⭐ Official Review [Album]: "MADE IN AMERICA" (SP-3723)

[GaryAlan]

One of the interviews with John Bettis, the specific one eludes me at the moment,
wherein John Bettis talks of the difficulty in getting Richard Carpenter to write new songs.
Seems it had nothing to do with either one being too busy, he simply could not get Richard
interested in writing new songs.
(Well, if you can make millions on Yesterday Once More, Top of The World, Goodbye To Love
and Only Yesterday--as Singles---and radio play, then, why bother .....?).
Perhaps the lackluster (at-the-time) chart success of I Need To Be In Love turned Richard off to
wanting to write new songs.
(Imagine if Karen had not gotten married,then, no Because We Are In Love.---parenthetically,
this song has become one of my favorites. )

 

[ullalume]

One of the interviews with John Bettis, the specific one eludes me at the moment,
wherein John Bettis talks of the difficulty in getting Richard Carpenter to write new songs.
Seems it had nothing to do with either one being too busy, he simply could not get Richard
interested in writing new songs.
(Well, if you can make millions on Yesterday Once More, Top of The World, Goodbye To Love
and Only Yesterday--as Singles---and radio play, then, why bother .....?).
Perhaps the lackluster (at-the-time) chart success of I Need To Be In Love turned Richard off to
wanting to write new songs.
(Imagine if Karen had not gotten married,then, no Because We Are In Love.---parenthetically,
this song has become one of my favorites. )

I remember that interview with Bettis. I think Richard, at core level, had a lack of confidence on the songwriting front. Which is a shame. . .his work with Bettis is often my favourite part of their product. . .from Eve to You're Enough.

 

[mr J.]

It's interesting that by this point, there were hardly any Carpenter/Bettis compositions on the B-sides because they were writing so little for the Carpenters outfit by 1981. I wonder why? In their heyday, almost every single had a home-grown track on the flip-side. There were only two Carpenter/Bettis tracks on Made In America and none at all on Passage.

Richard & John wrote four tracks for the 1982 sessions-including "Your Enough".

VOTH features three Carpenters/Bettis compositions.

"Touch Me" and "Make Believe" both featured Carpenter/Bettis compositions on the B-side.

Karen was a vocalist-not an "outfit".

 

[GaryAlan]

As is well-documented :
Look To Your Dreams (B-Side Make Believe It's Your First Time) was written in 1974....at Karen's request.
Because We Are In Love (B-Side Touch Me When We're Dancing) written, again in response to Karen's request, for wedding ceremony.
Additionally, for 1980/1981 there is Those Good Old Dreams.
1977,1978,1979,......whence the songwriting of Bettis/Carpenter union ?
(And, Kind of Hush LP was completed by May 1976 (Newsletter#48...thus their compositions on that album predate May 1976.)
To speak of a dearth of Bettis/Carpenter Compositions from mid-1976 to mid-1980 is quite accurate,
especially in contrast to the early Bettis/Carpenter output. (particularly, 1967-1972).

 

[newvillefan]

Richard & John wrote four tracks for the 1982 sessions-including "Your Enough".

VOTH features three Carpenters/Bettis compositions.

I was talking about the period from Passage to Made In America.

 

[GaryAlan]

As this album has been garnering much play (in its Vinyl incarnation)
from me this past week, I thought it interesting to time-travel via the Fan Club Newsletters:
#74 April 1982:
" It was not until after the last Newsletter was published that Richard decided to release Beechwood 4-5789
on Karen's Birthday..."
"Richard and Karen have completed a few songs for the next album."
"Q: To what does Richard accredit the disappointing chart listings for the Carpenters best-ever album Made In America?
A:No top five singles and less than satisfactory promotion."
#75 June 1982:
"...members have been unable to secure a copy of the single Those Good Old Dreams,
so arrangements have been made for a limited supply to obtain same from Fan Club for $1.50 each.."
#76 October 1982:
"Q: Will any of the songs Karen recorded for her solo album ever be included on a future Carpenters album? A: No."

As I've recently espoused, my feelings for this album have risen steadily upward.
And,
Because We Are In Love....becoming a favorite. (How do I explain that?).

 

[newvillefan]

#76 October 1982:
"Q: Will any of the songs Karen recorded for her solo album ever be included on a future Carpenters album? A: No."

