In the book released in 2010 “Little Girl Blue: The Life of Karen Carpenter”, it is said that Karen Carpenter used to love working with songwriter Rod Temperton. The same Temperton that later will work with Michael Jackson on “Off The Wall” and “Thriller”. Temperton is credited on the songs “Off The Wall”, “Rock With You”, “Burn This Disco Out”, “Thriller”, “Baby Be Mine” and “The Lady In My Life”.
Temperton offered Carpenter two songs that Michael Jackson will later record: “Off The Wall” and “Rock With You”. When Temperton introduced Carpenter to the songs, they were rough demos and she rejected them because they were too funky for her taste.
Little she knew that the songs became Jackson’s hits with “Off The Wall” peaking at No10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and staying on the chart for 17 weeks and “Rock With You” was even more successful topping the Billboard Hot 100 staying on the chart for 24 weeks.
It was also rumoured that “She’s Out Of My Life” was also about her. Tom Bahler who wrote the song, dated Carpenter in 1978.
“Some believe that I had written that as a result of mine and Karen’s breakup,” Bähler said. “The fact is, I had already written that song by the time Karen and I became romantic. That song was written more about Rhonda Rivera, who later married my friend John Davidson. Rhonda and I had been together for two years, and it was after we broke up that I started dating Karen.”
Regardless of who “She’s Out of My Life” was about, the song became a massive hit. The track reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, staying on the chart for 16 weeks.
Interesting !
Yes, I think she was right, bit too funky for her voice. Interesting to hear though.