Questions About the RC Solo Album "Time" When It Was Played for A&M Executives

[CraigGA]

As an aside, there are many documentaries on Dusty Springfield that can be viewed on YouTube. It is wonderful to see her perform and hear her beautiful interpretations of Burt Bacharach songs.

Karen would have sounded great on Something In Your Eyes, and both performers gave beautiful interpretations. With Richard at the helm of both, they are equally unique.

 

[Another Son]

I'm not crazy about either Dionne's or Dusty's voices- both seem ravaged. Scott's is "cute" for 16 years old and for the song he's given, but I like his full solo album much, much better.

I've recently bought a collection of Dusty Springfield's Complete A and B Sides, 1963-1973.

I've wondered about Dusty's changing recording strategies from the 1960s to the 1990s.

Presumably, when she first began, she would have been recorded live at the same time that her backing band and background singers were recorded. Sometimes, the best of two takes were spliced together but, as far as I know, in the early 60s, performers were pretty much recorded in one take. Therefore, Dusty would have been having to sing powerfully enough to be heard above the band and other singers, (although there could be some compensations), and well enough to sound as close to perfect as possible, on record.

Contrast this with her 1980s strategy, where she is said to have just recorded a segment of each word at a time, and sometimes seemed to sing in not much more than a whisper, (as heard on some of her 'Reputation' album from the 90s - although this was probably for effect).

I do wonder the same as you, Mark-T - whether her throat became damaged from having to belt it out during those 1960s recording sessions.

 

[Another Son]

By the way, as an early teen, I bought Dusty's 'In the Middle of Nowhere', backed with 'Baby Don't You Know'. This was more than a decade after it was released. The 'A' side was a rollicking, energy-filled stomper. I liked both sides.

Two of Dusty's songs that I especially liked, growing up, were 'Little By Little' and 'Going Back'. The first filled me with excitement and euphoria every time I heard it and the second filled me with melancholy.

Some of Dusty's other well-known songs that I, surprisingly, wasn't familiar with were 'Son of a Preacher Man' and 'I Close My Eyes and Count to Ten'.

However, I knew 'I Only Want to Be With You', 'Stay Awhile', 'You Don't Have to Say You Love Me' and 'How Can I Be Sure' well.

Seeing as my local radio station played a real mix of music, Dusty was still a staple on that station in the 70s - as were Petula Clark, Manfred Mann, The Who, The Small Faces and The Zombies. All of these produced incredible music!

 

[newvillefan]

Contrast this with her 1980s strategy, where she is said to have just recorded a segment of each word at a time, and sometimes seemed to sing in not much more than a whisper.

I do wonder the same as you, Mark-T - whether her throat became damaged from having to belt it out during those 1960s recording sessions.

More to do with the fact that a) she was a heavy smoker and b) her career had fallen by the wayside by the 1980s and her confidence in herself as an artist had taken a heavy knock as a result, which may have also contributed to her obsessive recording technique in those twilight years of her career.

 

[Brendon McMahon]

I've recently bought a collection of Dusty Springfield's Complete A and B Sides, 1963-1973.

I've wondered about Dusty's changing recording strategies from the 1960s to the 1990s.

Presumably, when she first began, she would have been recorded live at the same time that her backing band and background singers were recorded. Sometimes, the best of two takes were spliced together but, as far as I know, in the early 60s, performers were pretty much recorded in one take. Therefore, Dusty would have been having to sing powerfully enough to be heard above the band and other singers, (although there could be some compensations), and well enough to sound as close to perfect as possible, on record.

Contrast this with her 1980s strategy, where she is said to have just recorded a segment of each word at a time, and sometimes seemed to sing in not much more than a whisper, (as heard on some of her 'Reputation' album from the 90s - although this was probably for effect).

I do wonder the same as you, Mark-T - whether her throat became damaged from having to belt it out during those 1960s recording sessions.

