Carpenters "The Nation's Favourites" compilation coming in the UK

I'm not crazy about the title, but I suppose it's good publicity and may introduce the band to those that have never heard of them. But I'm not sure if I'll add it to my collection. Having a nose at the Carpenters section in HMV yesterday (they're still in the rock and pop section rather than easy listening which always pleases me for some reason) they had As Time Goes By (still at the front after I re-ordered them a while ago - great album cover), Gold, Carpenters (with the photo cover), Love Songs, 40/40, Ultimate Collection and Yesterday Once More. Not sure what another compilation album is really going to add. The Gold album is often on the main display, with other greatest hits albums such as ABBA anyway.
 
This has been apparently delayed to Sept/Oct, according to Amazon UK.
 
I wouldn't think so. If it's a poll of favorites, it would be hard for an unreleased track to be considered a favorite. I'm sure it'll be the standard list of 20 songs that have been anthologized time and again. Maybe there will be a surprise or two like there was in the Japanese BY REQUEST. And there's always the "which mix" game to play.

It would be interesting if "Looking For Love" or "The Parting Of Our Ways" showed up.
 
Has there ever been an announced Carpenters release that wasn't delayed?
 
A tracklisting has just been posted on Amazon.co.uk with a release date of 2 September:

1. (They Long to Be) Close to You
2. We've Only Just Begun
3. For All We Know
4. Rainy Days and Mondays
5. Superstar
6. Hurting Each Other
7. Goodbye to Love
8. It's Going to Take Some Time
9. Sing
10. Yesterday Once More
11. Top of the World
12. I Won't Last a Day Without You
13. Jambalaya (On the Bayou)
14. Please Mr. Postman
15. Only Yesterday
16. Solitaire
17. There's a Kind of Hush (All Over the World)
18. I Need to Be in Love
19. Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft
20. Touch Me When We're Dancing

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nations-Fa...=1470408237&sr=1-1&keywords=carpenters+nation

As expected, it's almost identical to the UK Gold release, dropping 'Ticket to Ride' and 'This Masquerade' and replacing them with 'Hurting Each Other' and 'There's a Kind of Hush', although it has put the tracks in chronological order. Given the inclusion again of 'It's Going to Take Some Time', which was not a hit in the UK and never gets any airplay, I'm going to posit that it's pretty unlikely that any actual survey was done to create the tracklist...
 
As expected, it's almost identical to the UK Gold release, dropping 'Ticket to Ride' and 'This Masquerade' and replacing them with 'Hurting Each Other' and 'There's a Kind of Hush'

What's the point of it then? Not one I'll be buying. I'm also disappointed they've revealed the tracklist before the TV programme. It's spoiled the 'surprise' element I was looking forward to enjoying.
 
It's spoiled the 'surprise' element I was looking forward to enjoying.
I would think that the surprise element might be the order in which the songs are ranked on the TV special, assuming there is one.
 
I'm not crazy about the title, but I suppose it's good publicity and may introduce the band to those that have never heard of them. But I'm not sure if I'll add it to my collection. Having a nose at the Carpenters section in HMV yesterday (they're still in the rock and pop section rather than easy listening which always pleases me for some reason) they had As Time Goes By (still at the front after I re-ordered them a while ago - great album cover), Gold, Carpenters (with the photo cover), Love Songs, 40/40, Ultimate Collection and Yesterday Once More. Not sure what another compilation album is really going to add. The Gold album is often on the main display, with other greatest hits albums such as ABBA anyway.
After a much needed flat white this Friday lunchtime during my lunch break, I ventured in to the newly reopened HMV store in Cardiff, and as you described, there were Carpenters CD's on display in the Rock & Pop category minus 'As Time Goes By'and 'Carpenters'. I looked at 40/40, first time I had seen this release. Picked it up and slid off the blue cardboard jacket to reveal a superb enhanced cover photo. Priced at £12.75 for 40 songs which in one way or another I already owned on CD. Having already spent £2.60 on a flat white, I sensibly put the CD back into the cardboard jacket and replaced it on the shelf. I pushed myself out of that store and headed back to work. I know that no one else is going to buy that CD, I also know that come next week I will return to HMV with my credit card and buy that 40/40 CD.
 