Hindsight is 20/20 vision

 

[GaryAlan]

Presumably Karen was in New York undergoing treatment;
I included the Q/A from the
April and October 1982 Newsletters with the understanding that they were (only?) Richard's Answers.
He "decided" to release Beechwood 4-5789, if I read the Newsletter verbatim.
He is the originator of the answer "No" for '...the future album'.....
After all, his choice for new material harbored around
fare such as 1982's "Now", instead of, say, the fantastic "If I Had You".
Why would the door be so permanently closed--at that juncture ?
I'm simply surprised that as late as October 1982, fans are questioning those solo songs,
while---at the same time---having so much trouble purchasing a copy of Those Good Old Dreams
through retail venues. (Did same circumstances surround purchasing Beechwood 4-5789, which
Karen played for Mike Curb--although, he questioned that single release.)
I recall the difficulty in finding Carpenters records during 1981 for sure.

 

[GaryAlan]

I suppose this could be under Voice of The Heart, but it was recorded for Made In America.
Copyright 1997: Japan Anthology Liner Notes,
Richard Carpenter:
Two Lives
"I heard a recording of this tune by Bonnie Raitt and thought it would be very good for Karen.
This is one of the selections recorded in 1980 during the Made In America Sessions.
We were coming across and writing a lot of good tunes, so we actually 'over-recorded' for that album.
Karen and I had planned to use some of the tunes that did not make Made In America for subsequent albums.
Two Lives is a work lead by Karen, and, again,flawless. To me one of her best readings."

 

[GaryAlan]

Still getting a thrill listening to the
Wedding Version of
Because We Are In Love !
(This, my favorite version of that song.)
The song itself and Karen's vocals are superb.
Please,though, tone the choral volume down in the arrangement
and highlight Karen's voice !

 

[GaryAlan]

Spending my time....spinning the 45-Single (each time-stamped 4:12)
of
....Those Good Old Dreams.....
And,
I now ask for some help:
The American Single of this song (2386-S, backed by, When It's Gone)
seems to differ quite a bit from the
Japanese Single record (AMP-732, backed by, I Just Fall In Love Again).

Does anyone else hear (at least) these differences ?
(1).The synthesizer is much more prominent in the Japan release,
I almost can not hear it in the USA release.
(2). Also, Karen's vocals are brighter in the Japan release.

 

[GaryAlan]

The UK Compilation CD Magical Memories
has particularly
clear mixes of
Because We Are In Love
(the harp a standout )
and
When You've Got What It Takes
(cymbals quite clear).

I become more convinced that there is more in
Made In America
that meets the ear, than is evident upon (first) listening to the LP.

 

[tomswift2002]

I first heard songs from this album when I bought the 1985 "Yesterday Once More" CD in January 1998 with Christmas money (back then you still had to order stuff through the stores and wait a couple of weeks for the product to ship, so I had to actually ask the store to order this on Boxing Day ). "(Want You) Back In My Life", and "Touch Me When We're Dancing" we're the 2 break-out New songs from the 5 new tracks on the CD (I had already heard the other tracks from the Singles 69-73 & 74-78 and Interpretations CD's). "Because We Are In Love" and "Those Good Old Dreams" we're agh-okay, they were nice to hear, but not to the level of "Back In My Life". I didn't get a chance to hear the MIA album till after I had picked up the Remastered Classics on a trip to Winnipeg in 2000.

Unfortunately, I had to wonder why "Those Good Old Dreams" opened the CD. Why were "Back In My Life" and "Touch Me When We're Dancing" buried in the middle of the album (and when I got the LP a few years later I saw they were in the middle of both sides). Seriously, "Those Good Old Dreams" is fine as an album cut, but it was not good as a single or the opening track for the album. "Strength Of A Woman", "When You've Got What It Takes" and "Somebody's Been Lyin'" are stronger than TGOD. As for the other songs, "I Believe You" is nice, "When It's Gone" was weak, and "Beechwood 4-5789" was another buried hit (and years later when I got the VHS for the 1985 YOM album, I had to wonder why the song wasn't included on CD---it was on the 1984 YOM LP, but not the 1985 YOM CD? "Beechwood" could've easily replaced "Because We Are In Love" on the 1985 YOM) that I really felt propelled the Carpenters into the 80's Pop style, along with "Back In My Life", and it's to bad the album didn't feature more upbeat songs like "Prime Time Love", "Sailing On The Tide", "Kiss Me The Way You Did Last Night", "Honolulu City Lights", "You're Baby Doesn't Love You Anymore", "Jimmy Mack", "Making Love In The Afternoon", "If I Had You"., "Don't Try To Win Me Back".

