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

[Jamesj75]

I would like to add my perspective on this tangent of "piling on." First, I agree with the eloquent words of Gary and Ed.

Often I find myself in the minority here regarding certain songs or certain albums. But that is okay. So much is subjective. Each opinion can still be respected and valid. My very first post here was met with a strong disagreement that was less than tactful, but I decided to keep posting because I am such a fan of the Carpenters and I wasn't going to let one (less than welcoming) regular poster "get me down" (a la "Rainy Days and Mondays").

Instead, I have found so much to enjoy:

• Certain posters are so welcoming, respectful, and enjoyable.
• Some are also well versed on all things musical and all things Carpenter.
• And certain people (GaryAlan---I'm talking about YOU) go well out of their way to do research and provide us continually with a wealth of facts, statistics, and quotes as well as much more. Thanks again!
• Certain people provide pictures, anecdotes, links, and heartfelt stories.

It's a hodgepodge of opinion, experience, and viewpoint, but with a common overriding, "big-picture" appreciation for Carpenters' music.

 

[newvillefan]

If I am unable to add insight or additional meaning to the 'mix',---why would I bother to spend any time on the forum?

Couldn't have put it better myself!

 

[Harry]

An off-topic explanation: My little diatribe above was caused by a wave of negativity that seemed to be creeping into nearly ever thread on this forum lately. I know that's an exaggeration, hence the word "seemed".

As a moderator, I'm duty-bound to read each post, and as such, I get an email virtually anytime someone posts something. As the holiday weekend continued on, with good feelings of fellowship and kinship with relatives and friends, I kept glancing at my phone with post after post all dumping on Richard, and that led me to my post.

Of course, we welcome all viewpoints, and it's sad to see that some of our valuable members have been somewhat scared away by the negativity. The Internet is a wondrous place, but one of its downsides is that it allows people with negative viewpoints to spread that negativity all around. Check out reviews of restaurants, books, records, movies, and you'll find a never-ending series of dissatisfied people. Read comments on any news item and the ideological haters on both sides will devolve into name-calling.

Chris May and I have set up these OFFICIAL REVIEW threads for the purpose of having definitive information on each album, as viewed by our members. Looking at the threads for MADE IN AMERICA and others, it would seem that some have what amounts to genuine dislike for these albums. There's nothing wrong with that, I suppose - as I said, all views are welcome. But it's just the over-and-over bashing that gets old and tiresome.

Another thing that bugs me is the way that many of our threads devolve into two camps regarding Karen's solo album. We have a number of threads, including a very long one, on the KAREN CARPENTER album, yet threads about other albums, or other totally different subjects seem to swerve into solo-land. Yes, I understand thread-drift. It's a fact of life on the Internet, but if many of you are reading this, please try to stay on-topic, or at least post a warning about the off-topic nature of your post. There's no limit to the number of threads than can be started, so if your thoughts don't exactly fit the topic, start a new one.

The reason for my brief posts these past few days is that I'm on the road for the holiday weekend. I only get a few brief times when I can expound on a long post like this one.

Bottom line is -- well there is no real bottom line. Keep up the good, civil behavior. Try to consider others' feelings - and to you folks that are bothered by the negativity - don't be afraid of words on the Internet. If you disagree, join in and say so. You are the balance that we need!

Harry

 

[GaryAlan]

Thanks for the elaboration, Harry.
Myself, I appreciate (and this I reiterate) any reasoned discourse--positive or negative--
regarding Carpenters' career.
I probably should offer apologies for posting so often, especially with what may seem to be
already discussed--or old--information. Many times this information is quite new to me, and
at the moment I find said information I become over-eager, if not compelled--to share such on this forum.
Many have already perused voluminous information pertaining to Carpenters' career, I have quite literally
'only just begun' to gravitate toward the depths of more detail regarding their career--even though I have been
listening to the records since the early 1970's--literally every single day since 1973. A day will not pass without
listening to Carpenters music---thus, I am a 'fanatic'.
On the other hand, detailed knowledge of their career, the particulars--the backstory, if you will-- have very much
been unknown to me--ever since 1973. And, I would imagine said details are also unknown to many fans.
I do my best to present information, to disseminate what I find, so that others can form their own opinion.
They needn't agree with me--I'm not after promoting and promulgating my own views.
I am after truthfulness, in so far as it is able to be ascertained. (e.g., documented,authenticated,verified).
And, that, my friends--as time progresses--will become much harder to find.
If I do err, by all means, call me out on an error---it's much more important to get it right than to feed my ego.
Likewise, it is clearly anachronistic to insist that all posts be 'positive'; and ,very likely, if the only posts that
are acceptable need always be positive, always glowing, this does a grave disservice to the true legacy of Carpenters' music,
and Karen and Richard Carpenter as human beings. Remember, even they hated the sugar-coated image.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

