Potential Singles ?

[Mark-T]

Brian wrote: "Many, many artists, including soul, jazz, pop and rock people, recorded 'A Song for You' around the time that Karen and Richard did and this would have lessened the power of their version where radio was concerned. I love Richard's arrangement, Karen and Richard's harmonies and part of Karen's vocal delivery, although I think she didn't interpret it as sensitively as she could have. She tears into it full-throttle instead of varying her tone in keeping with the lyrics."

I think you hit the nail right on the head. I've always loved this song (especially the sax solo and ending) but something felt "off" in Karen's take on it that I couldn't put into words. Great- but not perfect or defining. (For the record, I don't find Donny Hathaway's version any better- just different.)

 

[Carpe diem]

Some more thoughts on I Just Fall...I would probably substitute the word "dramatic" for "passionate", Murray. Passionate about Karen Carpenter's vocal legacy, or should I say "gift to the world" (how's that for drama?). As far as the "nasalness" of Karen's vocals, no one with the exception of Helen Reddy, sounds more consistently "nasally" than Anne Murray. There is also a "muffled" and kind of "masculine" quality to her vocals that has always bugged me. I agree, the song was "over produced" by The Carpenters and sometimes you really have to work hard to drown-out all the background busyness to hear Karen's vocals. I also question the lengthy Tony P fuzz guitar solo, but hey, it worked on Goodbye To Love. But, Anne took the song into the studio, did a karaoke version of Karen's vocals, did not over produce it, and it became a huge hit for her (nasally voice and all). God bless her, she seems like a nice woman and has had a very successful career. I would love to hear Karen and Anne's vocals completely isolated concerning this song. Is that YouTube guy still in business that tries to isolate all of Karen's vocals?

 

[Harry]

As far as the "nasalness" of Karen's vocals, no one with the exception of Helen Reddy, sounds more consistently "nasally" than Anne Murray.

That's almost a re-phrasing of my point. Karen's vocals in general were never nasally at all, but here, on this song, she surely had just gone through a box of Kleenex in recent days.

 

[tomswift2002]

One song that I'm surprised Richard didn't release as a single, and it's from his solo album, is Say Yeah!. It's a very 80's sounding song, and I keep thinking that it is in the same vein as a-ha's 1985 Take On Me, and I always wonder what it could've done on the charts had it been released as a single in 86 or 87. Say Yeah! should've been the first single off of Time with maybe Something In Your Eyes as the B-Side, or issued as a Double-A Side.

Also, I know that it was released in Japan, but Who Do You Love? should've been the second single released in the US backed with Remind Me To Tell You.

 

[Murphy]

Although I think "Let Me Be The One" is the surefire hit from this group. my second choice would be "Can't Smile Without You". I thought so the very first time I heard it, long before Manilow's version. I've always felt that if that song had been released instead of "Solitaire", their success would have lasted much longer. "Can't Smile..." really had a "Close To You" feel to it.

Sorry, but I can't see "Happy" as a single at all. It always seemed like album filler to me.

 

[ars nova]

I was " told ' by someone who " knew " by someone who " read ", that Richard had wanted to release DESPERADO as a single, but a&m shut it down because the song had so much of a following, being associated with the eagles and linda rondstadt.

 

[K.C. Jr]

I was " told ' by someone who " knew " by someone who " read ", that Richard had wanted to release DESPERADO as a single, but a&m shut it down because the song had so much of a following, being associated with the eagles and linda rondstadt.

Wish they had. It's my favorite on that album by far!

 

[Don Malcolm]

"Desperado" is a personal favorite...I think it demonstrates that K&R could still reinterpret contemporary works in a way that made them uniquely their own. But I can't see it blazing up the charts in 1975, especially as a followup to "Postman."

A better overall arrangement on "Happy" could have brought it to a point where it would have had a solid shot at chart success (ironically, a song written by Tony Peluso that doesn't feature an extended sequence of bravura guitar work!! ...and that synthesizer outro was actually a hook, if it had been placed in the earlier break where it's played by some rather weak-kneed strings--and it should have been Tony playing that same part on guitar to end the song). Some trippier vocal arrangements in the verses would have helped, too...this is one song that could have been jump-started by a more dynamic production. Of all these songs, it's the only one (IMO) with the potential to crack the Top 10...if properly "optimized."

 

[Mark-T]

I love Desperado, and I agree, Don, with your opening statement about it.
IMHO, it would be one where careful promotion to Country radio and a well planned out Fall promotion would have helped it slowly build to chart success. It's "adult" without being bland and powerful in it subtle beauty. Still sounds fresh today.

 

[Harry]

I wonder if Richard's opinion of "Happy", because of the annoying synth at the end, has lessened over the years. It's not one that has shown up too often on compilations. Consider:

- It of course appears on the album from which it stems, HORIZON.
- Because of its b-side status, you can find it on the Japanese singles and the US Complete Singles.
- It was included in the mega-disc compilations of SWEET MEMORY and MAGICAL MEMORIES by sheer force of numbers.
- The Japanese requested it on BY REQUEST, and it found its way to the Japanese TREASURES.
- That leaves SINGLES 1974-1978 as its only other inclusion.

