There is only one wish on my mind...

The Carpenters ~ Top of The World (Live at the White House)

 

Thanks to the toy company, MATTEL, this is one of my all time favorite songs. Some time in the early 70's Mattel released a "singing Barbie" and I was blessed to receive her from Santa. She was beautiful in her goovy mini-dress and her microphone stand. She would balance on her pink plastic stage and belt out her her songs. Back in 1970, the way she "sang" was by me playing the 45 record that came along in the box. The song on side A of that 45 was "Top of The World". Perhaps, this is why I learned to love Karen Carpenter, because she was the first artist who was mine and I wanted to be just like Barbie and sound like Karen Carpenter. Perhaps this is partly why Karen Carpenter couldn't be satisfied with herself, because the World wanted her to sound like Karen Carpenter and look like Barbie?

Watching this video is heartbreaking because, we now know, it is such a paradox to how she was feeling--while it should be spot on with what she is experiencing. She truly is "on the top of the world" at the time she is singing this song. She is a guest at the White House, performing for the most powerful man in world (just before the firestorm of all of his drama is about to unfold for the world). And yet, now we know that while things looked great on the outside, she was struggling--just like the rest of us. She was struggling to find love. She was insecure about her appearance and her worth. She couldn't see her own value. 

It's interesting because most of her songs don't show us the depth to the pain that she was carrying around with her. Most artists, authors, and musicians seem to be screaming out, in their own unique ways, who they want to be...who they are trying to become. Not who they feel they are.

The final reason I love this song, is because it has been a part of me for so long, that it can only be sung to the Lover of my Soul. When I sing along to the lyrics (and I do, because it's on my ipod and it's my default ringtone) I sing them to the One who helps me be who I am longing to become. Practically any song can become worship to the Creator of the Universe.

"...everything I want the world to be, is now coming true, especially for me. And the reason is clear, it's because You are here. You're the nearest thing to Heaven that I've seen."