⭐ Official Review [Single]: 10. "GOODBYE TO LOVE"/"CRYSTAL LULLABY" (1367-S)

[GaryAlan]

https://miamirail.org/issue-22/dave-hickey-on-songwriting/
Excerpts:
"GOODBYE TO LOVE"
-----
"This is in my opinion one of the best songs ever written. It’s by Richard Carpenter and John Bettis.
First point: the last iteration of Karen Carpenter singing “Goodbye to Love” is half-way through the song.
In other words, that is the last time you hear the hook, which is in the middle of the song.
Then you go into the chorus and then to the instrumental. The instrumental is played by Tony Peluso,
a very good guitar player. This is a revolutionary cut in the history of American music in the sense where
you play a fuzz tone driving guitar solo up against the harps and the violins.
That is kind of amazing, and the reason that it works is that the guitar melody is within the range of Karen Carpenters alto. Karen has a very strong alto voice and so does Tony Peluso’s guitar, and they are in categorical harmony as you move through it.
The part I love the best, even as I love nearly everything about this song, is that it is a song that does what it says.
In other words, it says goodbye to love, turns up guitar and for half the song we have said goodbye to Karen—it reenacts what it says. There are not many songs that can pull that off."
---
"...for a pop ballad it’s got some odd rock and roll aspects to it.
First of all, the louder you play it the better it sounds.
This doesn’t happen very much to pop songs.
Feelings, nothing more than feelings—like that, usually they get softer and sweeter."

 

[CraigGA]

I have mixed feelings over Goodbye to Love. The 1985 version is my favorite for this song for I like the strengthened volume in the overdubbed vocals, and my favorite part of the song, “from this day Love is forgotten”. I do not like the first phrase after I’d say Goodbye To Love, “no one ever cared if I should live or die”. I always found that too harsh for a symballic lead in text, and also immature in emotion. All that follows is great.
Crystal Lullaby is one of my favorites. It’s one of those songs you listen to eating ice cream: a tender moment, a song of comfort with the stacked vocals surrounding you as if it is an embrace. As much as I like it, I don’t see it as single material.
However, I usually skip to my favorite section of Goodbye To Love (mid to end) and I often repeat Crystal Lullaby in entirety. It’s great the way Goodbye To Love is used in live medleys but it seems a radio friendly edit could have been made apart from the album cut. So Fir private listening I choose side B, Crystal Lullaby.

 

[Mark-T]

For me, GTL is a groundbreaking record and contains everything I love about the Carpenters: great lyrics and melody, intimate interpretation by the world's best vocalist, and layers of musical genius from every angle. I'd consider it one of their perfect records.

 

[Toolman]

https://miamirail.org/issue-22/dave-hickey-on-songwriting/
Excerpts:
"GOODBYE TO LOVE"

Thanks for posting this. It's a very articulate summary of the reasons I love this song. For a very long time, it was my favorite Carpenters recording -- eventually supplanted only by "Only Yesterday". Interesting...two Carpenter/Bettis tunes. Pity they didn't write more.

 

[Carpe diem]

My vote; Goodbye To Love. Crystal Lullaby also a great song. Always hard to vote against a great Carpenters song for a greater Carpenters song. GTL, innovative and groundbreaking. Give it up for Richard, he made the song what it was, and getting Tony P to do that legendary solo was his idea.

 

[newvillefan]

I posted on this thread earlier but have revisited the A-side as I read the latest replies, especially that great article about the song which was posted above. I think of Goodbye To Love in the same way as I do Close To You - I’ve heard it that many times over the years that I want to skip it due to the feeling of overkill. But when you deconstruct the song (as was done very well in that article), you realise what a masterpiece it was, especially for its time. Richard is right to be exceptionally proud of it, because not only is it his own composition, it’s also outstanding in its production values. One thing that I didn’t realise until I read the article is that the last time Karen sings any lyrics is about half way through the song - and from there it’s only KC/RC chorale and fuzz guitar. Genius.

