Anyone read this?

:laugh: I think you may have been had there.
:) Although we didn't really have the sort of relationship where we fooled each other. He was very sincere. I was wondering whether it might have been an Aussie-only clip, but the 'A Song for You' album, from which 'Top of the World' came, was released a month after the Australian tour and TOTW wasn't considered single material then. Aussie-only might sound a bit strange, but we did have two Aussie-only Carpenters compilations, a few Aussie-only E.P.s and an Aussie-only TV special, (the 1972 concert on Channel 7). Not sure about the Aussie-only Richard Carpenter single that I read about on the Internet. And Carpenters were scheduled to do a promo tour of Australia in 1981. I heard about this on the radio on an 'upcoming events in entertainment' segment at the time and then never read, saw or heard anything of this again, (except seeing 'Made in America' bumper stickers and pens and a giant, red 'Carpenters' logo in a record store), so I'm not sure if this tour ever actually eventuated. But maybe they did a promo tour around the time that 'Top of the World' was number one here and filmed the song on some TV show or other. My cousin might have seen a 1976 / 1977 re-screening of the song. I still believe that there's a clip of 'Top of the a World' out there with Karen sitting on top of a globe of the world. :) Sorry about posting this here - I couldn't find a better thread to post it on.
 
Maybe he saw this advertisment and is now mis-remembering.

CashboxTopOfTheWorld.jpg
A logical thought and suggestion - except he told me a few weeks after seeing it, in 1976 or 77 or thereabouts. It was the time when we were both kids. This was quite a while before 'Calling Occupants' was released, too, CraigGA. :). Also, we both lived in tiny country towns - there were definitely no music trade-papers anywhere around. However, the trade ad might show where TV directors / film-clip directors might have got the idea. Another thing that could support the idea of there being, perhaps, an Australia-only or Australia / Japan-only clip of 'Top of the World' is that the song was a hit here, (from memory), before it was a hit in the USA. I know it was a hit in Japan before, anyway. I'm fairly sure it was here, too. (See my other comments in the post, above). Thanks for your interest and replies.
 
I think 'Top of the World' was a hit here, (from memory), before it was a hit in the USA. I know it was a hit in Japan before, anyway. I'm fairly sure it was here, too. Thanks for your interest and replies.
I'm fairly certain that 'Top of the World' was released as a single in Australia towards the end of 1972, with its reign really taking hold at the beginning of 1973, making it the 18th most successful song on the Australian charts for 1973, (according to Go-Set magazine). From memory, the song was the 33rd most successful song of 1973 on the charts in the USA, according to Billboard's end-of-the-year countdown. According to Wikipedia, the song wasn't released as a single in the USA until September, 1973, so what's to stop Carpenters from distributing a promo clip in Japan and Australia to capitalise on the song's success there before, later, deciding to also release the song in the USA? With the USA release being at least ten months later, they might not have bothered to distribute the same clip in America - or maybe the said clip IS floating around somewhere in the USA. Just supposing. :). Btw, in the Australia-only category, I forgot to mention that there were radio interviews here with Karen and Richard - or there was at least one, anyway, (mentioned in the fan club newsletter at the time). One of these was re-broadcast, in part, in February, 1983, just after Karen's death. I used to have a tiny snippet of this on a cassette.
 
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The early release in Japan (and probably Australia) contained the album mix of the song. It wasn't until the US release that the song got its more familiar single mix.
 
The early release in Japan (and probably Australia) contained the album mix of the song. It wasn't until the US release that the song got its more familiar single mix.
Correct. The Australian single has the original album mix. We didn't hear the US single version until 'The Very Best of The Carpenters' was released in late 1982, because we didn't get 'The Singles' in Australia. We got 'Great Hits of The Carpenters' in 1972, to coincide with the tour, and then 'Great Hits of The Carpenters Vol 2 1969 to 1973', around the time that 'The Singles' was released overseas. It was the album version of 'Top of the World' that got to Number One here.
 
