Vinylalbumcovers
Ah am so steel een luv weeth yoo
I wonder if Bill ever asked himself that question.
Awfully chilly in here. LOLOLOL!!!
Ed
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I wonder if Bill ever asked himself that question.
And, here is the immediate singles competition:
BILLBOARD (USA) MAGAZINE'S SINGLES CHART FOR WEEK OF:
August 1,1981
TW LW Wks. Song-Artist
1 3 19 JESSIE'S GIRL-Rick Springfield
2 1 12 THE ONE THAT YOU LOVE-Air Supply
3 4 13 THEME FROM "GREATEST AMERICAN HERO"-Joey Scarbury
4 6 8 I DON'T NEED YOU-Kenny Rogers
5 5 12 ELVIRA-Oak Ridge Boys
6 7 10 SLOW HAND-Pointer Sisters
7 2 19 BETTE DAVIS EYES-Kim Carnes
8 9 11 BOY FROM NEW YORK CITY-Manhattan Transfer
9 10 11 HEARTS-Marty Balin
10 14 10 QUEEN OF HEARTS-Juice Newton
11 8 14 YOU MAKE MY DREAMS-Daryl Hall and John Oates
12 13 9 GEMINI DREAM-Moody Blues
13 16 6 (THERE'S) NO GETTIN' OVER ME-Ronnie Milsap
14 24 4 ENDLESS LOVE-Diana Ross and Lionel Richie
15 17 16 TIME-Alan Parsons Project
16 19 7 TOUCH ME WHEN WE'RE DANCING-Carpenters
17 25 7 LADY-Commodores
18 20 12 THE STROKE-Billy Squier
19 21 14 SWEET BABY-Stanley Clarke/George Duke
20 23 10 IT'S NOW OR NEVER-John Schneider
As I and others have mentioned, it was great to hear Karen after a 3 year silence. We finally had something newer than Passage but one song on Made in America was too similar to ones in the past or they seemed to copy the current popular acts instead of the other way around as in the days of A Song For You. Even the magical voicing was not front and center, so after a few plays, these feelings seemed more real. However, it was nice, surprising and exciting to hear the Carpenters play on the radio even if it was not at the same intensity of ten years prior. The softer FM (business listening) had become a stronger alternative to the Rock FM by 1981, allowing more coverage than in 1978. Prior Top AM stations now had FM play when I lived in Atlanta in 1981, and my hometown deeper in the south were at the brink of being silenced and swallowed by big radio buyouts moving the once popular AM stations to FM for music play. So the time was more in line for radio play than just a few years prior. In the end, even all those new acts as mentioned above did not have the career sales of Karen and Richard. And presently, it seems that enough time has passed for the nostalgic focus to be back on the voice and musical value than the justified over shadowing and shocking tragedy that shook fans and friends of fans in with the early passing of Karen. A spotlight now sharing the awesome career with a reflection back to respect, recognition, and finally, air play on love format, softer format, and oldies format stations. A lot of this attention has been brought about by products and awareness of new fans of whom I am grateful for all their efforts which has brought back the adoration of the greatest brother and sister team into the hearts and minds of today! Particularly, TJL’s Complete Singles collection and Randy’s Little Girl Blue biography and Chris May’s Download interviews have brought about even more recognition with TV countdowns from England and new specials in Japan, not to mention the internet tributes. There is probably more coming! And we have the biggest resource from an original fan with Harry’s Complete Discovery and History of Carpenters music products. It too, will become deeper as he continues to make it accurately reflect their career with a balanced historic perspective and value. It is already a reference that holds more information than anyone could ever imagine and more inclusive than most artists have and still has unlimited potential and may very well serve as a formula for the industry to follow, and we have access to it here for free! So, this one hit, at a modest top 16 in the 1981 could very well have helped keep the interest in our beloved duo alive and, at the same time, encourage all these efforts. So, with all the criticism and discussion over recordings from 1978-1983, we have a more balanced and factual dissection with historic resources to accompany listening pleasure.Now this is a fascinating list to consider. TMWWD fits in this list like the proverbial glove, as a song - and really does beg the question why it didn't make it into the top 10. I know many have offered their opinion about the state of the Carpenters 'reputation' by this time, but dang, the Moody Blues and Ronnie Milsap were hardly on any fans hot-watch list, and a number of these acts were hated by the music review crowd.
I suspect a big part of the problem (mentioned by others here) was less with the fans and more with the radio stations and how they perceived the Carpenters at this point. Newer acts - like Juice Newton, Air Supply, and Rick Springfield - even if hated by the stations, were mandatory plays. It might even be accurately said that it is surprising TWWWD made it to #16, and shows the strength of the song in overcoming, to some extent, the bias built in at this point.
[SNIP] then, my belief is that no matter what was released,
(at that time--mid 1981) no Carpenters' album was going to make it.....
very sad to come to that realization...
And now, to tie this back into the actual thread topic - I agree with the general assessment made by many - that this album was ultimately - for all the reasons we know - a reflection of the end of their creative heyday.
Now this is a fascinating list to consider. TMWWD fits in this list like the proverbial glove
As I recall...returning to 1981...
the copy which I purchased at the retail store (in a mall)
was the only copy of the LP in the record bin.
Now, I begin further to wonder about the situation:
Did the retail outlets really order so few copies ?
If so, that would be one impediment to further chart success (?).
Also, I started my serious LP collecting in the late 1970's....
and, I had a terribly difficult time locating copies of each LP !
1978's Christmas Portrait should have done much better--- in its time--it is simply awesome.
Even given its status as a holiday offering, that Album should have been heavily stocked
and should have sold many more copies than it did (between 1978 and 1983).
Never have I recalled seeing a "promo" poster advertising any Carpenters LP at any retail outlet....
Regardless of its MIA's shortcomings, then, my belief is that no matter what was released,
(at that time--mid 1981) no Carpenters' album was going to make it.....
very sad to come to that realization...
That might've helped Back In My Life, Those Good Old Dreams and Your Baby as those just featured the generic A&M cover which I doubt really showed up on a record store wall.Touch Me may have been a bigger hit if the promo photos showed a modern view of the duo vs the airbrushed album cover.
My delight at MADE IN AMERICA'S release was not only the album ON release day (ty) but the full sized promo poster the record store manager gifted me that same day for free. I would've paid a mint. The A SONG FOR YOU full size cardboard promo I didn't obtain til months after its release but get it I did do indeedy!That might've helped Back In My Life, Those Good Old Dreams and Your Baby as those just featured the generic A&M cover which I doubt really showed up on a record store wall.
I’ve found that Richard rarely includes the post-78 tracks on compilations.Another oddity, I've noticed, is the lack of any of these songs from
Made In America
making their way on to the 1997 Cd Compilation Love Songs......
although, Make Believe It's Your First Time does appear.
(easily the weakest song of the compilation).
All in all, Love Songs is a favorite compilation.