⭐ Official Review [Album]: "MADE IN AMERICA" (SP-3723)

How Would You Rate This Album?

  • ***** (BEST)

    Votes: 14 13.1%
  • ****

    Votes: 26 24.3%
  • ***

    Votes: 40 37.4%
  • **

    Votes: 22 20.6%
  • *

    Votes: 5 4.7%

  • Total voters
    107
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I don't think it was a very big seller. "Come What May" though has had three different versions on CD compilations CLASSICS 19 , COLLECTIBLES, and LO MEJOR DE LANI (in Spanish).
 
I don't think it was a very big seller. "Come What May" though has had three different versions on CD compilations CLASSICS 19 , COLLECTIBLES, and LO MEJOR DE LANI (in Spanish).
Thanks Harry. I guess I’ll have to settle for my “needle drop”. Great collection of songs.
 
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Top: Carpenters 40 CD (82839 3723 2)
Bottom: Karen in My Memories CD (POCM-1817)

Verdict: Karen in My Memories CD

I believe—but am not sure—that the Carpenters 40 CD contains the same master as the Remastered Classics CD, and that the Karen in My Memories CD contains the same master as the AM+ Series CD. There is only one red line on the Karen in My Memories CD, during "Beechwood 4-5789" (have this dance with me, right channel, around 1:00). The only dubious thing I have about this mix is what I've referred to as a wobbly sound (like a warped record, even though this didn't come from a record transfer), during "When It's Gone (It's Just Gone)" and the tail end of "Because We Are in Love (The Wedding Song)," which are not present on the Carpenters 40 CD.

So, if you are wanting to mix-and-match tracks for the best (but modified) listening experience, I'd take all the tracks from Karen in My Memories (or AM+) and swap out tracks 8 and 10 with Carpenters 40 (or Remastered Classics). Those two tracks don't seem to be affected by any serious peak limiting on Carpenters 40 anyway.

Caveat: If you want to hear the original LP version of "Those Good Old Dreams," replace track 1 with "Those Good Old Dreams" from the rare UK Yesterday Once More CD. Now you've got yourself the perfect MIA digital listening experience. :) If you're really upset about the red line on "Beechwood," replace "Beechwood" with the version on "SWEET MEMORY all at once." 💁🏻‍♂️
 
Whatever date for the album release is correct, “Touch Me When We’re Dancing” was released June 19, 1981 - after the album. Why on earth would they do that? The usual protocol with albums and singles is to release your lead single first in order to generate interest in the album, which would then follow later. If people had bought the album in early June, there would be absolutely no incentive to buy the single, as they already had it. With no non-album B-side either, there was even less reason for anyone to buy it.

Had A&M done this the right way, the single probably would have fared better and might even have reached the top 10. Yet another bizarre marketing decision on the label’s part.

I wasn't aware of this either - it does seem like a strange marketing move.

However, I suppose it may not have been as damaging a strategy back then as it would have been in later years. Presumably the majority of those who bought Made in America in its first couple of weeks of release were the hardcore fans who might well also pick up the single anyway for the sake of supporting the band/completism (plus the album debuted at #99 so this group of people wouldn't have been all that big). The single would then still have worked as a means of cutting through to the wider public who wouldn't necessarily be looking to buy the album.

But of course, that's still a less effective strategy than releasing the single several weeks ahead of the album!
 
^^When I did get to the record store (late 1981) to purchase the MIA album, unless my memory is faulty,
I grabbed the one copy that was available. Now, when I went to purchase Voice of the Heart, the day of release 1983,
there were many copies available (plus the store played the entire album). My limited perspective would be to say
that it would not have made any difference when Touch Me When We're Dancing had been released relative to the release date of the album:
the album was not going to get its due no matter what. In the USA, at least, the album was never going anywhere.
Too bad.
 
By the way, here is an excerpt from Carpenters' Fan Club Newsletter #70 (June 1981):
"Several A&M record Company's affiliates outside the USA have made various choices for their first single release.
Brazil chose Back In My Life Again, England stayed with Touch Me When We're Dancing,
Europe went with Those Good Old Dreams while Japan opted for Beechwood 4-5789."
 