Dusty is on record as saying she regarded herself as part of the ensemble, as one of the instruments. However the Memphis sessions were totally different as the voice was recorded separately, and infamously she apparently didn't sing a note in Memphis. In going to Atlantic she apparently shed the autonomy she later claimed for her earlier records at least, that she self produced with Phillips producer Johnny Franz effectively acting as mentor.

 

[A&M Retro]

I love exactly half of Richard's solo album. I think the instrumental, 'Time', is one of the finest tracks of his entire career! While it sounds a bit like the theme song to 'L.A. Law' these days, I still love it. I wish he'd focused more on songs like 'Time' and less on his own vocals. The guest vocalist tracks are all A+ in my opinion.

 

[Harry]

I particularly love the little update he did on "Time" on the PACC album. There's a magnificent segue of "ooh" vocals from "Sandy" that lead right into "Time". Neat!

 

[newvillefan]

It really frustrates me that the album still isn’t available on Spotify in the UK.

 

[ullalume]

I particularly love the little update he did on "Time" on the PACC album. There's a magnificent segue of "ooh" vocals from "Sandy" that lead right into "Time". Neat!

That's some of the sort of segueways I wanted in RPO instead of the choir.

 

[A&M Retro]

I particularly love the little update he did on "Time" on the PACC album. There's a magnificent segue of "ooh" vocals from "Sandy" that lead right into "Time". Neat!

Yeah, that segue is very nice! I actually forgot about that. Will listen tonight.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I have always wondered if Richard could have ever come up with another hit album. Of course we can never know. His "hit picking" instincts were so on target through the Carpenters amazing run of hits, but then he seemed to lose the magic touch after the Horizon album. But was it his "instinct," or just the changing musical landscape? Maybe a little of both. When he put together Time, he was probably still reeling from the loss of Karen and not quite sure how to proceed. I wonder if he might not have "spun some gold" by teaming up with another known singer and making a "producer's album." There's simply no way to know what could have happened.

 

[newvillefan]

I wonder if he might not have "spun some gold" by teaming up with another known singer and making a "producer's album." There's simply no way to know what could have happened.

His reputation for being a perfectionist - some might say ‘difficult to work with’ - was likely what put a lot of artists off. If that’s the case, it’s a shame because he had a tremendous amount to offer and, with the right artist, could have been very successful.

On a related note, I was amazed when his collaboration with Tatu came about, because they are the last ones I ever thought he’d end up working with!

 

[Another Son]

I thought that Richard’s ‘Calling Your Name Again’ was only released in Australia and the Philippines, (and maybe it was, commercially), but there’s a double-sided promo single for sale on eBay at the moment; ‘Calling Your Name Again’ b/w ‘Time’. Unfortunately for me, shipping from Texas, USA, where it’s for sale, is $45, putting it way out of reach. I’m sure it will be affordable for somebody within the USA.

Actually, on closer look, the seller has listed A:- ‘Time’, B:- ‘Calling Your Name Again’ - and it’s possibly well-used.

 

[Harry]

Looks like someone grabbed it.

 

[newvillefan]

The question of “Time” and (what happened) when it was played for A&M execs still hasn’t been addressed yet

 

[Harry]

I would imagine it's because none of us were there.

 

[newvillefan]

I thought that was the point of the spillover thread, to find out how the album went over? It’s still an enjoyable thread though.

 

[Dano]

I am sure I read somewhere that Richard had played Karen In Love Alone on the piano. I am also sure Something In Your Eyes had been written but Karen never got to hear it. Considering it became a minor hit for Dusty and Richard. I am sure had Karen and Richard recorded/releases SIYE, it could have been a successful recording for them.

I loved Time the album and I am a huge fan of Richard’s singing. In someways I wished he had record leads and mixed those tracks in with Carpenter album releases. Like he did with the Christmas album. Time (the instrumental/backing vocals), When Time Was All We Had, Calling Your Name Again could have complemented tracks Karen and Richard had recorded.

Many of us always loved a Richard lead on the carpenters albums and having some included in the posthumous releases would have been awesome.

