Nonexistent Carpenters songs that you can just hear

I've always thought Karen would sing 'The Very Thought Of You' beautifully. I know it's been performed by Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald, but there's something about the version that was featured in the movie 'Bicentennial Man' that always makes me think of Karen. Had they performed it, I think they would have gone for an arrangement like this and used the Nelson Riddle Orchestra. It reminds me of the Karen/Ella medley and would have been a great choice to include in that.



It's funny, when I got to see Richard perform back in Sept '98 he sang that song. Must have been a favourite of his and Karen's.
 
It's funny how certain songs come in and out of our consciousness. One that has recently made a return to my awareness is "I'd Rather Leave While I'm in Love" by Rita Coolidge. I can so hear Karen singing this one...
 
There are two songs that I would love to hear a Carpenters' spin on:
LeBlanc and Carr's, Falling (1977)
and,
Kenny Nolan's, I Like Dreamin' (1977).
I can almost visualize the harmonizing, with Karen and Richard interpreting these tunes.
 
It's funny how certain songs come in and out of our consciousness. One that has recently made a return to my awareness is "I'd Rather Leave While I'm in Love" by Rita Coolidge. I can so hear Karen singing this one...

Hi James... I always could 'hear' Karen on Collage's 'We're all alone' also. I think I may have mentioned All Time High earlier in this thread as well... Perhaps it's those A & M studios, or Collage's lower register... either way - many of her well known songs seemed suited for Karen also...

Another tune that I 'heard' Karen and Richard performing back when the record was new was: Just The Way You Are, from Billy Joel... That melody line flirts with those beautifully rich lower notes, and on the other side of the spectrum, I can just hear Karen punching out the line 'I--I-I-I don't want clever co-o-on-versation' on the second reading of that line... :)
 
Hey Barry! You are definitely onto something about Rita Coolidge songs and the connection to Karen. "We're All Alone" is a great song, in particular. Billy Joel's "Just the Way You Are" is another great choice. I can hear Karen sing that one, too. So many songs left unsung... Fun to speculate, though...
 
It's funny, when I got to see Richard perform back in Sept '98 he sang that song. Must have been a favourite of his and Karen's.

Not to be too redundant, but here's another really terrific "Very Thought Of You" that I think most will love here... I actually heard it at an electronic shop in Hong Kong - (buying some new headphones) - and had to ask the guy who it was! Went and bought it immediately on itunes... The interpretation and the vocalist's style is quite lovely....



emilie claire barlow enjoy! Ciao -
 
ARE!!! I know I should have used an ARE above... Must proof prior to hitting "post"....
The interpretation ans the vocalist's style ARE quite lovely.....
My edit button never works here... GRRRR :sad:
 
Hi James... I always could 'hear' Karen on Collage's 'We're all alone' also. I think I may have mentioned All Time High earlier in this thread as well... Perhaps it's those A & M studios, or Collage's lower register... either way - many of her well known songs seemed suited for Karen also...

Looks like Spellcheck has claimed another victim...:evil: Remember Rita Collage, inventor of the cut-and-paste remix?
 
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I saw Rita Coolidge performing in Daytona Beach (around the time of "All Time High" success).
Honestly, I remember very little of this concert. (then again, I remember very little of the 1980's!).
What I do remember was her (groupie) rendition of "Superstar", I'll just say no one can top Karen Carpenter's rendition.
 
"You Don't Know Me" - the old Eddy Arnold classic, remade so often in the last 15 years...
 
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"Moonglow" - most recently on the first disc of Rod Stewart's American Songbook series. Nice complement to lyrics of "Close to You".
 
"We're All Alone" could have been a HUGE late 70s hit for Carpenters. I can definitely imagine Karen singing it. Rita Coolidge did a good job, but Karen would have brought it to another level, IMHO. Richard missed the boat on that one. I wonder if they had a shot at recording it and turned it down?
 
As I've mentioned elsewhere, had Karen lived, I could hear her singing "I've Had The Time Of My a Life", and for many years after I first heard Time Of My Life, when I was trying to track down the name of the artist or the album (I would always hear the song on the radio, but I would never catch the names of the singers) I thought it was Karen singing the Jennifer Warnes part.
 
This sounds really crazy but I've been thinking of "How Deep Is Your Love". I'm not sure anybody could replace Barry Gibb's falsetto--or touch the existing arrangement-- but I can hear the Carps on the background vocals/harmonies on this track. Hey, the idea of this thread is to use a little imagination, isn't it? :D
 
..."Still Waters".
Karen lead, sibling background and overdubs.
And dare I say, Barry Gibb production.
I can hear it in my head.
 
Thought I'd dig up this thread and mention two songs I heard today, and I immediately envisioned a Carpenters version (which is quite unusual for me): "Through The Years" by Kenny Rogers and "Twenty Four Hours a Day" by Barry Manilow. The latter has background harmonies that I could practically hear the duo on.
 
I'm glad NinjaRabbit revived this - I often hear a song that I wish the C's would've done!
A few that come to mind are 'Day After Day' by Badfinger. The backing track has always reminded me of the Carpenters with the layered background vocals. It even has Leon Russell playing piano.
Also 2 more from Paul McCartney, both from his first solo LP - 'Every Night' and 'Maybe I'm Amazed'
 
Two songs that I have always heard "echoes" of the Carpenters style are "She Believes in Me" by Kenny Rogers and "Somewhere in the Night" by Barry Manilow.

Has Kenny Rogers ever mentioned why they rejected Karen for the "First Edition"? It would be interesting to find out if Richard's speculation was true.
 
Two songs that I have always heard "echoes" of the Carpenters style are "She Believes in Me" by Kenny Rogers and "Somewhere in the Night" by Barry Manilow.

Has Kenny Rogers ever mentioned why they rejected Karen for the "First Edition"? It would be interesting to find out if Richard's speculation was true.
Helen Reddy also did "Somewhere In The Night". I love both versions and would love to have heard Karen's version.
 
The other day I heard Landslide by Fleetwood Mac...hadn't heard it in a while. Wondered how that would sound with Karen singing....
 
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