Chronological Order Greatest Hits

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Mark-T

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New Game-
  • Pick one song from each album (no Christmas discs)
  • Share the list beginning with a selection from "Ticket to Ride" though "As Time Goes By"
  • How do they flow?

Here's mine:

All of My Life
We've Only Just Begun
Superstar
A Song for You
This Masquerade
Only Yesterday
Boat to Sail
All You Get From Love is a Love Song
Touch Me When We're Dancing
Ordinary Fool
Kiss Me the Way You Did Last Night
The Rainbow Connection
 
Do they have to be greatest hits? I think I went more by personal preference on some of mine. I know the first selection isn't Karen; please don't hate me!

Your Wonderful Parade
We've Only Just Begun
Superstar
Goodbye to Love
Yesterday Once More
Desperado
I Need to Be in Love
Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft
Touch Me When We're Dancing
Look to Your Dreams
Honolulu City Lights
Rainbow Connection

If I was going strictly by greatest hits, I would say to replace some with these:

Ticket to Ride
Only Yesterday
All You Get From Love Is A Love Song
Where Do I Go From Here?
 
Don't Be Afraid
Close to You
One Love
Hurting Each Other
This Masquerade
Love Me For What I Am
Breaking Up is Hard to Do
All You Get From Love Is A Love Song
Want You (Back In My Life Again)
You're Enough
You're The One
Leave Yesterday Behind

Personal favorites (mostly!) out of the way for this one. I tried to pick songs that flowed into each other -- kind of like how side 1 of "A Song For You" or the Sweet Memories set worked -- the ebb and flow of relationships. Some of these, like A Kind Of Hush's selection, I haven't heard before! I just thought the titles fit. :D
 
I like this exercise, mstaft! I pondered a few different directions regarding genre, but not every album afforded a good option.
So I chose (primarily) up-tempo songs. It's All I Can Do...

All I Can Do
I Kept on Loving You
Let Me Be the One
I Won't Last a Day Without You
Jambalaya (On the Bayou)
Happy
There's a Kind of Hush (All Over the World)
B'wana She No Home
(Want You) Back in My Life Again
Sailing on the Tide
If I Had You
Dancing in the Street

Bonus: Solos
My Body Keeps Changing My Mind
Say Yeah!
 
Another tough one to choose songs for:
The only common theme of my choices seems to be (with two exceptions)
the slow (unhappy themed) ballads.
There are so many great Carpenters' songs to choose from.

Someday
We've Only Just Begun
Rainy Days And Mondays
Goodbye To Love
Yesterday Once More
Caught Between Goodbye And I Love You
One More Time
Two Sides
When It's Gone
At The End Of A Song
Little Girl Blue
Nowhere Man
 
Another tough one to choose songs for:
The only common theme of my choices seems to be (with two exceptions)
the slow (unhappy themed) ballads.
There are so many great Carpenters' songs to choose from.

Someday
We've Only Just Begun
Rainy Days And Mondays
Goodbye To Love
Yesterday Once More
Caught Between Goodbye And I Love You
One More Time
Two Sides
When It's Gone
At The End Of A Song
Little Girl Blue
Nowhere Man

Going along with a theme idea, I’ve selected the most heartbreaking song from every album, as I’ve noticed there’s always at least one, tear-out-your-heart-and-throw-it-on-the-floor song on every album (some albums have many...):

Someday (I’ve always thought this song might be about a female soldier leaving for Vietnam, similar to “Leaving On A Jet Plane”)
Crescent Noon (Not exactly sure what this song means, but it sounds like infinite sadness)
Superstar (Unrequited groupie love)
Road Ode (I often wondered if things might have turned out differently for the siblings had they not toured so damned much...)
This Masquerade (Is this everybody’s favorite album cut?)
Desperado (By my ears, the definitive version of this Eagles classic)
One More Time (...and though I'm really far away, I'll make my get away, and no one need really know that I've been gone.)
Two Sides (Would have loved a full album of country songs)
When It’s Gone (One of two sad songs in an album trying a bit too hard (?) to be smiley-happy)
Ordinary Fool (I always think with my heart, too)
Where Do I Go From Here? (Autumn days, indeed...)
Rainbow Connection (Some folks think this is a cute, optimistic Muppet song, but it’s always landed on me as terribly melancholy)
 
I used the criteria of: I'm going to play a song from each album. What's the first track I naturally gravitate towards?

Ticket To Ride (It was between this and "Someday")
I Kept On Loving You (The two big hits split the vote and left me with my favorite Richard vocal.)
Superstar (There's no denying this classic. As far as I'm concerned, it leaves "Rainy Days" in the dust.)
Hurting Each Other (I've loved this one from the moment I heard it. It still delivers.)
Yesterday Once More (Another classic that was perfect for what it was written for.)
Only Yesterday (This and "Hurting Each Other" are my flip-flop favorite Carpenters recordings.)
Breaking Up Is Hard To Do (Might have been "Goofus", but right now this one will do.)
All You Get From Love Is A Love Song (A fabulous single that should have done better.)
Those Good Old Dreams (This one takes a lot of abuse, but is my favorite from MADE IN AMERICA, particularly the original LP mix.)
Your Baby Doesn't Love You Anymore (From back when radio was ignoring everything Carpenters, I handpicked this one as my very own single, and played it often.)
If I Had You (The LOVELINES mix is especially powerful.)
And When He Smiles (Too good to only be a bonus track.)

