Favorite Carpenters 'era' ?

Which is your favourite 'era' of Carpenters?

  • 1965-1969

    Votes: 6 21.4%
  • 1970-1971

    Votes: 13 46.4%
  • 1972-1973

    Votes: 10 35.7%
  • 1974-1975

    Votes: 16 57.1%
  • 1976-1978

    Votes: 7 25.0%
  • 1979-1983

    Votes: 2 7.1%
  • 1984-present day

    Votes: 3 10.7%

  • Total voters
    28

Simon KC1950

Well-Known Member
The Carpenters did so much during their career. So I thought this would be interesting, what's your favorite years of the Carpenters career and why? I know it's a hard decision so I have given you all a maximum of 3 votes.

Base your decision on the following:
recordings, singles, albums, tv appearances, their look and other important events/releases during each set of years. Below are some examples.

1965-1969:
-home recordings, demos, minor record labels, "Looking For Love",
Contract with A&M, first Album and single.

1970-1971:
Carpenters break through, 6 Huge Singles, 2 Albums, Grammy Awards, Make Your Own Kind Of Music,

1972-1973:
Handful of huge hits and 2 albums.
multiple TV appearances

1974-1975:
more hit albums and singles, live in Japan album and taped concert.

1976-1978:
'A Kind Of Hush', 'Passage' and 'Christmas Portrait', Television Specials, Live in London album and taped concert

1979-1983:
Made In America, Solo recordings, Voice Of The Heart, Tv specials

1984-present day:
3 new Studio albums, numerous preciously unreleased songs, dozens of box sets, compilation albums and documentaries. DVD releases and Richards Solo albums.
whatever the future holds ...
 
A hotch potch for me. I loved their 72-73 success and constants run of hits, how gorgeous Karen looked in 74-75, but I'm pretty fascinated by their later years and all the family and career dynamics that were going on...the decline in their success, the aborted solo album, MIA, the lead up to Karen's passing and the aftermath.
 
That's pretty easy for me....the first-five-albums era. After Now and Then I was still a fan, but my enthusiasm for what they were doing dropped fast because they stopped having fun with it, and their work reflected it... you could just feel it. There were still some fine singles from the later days, but the magic was slipping fast. This is just me, of course.
 
Hard choice! I chose 72-73 but it was close. I like 70-71 as well. I believe the duo in 72-73 were at their peak. I really enjoy downloading their 72 Australia and Japan concerts as Karen still looks incredible and sounds so good. This was the era when A Song For You and Now & Then were released and they were still dominating the charts. Being the fact that they were still so young, it never seemed like it was ever going to end; and the amount of quality material they were producing could go on till the end of the decade and beyond. It was before Karen's illness became evident and she was vibrant and healthy. Personally, I was in high school during this time frame and you have that "youthful optimism" and you start developing socially where your friends are very important. The music of the time becomes the background of your life when you are young. Good times as I remember! I leaned a lot towards 70-71 mainly for their "breakthrough" album and that 1971 BBC TV special where I believe they became international stars. Karen's live performance of For All We Know on said special is not-of-this world. Pure perfection.
 
I went with these ones, often times because they go with my favorite albums:

1965-1969 - Ticket to Ride, and I love the uniqueness of the early recordings.

1974-1975 - Horizon, plus one of the best times in terms of fame, sound, and appearance of both Karen and Richard.

1976-1978 - Christmas Portrait!
 
Kind of a mixed bag for me. I went for the 65-69 era, the 76-78 and the 84-present. "Looking For Love" and "The Parting Of Our Ways", along with "California Dreaming are some of my favorites from that era, while "All You Get From Love Is A Love Song", "Two Sides", "Sailing On The Tide" are favorites along with "Christmas Portrait". From the 84-present some of the stand outs have been Richard's "Time" album (unfortunately his second album doesn't even rank!), Karen's solo album, "Christmas Portrait Special Edition", "An Old-Fashioned Christmas", both the album and the song, "The Uninvited Guest", and the "Christmas Memories DVD"! Now if we can only get both Christmas specials in their entirety on DVD!
 
although the hectic pace of 74/75 could have been a contributor to lapse in their health, it is also my favorite era. both Richard and Karen looked their best, leaving behind the prom clothes of so many pictures. the release of Horizon, in my opinion, raised the bar for that era. just as Richard had introduced the power ballad with GOODBYE TO LOVE, the recording of I CAN DREAM CAN'T I opened the door for countless "standards albums" to be released.
 