I am guilty of diverting threads into the Karen (solo album land) but it's only because I'm so passionate about her solo album and I just love the music she created. I usually only do it when someone has pointed out a correlation that relates to solo material unfortunately that happens on threads not intended for that discussion. I'll try to remember and most of all resist the urge to dive in on a thread not about her solo album that turns into it and stay back on topic.

I did want to mention that a lot of the articles that Gary has brought forward have been a fresh approach, most I've never read before and it does make you think and so we want to discuss. I wanted to thank Gary for his time in hunting those down and providing links for our reading material. It's very evident from reading Gary's posts that he is passionate about all things Carpenters and cares deeply for their music as do many of us. We may not always agree on all topics but it's nice that we have a forum to discuss our opinions.

 

[Geographer]

I wonder what Richard would (does) think reading some of the posts that blame him for almost all of Karen's ills and ultimate demise. If I were him I'd be thinking "why would I put out my Christmas album when even my so-called 'fans' have a high negative regard for me. personally, an my second-rate work?" Richard is better off enjoying his family, his retiremnt, and not having to justify, over and over again, his success. Count me as one of those who posted regularly in the past, but have been less enthusiastic to do so in recent years because of the "negativity."

 

[GaryAlan]

Thankfully, Richard Carpenter is able to enjoy a healthy, happy, joyful retirement.
I would imagine that we all wish him well.
Certainly, Richard has ,throughout the entirety of his career, read worse things than material found on this forum.
An historical analysis of Carpenters' career, along with an appreciation of Carpenters' musical creations, has
nothing to do with a personal vendetta against him. Certainly, he is already aware of that.
When Made In America 'hit' (1981) the stores---I bought it. When it made it to cd, I (re)bought it. (was that 1986?)
When Voice of the Heart 'hit' (1983) the retail outlets--I bought it. When it made it to cd, again--I (re)bought it (1986?).
When Richard Carpenter played Epcot in 1985, I went to see him 'play'.
When Time 'hit' the stores--I bought it.
Well, you can spot the trend.
It doesn't matter that I do not give a glowing review of Made In America---I still support him in any endeavor.
That proof is in my wallet--well, it's in his now---but, the point is I will, and have,
purchased anything he has been musically involved with, regardless of of my 'review' .
My actions show my support for Richard Carpenter, my after-the-fact-analysis simply disseminate an opinion.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

At this point,it would probably be safe to assume that Richard's Christmas album will never be in release.It was recorded 12 years ago,and Richard hasn't been able to find a label that wants to release it.I believe Richard ultimately decided to "quietly" shelve the album & not pursue the project any longer.

I'm beginning to believe in what mr j said (and I rarely do) that Richard's Christmas album was never released because he could not find a label who would release it. It's not because of some forum talking about Carpenters. I'm more concerned that record labels no longer think Carpenters are valuable in the music industry and turning down playback of his Christmas album. It's the music industry and record labels that's the issue not some forum comments.

 

[byline]

I think one major difficulty here is that many of us – and I include myself in this – take a narrative approach to life. We all like stories, and so we like to take events and stitch them together into a narrative framework that makes sense to us. But that narrative framework, while having a nice cohesion that helps us makes sense of random events, may have nothing to do with the truth of what happened. It's just us using the structure of story to try to make sense out of nonsensical events. We all do it. The problem is that when we post those narrative interpretations on the Internet, they take on a permanence, a near-limitless shelf life that was not possible on such a mass scale before. It definitely creates a pile-on effect that I feel has been detrimental to Richard's public legacy. Whether he pays much attention to it, I have no idea. For his own sake, he would be wise not to.