We know that Richard pretty much hates the synth sound and has gone to great lengths to minimize their appearance on "Those Good Old Dreams", but the even-more-whiny synths on "Happy" remain.

 

[tomswift2002]

I wonder if, for the 50th, Richard and UMG might issue some songs on 45 here in North America. I'm not talking about reoussues of CTY or TMWWD, but 45 releases of Rainbow, MBKCMM or TTGTFA.

 

[newvillefan]

I'm not talking about reoussues of CTY or TMWWD, but 45 releases of Rainbow, MBKCMM or TTGTFA.

Both The Rainbow Connection and Tryin' To Get The Feeling Again have already seen single releases, albeit in other territories, so I can't see them being released again. A brand new, previously unreleased song however, now that I could see being a distinct possibility...

 

[tomswift2002]

Both The Rainbow Connection and Tryin' To Get The Feeling Again have already seen single releases, albeit in other territories, so I can't see them being released again. A brand new, previously unreleased song however, now that I could see being a distinct possibility...

I know that they were issued elsewhere, but the Carpenters last North American was Karen's solo "If I Had You"/"The Uninvited Guest" in 1989. So for the US Rainbow snd Feeling could be brand-new 45's.

 

[BarryT60]

"Travesty"? A little over dramatic, don't ya think? IMHO, there's nothing wrong with Anne Murray's recording (what else would you expect a Canadian named Murray to say, eh?). Like probably everyone here, I prefer Karen's vocals on this particular song - but I like the simpler arrangement on Anne's version better. I've always felt that the Carpenters version is over produced. IF Richard would have seen the song as a potential single, and recorded it in a radio-friendly length, then they may have had a hit with it. I say may, because you just never know what's going to be popular with the public at any given time. As we all know, sadly, the Carpenters chart fortunes were on a downward slide at this time. Conversely, this period marked the beginning of Anne Murray's greatest popularity, due in large part to her crossover appeal. Her recording of "I Just Fall In Love Again" went to #12 on the hot 100, but it was a #1 country hit in the US (her first of 9 country #1's).

I sometimes wonder, after the surprise success of "Sweet, Sweet Smile", if the Carpenters shouldn't have concentrated on the Country market. I think that their brand of soft pop, if twanged up a little more, would have gone over very well. If Karen had lived, I could have seen them relocating to Nashville (where John Bettis lives). Many of their contemporaries had a career resurgence as Country artists in the 1980's.

I'd have LOVED them to come to Nashville! THAT would have been utterly awesome... Then I could have taken Ev's place!

 

[Graeme]

That's almost a re-phrasing of my point. Karen's vocals in general were never nasally at all, but here, on this song, she surely had just gone through a box of Kleenex in recent days.

There are a few moments in Calling Occupants where she also sounds as though she had a cold too. Works though.

 

[tomswift2002]

"Reason to Believe" would have been a good choice for a single aimed to country radio, but they'd have had to do a punched-up version...like they did with "Top of the World." The album version doesn't have that in-your-face quality in its arrangement.

I was just reading in the liner notes to the Japanese Treasures album that Richard and Karen were seriously considering releasing Reason To Believe after We've Only Just Begun, but eventually dropped it because they felt too much time had passed since the release of the Close To You album and that it was time to release something from their self-titled album.

 

[KentTeffeteller]

"Travesty"? A little over dramatic, don't ya think? IMHO, there's nothing wrong with Anne Murray's recording (what else would you expect a Canadian named Murray to say, eh?). Like probably everyone here, I prefer Karen's vocals on this particular song - but I like the simpler arrangement on Anne's version better. I've always felt that the Carpenters version is over produced. IF Richard would have seen the song as a potential single, and recorded it in a radio-friendly length, then they may have had a hit with it. I say may, because you just never know what's going to be popular with the public at any given time. As we all know, sadly, the Carpenters chart fortunes were on a downward slide at this time. Conversely, this period marked the beginning of Anne Murray's greatest popularity, due in large part to her crossover appeal. Her recording of "I Just Fall In Love Again" went to #12 on the hot 100, but it was a #1 country hit in the US (her first of 9 country #1's).

I sometimes wonder, after the surprise success of "Sweet, Sweet Smile", if the Carpenters shouldn't have concentrated on the Country market. I think that their brand of soft pop, if twanged up a little more, would have gone over very well. If Karen had lived, I could have seen them relocating to Nashville (where John Bettis lives). Many of their contemporaries had a career resurgence as Country artists in the 1980's.

Yes, agreed highly there. And Country stations with a crossover bent in that era loved the Carpenters a great deal, "Top Of The World" got played a lot, and also "I Won't Last A Day Without You" also did and that would have helped breathe new life into Richard and Karen's career.