imitations Josh Groban
Different version of the lyrics There are significant differences between the lyrics in the Neil Sedaka, Andy Williams and Carpenters versions. Andy Williams asked Philip Cody to rewrite the lyrics and make them more personal, perhaps reflecting his then current separation from his wife, while the Carpenters took some of the Andy Williams changes but elsewhere kept Phil Cody's original lyrics. Cody has said he now prefers the Carpenters version.
See also List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1975 (U.S.)
References