Celebrating The Carpenters (2009)
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Jamesj75
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Thank you for posting this video! It is definitely a new one on this old dog! A few observations:
- I think the show hosts and the performers do a great, reverent job. The only ones I know are Dionne Warwick and Chrissie Hynde.
- It was interesting to finally see the commercial that begat "We've Only Just Begun."
- I'm glad Richard was included, although it's too bad he evidently wasn't there in person for the taping.
- The arrangement and male vocalist for "Rainy Days and Mondays" sound eerily reminiscent of Cracker from If I Were a Carpenter.
- I have seen sales estimates for the Carpenters well over the $100 million mark. Even in 2009, I thought they had passed that milestone.
- Do I detect a little grudging envy on the part of Dionne ("I sang it first," "ethereal") Warwick over her version being different from that of the Carpenters? (I do know the history of her kind words about Karen after Karen's death and her working with Richard on his first solo CD.)
Must Hear This Album
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Jamesj75, In response to your bullets:
- Other than Dionne Warwick and Chrissie Hynde, I was also aware of Jamie Cullum (he had a fairly big hit about 10 years ago, “All At Sea,” and I really enjoyed his first album, Twentysomething, which also features a fantastic Radiohead cover - worth seeking out if you like piano-driven pop music), but that was it. It was great hearing the songs reinterpreted, with my favorite being the soulful rendition to “We’ve Only Just Begun.”
- Regarding the commercial, I’ve seen the Crocker Bank ad a few times on various Carpenters biographies, but always with Paul Williams’ voice, never before with a woman singer.
- Love reading/seeing RC talk about the songs/albums/creation process. He’s a genius, in my opinion.
- I agree, and I also heard a few Sonic Youthisms in Hynde’s arrangement for “Superstar.”
- Not sure.
- The interview with Dionne Warwick landed on me that way, too. It made me wonder if she and RC had a falling out (maybe over Randy Schmidt’s recent biography, for which she provided the forward; I’m guessing RC wasn’t a big fan of the book?). Either way, I thought her voice held up very well on that performance. I also found it interesting how she spoke about her distinctive, “ethereal" version, but then used so much of RC’s embellishments in her performance, especially the bit at the end, where she awkwardly ad-libbed over the “wah-ah, close to you” part.
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
I did watch it (and remember being inundated by texts from friends making sure I knew it was being broadcast!). If I might go against the grain, most of it did nothing for me. All it did was remind me how awesome the Carpenters really were. Ronan Keating is very famous in the UK and Ireland for having been part of a boyband before going solo and his version of 'I Won't Last A Day Without You' was nice. Dionne's voice is just ruined now so her version paled in comparison as well.
All I remember is how great it was that ITV had actually dedicated a show to the Carpenters and that Richard had recorded some new interviews. I don't really get the impression he was itching to hear/see their performances as much as he claimed to be in the interview either!
Jamesj75
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Must Hear This Album: Thank you for your detailed response to my points! I appreciate the new information (e.g., Jamie Cullum) and the additional insights/perspectives (e.g., RC as "genius"---I agree; and the "Sonic Youthisms in Hynde's arrangements for 'Superstar'"---again, I definitely see that as well). Glad we have the same perspective about Dionne. Yet perhaps it's one of those cases in which she made many more gracious comments but editing highlighted what we see in the piece... There seems to be a story there...
Jamesj75
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Stephen: Thank you for providing your perspective! I like that you received texts in advance from friends about the special. I appreciate the additional information (e.g., Ronan Keating), and I tend to agree with you about the reminder of "how awesome the Carpenters really were" as well as the concept of a show dedicated to the Carpenters. As for Richard's involvement, maybe one day he will write his autobiography and fill in the many unfilled blanks...
Mark-T
Well-Known Member
I really enjoyed the special and wish it were an album instead of "If I Were A Carpenter"! I thought Dionne sounded pretty good in spite of her cigarette ruined voice. I much enjoyed Postman "Karen meets the Pussycat Dolls!", but my favorite tribute was Beverly Knight's version of Begun.
Honestly, the most compelling performance was the clip of Karen singing Rainy Days. For some reason today, it just grabbed me.
Honestly, the most compelling performance was the clip of Karen singing Rainy Days. For some reason today, it just grabbed me.
