⭐ Official Review [Album]: "AS TIME GOES BY" (UICY-1060)

HOW WOULD YOU RATE THIS ALBUM?

  • ***** (BEST)

    Votes: 10 12.0%
  • ****

    Votes: 35 42.2%
  • ***

    Votes: 31 37.3%
  • **

    Votes: 5 6.0%
  • *

    Votes: 2 2.4%

  • Total voters
    83
I've always been puzzled by the audible break in Karen's vocals--at the very end of the song. In this instance, we know, Richard Carpenter apparently does not hear the same !
But, given his "perfectionism" I find his contention that no such can be heard rather bizarre, as it is clear as a bell in the recording--is this some kind of edit he does not care to acknowledge ?

The vocal fry in Karen's voice on that last note is just lovely. I noticed it the first time I ever heard the song.

You're referring to the 'Fans Ask' section of the official site, where the question was put to Richard what he thought of that. Unfortunately the question wasn't really phrased properly and the person asking referred to "leakage" on the recording rather than what it actually was, so I think Richard misunderstood the question:

Q: Regarding ‘The Rainbow Connection’ - My question is whether there may be a leakage of a sound where Karen sings 'dreamers and meeeeee'. I'm not sure if this is the reason why you left it out as an outtake to begin with. I was guessing her lead was only partial so you thought it had better be untouched. But now with your effort and enthusiasm, we are able to listen to this beautifully arranged song with previously unreleased vocals by Karen.

A: This was originally written for Kermit the Frog (Muppet), with some accents on the wrong syllables. I took some artistic license and changed the melody a bit. Still, Karen just didn't like the song, and it didn't make the album. For years fans kept requesting the recording, so I completed the chart and put it out. In the matter of leakage, there is none.
 
^^Also, regarding
Rainbow Connection....
that last lyric--the "vocal fry" on 'meee..'
sounds very similar to the "fry" heard on the last lyric 'free...'
in the song Love Me For What I Am
(the very last millisecond of the lyric !).


Nice, comparing 1975 to 1980....
All things considered, a fine work lead by Karen, truly beautiful....
 
Regards:
Rainbow Connection...

(2) We know with fair certainty that Paul Williams was unhappy with some of those chord-changes effected
by Richard Carpenter.
So, I do wonder if Paul Williams suggested initially--to Richard--that the duo should record the song.
In other words, why did Richard even have the song in his sights ? After all, Ordinary Fool--from 1976--
another great Paul Williams song, remained on the cutting-room-floor !
The Rainbow Connection was from The Muppet Movie, which, like Sesame Street did feature Kermit the Frog. Maybe he was thinking that the Carpenters might strike lightning twice with a Muppet song. And I do remember seeing on the internet back in 2001/2002 a list for the Top 10 songs somewhere in Japan (I'm not sure whether it was the Orinoco chart, or if it was just a regional radio station's Top 10), but the song did hit #5 on that one chart that I saw.

Of course, considering that Karen laid down the vocals in 1980, maybe it was being considered for Music, Music, Music initially.
 
Just listening to Rainbow right now. I have to say, maybe its just the day, but the vulnerability in her voice and performance got me choked up. It's beautiful! Thank you, Richard, for releasing it.
 
^^Mark, Thanks for the recollection of Carpenters' Concert.
One remark stands out to me...I copy it here....
"When she walked out on stage, the crowd erupted with applause and even a few hoots and hollers.
This lasted who quite awhile, making it pretty clear that in the public's mind, Karen was the star.
How hard that must have been for Richard night after night! "

Has any interviewer asked Richard Carpenter, specifically, about that ?
It would be an interesting question: Did he notice the difference in Applause ?

That is one of the reasons I disliked the change in later Concert--that is,
bringing Richard on stage at the first, and then Karen coming out on stage separately.
Who, in the audience, would not have been a bit perplexed:
"Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Richard Carpenter" begins start of a Carpenters' Concert--
not the reason most people would have attended a Carpenters' concert.
(No disrespect intended to Richard).

Interesting thoughts to ponder.
The Concert Applause reaction contrasted,
between Karen and Richard.
 
^^Mark, Thanks for the recollection of Carpenters' Concert.
One remark stands out to me...I copy it here....
"When she walked out on stage, the crowd erupted with applause and even a few hoots and hollers.
This lasted who quite awhile, making it pretty clear that in the public's mind, Karen was the star.
How hard that must have been for Richard night after night! "

Has any interviewer asked Richard Carpenter, specifically, about that ?
It would be an interesting question: Did he notice the difference in Applause ?

That is one of the reasons I disliked the change in later Concert--that is,
bringing Richard on stage at the first, and then Karen coming out on stage separately.
Who, in the audience, would not have been a bit perplexed:
"Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Richard Carpenter" begins start of a Carpenters' Concert--
not the reason most people would have attended a Carpenters' concert.
(No disrespect intended to Richard).