While I do not like the sugarcoated image the Carpenters had, I also think there is a tendency – when someone dies too young – to want to blame someone for behind-the-scenes issues we are sure must have contributed to that death. And here is where I have a lot of difficulty with some of the conclusions I see posted. I ended up leaving a particular group because most in the group are so enamored with Karen's solo album that they seem to believe it is the be-all and end-all that could have saved her. And those of us who are not enamored with the solo album are seen as a sort of "enemy" who must be convinced of its greatness at every opportunity, and are shouted down every time we post a dissenting opinion. And we are also perceived as opponents, or at the very least non-supporters, of Karen's efforts in asserting herself ... when I think in most cases, nothing could be further from the truth. We just don't happen to enjoy the overall sound of her solo album (though in my case, I do like some of the tracks). I respect the effort and sheer bravery it took for Karen to make this step. Yet no matter how often I said that (primarily in this other group that I finally had to leave), I was lectured on what I was not hearing, on how could I possibly not respect Karen's hard work, and how could I not believe that if it were released during her lifetime, she would probably be alive today?

I think that's the final issue which is so difficult for me in many of these discussions. It's not that I don't believe it's possible that, had that one thing changed, everything else could have changed. Of course it's possible. However, for many reasons, I don't think it's very likely. Yet there are people who hold on to that belief like it's the one thing that could have saved her, and those who stood in the way of its release – Richard being one of the chief targets – are seen as the architects of her demise. I understand that the silence in that room, during the A&M playback, must have been devastating for Karen. However, what we don't know – and will never know, because it didn't happen – is how events would have played out had the album been released. Would Karen have been targeted by the comics and/or critics of the day for even more mean-spirited criticism and sarcasm, and would that kind of rejection have affected her just as deeply? With the hindsight and reflection brought on by Karen's death, I think overall her solo album probably received a more generous listening than it might have otherwise. But of course I don't know that; it's just my opinion, based on what I remember of that fun but frenetic, unkind time in the late '70s to early '80s. But because of it, I lack the certitude that so many others seem to have about her solo album's release, rather than shelving, being her savior. And that's part of why this is such a polarizing issue.

 

[GaryAlan]

Some 1981 year end statistics from-
Billboard Magazine, December 26th, 1981:
Pop Single Artists:
#93 Carpenters (2 charted singles)
Pop Album Artists: not in top 100.
Adult Contemporary Singles:
#15 Touch Me When We're Dancing
Adult Contemporary Artists:
#15 Carpenters (2 charted)
Producers:
#78 Richard Carpenter

 

[Mark-T]

byline, thanks for your thoughts. I want to say that I do not think of anyone on this forum- regardless of their opinion on anything we talk about here- as an enemy. In my mind, we're all friends and deserve to be treated as such. So, thank you friend, for sharing your thoughts!

 

[byline]

byline, thanks for your thoughts. I want to say that I do not think of anyone on this forum- regardless of their opinion on anything we talk about here- as an enemy. In my mind, we're all friends and deserve to be treated as such. So, thank you friend, for sharing your thoughts!

You're welcome ... and thank you! I should reiterate: This happened in a completely different group from this one (which is why I had to leave that group). I have never received that treatment here, and frankly – even with the negativity that has been cited – I find this group vastly superior to others I have participated in. There is the same passionate discussion, but without the rancor. Disagreements are openly stated, but the opinions themselves are rarely dismissed or degraded with derogatory epithets or phrases. I find it refreshing, and much more welcoming in terms of discussion (as opposed to debate).

 

[Geographer]

You're welcome ... and thank you! I should reiterate: This happened in a completely different group from this one (which is why I had to leave that group). I have never received that treatment here, and frankly – even with the negativity that has been cited – I find this group vastly superior to others I have participated in. There is the same passionate discussion, but without the rancor. Disagreements are openly stated, but the opinions themselves are rarely dismissed or degraded with derogatory epithets or phrases. I find it refreshing, and much more welcoming in terms of discussion (as opposed to debate).

