Carpenters Children's Album

[tomswift2002]

Ever since I mentioned how "Crystal Lullaby" could've fit onto a children's album, had the Carpenters recorded one (and especially in light of how much Karen apparently loved kids and wanted one herself)
I've been wondering what songs we might've seen on it? Or for that matter, if they had done 2---one non-seasonal and one-Christmas---what songs would you think would be on them.

For me, for the non-seasonal album I could easily see "Crystal Lullaby" and "Sing", either the original recordings or even newer recordings appearing.

On the Christmas one some version of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" and probably "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer", "Frosty The Snowman" and "Up On The House Top" with Karen doing a Gene Autry-style opening to the song. Plus "Away In A Manger", "Little Drummer Boy", "Silent Night" and "Do You Hear What I Hear?. And some more unheard, but still kid-loveable such as "Old-Toy Trains" and "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" and "Little Saint Nick". Plus I could also see one or two songs penned by Richard and John.

What would be your Carpenters Children's record?

 

[natureaker]

Interesting topic to start. For non-seasonal, I definitely agree with your choices of "Crystal Lullaby" and "Sing". I could sort of see "Goofus" on a non Christmas one as well. Some others could possibly be "Beechwood 4-5789" (I've always found that song child-like for some reason), "Jambalaya (On The Bayou), and "Crescent Noon".

For a children's Christmas album, I'd go with "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas", "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town", "Come On Christmas, Christmas Come On" (even though, it's a very upbeat song, I think The Carpenters could've done something with it), "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer", "Frosty The Snowman", "Little Drummer Boy", "Deck The Halls" and "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus".

 

[Mark-T]

Of course, Rainbow Connection and Bless the Beasts and Children.

 

[K.C. Jr]

Plus "Away In A Manger", "Little Drummer Boy", "Silent Night" and "Do You Hear What I Hear?.

A little off topic, but I always wished they had covered "Little Drummer Boy" for a Christmas album. Given Karen's drum talent, I'm surprised they didn't.

 

[tomswift2002]

It would've been interesting to have heard Karen and Richard's take on the 80's kids hit "The Cat Came Back". I remember as a kid loving Fred Penner's version. (There is a short film out there by another artist, but I really don't care for it.)

Another Christmas song that they could've done on a kids Christmas album, is the song "Keep Christmas With You" from the TV special "Christmas Eve On Sesame Street". Plus, if either of these were done in the 80's, I could see the Carpenters doing a TV special aimed at kids and then releasing it on Beta and VHS. Or even recording a special kids concert.

Plus with Richard having had kids in the 80's, you have to wonder if, had Karen lived, we might've seen a kids album around 1985/87.