Interesting thoughts to ponder.
The Concert Applause reaction contrasted,
between Karen and Richard.

I think the Ray Coleman book that this was suggested by Terry Ellis in the early stages of revamping their stage show before they signed on with Jerry Weintraub in order to give Richard a clear introduction separate from Karen and to highlight his role as 'in charge' of the music - hence why he can seen conducting the orchestra briefly when he comes on stage in the New London theatre performance in 1976. It was intended to highlight his role in the act and to address his complaint of being seen as 'only the piano player'.

They also suspended a mirror above his piano on stage so that the audience could see him playing the keys, again to highlight what he was doing, although I can't imagine this would have been of much interest to those in the audience.
 
Speaking of The New London Theater show, I believe the strategy of showcasing Richard on the intro failed. It had the opposite effect by making him appear "needy" IMHO. To make a big hoopla, with this big Elvis-like build-up and the name announcement is kind of embarrassing to watch. I feel bad for him. The white tux, taking a baton and tapping it on the stand like he is Arthur Fiedler didn't seem to create much excitement with the audience. And then Karen comes out unannounced to enthusiastic applause, only amplified the fact that Karen was the focal point of the act. I think having Richard accompany Karen on the piano with less musicians and orchestra (much like their famous medley on MYOKOM), not facing back-to-back with Richard on the piano bench would have made audiences more aware that they were indeed a team whose unique individual talents created their wonderful sound.
 
Had the future been different, it would be interesting to see how their show would have changed over the years,
 
Reading this today regarding the Muppets....

"....The Muppet Show
's musical guest list reads like the greatest K-tel Music compilation of all time:
Judy Collins, Elton John, Lena Horne, Lou Rawls, Petula Clark, Helen Reddy, Loretta Lynn, Liberace,
Kris Kristofferson, Leo Sayer, Harry Belafonte, John Denver, Dizzy Gillespie, Diana Ross, Paul Simon,
Joan Baez, Linda Ronstadt, Debbie Harry, Buddy Rich, Gladys Knight, Johnny goddamn Cash, Alice Cooper..."
------
Has there ever been a reason given as to
Why
Karen and Richard did not appear on this program ?
Talk about a "missed opportunity"....they could have
performed Rainbow Connection......
 
I stumbled upon a clip of Richard performing the "Close Encounters/Star Wars" piece during the 1985 Children's Miracle Network telethon that was broadcast from Orem, Utah.

This event is mentioned in Carpenters Newsletter #84:
"Some Fan Club members who are night owls may have seen Richard perform on the Children's Miracle Network Telethon. The event was broadcast from the Osmond Studios in Orem, Utah on June 1st and 2nd. Richard performed Star Wars / Close Encounters and Slaughter on Tenth Avenue in to performances approximately 12:50 a.m. and 1:50 A.M. PST. The telethon raised approximately $21 million."

I drive by the old Osmond studio regularly, so it's fun to think of Richard performing there during this telethon.
 
I stumbled upon a clip of Richard performing the "Close Encounters/Star Wars" piece during the 1985 Children's Miracle Network telethon that was broadcast from Orem, Utah.

This event is mentioned in Carpenters Newsletter #84:
"Some Fan Club members who are night owls may have seen Richard perform on the Children's Miracle Network Telethon. The event was broadcast from the Osmond Studios in Orem, Utah on June 1st and 2nd. Richard performed Star Wars / Close Encounters and Slaughter on Tenth Avenue in to performances approximately 12:50 a.m. and 1:50 A.M. PST. The telethon raised approximately $21 million."

I drive by the old Osmond studio regularly, so it's fun to think of Richard performing there during this telethon.


I still don’t think this should have been included on the album. It just doesn’t fit in with the rest of the tracks on the album and is, for want of a better word, boring.
 
Perhaps I have asked this question previously,
if so, forgive me:
Did Richard Carpenter arrange the Como Medley ?
Liner Notes simply state " as originally arranged and performed...."
 
I enjoy the variety of this album (it reminded me of the old Carpenters albums; featuring Richard, instrumentals, etc.). I'm grateful Richard released all of these gems that would otherwise have stayed locked away.
 
Great to see that the opening track of the album has finally surfaced on YouTube, complete with accompanying video from MMM.

It prompted me to ask the question: why was this full version of the song, with Richard and Karen’s substitutes vocals, not included on Interpretations six years earlier?

 
I had this album on in the car today, and it was really fun to hear. I hit the random button, so the tracks were jumbled up. Nowhere Man was a real stand out. It's too bad that they never re-recorded it. But Richard's 1999 arrangement was still very good. The only track that I really didn't enjoy is the Rainy Days & Mondays/Superstar Medley. Sure its from the TV specials, but it sounds too much like a remix and really doesn't fit on the album. It would've probably been better on a compilation (like maybe Reader's Digest) and then including another track like Trying To Get The Feeling Again on the album (Slow Dance was released on the Treasures CD set in 1987 before it was included as an album track on Lovelines, why couldn't Richard have done the same with As Time Goes By?).
 