Oh, yeah. Bonus solo tracks:

Say Yeah! (Killer start to the TIME album.)
Make Believe It's Your First Time (The best version of the song.)

Harry
 
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I used the same logic as what Harry mentioned, picked the ones I love the most from each album. This would make a pretty good compilation or playlist. I like this idea!! However now I need a really cool album cover art. :help:

Turn Away
Reason To Believe
Rainy Days And Mondays
Goodbye To Love
Yesterday Once More
(I'm Caught Between) Goodbye And I Love You
I Need To Be In Love
B'Wana She No Home
When It's Gone (It's Just Gone)
Look To Your Dreams
You're The One
The Rainbow Connection

Bonus Tracks (1 selection from each solo album)

When Time Was All We Had
Make Believe It's Your First Time
 
What do you think of this album artwork I made for this compilation?

My%20Favorites%20Album%20By%20Album%20Comp%20.jpg~original
 
In my iTunes Library, I did an album search and found the most played song per album were these:
  • OFFERING/TICKET TO RIDE: Don't Be Afraid - A terrific, uplifting tune. I like the demo version as well.
  • CLOSE TO YOU: We've Only Just Begun - Perfect vocals, perfect arrangement, perfect production. They really hit this one out of the park.
  • CARPENTERS: Rainy Days and Mondays - Karen's melancholic voice in this one gets me every time. Also, a great saxophone solo (I hate the remixes that omit the strings).
  • A SONG FOR YOU: I Won't Last A Day Without You - A wonderful Williams/Nichols song and my favorite version (although I like Streisand's as well).
  • NOW AND THEN: Yesterday Once More - A timeless song which I never get tired of hearing. IMO, Richard and John's best song.
  • HORIZON: Only Yesterday - The quality of Karen's voice on this track is exceptionally well captured.
  • A KIND OF HUSH: Can't Smile Without You - I prefer this to Manilow's version. Love the whistling part at the end.
  • PASSAGE: All You Get From Love Is A Love Song - Love this song, love the video. Should have cracked the top 20 at least.
  • MADE IN AMERICA: I Believe You - I like this song a lot, and I even love the "cave" and "freckled little girl" lyrics.
  • VOICE OF THE HEART: Make Believe It's Your First Time - I love both this version and the one on Karen's solo album.
  • LOVELINES: Little Girl Blue - I love the sadness and yearning in Karen's voice. A great interpretation.
  • AS TIME GOES BY: And When He Smiles - A simple little song that in Karen's hands becomes really charming and enchanting.
 
In my iTunes Library, I did an album search and found the most played song per album were these:
  • OFFERING/TICKET TO RIDE: Don't Be Afraid - A terrific, uplifting tune. I like the demo version as well.
  • CLOSE TO YOU: We've Only Just Begun - Perfect vocals, perfect arrangement, perfect production. They really hit this one out of the park.
  • CARPENTERS: Rainy Days and Mondays - Karen's melancholic voice in this one gets me every time. Also, a great saxophone solo (I hate the remixes that omit the strings).
  • A SONG FOR YOU: I Won't Last A Day Without You - A wonderful Williams/Nichols song and my favorite version (although I like Streisand's as well).
  • NOW AND THEN: Yesterday Once More - A timeless song which I never get tired of hearing. IMO, Richard and John's best song.
  • HORIZON: Only Yesterday - The quality of Karen's voice on this track is exceptionally well captured.
  • A KIND OF HUSH: Can't Smile Without You - I prefer this to Manilow's version. Love the whistling part at the end.
  • PASSAGE: All You Get From Love Is A Love Song - Love this song, love the video. Should have cracked the top 20 at least.
  • MADE IN AMERICA: I Believe You - I like this song a lot, and I even love the "cave" and "freckled little girl" lyrics.
  • VOICE OF THE HEART: Make Believe It's Your First Time - I love both this version and the one on Karen's solo album.
  • LOVELINES: Little Girl Blue - I love the sadness and yearning in Karen's voice. A great interpretation.
  • AS TIME GOES BY: And When He Smiles - A simple little song that in Karen's hands becomes really charming and enchanting.

I did something to that effect after reading this -- matched your first three, Now & Then and Horizon. Seems you and I have similar tastes, Eyewire! :)
 
I did something to that effect after reading this -- matched your first three, Now & Then and Horizon. Seems you and I have similar tastes, Eyewire! :)

Awesome! :)

I'm not sure how well my list would flow from start to finish, but I will make a playlist based on this, play it on the way to work and see how it goes.
 
I used the criteria of: I'm going to play a song from each album. What's the first track I naturally gravitate towards?...Breaking Up Is Hard To Do...