Does anyone have this Japan pressing AMP-722 ?
It is Single
Beechwood 4-5789 backed by Because We Are In Love (the ebay listing description is incorrect about the flip side).
Here:
 
Does anyone have this Japan pressing AMP-722 ?
It is Single
Beechwood 4-5789 backed by Because We Are In Love (the ebay listing description is incorrect about the flip side).
Here:

Do you own a copy GaryAlan? Discogs has it listed as being backed by Somebody’s Been Lyin’ as do several other sites. I’ve never heard of it being backed with Because We Are In Love in any territory. Very strange.

https://www.discogs.com/Carpenters-恋のビーチウッド-Beechwood-4-5789/release/8713834
 
Do you own a copy GaryAlan? Discogs has it listed as being backed by Somebody’s Been Lyin’ as do several other sites. I’ve never heard of it being backed with Because We Are In Love in any territory. Very strange.

https://www.discogs.com/Carpenters-恋のビーチウッド-Beechwood-4-5789/release/8713834
It is very interesting, because on the eBay image as well as the Discogs image, in English it says at the very bottom in very fine print: "SIDE 2 BECAUSE WE ARE IN LOVE (THE WEDDING SONG)."

Would be interesting if a member could clear it up definitively!

EDIT: Unrelated, but it looks like the Japanese name, which I assume carried over from the days of the Marvelettes' original release, is 恋のビーチウッド (Koi-no Bīchiuddo), literally "Love's Beechwood."
 
That’s what the seller’s ad says, but no picture to verify it there. If you check the track listing on Discogs it says the B side is Somebody’s Been Lyin. They use the same picture sleeve on there. It says Billy has a copy, so maybe ask him to validate the correct B side.
 
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I do not have a copy. I would like to have a copy !

The Book, From Brass To Gold, Volume 2 does have this listed as AMP 722 and backed by Because We Are In Love.
 
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Looking on eBay there are at least 2 more for sale, same picture sleeve. On seller says the B-side is Somebody's Been Lyin’
They only show the sleeve, can’t verify. The 2nd seller shows 8 pictures, and Because We Are In Love Is the B-side. 👍
 
The Japanese Single Box has as Disc #30, BEechwood 4-5789 backed with Because We Are In Love (Wedding Song) and was catalog number AMP-722 (new catalog UIDY-9063).
 
I spotted this in the January 1980 newsletter and wonder at what point they changed the plan. I can’t imagine two styles of music more different than Music, Music, Music! and Made In America.

“You will be happy to know tentative plans are in the making for a Carpenters Special some time in the Spring. Taping is scheduled to begin next month, but there is no information on the theme or guests as this letter goes to press. Showing signs of having benefited greatly from his overdue hiatus, Richard plans on returning to the studios with Karen when she returns from New York, to resume work on their next album which will embrace some of the music they will feature in their Special.


I guess once they got Ella Fitzgerald on board, they decided to take the music in a jazz/standards direction, which took them away from more contemporary material.

 
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CashBox January 16, 1982, page 19:
Brazil
"RIO DE JANEIRO - Two acts from the U.S. created a lot of excitement here with their
recent visits. The first were Richard and Karen Carpenter, who flew in from Paris at
the end of a hectic jaunt round Europe. Richard and Karen took time out on their
first full day in Rio to talk to CashBox. Both were bubbling with enthusiasm and were
obviously delighted to be back in the limelight after a break of nearly three years.
In Rio and Sao Paulo, A&M (part of CBS in Brazil) kept the twosome on a punishing
schedule
that saw them dropping in at most of the major radio stations, as well doing
several spots for various television networks and visiting one of Rio's largest
supermarkets and a large charity fair. As usual, the response was slow in Brazil, but it
is clear that the visit put the Carpenters back in the minds of the radio programmers,
and they are now receiving good airplay for both their last album, as well as
older catalog stuff. From Brazil, the Carpenters returned to the U.S. to prepare the
new album and rehearse for going back on the road early this year."
 
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