I love the opening to the 1980 TV Special.
There are some nice, deep, tones coming from Karen.
Interesting to note that the special opens with
"The Carpenters" (3m44s)......instead of simply "Carpenters" !
 
Interesting how it opened with “A Song For You”. But I was noticing that the seperate video elements for the special must still exist, which is unusual for a show of this era, as when you watch the Interpretations DVD, Karen’s head is right in the Center and there is no sign of Karen or Richard’s piano heads in the shot.
 
I love the opening to the 1980 TV Special.
There are some nice, deep, tones coming from Karen.
Interesting to note that the special opens with
"The Carpenters" (3m44s)......instead of simply "Carpenters" !


It appears to me that the duo, probably mostly Richard, tended to correct everyone early on in their career that the group was named just "Carpenters". After a time though, as fortunes began to slide, I think he was happy that they were being called, period!
 
I love that "playoff" orchestral version of "We've Only Just Begun" and wish it was available without audience applause all over it.
 
The Rainy Days / Superstar medley is one of my favorites and is in the top 10 of my iTunes favorites for the most played, I love the two new songs in the Como medley, Catch A Falling Star and Magic Moments, but Richard's vocals on Sing and others are not up to par and the result is that the charm of the medley is broken. I watch it on the Como Christmas special when I want to hear its charm and I extracted the other two songs out for personal listening. All the other songs I greatly enjoy and especially Dancing in the Streets. I do miss Dance in the Old Fashioned Way not being chosen and hope that one day we will hear it on CD.

I think we can agree that the fan club letters were a propaganda machine and really should not be taken for anything more serious as if it were a diary. It appears that they struggled with what to release in 1978. Personally, they needed another original, but that does not make me less curious to hear all that was being considered at the time!

There is no doubt that Karen was the star and I feel Richard promoted her knowing this fact. They would have never sold records without Karen, but there never would have been Karen without Richard. His carefully laid tracks were just not to showcase his ability, but framed around Karen to keep Karen as the focus, being the most important part of the song and it's character. All that knew them said that they acted as one person and I feel that is not propaganda but a product of the respect, admiration and love that they had for each other.

The Australian concert showcases this better than any other. Both Richard and Karen are seen in top form and seem to be really enjoying themselves: even Richard looks happy! This is communicated with enthusiasm on their faces and through their music. Everything was fresh and full of energy. This made the product, the product did not make them.

To hear that emotion with innocence in Nowhere Man and to hear that is was performed with pristine vocals at Karen's early age is esquisite. I am happy that it was included and it is should be an encouragement to anyone at this age who wants to attain success.

The Karen / Ella medley is a hands down favorite. Actually, all that came from Music Music Music is nice to have in CD quality. And to top it all off, when the world seems to be crashing around the 1976 medley followed by And When He Smiles can certainly place us in another world of bliss and contentment.

This CD is a treasure for me and I happened to get a copy of it during a low point in my life and it kept me from being broken and it helped bring me back around to a level playing field so that I could tackle the day with optimism. And, I met new Carpenters fans during this time that helped brighten the days.

There is never a album that is perfect from top to bottom for we all have slightly different tastes and favorites, but there is enough to give us all a piece of the pie when hearing something 'new' from our favorite duo. And, actually, I could listen to Karen sing anything and Richard really knew how to make her voice shine!
 
I caught The Mamas and the Papas on the Best of Ed Sullivan, this morn.
They were 'singing' California Dreamin'....which got me to a re-listen of this
(long a favorite) 1967 Carpenters' track off of As Time Goes By.....
and, a re-reading of the (Richard Carpenter penned) Liner Notes:
"in 1999, we redid everything, including my electric piano solo."

Now, this really is a favorite of mine (as, too, NoWhere Man).
But, I can't help but wonder, is the 1967 original (w/bass, piano, drums, string machine)
sitting in "the vault" ?
I would love to hear that original.
 
I caught The Mamas and the Papas on the Best of Ed Sullivan, this morn.
They were 'singing' California Dreamin'....which got me to a re-listen of this
(long a favorite) 1967 Carpenters' track off of As Time Goes By.....
and, a re-reading of the (Richard Carpenter penned) Liner Notes:
"in 1999, we redid everything, including my electric piano solo."

Now, this really is a favorite of mine (as, too, NoWhere Man).
But, I can't help but wonder, is the 1967 original (w/bass, piano, drums, string machine)
sitting in "the vault" ?
I would love to hear that original.

He probably doesn’t want it released as, if you read the liner notes, all the original instruments had been bounced to track 2, leaving tracks 3&4 of the 4-track tape open. So all the 1967 instruments would be in mono with no chance of being able to do a stereo remix, unless he used software to digitally extract each instrument.
 
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