Really, MIA had potential, but it turned out to be Missing In Action.

 

[GaryAlan]

July 25,1981 Billboard Magazine,Page 69 :
"Pop Quiz...Name the single that moved into the Top Spot 11 years ago this week."
'Hint...It was the first of 16 consecutive top 20 hits for the act,extending into the Spring of 1976."
"Answer..It was,of course, Close To You, by the Carpenters, for whom the hits just kept on coming
through There's A Kind of Hush, 5 and half years ago."
"Well, another 5 and a half years have passed, and this week the Carpenters crack the Top 20 for the first
time since 'Hush' , with Touch Me When We're Dancing, which jumps to #19."

 

[theninjarabbit]

...Really, MIA had potential, but it turned out to be Missing In Action.

 

[GaryAlan]

There is a DBX-encoded LP of Made In America
listed on ebay.
I am curious.....
thus, any input on this format would be appreciated !

 

[Harry]

You need a DBX decoder to listen to it.

 

[GaryAlan]

According to a Billboard Magazine article (August 10,1974) ,
DBX :
"...permits commercial disks to be played on high-end home audio equipment
with performance quality of studio master tapes..."
"...process electronically compresses the record signal by 2 to 1 factor...then, expanding
the signal by a complementary factor of 1 to 2 at point of playback..."
"...reduces playback noise, with dynamic range in excess of 100 dB..."

(Ibid.) September 20 1980:
A&M releases Close To You LP in DBX format, at $18.00.
Home decoding unit,$108.00.

I would love to listen to this album in this format, simply for sake of comparison.

 

[GaryAlan]

Back in Time.....
February 1981 Fan Club Newsletter#69:
Album being mixed "as this is being written."
"Pressing process could take up to six weeks."
"Those Good Old Dreams is a close contender for a single to precede the album."
"As this letter goes to press, album title is still under discussion."
"Photo sessions are in progress."

 

[GaryAlan]

1981 Record Store (Record Town)Promo
Karen Carpenter:
"A year of work and a lot of love went into bringing you Made In America, we really like it and we
hope you'll feel the same way."
"When It's Gone,
is one of the first songs we recorded when we started the album, we just couldn't wait to get to it."

 

[GaryAlan]

As clear as I have ever seen this,
Brazil 1981, Touch Me When We're Dancing:

 

[Another Son]

“MADE IN AMERICA”

​

Catalogue Number: A&M SP-3723
Date of Release: 06/09/81
Chart Position- U.S.: #52; U.K.: #12; JAPAN: #44
Album Singles: "I Believe You"/"B'wana, She No Home"
"Touch Me When We're Dancing"/"Because We Are In Love"
"(Want You) Back In My Life Again"/"Somebody's Been Lyin"
"Those Good Old Dreams"/"When It's Gone (It's Just Gone)"
"Beechwood 4-5789"/"Two Sides"
Medium: Vinyl/Cassette/CD
​

Track Listing:

1.) Those Good Old Dreams 4:12 (Carpenter/Bettis)
2.) Strength of a Woman 3:59 (Brown/Curiel)
3.) (Want You) Back In My Life Again 3:39 (Chater/Christian)
4.) Whe You've Got What it Takes 3:39 (Nichols/Lane)
5.) Somebody's Been Lyin' 4:22 (Bayer Sager/Bacharach)
6.) I Believe You 3:55 (Addrisi/Addrisi)
7.) Touch Me When We're Dancing 3:19 (Skinner/Wallace/Bell)
8.) When It's Gone (It's Just Gone) 4:59 (Handley)
9.) Beechwood 4-5789 (Stevenson/Gaye/Gordy)
10.) Because We Are In Love (The Wedding Song) 5:00 (Carpenter/Bettis)

Album Credits:

Those Good Old Dreams:
Background vocals: Karen & Richard Carpenter
Bass: Joe Osborn
Drums: Ron Tutt
Keyboards: Richard Carpenter
Acoustic & Electric Guitar: Tim May
Pedal Steel Guitar: Jay Dee Maness
Percussion: Karen Carpenter, Paulinho DaCosta
Harp: Gayle Levant
Concertmaster: Jimmy Getzoff

