*FORUM FLASHBACK*: FAVORITE CARPENTERS MEDLEY?

[Chris May]

As most of us know, the Carpenters were notorious for throwing together a medley
every "Now and Then". I thought it would be fun to revisit a topic not discussed all that often.

On January 8 2003, A&M Corner member "PJ" posted the following thread:

Following on from Knowing When To Leave as part of Bacharach/David Medley, which Carpenters medleys are personal favourites?

I have picked four favourites :

1. Music, Music, Music TV Special Medley -Karen and Richard closed their 1980 special with this moving, brilliantly Arranged & Performed Medley.

2. Now and Then Medley -Great K&R Lead Vocals, Carpenters Harmonies on these timeless songs.

3. Superstar/Rainy Days & Mondays -from 1976 TV Special as featured on As Time Goes By (2001) : Karen's short but breathtaking interpretation of two Carpenters Classics.

4. Live Bacharach/David Medley from 1974 Vegas Concerts: Wonderful to hear Carpenters Performing the Full Medley and with great Group backing.

There are others that come to mind Karen/Ella, Carpenters/Como -but these four are particular favourites Any other choices?

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I'm not all that familiar with every one of those medleys but I have at least heard them all. I'm not all that fond of the TV special medleys -- they're just not what I like, I guess. The Bacharach/David medley goes by too fast...I wish the Carps had done a whole Bacharach-composed album, it would have been great.

Out of this list I've gotta go with the NOW AND THEN oldies medley. Although, I prefer a shortened version which I constructed myself. (I edited out Deadman's Curve, Johnny Angel and The Night Has A Thousand Eyes and it's still a seamless medley, including the "contest" part.)

I know some people get tired of hearing the DJ intros but they don't bother me. My favorite song (of the oldies) is Da Doo Ron Ron followed by Our Day Will Come....but the topper of it all is the Yesterday Once More opener/closer. Carpenters songs don't get any better than that,

 

[Roland Chayer]

For me, ' reality/truth is that I can't vote since I like them all as much, maybe except for the "Supertar/Rainy Days" one (I would've included the other one on ATGB, Hits Medley '76 - more songs).

Another one that I like as much as those included in the poll (maybe more) is the one at the end of the "Music Music Music" TV special (included in Box-sets also)..., that transition between "Make It Easy On Yourself" and "Someday" is brilliant to me..., very relaxing.

 

[Rudy]

The Bacharach medley from "Carpenters" is the one for me.

 

[Dave]

I obviously voted on Oldies Medley from Now and Then; it is THE Medley! Popular and Zippy and showcases "Golden Oldies" which these two can do... (Though I get weary of the Contest/DJ-schtick, too) I happen to like Deadman's Curve, Johnny Angel and The Night Has A Thousand Eyes; those are my favorite moments and I wish The End Of The World could'a been done in its entirety!

My least favorite is Bacharach Medley; especially making I'll Never Fall In Love Again a lil' TOO MUCH like their "stock in trade"... (The "...Here to remind you, here to remind you, here to remind you...", as well as the "...Wuh, wuh, wuh, wuh-wuh, wuh-wuh-wuh..." made me especially dread Side 2 of the Burt & Friends multi-artist compilation...) I agree, though...; an Entire Album of Bacharach songs, (maybe produced by Burt, himself) would really have been appropriate for any of their ambitions beyond just doing Close To You...



Dave

 

[brycem]

The Karen/Ella medley would have to be my favourite, was great to see 2 of the classiest female vocalists (in my opinion) working together. My 2nd choice would have to be the medley of Sing, Ticket to Ride, Wont last a day without you, Close to you, Goodbye to love etc that they used to close the '76 Special.

Bryce

 

[Actorman]

The Bacharach/David medley from "Carpenters" has always been one of my favorite album cuts, but I discovered the live version a year or so ago on the Reader's Digest compilation (thanks to this board!) and I think I love it even more.

First off, I like the fact that there are a few more songs in it (I LOVE "Any Day Now"). Maybe it's because there are so mant great Bacharach tunes to pick from, but the album version just always seemed "short" or something to me. Like there should be more to it. (And, apparently there was! ha ha)

The other reason is because it is live and yet Karen's performance is absolutely flawless!! It really makes you appreciate even more what an incredible talent she was.

 

[thestitch]

Even though I like them all, I voted for the "Oldies". It's just so classic. What's more, it's FUN!!

Marilyn

 

[davidgra]

I didn't vote, as my favorite medley isn't on the list...

One of my top 10 favorite tracks of ANY Carpenters tracks is the medley from the end of the MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC special in 1980, with "Sing," "Knowing When to Leave," "Make it Easy on Yourself," "Someday" and "We've Only Just Begun."

I listen to this medley far more than any of the others.

David

 

[Harry]

I like David's choice too. That MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC medley is terrific.