Harry, it's nice to see you giving a shout-out to "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do!" Not a fan favorite on this forum; for some, a preference for the slower version is one perspective. It could have easily made my "up tempo" list, but I opted for "There's a Kind of Hush" instead. Still, I also love it as is. I'm glad that Carpenters included in their repertoire this type of "fun" song!
 
Considering that it's only ever shown up on an old A&M GOLD SERIES or two, and the Japanese SINGLE BOX, it needed a little love.
 
Now THIS was tough, and eye-opening....

Turn Away
Baby It’s You
Rainy Days and Mondays
Goodbye to Love
Yesterday Once More
Only Yesterday
You
All You Get From Love Is A Love Song
Touch Me When We’re Dancing
Your Baby Doesn’t Love You Anymore
Kiss Me the Way You Did Last Night
Without a Song
 
Great topic and so interesting to see what people choose as their pick from each album.

Someday - unless I could use the '73 version of Ticket to Ride...
Baby It's You
Rainy Days and Mondays
A Song for You
This Masquerade
Only Yesterday
One More time
All You Get From Love Is A Love Song - although I am having a new-found enjoyment of B'wana...
Touch Me When We're Dancing
Sailing on the Tide - love the backing vocals
Kiss Me the Way you did last night
Without a Song

3 bonus tracks - 1 each from the solo albums and one later released track
When Time was All we Had
If We Try
Tryin' to get that feeling again

Jonathan
 
Great idea...but most difficult...
I'd have to go with my favorite from each album...

All Of My Life
(They Long To Be) Close To You
Superstar
Goodbye To Love
This Masquerade
Only Yesterday
I Need To Be In Love
All You Get From Love Is A Love Song
Lovelines (KC solo)
Those Good Old Dreams
Now
Say Yeah! (RC solo)
Kiss Me The Way You Did Last Night
And When He Smiles

and, of course, there would definitely have to be a Volume Two...
In my iTunes Library, I did an album search and found the most played song per album were these:
  • OFFERING/TICKET TO RIDE: Don't Be Afraid - A terrific, uplifting tune. I like the demo version as well.
  • CLOSE TO YOU: We've Only Just Begun - Perfect vocals, perfect arrangement, perfect production. They really hit this one out of the park.
  • CARPENTERS: Rainy Days and Mondays - Karen's melancholic voice in this one gets me every time. Also, a great saxophone solo (I hate the remixes that omit the strings).
  • A SONG FOR YOU: I Won't Last A Day Without You - A wonderful Williams/Nichols song and my favorite version (although I like Streisand's as well).
  • NOW AND THEN: Yesterday Once More - A timeless song which I never get tired of hearing. IMO, Richard and John's best song.
  • HORIZON: Only Yesterday - The quality of Karen's voice on this track is exceptionally well captured.
  • A KIND OF HUSH: Can't Smile Without You - I prefer this to Manilow's version. Love the whistling part at the end.
  • PASSAGE: All You Get From Love Is A Love Song - Love this song, love the video. Should have cracked the top 20 at least.
  • MADE IN AMERICA: I Believe You - I like this song a lot, and I even love the "cave" and "freckled little girl" lyrics.
  • VOICE OF THE HEART: Make Believe It's Your First Time - I love both this version and the one on Karen's solo album.
  • LOVELINES: Little Girl Blue - I love the sadness and yearning in Karen's voice. A great interpretation.
  • AS TIME GOES BY: And When He Smiles - A simple little song that in Karen's hands becomes really charming and enchanting.
I agree, All You Get From Love Is A Love Song could have been a much bigger hit had radio been more friendly to Carpenters at the time.
 
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My compilation would be:

Looking For Love
The Parting Of Our Ways
Get Together
Love Is Surrender
Saturday
Crystal Lullaby
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (72 single mix)
1960's Oldies Medley from "Now & Then"
1950's Oldies Medley from "Live In Japan"
Desperado
Warsaw Concerto
Can't Smile Without You
All You Get From Love Is A Love Song
Christmas Waltz
My Body Keeps Changing My Mind
(Want You) Back In My Life Again
Prime Time Love
Do You Hear What I Hear?
Honolulu City Lights (86 single mix)
Who Do You Love
The Uninvited Guest
Dancing In The Streets
 
My compilation would be:

Looking For Love
The Parting Of Our Ways
Get Together
Love Is Surrender
Saturday
Crystal Lullaby
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (72 single mix)
1960's Oldies Medley from "Now & Then"
1950's Oldies Medley from "Live In Japan"
Desperado
Warsaw Concerto
Can't Smile Without You
All You Get From Love Is A Love Song
Christmas Waltz
My Body Keeps Changing My Mind
(Want You) Back In My Life Again
Prime Time Love
Do You Hear What I Hear?
Honolulu City Lights (86 single mix)
Who Do You Love
The Uninvited Guest
Dancing In The Streets
Wow, so different a list! I like it! Great! I champion individual tastes and thoughts! Great. Me too.


My list is forthcoming.
 
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