Strength Of A Woman:
Bass: Joe Osborn
Drums: Larrie Londin, Ron Tutt
Keyboards: Richard Carpenter
Electric Guitar: Tim May, Tony Peluso
Oboe: Earl Dumler
Harp: Gayle Levant
Percussion: Paulinho DaCosta
Background vocals: Karen & Richard Carpenter & The Carpettes: Karen Carpenter, Carolyn Dennis, Stephanie Spruill, Maxine Waters Willard
Concertmaster: Jimmy Getzoff

(Want You) Back In My Life Again:
Background vocals: Karen & Richard Carpenter
Bass: Joe Osborn
Drums: Ron Tutt
Keyboards: Richard Carpenter
Acoustic & Electric Guitar: Tim May
Electric Guitar: Tony Peluso
Percussion: Paulinho DaCosta
Synthesizer Programming: Daryl Dragon, Ian Underwood
Tenor Sax: Tom Scott
Concertmaster: Jimmy Getzoff

When You've Got What It Takes:
Background vocals: Karen & Richard Carpenter
Bass: Joe Osborn
Drums: John Robinson
Keyboards: Richard Carpenter
Acoustic Guitar: Tim May
Electric Guitar: Tony Peluso
Oboe: Earl Dumler
Harp: Gayle Levant
Percussion: Paulinho DaCosta
Concertmaster: Jimmy Getzoff

Somebody's Been Lyin':
Background vocals: Karen & Richard Carpenter
Bass: Joe Osborn
Drums: Ron Tutt
Keyboards: Richard Carpenter
Acoustic Guitar: Tim May
Percussion: Peter Limonick
Harp: Gayle Levant
Oboe: Earl Dumler
Concertmaster & Solo: Jerry Vinci

I Believe You:
Background vocals: Karen & Richard Carpenter
Bass: Joe Osborn
Drums: Larrie Londin
Keyboards: Richard Carpenter
Acoustic & Electric Guitar: Tim May
Congas: Jerry Steinholtz
Concertmaster: Jimmy Getzoff
Vocals arranged by Richard Carpenter

Touch Me When We're Dancing:
Bass: Joe Osborn
Drums: Larrie Londin
Keyboards: Richard Carpenter
Acoustic & Electric Guitar: Tony Peluso, Tim May
Harp: Gayle Levant
Oboe: Earl Dumler
Percussion: Paulinho DaCosta
Tenor Sax: Tom Scott
Background vocals: Karen & Richard Carpenter & The Carpettes: Karen Carpenter, Carolyn Dennis
Concertmaster: Jimmy Getzoff

When It's Gone (It's Just Gone):
Background vocals: Karen & Richard Carpenter
Bass: Joe Osborn
Drums: Larrie Londin, Karen Carpenter
Keyboards: Richard Carpenter
Acoustic Guitar: Dennis Budimir, Fred Tackett
Electric Guitar: Tim May, Tony Peluso
Pedal Steel Guitar: Jay Dee Maness
Percussion: Karen Carpenter, Bob Conti
Oboe: Earl Dumler
Concertmaster: Jimmy Getzoff

Beechwood 4-5789:
Background vocals: Karen & Richard Carpenter
Bass: Joe Osborn
Drums: Ron Tutt
Keyboards: Richard Carpenter
Electric Guitar: Tim May
Harp: Gayle Levant
Tenor Sax: Tom Scott
Concertmaster: Jimmy Getzoff

Because We Are In Love (The Wedding Song):
Bass: Joe Osborn
Drums: Ron Tutt
Keyboards: Richard Carpenter
Electric Guitar: Tim May
Percussion: Peter Limonick
Harp: Gayle Levant
Choir: The O.K. Chorale under the direction of Ron Hicklin, Conducted by Frank Pooler
Concertmaster: Jerry Vinci

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Produced by Richard Carpenter
Arranged & Orchestrated by Richard Carpenter
"Because We Are In Love (The Wedding Song)" & "Somebody's Been Lyin'" arranged by Richard Carpenter & Orchestrated by Peter Knight. "I Believe You" arranged by Paul Riser.
Recorded at A&M Recording Studios
Engineered by Roger Young
Additional recording by Dave Iveland
"I Believe You" engineered by Ray Gerhardt
Mixed at Sound Labs and A&M Recording Studios
Mix-down engineer: Roger Young
Assisted by Stewart Whitmore
Mastered at A&M Recording Studios by Bernie Grundman
Special thanks to Gary Sims, Pat Peters, Ron Gorow, John Bettis, Jules Chaikin, Herb, Jerry, Gil and the entire A&M family.
Art Direction: Chuck Beeson & Jeff Ayeroff
Album Design: Lynn Robb
Illustration: David Willardson, Willardson & White, Inc.
Photography: John Engstead

