Unfortunately, not really. A copyright holder can complain, and eBay *might* do something. Otherwise, you'd have to buy it, demand a refund because it's fake (you need proof), and take the whole matter to eBay resolution.
Karen Carpenter Solo Sessions - Continued
- Thread starter leadmister
- Start date
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
^^^ Their policy states "We'll look into this and take appropriate action if the seller isn't following our policies. For privacy reasons, we won't disclose the outcome".
I guess that's one of the reasons so many get scammed. EBay don't seem to care until it's too late and you've parted with your money. Seems like someone succeeded in the past though if the same seller is masquerading under a new name.
I guess that's one of the reasons so many get scammed. EBay don't seem to care until it's too late and you've parted with your money. Seems like someone succeeded in the past though if the same seller is masquerading under a new name.
Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
Randy M
Well-Known Member
I know where my copy went, and I'd have pitchforks and torches chasing me to hell if I said where.
Randy M
Well-Known Member
The only Carpenters' Christmas song I hear is the same old chestnut: Merry Christmas Darling. Meanwhile, someone else has covered it, sounds like the Cs' version and may deep six the Cs' version over time.
Randy M
Well-Known Member
Smart guy if that was around 1979/80.
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
He didn't say it because he believed it was coming to an end; he said it because he felt Karen was not meant for disco as a vocalist and artist.
JohnFB
She was born to belong to the lines of a song...
I hear Have Yourself..., The Christmas Song, Sleigh Ride, Home for the .Holidays & Christmas Waltz...
Doubt very much if MCD will ever be replaced - it's the perfect vocal of a very good song.
Randy M
Well-Known Member
If you are talking about Ethel's dog. All I remember is a repetitious bump beat with Ethel's vocals lifted from elsewhere and tacked over the beat. Don't know if it was desperation or the money grab by the time Ethel, Blondie, & Rod Stewart jumped in, but not going disco was the best move for Karen.
There was one disco-ish Karen song that sounded like a forgettable Donna Summer song on one of the posthumous albums? I need to get back into a Carpenters binge listening mood.
Vinylalbumcovers
Ah am so steel een luv weeth yoo
Worked for Richard...multiple times. Look what we ended up with there (yeah, I know but come on...LOL!)
Ed
It's always good to remember the word "shelved". The album, just after the playback, was termed "shelved". I believe it was with the idea of revisiting some of these tracks and perhaps improving the album at a later date. Karen opted to go back with Richard and attempt another Carpenters record, always, I believe, with the idea of fixing whatever was perceived to be wrong with her solo album. She just ran out of time.
As this music is a bit more "trendy" than usual Carpenters fare which songs would have survived so to speak for another few years? I remember Phil Ramone once having said of his dismay at A&M's reaction, " this won't have a long shelf life."
My Body Keeps Changing My Mind is an obvious one that would be soon completely dated, but what about the others - at least through the 80's?
My Body Keeps Changing My Mind is an obvious one that would be soon completely dated, but what about the others - at least through the 80's?
Then what was the purpose of recording any songs like that? To be "of the moment" - (and we know that moment had passed)? And if this was "Billy Joel's Band", are there any Billy Joel disco songs?
byline
Well-Known Member
I don't recall Billy Joel doing disco at all. My recollection of his songs is that they were either pop ballads or piano-based, uptempo rock. Much of his music has a timeless bluesy quality. And he really knew how to craft a catchy tune. Maybe he still does. I haven't listened to his music in quite a while.
Jack A.
Well-Known Member
“We Didn’t Start The Fire” was probably his closest attempt at danceable party-style music - and I certainly wouldn’t consider that song disco…
Vinylalbumcovers
Ah am so steel een luv weeth yoo
Because she liked the song and wanted to do it. That would be my guess. Rod did the rhythm arrangement on that tune so Billy Joel's band likely isn't playing on this. It's a fun song and and she sounds like she's having fun when she's singing it. It doesn't feel forced. Also gotta give it up to Rod for the arrangement all around. His vocal arrangements always win and they do here too. "Just can't resist you" is simple but it's pure ear candy.
Ed
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
I've always hated that song. The sound is too hard and relentless on the ears.
motownboy
Well-Known Member
Definitely, Karen defied Richard and recorded "My Body Keeps Changing My Mind." It is classic disco with the swirling strings, etc. I think she and the song are great. I don't think Richard disliked the song either, because it was one of the first songs from her solo album he chose to remix and was released as part of the 'From the Top" box set. "Lovelines" is also disco. Richard remixed that song and even used it as the title of one of the posthumus albums.
Had the album been released in 1979 or 80, it would have been fine. The majority of the album was not disco. I think the real shame is that the album was not released back then. I stand by my assertion that the main reason the album was shelved was that Richard and A&M Records were too afraid to upset the Carpenters apple cart. What would they have done if Karen started getting lots of attention as a solo performer? What happens to Richard? Perthaps there was also a concern about her health and the stress of a possible carrer shift. There was probably so much uncertainty about so many things personally and professionally with Richard and Karen that not releasing the album seemed the safest bet. Still, the shelving of the album must have really taken the wind out of Karen's sails emotionally.
The album is good. She was quite proud of it and rightly so. I regard it as a holy grail. There are several magic moments on it. Had she lived, it would have been great for her to have recorded more solo work.
ullalume
Well-Known Member
It's interesting you use the term "shelved".
Looking back it appears that Karen really did think it was still a work in progress. In the last 2 months of her life Karen must have listened to the album several times, hence her comment to Phil only hours before she died that the record was "f###ing" great.
But she must also have mentioned her intentions to finish it to Richard as evidenced by his call to Phil to say, in so many words, "she's still not well, I'm not going back into the studio and you shouldn't either". You get the impression she was desperate to get her career going again, chiefly with Richard of course, and would have hit the recording studio the week after her return from New York, but Richard must've said "let's hold off, see if you maintain your weight, and book in for Feb 11th 83."
Perhaps it was this phonecall to Phil, and a perception Richard was meddling in her solo endeavour, that really set Karen off and prompted the well-publicised "showdown" between the siblings in that parking lot.
Phil response is also telling - to paraphrase his comments "why would I go back into the studio...its been 3 years." Ramone clearly felt it was a lost cause, even if she didn't.
Phil's remarks were from a t.v. doc but I forget which one.
Laters,
Neil
GDBY2LV
Well-Known Member
I believe the word “shelved” is what the publicity department at A&M used when they announced that the album wasn’t coming out as scheduled. That Ms. Carpenter was going back in the studio to work on a new Carpenters album instead. I know I was crushed by the news. It seemed like forever at that time that there was no new music from them back then. 2 years was a very long time to wait. Especially for the hit making duo they were.
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
That's an interesting suggestion Neil, something I'd never thought of before. We've never heard what set Karen off and sparked that row, other than the fact Richard had "said a couple of things and I guess it got back to her". It could well be that his conversation with Phil Ramone was one of them.
Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
When are you saying this took place 1980 or 1983? You said Phil’s response was it’s been 3 yrs so that would have to be 1983 Jan/Feb? I wasn’t aware Richard and Phil were still talking about her solo album 3 yrs later.
ullalume
Well-Known Member
Yeah, I'm pretty sure from the doc I saw that it was after she came back from treatment in Nov '82. Or maybe it was during her treatment, either way it was 82 or 83. I'll try and hunt down the doc.