I do have to say that I haven't seen, or recall, anyone here personally attacking any other member even in the most passionate of discussions; however, attacks and slights against Richard and his parents are not uncommon. As for an example, on another thread, someone stated "no matter what you think of their parents" (or something similar) infers something sinister about Agnes and Harold. Why would anyone think anything ill of Agnes and/or Harold other than the "piling on" which Harry speaks about? If something is repeated enough it becomes "fact” even if it is not true.
Having met and had more than a few conversations with both Harold and Agnes Carpenter I can say with certainty that both loved Karen very much. Agnes, because of popular culture, became a one-dimensional character that is seen as Karen's nemesis. She was not Karen's nemesis. She was Karen's mother. And she had all the love a mother could have for a daughter. She was devastated as much as any other mother would be when losing a child. Yes, she was a strict parent and wore the pants in the family; but does anyone consider that maybe she had to be the strict one? Harold was a prince of a guy. One of the nicest down-to-earth people I've ever met. But he was a gentle, soft-spoken man. Perhaps Agnes needed to be the strong one. As much as some like to harp on the fact that Richard was a mama's boy, Karen was equally a daddy's girl; roles not too uncommon or unusual, if you think about it. The myth that somehow Richard and Agnes conspired against Karen and this is what ultimately killed her is an inaccurate one and one that ignores many other facts and familial dynamics; thus, every time I see this repeated over and over again, I just shake my head and move on. And if this is my reaction, what is Richard's?

 

[Harry]

Still off-topic: It was originally hoped that this forum would attract some of the artists that we post about. We've heard that Herb Alpert and probably Lani Hall have knowledge of the place. I'm pretty sure that Sergio Mendes and wife/singer Gracinha know about us, and I think it's pretty safe to assume that Richard is/was aware of us. Julius Wechter checked in a couple of times. Bass player Carole Kaye has been here, as well as a couple of song composers and more minor artists. We're thrilled to have Bill Cantos join in our little discussions.

So far, none of the "biggies" have ever posted. We would have liked for that to have happened, but I can't imagine it now. But you never know - it's always good to hope for the best.

Harry

 

[GaryAlan]

(Off-Topic):

"....but, I can't imagine that now."
I'm rather taken aback by that statement. (Forgive me.)
I spent many a day perusing this forum, before officially 'joining in' and contributing.
Precisely, due to the happy circumstance that there are many thoughtful, knowledeable, passionate members,
did I ultimately decide to 'jump in'.
I would imagine that communication via an internet forum is somewhat anathema to those of a certain generation--
with a background in education and scientific research, even I had my misgivings, and that is unusual in my field---
But, again, after spending time doing my research regarding this forum, I learned that any original misgivings were unwarranted.
I do not believe anything I have read on the A&M Corner has been so misguided, or cruel, as to turn anyone away.
If 'the biggies' have not joined in, the reason lies elsewhere.
Say, discomfort in interacting with people you: do not know , can not 'see', and, will never meet.
Obviously, given that the original, official Carpenter Webpage has been dormant for quite a long while, Mr. Carpenter simply
feels he has contributed all that he can, or wants to, contribute regarding Carpenters' music. (He is a busy man, after all.)
Perhaps, too, many other 'biggies' simply do not feel a compulsion to embark on a discussion board--- for the above reasons, and more.
But, and I reiterate, nothing I have read in the 'pages' of this forum has been of such a nature as to turn anyone back.

 

[Dave]

If there really any visits by members of The Musical And Famous here at A&M Corner, I'm sure the degree of which they'd want their "dropping in" publicly known, would be by their own discretion...

But likewise, it helps to make a forum or discussion center a welcoming place, if not for who-ever to if needing to defend whatever position becomes such an issue to come right out and do so...

It's truly a matter of attitude between each party, really... Only one we can control that of our own...

But to get back a little more onto this topic, if the attitude to make a come-back were dependent on singles, and not over-blown into an expensive and frivolous LP release, then it's easy to see that we'd have seen only a few 7" singles... Of "Touch Me When We're Dancing" b/w "Those Good Old Dreams" and perhaps a 12" of "(I Want You) Back In My Life Again"--and that being on the basis of 'what I think was good'...

"Somebody's Been Lying" worked better as a Carole Bayer-Sager tune (from the concurrent release, Sometimes Late At Night) and enough that if it were a hit, maybe the Carpenters wouldn't have really considered it; it wasn't, to me, really their style... I always likes "Stronger Than Before", the only hit really otherwise, by Carole, anyway...

I could imagine how this album may have been more expensive, if not similarly in costs, budget-wise, if there were that four-year difference between production and give room for the time of inflation to really play a role in terms of costs, to truly see the significance of that perspective... But, Record Sales will always tell a different and the ultimately, final story...

It was a good comeback, but given relevance, significance or to morph the two terms here into Demand for this product, juts simply not the great one it could have been...