When 'I Believe You' was released in Australia at the beginning of 1979, (I think I've got the year right), I was excited because I loved the song and sound and thought that this would herald a new Carpenters album. I used to try to while away the days until its release, riding on my bike up and down the mile-long track to our isolated farm, singing!! If I'd kept it up, that would have been a lot of bike-riding before the album was released two-and-a-half years later. By the time 'Touch Me When We're Dancing', the next single, was finally released in mid-'81, I had recently begun working my first job. A DJ who I was in touch with wrote to me to let me know that a new Carpenters record was out, but he mis-typed the title and I just couldn't imagine Karen and Richard singing a song called 'Tough Me When We're Dancing". The week-end after I got the letter, I caught a bus to the city in search of the new album. I found it in Andromeda Records and then treated myself to a movie in the cinema; 'Flash Gordon'. (My wage was only five thousand a year, so a record AND a movie was a big splurge!) In Andromeda Records, there were a couple of promotional items for 'Made in America', including stickers and white pens with the 'Carpenters' logo on them. The shop attendant wouldn't let me have any! There was also a massive, red, foam 'Carpenters' logo about twelve feet long, but at the time, this was on the floor under the record racks, not on the wall! I was super-excited to have the new album and talked my Auntie and Uncle into letting me use their stereo when I got home. I immediately loved 'Those Good Old Dreams' and have continued to appreciate it to this day. I love those rich, warm, low notes that Karen holds at the end of each verse, '...Finding answers to my prayers' and '...It carries you away'. I do remember commenting to my sister at the time that, in places on the album, Karen's voice sounded thin and a bit weak, not strong and rich, like on earlier albums. However, I loved, and still do love, 'When It's Gone', 'Somebody's Been Lying', 'Because We Are in Love' and 'When You've Got What it Takes'. These recordings still demonstrated Karen's warm, rich lower register, in places. At the time, I also loved 'Beechwood' and 'Want You Back in my Life Again', but over the years, my interest in these two has definitely lessened. I view them now as light, throw-aways that don't demonstrate Karen's talent and that were probably just attempts at getting some single air-play, with their up-tempo beat and light, inoffensive content. 'Touch Me When We're Dancing' sounds a bit factory-produced and soul-less. I have always noticed that, throughout the album, Karen's voice sounds especially thin when she sings high. She sounds as if she's straining, instead of sounding natural, as on earlier recordings that use her higher register, which I love as much as her lower one. For instance, she sounds as if she's straining and her vocal chords are constricted on the high parts of 'Those Good Old Dreams' and 'Touch Me'. My love of 'I Believe You' has continued to this day, although I'm not as into songs about marriage now! Speaking of 'Because We Are in Love', I think that Karen hit a 'D' below 'Middle C' on that one, which is a really low note for a woman. The recording used at her wedding is different from that which appears on the album. Her vocal is different, and is almost even better. In regard to promotion for the album, I remember reading in the fan club newsletters that a video of four(? or three?) tracks had been sent to video stores for promotion. The inner-sleeve from 'Made in America' was later used as the cover for the Australian Number One album, 'Very Best of the Carpenters', and there were big record-store posters of this. All-in-all, I think that 'Made in America' has some great vocal performances of Karen. There are some good arrangements and some strong songs, lyrically and melodically. There are a few songs that aren't so great, but the album has got enough on it for me to regard it as a good and enjoyable Carpenters album that has held its appeal through the years.

 

[newvillefan]