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Simon, this is an interesting and fun exercise! When I first looked over your years, I didn't see 1975-1976 as such, as those 2 years mark my absolute favorite era. But then I noticed that you allowed us to select up to 3 choices: problem solved. And it even stretches out to 1978!

I thus pick this era (1974-1978), as my top 3 albums were released then: Horizon, A Kind of Hush, Passage. It includes my favorite Carpenters' song of all time, "Solitaire," as well as other favorite singles ("Only Yesterday," "There's a Kind of Hush," "I Need to Be in Love," "All You Get From Love Is a Love Song") and favorite album cuts ("I Can Dream Can't I," "Happy," "You," "I Have You," "Two Sides"). Of course, I don't mean to downplay the first half of the 1970s, as those years provided wonderful songs and stronger sales. My personal preference, though, is for the mid-70s.
 
Early Carpenters for me. My favorite Carpenters' album is their self-titled "Tan Album"- followed closely by Ticket to Ride and Close to You. Besides the hits, I really like the album cuts on these albums! Ticket has the favorite "Don't Be Afraid" and the ambitious "Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing". Their second record has "Maybe it's You" and "Mr. Guder" (and the extended version of the title song!! :D).
CARPENTERS
gets me from the hit-single-trio ("Rainy Days", "Superstar", "For All We Know") all the way to the delightful "Saturday", elegant "One Love" and "Hideaway" and fun "Druscilla Penny". I'm an outlier on "Druscilla" for sure but that song interests me- I'm a sucker for the harpsichord!
A Song For You and Now and Then are also in there. Thinking of "Road Ode"... "Crystal Lullaby"... the oldies medley.
 
James pretty much echoes my sentiments.
What I find interesting is that although the Hit Singles (hitting the charts Top 5,say)
pretty much ended with Only Yesterday (my own absolute favorite),
the Albums for me are the determining factor in my decision.
As much as I love the albums Close To You and A Song For You,
I find Horizon, Passage and Christmas Portrait to be my real favorites.
I love Jim Gordon's drumming and Karen's vocals on Horizon. That mesmerizing inner-photo !
I love the variety of Passage (Especially: Two Sides,Smile,Occupants) The Colorful Cover !
I love the entire original Christmas Portrait Album.

And, listening to, say,
Trying To Get The Feeling Again,You're The One, Where Do I Go From Here, Little Altar Boy,
and those 1978 radio jingles (Karen's drumming on those),

I would go for 1975 to 1978.

You realize, I am unable to choose !

I just finished listening (!) to
Offering
(I am re-listening to each album, chronologically, today).
And, I love it !
I have a sneaky suspicion I am going to fall in love with these albums all over again.


 
I just realize I get 3 votes?! So as previously mentioned 72-73, 70-71, AND 65-69

I will be brief: I also select 65-69 because it was before they were famous and they were "hungry". But they never took their "eyes off the prize". They were "rough around the edges" during this era, especially Karen, she had that whole headband, go-go boots, banging the sh** out of the drums, Joan Jett bad ass swagger going on at the time...Interesting thread Simon, it's been a lot of fun!
 
Fun exercise, thanks. Not sure what I would have done with only one choice. Karen's voice was in top form during the 74-75 era, and despite the health issues she looked great, so that was easy. The best singles came in the 70-71 phase, so that too was an easy one. Third choice was 76-78, and that wasn't so easy. I think Karen still sounded great. Passage and Christmas Portrait, both terrific albums, fall here as well. So, OK. What makes it tough are Hush, Weintraub, Ken & Mitzi (the stage show) and the TV specials. Aargh.
 
The 1970 - 1971 era when I was 5 or 6 years old. Yep, I watched "Make Your Own Kind Of Music" on NBC when I was 6 years old at the time & when my late mom bought the "Tan" album. Matt Clark Sanford, MI
 
Kind of cheating, but I picked 1984, onward, because of all the ridiculously amazing releases and re-releases in that timeframe (that span all eras and uncovered much buried treasure).
 
I must admit, listening to the Lovelines album,
I love many of the songs from the 1977-1980 period....
1980: Uninvited Guest and Kiss Me The Way You Did Last Night
(I love both of these songs--both excellent arrangements !)
1977: You're The One
(Fantastic song,fantastic vocal !)
1978: Where Do I Go From Here and Honolulu City Lights
(I love these two songs !)
Four from Karen's solo album
(love them all !)
Little Girl Blue and When I Fall In Love
(lovely renditions)
Oh well, Slow Dance....nice vocals, but not a favorite....
 