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hi
Top of the world. was first released in Japan on 5 november 1972 and it peaked at no 21 and charted for 22 weeks.it also charted again in Japan on 5 december 1973 where it peaked at no 52 and charted for 12 weeks.
Top of the world debuted on Australian charts on 5 february 1973 peaked at no 1 in april and stayed there for 4 weeks and was on charts for 25 weeks.
 
Rolling Stone's cover story features The Carpenters - Rolling Stone

Remembering July 4th,1974:
Carpenters interview-- and cover-- of the Rolling Stone.

Probably the most insightful interview extant.

You can see the cracks starting to appear in their "the image".

Meant to reply to this earlier GaryAlan but my computer was having big time "hiccoughs" last week! As much as I personally hate Rolling Stone Magazine for their elitist snobbery of The Carpenters during most of their careers (and other similar "acts"), I did enjoy the interview and thought it was very well done by Mr Nolan. He nailed it in the first paragraph of the piece:

"Karen Carpenter, the solo singing half of a brother and sister musical duo that has sold over 25 million records world-wide, has classic "good looks" but with something extra. It is the something extra that makes her interesting to look at, some unrealized firmness in her features, a womanliness she does not always allow herself to express. It comes out when she sings – in the emotion that makes her voice intriguing and beguiling."

It explains why I have always been memorized with Karen. How I can look at her in a grainy concert footage or photograph and I cannot take my eyes off her and will concentrate fully whenever I hear that voice...never background music to me.

Then the interview also revealed where Karen's head was at in 1974; In reference to Cher; "She's thinner":eek:!
 
Came across my paperback copy of "The Book Of Rock Lists (copyright 1981)" by Dave Marsh & Kevin Stein that I bought back in the early 80s, to try to find anything in there about our beloved duo. I was surprised to actually find that they had made a few of the lists (not good ones, but that's no surprise). I thought it interesting (I have cut the lists short for the sake of brevity).

I wish I could scan this but cannot so I will recreate as best I can;

pg 494
RETREAD ROCK
4 Songs That Have Been Number 1 Hits More Than Once

4) "Please Mr Postman"
The marvelous Marvelettes took this Motown ditty to the top in 1961; The Carpenters transformed it into California pop tapioca, and it reached Number One again in 1974.
*appears to be sorted by year

pg 492
THE 20 WORST NUMBER 1 HITS

11) "I Am Woman," HELEN REDDY, 1972
12) "Top of the World," THE CARPENTERS, 1973
13) "The Loco-Motion," GRAND FUNK RAILROAD, 1974
*sorted by year

pg 82
3 LASHES WITH A WET NOODLE
The Wimp-Rock Top 40

1) THE COWSILLS
2) THE CARPENTERS
3) THE OSMONDS
*this is sorted by "wimpiest" according to the authors.

In the back of the book they give yearly Top 40 albums and singles from 1955 thru 1980, not once are any Carpenters singles or albums included on these lists. The authors are equal opportunity "haters" though, The Captain & Tennille did not make their 1975 singles list despite having the #1 song of the year (according to BILLBOARD) in Love Will Keep Us Together. But then, they turn around and recognize Debbie Boone for You Light Up My Life. She clocked in at #26 for 1977 - GO FIGURE!

My point being, elitist music snobs that participated in the "marginalization" of Karen and Richard Carpenter during their heyday. But it blew up in their faces...The Carpenters music has withstood the test of time very well.
 
[SNIP

Then the interview also revealed where Karen's head was at in 1974; In reference to Cher; "She's thinner":eek:![/SNIP

YES. I noticed that as well, when I read that interview. So revealing. Of all the things Karen might have said about Cher, that was the first thought to pop in her head. *Sigh*
 
Ironic, isn't it? A large portion of that Rolling Stone interview is all about image; bad album covers and grinning publicity photos. So what does Annie Leibovitz do? Practically the same thing.
 