Another one not mentioned here is the "almost-all-of-side-two" medley from the LIVE AT THE PALLADIUM record. Many of the big hits are woven together with the assistance of a nice orchestra.

Harry

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

I'm with David and Harry, this by far is the best medley out there and also one I listen to more than any other medley.

In fact, I made a mp4 video file of just this medley portion from the MMM special and now it is on my video iPod so I can watch this any place I go. This is the best of the best.

 

[Chris May]

OK guys, I cheated a little...I've added the latter medley to the list. I hope I haven't screwed it up for the rest of you guys, but for those that wished to vote for the M, M, M medley, now's your chance.

 

[no1kandrfan]

Definitely the Now & Then oldies medley - great songs and arrangements, and Karen drums throughout! My favorite is Our Day Will Come - would love to have a longer version of that one.

Mike

 

[Rumbahbah]

Looking at the list it's impressive how many medleys they did and how great they all are. But the 1974 extended Bacharach medley is definitely the winner for me. I finally heard this a couple of years ago and was blown away by it, especially by Any Day Now and the slightly slowed-down version of Knowing When to Leave - I hadn't realised that the template for the versions of this and Make It Easy on Yourself were what formed the basis of the interpretations of these songs in the MMM medley. Karen had a real gift for interpreting Bacharach/David songs and Richard's arrangement of the tracks (particularly the strikingly different treatment of Walk On By) is very interesting to hear. The short version of the medley on the Carpenters album is great but it just feels that it's taken at just a little too quick a pace (although strangely I actually prefer Do You Know the Way to San Jose done at a quicker tempo). I wonder why the 1974 medley's not been included on more compilations as it deserves a much wider audience.

Of the rest, the Ella/Karen medley and the MMM medleys are probably my favourite - both very well done. The Now & Then medley hasn't aged well for me, although Johnny Angel and Our Day Will Come are superb. I'm not that taken with with either the Superstar/Rainy Days and Mondays medley or the Hits medley from the 1976 TV special - the former sounds too polished and the latter is inferior in my view to the longer version of the medley on Live at the Palladium.

 

[Harry]

The best parts of the 1980 MMM Medley is the relaxed feeling it brings to portions of the otherwise brilliant but rushed Bacharach Medley from the tan album.

The nice easy pace of "Knowing When To Leave" surprises when it goes into the instrumental ending of the song instead of instantly jumping to the chorus of "Make It Easy On Yourself." AND THEN, instead of starting that song in the middle, we get two sumtuous and full verses of the song in addition to the chorus.

Then the medley veers away from the old Bacharach Medley and heads into "Someday", a beautiful updating of a long-ignored and gorgeous song from their first A&M album, which still sends shivers up and down my spine after all these years.

The grand finale is a lush version of "We've Only Just Begun," a fitting conclusion to a masterfully arranged medley.

This is the one I WOULD have voted for had ol' Chris "hanging-chad" May not forgotten to add it to the ballot! As it was, I voted for the live Bacharach-David Medley, as it too is a winner.

Harry
NP: "1980 Medley" - Carpenters

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

aahhh, thanks Chris, so glad I didn't vote before when I posted. I just cast my vote for MMM 1980 medley.

I agree with Harry 100% on MMM. I think that is why I like it so much, it has a smooth, calming yet incredible delivery of these songs put together in just the perfect way. Even the way Karen delivers her vocals, Karen has a unqiue way of making the listener feel connected and ejects emotion to the words. My favorite part is Karen at the harp singing "Make it Easy On Yourself" and when she sings "Sometimes" walking full circle around the piano and the ending of We've Only Just Begun is very personal. Karen has sung this song sooo many times up to this point but she yet again makes a delivery of an old song seem new and fresh. The full orchestra is icing on the cake. I've watched this for the past 3 nights before heading off to bed on my iPod. I wish Richard would release just this medley on DVD in the future.

 

[Mark-T]

The MMM Medley from 1980 is my pick- just for "Make It Easy on Yourself"- but each medley is wonderful for different reasons.
I LOVE Karen singing "It's Impossible". Too bad it was never recorded at full length.

 

[Bruno]

Not an easy choice, but I voted for the MMM Medley, mainly because of Karen's interpretaton of MAKE IT EASY ON YOURSELF.

Bruno

 

[aaflyer98]

Easy for me! The Music Music Music Medley is by far my favorite. I LOVE Karen's reading of the verses of "Make It Easy On Yourself" that one song alone in the medley would be enough for me....but I love the rest of it too!

 

[nc-mediafan]

Although this presented a dilemma, I went with the live Bacharach/David medley mainly because of the inclusion of "Any Day Now" and the longer version of "Make It Easy On Yourself."

Thinking about these medleys makes me wish that Karen and Richard had done a medley of King/Goffin songs and also a medley of Jimmy Webb songs. Oh...what might have been!