I must admit, listening to the Lovelines album,
I love many of the songs from the 1977-1980 period....
1980: Uninvited Guest and Kiss Me The Way You Did Last Night
(I love both of these songs--both excellent arrangements !)
1977: You're The One
(Fantastic song,fantastic vocal !)
1978: Where Do I Go From Here and Honolulu City Lights
(I love these two songs !)
Four from Karen's solo album
(love them all !)
Little Girl Blue and When I Fall In Love
(lovely renditions)
Oh well, Slow Dance....nice vocals, but not a favorite....

I'm with you there, this album has probably grown to be my favourite of them all. I listen to these songs individually and on compilations etc much more than I do the tracks from their earlier years.
 
Another aspects of these era's:
Karen on drums.....
1970/1 Morton Potato Chip Jingle
1973 Yesterday Once More
1973 Sing
1973 This Masquerade
1974 Chocolate Commercial ('from the heart...")
1974 Please Mr. postman
1975 Good Friends Are For Keeps
1977 Suntory Pop Jingles 1&2
1977 (date ?) KFRC Radio Jingle
1980 Medley Music,Music,Music (closing).

I like to listen to these songs in order to ascertain
how Karen evolved as a drummer....especially when compared to
her drumming on the entire
Offering album.
 
Another aspects of these era's:
Karen on drums.....
1970/1 Morton Potato Chip Jingle
1973 Yesterday Once More
1973 Sing
1973 This Masquerade
1974 Chocolate Commercial ('from the heart...")
1974 Please Mr. postman
1975 Good Friends Are For Keeps
1977 Suntory Pop Jingles 1&2
1977 (date ?) KFRC Radio Jingle
1980 Medley Music,Music,Music (closing).

I like to listen to these songs in order to ascertain
how Karen evolved as a drummer....especially when compared to
her drumming on the entire
Offering album.

Her drumming work on the 1980 TV special was amazing, very sophisticated with some complicated cross arm techniques on I Got Rhythm.
 
My favorite year was 1973. My first album purchase, (Now & Then), my first single purchase, (Sing), and a summer of listening to that lp until the grooves practically wore out. I started playing drums that summer, inspired by Karen, and my one and only Carpenters concert was November 17, 1973.

Yet I chose 1974-5 in honor of Postman (number 1 tune) and Horizon, (favorite album). IF you had chosen 1973-5 - that would have clinched it for me 150%! With an enormous honorable mention for the 1978, Christmas Portrait release.
 
^^Barry, nice to read your mini-biographical post !
That concert must have been awesome !
I realized that I had never purchased a Carpenters' Single until very late (as in internet era),
so, basically I listened to albums as I purchased them...
first purchase--Passage, although first listen was Horizon followed by A Kind of Hush.
The 1974-1975 era is awesome for many a reason:
Postman (brilliant),Only Yesterday(#1 fav),Solitaire (awesome), Trying To Get The Feeling....
Not to forget,
the Como Christmas Special.....
or, LP Live In Japan......
 
Speaking of "eras,"
as much as I love the "later" period for Karen's vocals,
I equally love the "earlier" period for Karen's drumming.
In particular her drumming on the songs from
Offering , and--as I only realized today--
those songs from the Radio Program
Your Navy Presents.
And, too her drumming on the "Then" half of LP
Now & Then
along with her equally compelling vocals !
So, good grief, this lady surely had it all in my eyes.....
 
I enjoy most of the C's music in each "era", but have to go with the 1970-1973 periods simply because those were the most connected to my growing up and experiencing my first puppy love.

In particular, my first serious puppy love was right when I was [forcibly heh) moved from PA to AZ when I had just turned 15. She's that one many of us had in our life where you wonder "what if". After the move, we would talk on the phone (parents furious at the long distance bills) and play Carpenters songs while talking, because we connected to each other through their early songs, which we both loved and often played and sang together. Usually something from the 1970-73 period. We stayed in touch all the way through college and often talked about the what-if.

Anyway, she fell in love and went on to marry a good friend of mine who lived back in PA, and so of course we moved on. But the early C's songs connect me to my youth and that formative time, in a pleasant, nostalgic way.

The 3rd period I went with was '76-'78, the Christmas songs.
 
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