'Behind The Scene' events such as Karen's condition may lend a little to the viewable facts, but the less public that could be (as even Richard's Quaalude use, previously) than really, so much the better...

Nineteen-years before this, Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass' "The Lonely Bull" made history or at least broke some certain, new ground, and for an entire album to have been built around that single, so I by much association, see that point of history being remade... Just that the elapsed time taking place between the two events easily met mighty different acceptance and reception, in what type of audience the former created, and sadly, how the potential of a latter declined...


-- Dave

 

[BarryT60]

Like many, when this album was released, I was clamoring for it! And probably loved every lick - and played it until the grooves were worn out... and I like it now - and am so glad we have it..... However.........................................................................................

From a 33 year perspective, however, I do have some minor criticisms...

I know this is old news - but I thought I'd reiterate a thought I had about one song on this album... Strength of a Woman... I am still amazed this lyric ever made it off the legal pad and on to any record. It reminds me of the Tammy Wynette tune, Stand By Your Man - which if you try very hard to justify that one, you can imagine it as a down-country "60's" kind of a thought process.... But in 1983 - any lyric that would suggest that it's okay to understand that your partner has a wandering eye (and more) - seems oddly out of sync with the times...
All that being said - I think Karen's reading of the verses, particularly the first, is beautiful.

As for Want you Back In My Life Again, as dated as it sounds now, I remember thinking it was a good choice for the second single. But perhaps it should have been released earlier? Had Want You come out right when Touch was hitting it's crescendo, it may have been programmed by more stations. I think it just needed a larger audience.

Finally, the lead song, Those Good old Dreams... a favorite of mine at the time - and still a very pretty song - seems out of sync also with 1983.

Now - one could say that Carpenters music was always out of sync, certainly mellow love songs in 1970 may have been seen as against the grain... However, this particular song was so pretty, so vanilla, I'm not sure it set the stage as the overture for a very progressive album. Probably makes very little difference, but leading the lp off with Want You Back, in all it's synthesized glory, and shifting to Touch, and ENDING side two with Those Good Old Dreams, IMHO, could have been a niftier set.

The Geritol commercial was pretty also - (my nick-name for: When You've Got What It Takes), and again, I really like that we have it to listen to now... but even then, I questioned it's relevance on the music scene at the time.

Geesh - I don't meant to knit-pick here... but the verses of Somebody's been Lyin' wear me out too. They melodically and meter-wise - just seem to drag....

And finally, I'd have considered scrapping the prologue to Because We Are in Love - and saving that exclusively for the wedding.

Favorite track??? When It's Gone, It's Just Gone... That one should have been released to the country stations, as a follow-up to Sweet Sweet Smile. I'll bet it may have been a sleeper.

I suppose - I'd put this record in the same category as Hush. A few good tracks - but mostly, a very pretty album; not as impactful as some of the other Carpenter albums - once you have a life-long base in which to compare.

 

[Don Malcolm]

Karen is so universally loved--in addition to her talents, because of and despite her own self-destructive flaws--that it's natural that we want to fix the blame on others for the tragedy that ultimately engulfed her. Richard and Agnes can't help but get the brunt of what is a displacement of the ongoing grief from those of us who love the Carps' music and the extra-special qualities that Karen embodied in it.

We also know that, whatever her own culpability in the behind-the-scenes matters in the Carps' career, Karen was clearly not "done right by" in enough ways that it's easy to absolve her of any and all responsibility for her actions. That is probably going too far, but we can see the solo LP (as byline so cogently put it) as a key to her independence and her ability to set aside the destructive habits that would ultimately take her from us. It's so symptomatic of Karen's saga that such an effort at independence, or "singular forward movement" (if you will), would be slapped down that it actually seems exponentially more cruel that she was allowed to go so far with it. That fact, too, sticks in the craw of many of us. And Richard's involvement in that process, while less direct initially due to his own detox efforts at that time, can't help but look harsh, overbearing, and defensive to the point of hysteria to us, particularly (as Gary as so cogently pointed out) when examined in comparison to MIA, the subject of this thread and an LP that cannot help but be compared directly to Karen's long-withheld solo LP.

And I think Gary was right to do so, and was right to point out that Richard's actions were more than a bit self-serving at that time. He, along with Jerry and Herb, might have felt that the Carps would no longer be viable if Karen too drastically changed her image and approach--given how dependent Richard was on her to be the focal point of the act. They certainly seemed unwilling to entertain the possibility that the public would like more "adult adventure" in Karen's material, no matter what "platform" it arrived in their hands (ears!).