When 'I Believe You' was released in Australia at the beginning of 1979, (I think I've got the year right), I was excited because I loved the song and sound and thought that this would herald a new Carpenters album. I used to try to while away the days until its release, riding on my bike up and down the mile-long track to our isolated farm, singing!! If I'd kept it up, that would have been a lot of bike-riding before the album was released two-and-a-half years later. By the time 'Touch Me When We're Dancing', the next single, was finally released in mid-'81, I had recently begun working my first job. A DJ who I was in touch with wrote to me to let me know that a new Carpenters record was out, but he mis-typed the title and I just couldn't imagine Karen and Richard singing a song called 'Tough Me When We're Dancing". The week-end after I got the letter, I caught a bus to the city in search of the new album. I found it in Andromeda Records and then treated myself to a movie in the cinema; 'Flash Gordon'. (My wage was only five thousand a year, so a record AND a movie was a big splurge!) In Andromeda Records, there were a couple of promotional items for 'Made in America', including stickers and white pens with the 'Carpenters' logo on them. The shop attendant wouldn't let me have any! There was also a massive, red, foam 'Carpenters' logo about twelve feet long, but at the time, this was on the floor under the record racks, not on the wall! I was super-excited to have the new album and talked my Auntie and Uncle into letting me use their stereo when I got home. I immediately loved 'Those Good Old Dreams' and have continued to appreciate it to this day. I love those rich, warm, low notes that Karen holds at the end of each verse, '...Finding answers to my prayers' and '...It carries you away'. I do remember commenting to my sister at the time that, in places on the album, Karen's voice sounded thin and a bit weak, not strong and rich, like on earlier albums. However, I loved, and still do love, 'When It's Gone', 'Somebody's Been Lying', 'Because We Are in Love' and 'When You've Got What it Takes'. These recordings still demonstrated Karen's warm, rich lower register, in places. At the time, I also loved 'Beechwood' and 'Want You Back in my Life Again', but over the years, my interest in these two has definitely lessened. I view them now as light, throw-aways that don't demonstrate Karen's talent and that were probably just attempts at getting some single air-play, with their up-tempo beat and light, inoffensive content. 'Touch Me When We're Dancing' sounds a bit factory-produced and soul-less. I have always noticed that, throughout the album, Karen's voice sounds especially thin when she sings high. She sounds as if she's straining, instead of sounding natural, as on earlier recordings that use her higher register, which I love as much as her lower one. For instance, she sounds as if she's straining and her vocal chords are constricted on the high parts of 'Those Good Old Dreams' and 'Touch Me'. My love of 'I Believe You' has continued to this day, although I'm not as into songs about marriage now! Speaking of 'Because We Are in Love', I think that Karen hit a 'D' below 'Middle C' on that one, which is a really low note for a woman. The recording used at her wedding is different from that which appears on the album. Her vocal is different, and is almost even better. In regard to promotion for the album, I remember reading in the fan club newsletters that a video of four(? or three?) tracks had been sent to video stores for promotion. The inner-sleeve from 'Made in America' was later used as the cover for the Australian Number One album, 'Very Best of the Carpenters', and there were big record-store posters of this. All-in-all, I think that 'Made in America' has some great vocal performances of Karen. There are some good arrangements and some strong songs, lyrically and melodically. There are a few songs that aren't so great, but the album has got enough on it for me to regard it as a good and enjoyable Carpenters album that has held its appeal through the years.

Great post, I really enjoyed reading that!

 

[Another Son]

Great post, I really enjoyed reading that!

Thank you, Stephen.

 

[GaryAlan]

Brian, that was indeed a nice read !
Interesting about the 'promotional' materials related to Made In America.
This seems to be an Album where many, many Promotional Items were supplied by A&M Records.
(Pencils, Visors, Postcard, Two differing Posters, Money Cube, Bumper Stickers, Plastic Bag.......can we add to this?).
In fact, unless I am mistaken, no album has more promotional items, that I am aware of.
In (re-) reading the 1997 comment by Richard Carpenter, that 'I Believe You' ranks as one of Karen's finest vocal
performances, I am reminded of some questions I continue to foster regarding the song:
(1) Why do Karen's vocals on this song, when stacked against the other 1978 recorded vocals---sound less forceful ?
(Compare, say, this song with Little Altar Boy, as but one example).
(2) Why was the arrangement turned over to Paul Riser--he also arranged Dancing In The Streets for the Space Encounters Special.
( Were the vocal overdubs an after-though of Richard's ? "Four Part harmony" , as he says in 1978 October interview, for this song.)
(3) While recorded in mid-1978, the vocals sound as if they were done especially for the Made In America LP:
in other words, while, say, recorded vocals of Where Do I Go From Here (1978) would 'sound' out of place, such is not the case with
I Believe You--vocals which mesh with the album.
(4) I haven't listened to the SACD vocals of the song , are they (being a different cut?) substantially stronger ? If so, why was the stronger cut
held back---both as a single and on the album. ?
(5) Comparing overdubs for the song against others in Carpenters canon, I find the overdubs--in this One instance--lacking.
(Am I the only one ?).