LondonRobert
Well-Known Member
Sorry for not replying earlier folks,
I had a quick look again at the show and it just confirms to me how i felt when it was first broadcast - a bit 'forgettable'.
I think the artists are not the best ones around, i do like Jamie Cullum. Dionne Warwick should stop singing ( if thats what she does these days!) but then as she has been declared bankrupt recently, she prob needs the money! hehe. I just didn't feel it was good enough at all and didn't do the Carpenters justice.
I had a quick look again at the show and it just confirms to me how i felt when it was first broadcast - a bit 'forgettable'.
I think the artists are not the best ones around, i do like Jamie Cullum. Dionne Warwick should stop singing ( if thats what she does these days!) but then as she has been declared bankrupt recently, she prob needs the money! hehe. I just didn't feel it was good enough at all and didn't do the Carpenters justice.
You hit the nail on the head-my sentiments exactly! I'm surprised Richard even agreed to participate in this event.
Nobody does KC like KC!
Nikifor Blavatsky
Member
Tell me about Gloria Gaynor and (the late) Donna Summer...
Nikifor Blavatsky
Member
Although I wasn't particularly impressed by any of the performers, I actually doubt the goal of the show was to cause any major impression. I found it to be dynamic, nicely varied and playfully entertaining, the performers covered an acceptable range of today's pop music and they all sounded like they were indeed celebrating the target subject instead of trying to outdo them. Dionne Warwick sounded way, way better than I expected her to after reading this thread, I certainly didn't expect her to sound like she did in her 20's or 30's, though she hasn't catched up with the melody in the first moment the song gets higher, "on the day that you were born", etc, she did in the second one, briefly, but the notes were there! Even Karen herself cheated on this when singing live, at the second "and starlight in your eyes of blue", she wouldn't sing the lead vocal note for "blue" as heard on recording and would retreat to the guys harmony, which was frustrating. Adele would do the same in her live recording of Someone like you as she sang the line "don't forget me, I bet". Donna Summer would sing "looking for some" and then let the backing vocals do the words "hot stuff". Sincerely, if you do this as you're performing, you're cheating and lying, and that applies to Karen as well in this specific point. If you can't sing it, don't do the song in the same key as the recording, do it in a lower key, that's exactly what Madonna does with Ray of light, otherwise you're cheating and lying to people.
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
A number of well-known performers have resorted to lowering keys completely as they have gotten older...Phil Collins, Steve Nicks and Neil Sedaka spring to mind. It does allow them to go for the notes they otherwise can't reach any more. What's even better is many of them openly admit in interviews that the voice drops a semi-tone or two as you reach your 50s and that it's impossible to perform those tracks in their original keys any more. I actually quite admire that sort of honesty.
aaflyer98
Well-Known Member
I don't think they are lying for doing this. I saw Donna Summer many many times over the years (2nd favorite singer right behind Karen) and I thought she did Hot Stuff like you said at first for religious reasons. I'm sure I was wrong, but it never bothered me. Never thought she was lying to me. Lying to me is when you Lip Sync at a live concert.
Jamesj75
Well-Known Member
Patrick, I wholeheartedly agree with you... This whole lip sync scenario is out of control. I just saw Selena Gomez lip synching her way through the halftime show of the Dallas/Oakland NFL game. I know it's typical, but I still don't care for it...
Nikifor Blavatsky
Member
It does bother me though I agree lip synching falls much further into the lies realm. I'm inclined to forgive it when the artist does elaborated dancing parts or other physically challenging or intrincate performances but I know more talented people could do the same and sing simultaneously.
Nikifor Blavatsky
Member
Of course. The voice changes, there's no get away from that, just like everything in your body changes, your skin, your hair, your metabolism. I suppose some people are more able to handle that by exercising and taking good care of the voice however there's no miracle.
Walter - I feel similarly frustrated when I hear Karen do this, because at the cadence singing the higher note would create a more convincing sense of finality. It's a case of artistic licence, so I'm certain she does this out of personal choice (and not to take short cuts).
LondonRobert
Well-Known Member
Nikifor Blavatsky
Member
I believe that is not the case here because we are not speaking of going full throttle, which wasn't Karen's style as a singing artist anyway, instead we are speaking of giving the live audience the same magic (or a superior version of it) you did when you went into studio because they deserve it as much so.
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