Of course, Richard has suffered more than anyone as a result of Karen's loss, and that pain (and feelings of guilt) probably persists to this day. And I think we all want to be decent about this, because we can't know everything that happened to bring the forces together that ultimately resulted in tragedy--one far more devastating to the Carpenter family than to any of us. Her special qualities are so enveloping that we feel as though we've lost someone as precious as a family member--but no matter how essential to us, she is not our sister, our alter ego, our partner, our muse--all of those functions wrapped up so tightly in her relationship with Richard that they cannot be separated--and we cannot know the depth and force of the grief that Richard felt, and the complex feelings of regret and remorse he felt then. Whatever his transgressions or failures or whatever you may want to call them may be, it's clear that he paid (and continues to pay) a terrible price at an order of magnitude that only few of us (mercifully) have ever experienced.

I think we all know that Karen made several efforts to turn her life around after the solo LP incident, and that she was valiant in doing so. She had not given up on life no matter what type of personal setbacks she'd experienced. That makes the tragedy of what happened that much more palpable, and informs the type of compassion that Harry is championing. While I think Gary was clearly on the right side of that line, I'm glad that our administrators (Harry, Mike, Chris) all display a heightened understanding of the ongoing delicacy of this topic, and remain vigilant with respect to it.

 

[GaryAlan]

Beautifully said, Don.
I, too, appreciate the type of discourse championed by the administrators--as,indeed, it is a delicate topic.
And, too, none of us were there, or walk in Richard Carpenter's shoes. I can not imagine what he has endured.
Probably no need to point out that I do my best to present documentary evidence--as it becomes available to me---
pertaining primarily to the totality of Carpenters' career. Unfortunately, it is sometimes difficult to disentangle the
discussion of the music from the life-events which engulfed Karen and Richard. However, when I do intrude upon
those delicate issues, I try to "place myself" in the times in which they occurred--not, from my "present" vantage-point.
I do not subscribe to the "Whig" approach in historical analysis (as many scientists do, although not science historians):
"Whig history tends to divide historical actors into "good guys," who are on the side of truth (as is now known) and "bad guys,"
who opposed the emergence of these truths because of ignorance or bias."
I do find the discussion surrounding Made In America (and the Carpenters' 1979-1981 period) to be quite fascinating.
After all, the album is Richard's "favorite" (his words)--
while, as (Frenda purports) he said Karen's solo album was "s..t"
And, Karen's words (according to Phil Ramone) for the same are "f.....g great".
That dichotomy,as expressed in the above "quotes", raises eyebrows. Two sentiments,both worlds apart.
Would Mr. Richard Carpenter's sentiment, that he feels MIA is "the best thing we've ever done" sway my opinion on that album?
Should it? (I never saw his words until 2013, but, the album I've listened to since 1981)
Would his words for Karen's solo album 'sway' my opinion on that album?
Should it? (I saw his words in 2010,Randy's Book--yet,I purchased the solo album in 1996).
I love Horizon, Richard doesn't--should I alter my opinion because of it? ( I did not know his view of that album until 1994.)
Therefore, I will always be treading water.
But, I will try not to make waves as I tread!

 

[GaryAlan]

Mini-Timeline for the Album, as constructed from Carpenters' Fan Club Newsletters:

January 1980 (#66): Richard plans on returning to the studios , with Karen when she returns from New York, to
resume work on their next album--which will embrace some of the music they will feature in their special.

May 1980 (#67): Their studio sessions and work on the next special will keep them duly occupied for some time.

February 1981 (#69): The eagerly awaited album is near completion date. It is being mixed now, and pressing is expected to take six weeks.
Long photo sessions are in progress. The postponed television special tentatively set for sometime in fall.

June 1981 (#70): Made In America has been released Worldwide. Richard turned down three test pressings. Richard had the idea for the
title of the album in the back of his mind for some time. 29 June, A&M held a 200-guest party for the duo, 79 million sold to March 1981.
Richard hopes to have some time to vacation prior to work on the next album, and taping of an ABC special they are committed to
fulfill later in the year.

 

[newvillefan]

Richard hopes to have some time to vacation prior to work on the next album, and taping of an ABC special they are committed to fulfill later in the year.

