For All We Know

Album: Carpenters (1971)
Charted: 3
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This was the love theme from the 1970 film Lovers and Other Strangers, in which a couple who live together get married and they are the only 2 people who are happy about their marriage (all the other people in their lives are having marital or pre-marital troubles); it is played during the scene where they tie the knot.
  • In late 1970, while the Carpenters had a concert tour in Toronto and Chicago, Richard was worried about what song should follow their previous hits "(They Long to Be) Close to You" and "We've Only Just Begun" (which was still holding the #1 spot on the Adult Contemporary charts). Their manager advised them to take a short break from their work and go to a movie theater to see the film. Richard and Karen were immediately taken with this song and agreed that it should be the follow-up to their previous hits. After returning home, they recorded it, released it in December, and it went gold in only two months. The Carpenters' success with this song helped it win the 1970 Oscar for Best Song.
  • A version by Shirley Bassey reached #6 in the UK a few months after the Carpenters' version was released in the US. A version by Nicki French reached #42 in the UK in 1995. Other artists who have covered this song include Carol Burnett, Petula Clark, Perry Como, Johnny Mathis, Maureen McGovern, Dionne Warwick, and Andy Williams. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Jerro - New Alexandria, PA, for all above

Comments: 7

  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn March 7th 1971, "For All We Know" by the Carpenters peaked at #3 (for 2 non-consecutive weeks) on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; it had entered the chart on January 31st at position #87 and spent 13 weeks on the Top 100 (and for 7 of those 13 weeks it was on the Top 10)...
    And on February 21st it reached #1 (for 3 weeks) on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Tracks chart (they would have two other records make #1 on the 'Adult' chart; "Rain Days and Monday" for 4 weeks and "Superstar" for 2 weeks)...
    The song won the 1970 Academy Award for 'Best Original Song' from the movie 'Lovers and Other Strangers'...
    R.I.P Karen Carpenter (1950 - 1983) and Richard Carpenter will celebrate his 68th birthday this coming October 15th (2014).
  • Martin from Fresno, CaLyrics are true. You love and know some things about your spouse before you get married but there are a lot of things you do not discover until you are married.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyThis song was won for Best Song at the 1970 Academy Awards!!!
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyIn 1962 Dinah Washington recorded a great blues song called "For All We Know", it was a complete different song and it peaked at No. 88!!!
  • Camille from Toronto, OhKaren Carpenter's voice smoooooth as velvet on one of my fav Carpenter hits.
  • John from This City, AustraliaAll is good and i will never dispute how much I miss Caren She was perfect.
  • Jorge from Mexico, MexicoThis song was originally written for the movie by James Griffin shortly before he joined David Gates to form the multiawarded soft rock 70's pop group "Bread". There's a recording made by Griffin in 1969 in the double album "Bread: Retrospective".
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Andy McClusky of OMD

Andy McClusky of OMDSongwriter Interviews

Known in America for the hit "If You Leave," OMD is a huge influence on modern electronic music.

Jimmy Webb

Jimmy WebbSongwriter Interviews

Webb talks about his classic songs "By the Time I Get to Phoenix," "Wichita Lineman" and "MacArthur Park."

Arrested For Your Art - The Story Of 2 Live Crew's "Obscene" Album

Arrested For Your Art - The Story Of 2 Live Crew's "Obscene" AlbumSong Writing

In the summer of 1990, you could get arrested for selling a 2 Live Crew album or performing their songs in Southern Florida. And that's exactly what happened.

George Harrison

George HarrisonFact or Fiction

Did Eric Clapton really steal George's wife? What's the George Harrison-Monty Python connection? Set the record straight with our Fact or Fiction quiz.

Kerry Livgren of Kansas

Kerry Livgren of KansasSongwriter Interviews

In this talk from the '80s, the Kansas frontman talks turning to God and writing "Dust In The Wind."

Rupert Hine

Rupert HineSongwriter Interviews

Producer Rupert Hine talks about crafting hits for Tina Turner, Howard Jones and The Fixx.