After a much needed flat white this Friday lunchtime during my lunch break, I ventured in to the newly reopened HMV store in Cardiff, and as you described, there were Carpenters CD's on display in the Rock & Pop category minus 'As Time Goes By'and 'Carpenters'. I looked at 40/40, first time I had seen this release. Picked it up and slid off the blue cardboard jacket to reveal a superb enhanced cover photo. Priced at £12.75 for 40 songs which in one way or another I already owned on CD. Having already spent £2.60 on a flat white, I sensibly put the CD back into the cardboard jacket and replaced it on the shelf. I pushed myself out of that store and headed back to work. I know that no one else is going to buy that CD, I also know that come next week I will return to HMV with my credit card and buy that 40/40 CD.
I resisted the 40/40 CD for a long time! Purchased it last year in HMV. The little Emperor on my left shoulder told me it was my destiny and the little Borg on my right shoulder told me resistance was futile. Good liner notes and pictures.

Won't be buying this new CD though. Out of interest have any Carpenters fans in the UK taken part in this poll? If not, does it really count?!
 
Won't be buying this new CD though. Out of interest have any Carpenters fans in the UK taken part in this poll? If not, does it really count?!

I never saw it advertised anywhere and I've got loads of friends who are aware of my obsession who would have let me know :)

I agree that the inclusion of It's Going To Take Some Time tends to indicate this isn't an actual viewers' poll. Very few people in the UK would know this song as it was never more than a mundane album track. There are many other album tracks I'd have thought would be voted in than that one. It'll be interesting to see what Richard has to say about that track in his commentary.
 
Just a thought, nothing more. All of these songs were singles in the US or UK. Suppose this release is taking a page from the US Public Television discs and is going to offer all of these in their original single versions? We won't know 'til it comes out of course, but it's fun to speculate.
 
Also surprising that the track listing only covers singles up to 1981. You would've thought that Trying To Get The Feeling Again would've been included (according to the Carpenters discography on Wikipedia, Touch Me When We're Dancing didn't even chart in the UK or Ireland, whereas Feeling Again charted at #44).

Plus it's surprising that neither Merry Christmas Darling or Santa Claus Is Coming to Town (ballad single version) are on the set, as, again according to Wikipedia, Darling hit #45 on the UK chart in 1970, and then recharted at #25 in 1990, and also in 1990, at #18 on the Irish charts, while Santa Claus hit #37 on the UK charts.
 
Just a thought, nothing more. All of these songs were singles in the US or UK. Suppose this release is taking a page from the US Public Television discs and is going to offer all of these in their original single versions? We won't know 'til it comes out of course, but it's fun to speculate.

My guess is that it will be the polished up remixes that have replaced any trace of the original album mixes over the last 15 years or so, and which the general public now seem to think are the versions that were released back in the day.
 
My guess is that it will be the polished up remixes that have replaced any trace of the original album mixes over the last 15 years or so, and which the general public now seem to think are the versions that were released back in the day.

I suspect you're right, and my gut feeling is that that will be true. Still, whenever a new compilation is released, there's always a hope of something different occurring.
 
Google Play has this album listed (released on the 2nd September) and I'm a bit puzzled by track 12 - I Won't Last A Day Without You. It says it's the 'Extended Version' and track length is given as 4.30. Can someone reassure me I already have this version in another collection so I won't need to buy this album just for this?
 
Last edited:
The only thing I know of in terms of an extended version of "I Won't Last A Day Without You" is the SINGLES 1969-1981 (NOT the SACD, just the regular CD from 1999-2000). On that disc, Richard played an extended solo piano section which served to modulate to the key of the final track, "(They Long To Be) Close To You."

On this disc, it's followed by "Jambalaya" which doesn't present the same kind of segue opportunity that "Close To You" did. I guess we'll have to wait to find out for sure.
 
The only thing I know of in terms of an extended version of "I Won't Last A Day Without You" is the SINGLES 1969-1981 (NOT the SACD, just the regular CD from 1999-2000). On that disc, Richard played an extended solo piano section which served to modulate to the key of the final track, "(They Long To Be) Close To You."

On this disc, it's followed by "Jambalaya" which doesn't present the same kind of segue opportunity that "Close To You" did. I guess we'll have to wait to find out for sure.
Thanks Harry. Mentally playing IWLADWY in my head and I can hear it in the same key as Jambalaya so it could work (but my head tuning could be off key). I'm visiting the folks in Wales so can't check the version of Singles 1969-1981 I have. It will be the first thing I do when I get home on Monday!
 
Thanks Harry. Mentally playing IWLADWY in my head and I can hear it in the same key as Jambalaya so it could work (but my head tuning could be off key). I'm visiting the folks in Wales so can't check the version of Singles 1969-1981 I have. It will be the first thing I do when I get home on Monday!
Actually I think my head tuning is off key.
 
Back
Top Bottom