Just how many TV specials were they signed up to do? They'd already done five by 1980. It's interesting to think what the sixth would have been like had they recorded it in 1981. I wonder what the TV Execs must have thought as 1981 rolled into 1982...then into 1983 with still no TV special.

 

[GaryAlan]

I (re-)read these Fan Club Newsletters periodically, now I take notes:
I actually wondered why Richard's need for a(-nother) vacation was even mentioned--I mean, he did take off quite a bit of time before 1980.
Also, apparently the Album was completed by January 1980--it was being mixed and pressed in February.
Karen Carpenter was extremely ill and yet off to Europe (October 1981) and Brazil (November 1981).
The party at A&M was June 29th, 1981, and that's the photo where Herb and Richard are flanking Karen.
The Japan Telethon was August 22nd, 1981 on the A&M Lot.(The lip-synching fiasco)
Sometime in August, the Casey Kasem Show/Interview at the A&M office.
Merv Griffin Show taped September 1st,1981.
1981 October 14,15,16 aris, France
Then to Holland "Top of The Pops",
then London (for a week of interviews),
then Germany "ShowExpress" (Beechwood/Top of the World),
Next, to Brazil.
So ends the Newsletter of January 1982 (#73): The duo busy researching material for their next album, to be recorded shortly.

 

[GaryAlan]

August 16, 1981 Bulletin Journal
Carpenters Have Bounced Back
"Refreshed after a long sabbatical, the Carpenters have bounced back onto the scene
with those sleek pop tunes they do so well. Richard and Karen have not made an album since
1977's Passage, an ill-advised venture into Rock that became the duo's first Non-Gold LP.
They also have not performed live since September 1978 when they quit in the middle of a
Las Vegas engagement--exhausted by years of hard work and the pressures of stardom.
Karen was contemplating a solo album, but finally shelved it last year when Richard decided it was time
to get the act back together.
Although they still have yet to perform Live, they have put together a fine new album called Made In America,
for A&M that returns them solidly to their status as kingpins of the middle-of-the-road music.
There are songs written by Burt Bacharach and Roger Nichols ( Somebody's Been Lying and When You've Got What it Takes),
two composers who wrote some of their earlier hits in the 1970's."

Source:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?n...WBOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qS4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=2248,3143385

 

[song4u]

August 16, 1981 Bulletin Journal
Carpenters Have Bounced Back
"Refreshed after a long sabbatical, the Carpenters have bounced back onto the scene
with those sleek pop tunes they do so well. Richard and Karen have not made an album since
1977's Passage, an ill-advised venture into Rock that became the duo's first Non-Gold LP.
They also have not performed live since September 1978 when they quit in the middle of a
Las Vegas engagement--exhausted by years of hard work and the pressures of stardom.
Karen was contemplating a solo album, but finally shelved it last year when Richard decided it was time
to get the act back together.
Although they still have yet to perform Live, they have put together a fine new album called Made In America,
for A&M that returns them solidly to their status as kingpins of the middle-of-the-road music.
There are songs written by Burt Bacharach and Roger Nichols ( Somebody's Been Lying and When You've Got What it Takes),
two composers who wrote some of their earlier hits in the 1970's."

Source:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?n...WBOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qS4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=2248,3143385

Rock?

 

[GaryAlan]

I, too, questioned the use of that term, 'rock',when applied to the album Passage !
Well, song4u, the above reviewer does say 'fine new album' regarding Made In America!
Too bad there isn't an author attached to the above newspaper article, only that it hails from Hollywood.

On another note, as I have been getting deeper into this album, of late:
Try as I may, and I've listened a hundred times to the song
Because We Are In Love (The Wedding Song)
(arranged by Richard Carpenter and Orchestrated by Peter Knight)
but, if it weren't for Karen Carpenter's vocals, I would really dislike this tune.
And, I've tried to really enjoy the song.
Not that it is intrinsically (lyrically) bad, but the arrangement and orchestration drowns it for me.
Billy May, where were you ?
I want to 'beef it up' on the arrangement, as in "We've Only Just Begun".
Some Questions:
How long did they (Richard and John) take to write this song?
How did Richard Carpenter create this arrangement? Why use Peter Knight?
Why the heavy Chorale sound?
What happened to Richard's creative utilization of Harps, which used to excite me?
Is there more of a back-story to the entire song?