“Top of the World” is a 1972 song by The Carpenters. Originally recorded for and released on the duo’s 1972 studio album A Song for You, the song topped the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in late 1973, becoming the duo’s second U.S. #1 single. Originally intended to be only an album cut for the Carpenters, country singer Lynn Anderson covered the song and her version became the first hit. Anderson’s version reached #2 on the U.S. country singles charts in mid-1973. The success of Anderson’s version prompted the Carpenters to release a new version as a single, where it topped the U.S. pop singles chart for two weeks in December 1973. Karen Carpenter re-recorded the song for the band’s first compilation as she was not quite satisfied with the original. Brother Richard Carpenter has remixed the song’s vocals, most recently for their 35th Anniversary Gold compilation.
In 1975, the French Canadian singer Claude Valade recorded Top of the World in French Au bout du monde, (Lyrics by Christine Charbonneau). The song was part of her album «Collection Country» released by London-Deram.
The Quebecan singer Bourbon Gautier recorded a Quebec French cover in 2006 titled “Au bout du monde” on the album Quand le Country dit bonjour… released by AMP Records, with lyrics by Christine Charbonneau.
In Japan, the song was used as the opening theme song for the 1995 Japanese drama Miseinen. In 2003, it was used for another drama, this time as the ending theme song for Beginner.
A Cantonese Christian song by the name of “冰天的太陽” (“Season of Ice and Sun”) was written using the melody of the song.

By The Carpenters

Lyrics