Roger Nichols, best-known for co-writing such Carpenters hits as “We’ve Solely Simply Begun,” “Wet Days and Mondays” and “I Received’t Final a Day With out You” with lyricist Paul Williams, died on Might 17. He was 84.
Williams confirmed Nichols’ demise in an prolonged, and deeply affectionate, publish on Instagram. Williams didn’t checklist a explanation for demise, although he reported the fundamental circumstances of the demise. “Roger Nichols handed away peacefully 4 days in the past, at residence together with his stunning household …his spouse Terry and the daughters he was so happy with, Claire and Caitlin at his facet.” (See full textual content of Williams Instagram publish beneath.)
Nichols signed as an artist to A&M Data in 1968, a 12 months earlier than Karen and Richard Carpenter have been signed to the Los Angeles-based label. His debut album Roger Nichols and the Small Circle of Buddies was produced by Tommy LiPuma, engineered by Bruce Botnick, and featured session contributions from Van Dyke Parks, Randy Newman and Lenny Waronker. Though the album did not crack the Billboard 200, A&M co-founder Herb Alpert thought there was one thing there and advisable that Nichols be employed by A&M’s publishing firm as a workers songwriter. It was throughout this era that he was launched to Williams.
That was a characteristically astute name on Alpert’s half. Williams and Nichols have been one of many hottest pop songwriting groups of the early Seventies.
Williams and Nichols took off as songwriters within the fall of 1970, after they had two songs within the high 15 on the Billboard Sizzling 100 on the identical time. On the charts dated Oct. 17 and 24, Carpenters’ model of “We’ve Solely Simply Begun,” a ballad which had originated as “soft-sell” business for Crocker-Residents Nationwide Financial institution, was within the high 5 (on its technique to a No. 2 peak). Three Canine Night time’s “Out within the Nation” was holding at its No. 15 peak.
The Carpenters smash, an on the spot commonplace, was lushly romantic. The Three Canine Night time hit was a fresh-sounding mixture of pop, rock and people. Having two simultaneous hits by two completely different acts in two completely different kinds caught the trade’s consideration. “We’ve Solely Simply Begun” went on to obtain two Grammy nominations – for tune of the 12 months and finest modern tune — on the first dwell Grammy telecast in March 1971. (It misplaced each awards to Paul Simon’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water.”) The Carpenters’ recording of the tune was voted into the Grammy Corridor of Fame in 1998.
Williams and Nichols continued writing songs for the Carpenters, together with “Wet Days and Mondays,” an excellent and remarkably grownup ballad which reached No. 2 (it took Carole King’s letter-perfect “It’s Too Late” to maintain it out of the highest spot), “Let Me Be the One” (one other first-rate ballad that the duo by no means bought round to releasing as a single), and “I Received’t Final a Day With out You,” a 1972 album monitor that was lastly launched as a single in 1974, when it climbed to No. 11.
Barbra Streisand lined “I Received’t Final a Day With out You” on her ButterFly album later in 1974. On her following album, Lazy Afternoon, she recorded one other Williams-Nichols tune, “I By no means Had It So Good.” Each of these albums went gold.
Artwork Garfunkel recorded a young Williams-Nichols tune, “Touring Boy,” for his first solo album, 1973’s Angel Clare, which made the highest 10 on the Billboard 200. The tune was launched because the third single from the album, and bubbled beneath the Sizzling 100.
Nichols additionally had some successes with different collaborators. He teamed with William Lane to write down “Occasions of Your Life,” which Paul Anka recorded in 1975. Like “We’ve Solely Simply Begun,” this tune was additionally tailored from a well-liked TV business – for Kodak. Anka’s recording reached No 7 on the Sizzling 100 in February 1976.
Nichols retired quickly afterwards, however his songs dwell on. R.E.M. lined “Out within the Nation” as a B-side for his or her 2003 single “Unhealthy Day.” Rumer lined “Touring Boy” on her 2012 album Boys Don’t Cry.
Nichols was honored throughout Florida Chapter Presents The Recording Academy Honors 2006 at Loews Miami Seashore Resort in Miami.
He was nominated for the Songwriters Corridor of Fame on Nov. 12, for the category that will likely be inducted on June 12. He wasn’t elected (the competitors is fierce yearly), however the poll listed the 5 songs which might be in all probability his most well-known and enduring: “We’ve Solely Simply Begun,” “Wet Days and Mondays,” “I Received’t Final a Day With out You,” “Out within the Nation,” “Occasions of Your Life”
In a touch upon Williams’ Instagram publish, Nichols’ daughter Claire wrote, “My mother, Terri, and my sisters, Caroline and Caitlin, are all so happy with the person he was, and are in awe of the legacy he leaves.”
Right here’s the complete textual content of Williams’ Instagram publish saying Nichols’ demise.
“The primary tune, Roger Nichols and I wrote was known as “it’s arduous to say goodbye. “… Sadly, we hit the nail on the top. Roger Nichols handed away peacefully 4 days in the past, at residence together with his stunning household …his spouse Terry and the daughters he was so happy with, Claire and Caitlin at his facet. They have been his dream come true. His best pleasure
“Roger was my writing accomplice and my music college… a collaborator
for years and a buddy for all times. I used to be an out of labor actor in search of a profession in music after I was signed by A&M data publishing. They have been in search of a lyricist for Roger Nichols. An industrial energy, fortunate break that modified my life.
“We wrote nearly on daily basis for a number of years. He was as disciplined as he was gifted. I had the eye span of a sea otter… I used to be prepared for a break after three hours and Roger would plunge forward for an additional 4 or 5. The phrases have been born of the wonder in his accomplished melodies.
I wrote what I heard, notice for notice…phrase for phrase. The lyrics ready within the emotion already in his music. He made it simple.
“After many great productive years, I wished us to write down songs for films. He had one other dream. He mentioned I wanna go fishing … wanna return to Montana. He smiled and mentioned one thing about having a household and possibly making a house by a pleasant little river… it was clear that he was already gone. A couple of years in the past, I visited him and met Terry and the women on the home by the river …and I knew he discovered his dream.
“One final story. Roger was actually excited when his daughter Caitlin was getting married final September. He chuckled and requested, “are you able to image me wheeling down the aisle in my wheelchair, holding my daughter’s hand?”
“In fact, I mentioned sure then …. and proper now Roger, I can image hundreds of proud dads and their stunning daughters that walked down the aisle to your beautiful music or danced their father and daughter dance to We’ve solely simply begun… image them standing and applauding what you delivered to their lives and to mine. You introduced love and wonder into this world, and we are going to always remember you.
In gratitude with a lot love… Paul”