Ironic, isn't it? A large portion of that Rolling Stone interview is all about image; bad album covers and grinning publicity photos. So what does Annie Leibovitz do? Practically the same thing.
They did have a footnote to the article, though, and that was that Annie Leibovitz hadn't asked Karen and Richard to smile (!)
 
They did have a footnote to the article, though, and that was that Annie Leibovitz hadn't asked Karen and Richard to smile (!)
The only thing I don’t like about the cover of The Rolling Stones article is that Karen’s eyes are hidden. Being the face of the group, and with a picture virtually hiding her identity, it makes me wonder if they really wanted to publish this article. And you all are right, so much more could have concentrated on the music. We are sometimes guilty ourselves as we comment on attire and image. Life was different in 1970 with dynamics hard to imagine for those born after 1990. It’s easy to look back with our knowledge of today, but I feel the 1970’s was a birth decade of issues affecting life socially, economically, politically, and pop culture-ally, with a special emphasis on sex appeal mixed into success. I sometimes wonder if good bands we knew in 1970 would be picture ready for equal success today to the point that maybe success would never come. Then add that pressure to a woman who is the public center and reason for the success. With all this, and as we learn more, it just brings her voice closer to the heart, for as she was molded in the business, she kept a brave position as she sought to capture a style and presence that is treasured to this day, even after all these years and information. If 1990 was in 1970, Karen’s fight with annorexia would have had a different outcome.
 
I hadn't read the article since I read it at the library on microfiche in the early 90's. It's sad to read now. Karen really hadn't found her speaking voice. to spend so much time talking about fan mail.

id love it if Nolan would write a book about the Carpenters.
 
Looking at that Rolling Stone cover again, Richard looks really good ... properly handsome. The way the shot is lit and close-cropped accentuates his bone structure and well shaped mouth. I only they could have done the same with Karen; that hat and the yellow top makes her look about 12.
 
YES. I noticed that as well, when I read that interview. So revealing. Of all the things Karen might have said about Cher, that was the first thought to pop in her head. *Sigh*
In retrospect Cher was a stick figure for a spell. Karen was right on.
 
Speaking of John Davidson....
People Magazine, August 1980:
" He has buddily dated singer Karen Carpenter,
who soon will marry wealthy California industrialist Thomas Burris..."
" Karen is a friend and we’ve gone around together..
."

The rest....
Cover Story: John Davidson’s ‘Incredible’ Year – Vol. 14 No. 8
Is "buddily" a legitimate word? I wonder what it means, I Google it and I get "Buddy Holly". First time I have heard that Karen dated JD. Interesting...
 
I remember one night about 1978, JD snuck upstairs at the balcony of our church. His wife was there singing as part of a visiting vocal group. I just got a brief glimpse of him. This was in Orange, CA at SonLight Christian Center in the Orange Circle.
 
Speaking of John Davidson....People Magazine:
" He has buddily dated singer Karen Carpenter....." " Karen is a friend and we’ve gone around together..."
They certainly seemed to get on well together. There are some out-takes from 'Music, Music, Music' on YouTube and in one of them, Karen's hair is falling down. John Davidson says something about Repunzel and Karen is in fits of giggles. They also joke around together a bit on the Tonight show, (1978). They look like friends to me.
 
Speaking of John Davidson....People Magazine:
" He has buddily dated singer Karen Carpenter....." " Karen is a friend and we’ve gone around together..."
They certainly seemed to get on well together. There are some out-takes from 'Music, Music, Music' on YouTube and in one of them, Karen's hair is falling down. John Davidson says something about Rapunzel and Karen is in fits of giggles. They also joke around together a bit on the Tonight show, (1978). They look like friends to me.
 
The 150 Greatest Albums Made By Women
"The 150 Greatest Albums Made By Women"
July 24, 2017
126. The Carpenters
A Song for You (A&M Records, 1972)

"....many prominent musicians would point to her complementary skills
as a singing drummer as a key influence, one that still rings true today."
—Tanya Ballard Brown (NPR Staff)
 
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