I still think he should have worked with Dusty and Dionne on the tracks he did and had other guest artists for an album, again including one or two leads from Richard, some instrumentals. I still think Matthew Sweet and Richard really worked well together on let me be the one and it’s a shame they don’t work together on the Christmas tracks Richard has created for his own Christmas solo album.

 

[newvillefan]

I am sure I read somewhere that Richard had played Karen In Love Alone on the piano.

Not quite. He’d written it with John Bettis in late 1982 and had wanted to play it for Karen but never saw her at a piano in the weeks before her death to be able to do so.

 

[3Favorites]

As someone who has listened to every song that Dusty Springfield put on record, CD or whatever media, I never thought her voice was damaged or ravaged. I liked them all start to finish. Her finally CD was "A Very Fine Love," and it's a very fine groove indeed. Just listen to "Roll Away" or "Old Habits Die Hard." She sounds in very fine form indeed.

I do believe her voice changed. But it was when you signed with Atlantic Records. On Phillips, her voice was brassy and sassy. It had an edge it. A rough edge. But when she record "Dusty In Memphis" her voice had a softer, more mellow sound. And she adopted that sound going forward through the rest of her career.

"In The Middle Of No where," "Little By Little," "Baby Don't You Know" and "If It Hadn't Been For You" were all written by the same team; husband and wife I think. There was a third writer on "Little By Little."

No offense to anyone who feels otherwise, but I'm glad Richard didn't sing more on the albums. One song per album would be OK. I mean I don't mind his songs. But he doesn't really have a lead voice in my opinion. And next to Karen....

My favorites are probably "I Kept On Loving You" and "Piano Picker."

 

[Vinylalbumcovers]

As someone who has listened to every song that Dusty Springfield put on record, CD or whatever media, I never thought her voice was damaged or ravaged. I liked them all start to finish. Her finally CD was "A Very Fine Love," and it's a very fine groove indeed. Just listen to "Roll Away" or "Old Habits Die Hard." She sounds in very fine form indeed.

I do believe her voice changed. But it was when you signed with Atlantic Records. On Phillips, her voice was brassy and sassy. It had an edge it. A rough edge. But when she record "Dusty In Memphis" her voice had a softer, more mellow sound. And she adopted that sound going forward through the rest of her career.

"In The Middle Of No where," "Little By Little," "Baby Don't You Know" and "If It Hadn't Been For You" were all written by the same team; husband and wife I think. There was a third writer on "Little By Little."

No offense to anyone who feels otherwise, but I'm glad Richard didn't sing more on the albums. One song per album would be OK. I mean I don't mind his songs. But he doesn't really have a lead voice in my opinion. And next to Karen....

My favorites are probably "I Kept On Loving You" and "Piano Picker."

There's always been something about "I Kept On Loving You" that was so right for his voice. He really seems to dig in on the second verse ("you've heard this song before/I can't deny it/the road was long and wide/I had to try it"). He sings very believably and the whole thing is just right. Honestly, it feels like a single to me and in a world without Karen, I'd have been fine if it had been one. I totally believe him singing this tune. "Piano Picker" is fine but pretty corny and I could do without that one. I much prefer "I Kept On Loving You". If he'd had more songs like that, I wouldn't mind his singing all that much...but he doesn't. The other songs he sang would have been so much better with Karen taking the lead.

Ed

 

[3Favorites]

I would add "Your Wonderful Parade" to my list. I listened to "Ticket to Ride" last night and the tone on his voice was really nice on that song.

 

[Harry]

There's always been something about "I Kept On Loving You" that was so right for his voice.

Agreed. And I think part of the credit has to go to the songwriting skills of Paul Williams and Roger Nichols. It sounds good no matter who does it.
Here's Heaven Bound with Tony Scotti

 

[Randy M]

Interesting thoughts, Ed. I find there's much to like but the record does not have a consistent overall feel.
I'm not crazy about either Dionne's or Dusty's voices- both seem ravaged. Scott's is "cute" for 16 years old and for the song he's given, but I like his full solo album much, much better.

My same thought about Dionne's and Dusty's vocals.