In the end I went with the B-side, which has always been a favourite of mine because its parent album is the first one I ever heard after having discovered Karen’s voice. Every time I hear it, I can remember the feeling of discovering all this gorgeous new music I’d never heard before and falling in love with the harmonies, the voice, the arrangements. Nowadays it’s on a playlist I listen to when going to sleep. The perfect song to send you into a slumber.

 

[jaredjohnfisher]

Love both songs for different reasons, but Goodbye To Love (with its rebellious guitar) was such a highlight of their catalog and live shows. It showed they had some b----s! I've never seen anyone else mention it, but it seems to have a definite Beatles influence in the extended coda (a la "Hey Jude").

 

[Mark-T]

Wow- you're right about the Beatles influence in this!

 

[Carpe diem]

"b----s!"? Please elaborate, most of us are adults here

 

[GaryAlan]

Interesting:
The UK Documentary, Only Yesterday,
says that Richard asked A&M to "locate" John Bettis,
"whom he had not seen since the spectrum days," (time: 26m39s).
Richard Carpenter: "the first Single--and a hit, that he and I put together, was Goodbye To Love." (26:50).

I think I'll have to decide that this song is my favorite Carpenter/Bettis composition.
I used to believe it was Only Yesterday, but--honestly--it's a tough decision between the two,
and I'll stick with Goodbye To Love as my favorite, only because it is chronologically first !

 

[Rumbahbah]

Interesting:
The UK Documentary, Only Yesterday,
says that Richard asked A&M to "locate" John Bettis,
"whom he had not seen since the spectrum days," (time: 26m39s).
Richard Carpenter: "the first Single--and a hit, that he and I put together, was Goodbye To Love." (26:50).

I think Ray Coleman's book mentioned that Richard and John fell out over the division of income between the members of Spectrum from their live engagements, so weren't in contact for some years.

 

[newvillefan]

I think Ray Coleman's book mentioned that Richard and John fell out over the division of income between the members of Spectrum from their live engagements, so weren't in contact for some years.

Given that the Carpenters parted company acrimoniously with so many contacts over the years and never spoke to them again, it’s a miracle this reunion ever happened.

 

[GaryAlan]

Coleman (page 125):
"Karen warmed to it instantly, immersing herself in the density of the story and melody...
Richard decided to leave in Karen's audible intake of breath...and, Richard's instruction to
not edit-out the deep breaths on Goodbye To Love, and on other tracks, added a special,
unexpected dimension."
"The song's two guitar solos--which had been completed in several takes--
lasting a total of fifteen minutes, were later edited by Richard." (page 127).

 

[Carpe diem]

Coleman (page 125):
"Karen warmed to it instantly, immersing herself in the density of the story and melody...
Richard decided to leave in Karen's audible intake of breath...and, Richard's instruction to
not edit-out the deep breaths on Goodbye To Love, and on other tracks, added a special,
unexpected dimension."
"The song's two guitar solos--which had been completed in several takes--
lasting a total of fifteen minutes, were later edited by Richard." (page 127).

So glad that the "air intakes", and for that matter, "mouth clicks", were never edited out of so many of her vocal performances; as it enhances the intimacy factor that gives her vocals that emotional punch.

As far as the guitar solos on GTL - a testament to the genius of Richard Carpenter at arranging (in general) and being able to edit 15 minutes of audio and strategically placing it where he did.

 

[newvillefan]

Richard's instruction to
not edit-out the deep breaths on Goodbye To Love, and on other tracks, added a special,
unexpected dimension."

Something about this song has always confused me. There’s no audible intake of breath on the original album version and on From The Top, Richard wrote that they couldn’t leave it in because the “1-2-3” count off was audible (he included this version on the box set to prove the point).

So that being the case, where did the intake of breath (without the count off) come from for the remix versions? Was the breath flown in from another song or did Richard actually provide it himself (a la tumtimes “s” correction)?

The Complete Resource lists three different sources for it:

- 1985 remix with Richard’s added opening breath
- 1985 remix with Karen’s edited opening breath (what does “edited” actually mean in this instance?)
- 1991 remix with long opening breath

 

[Harry]

All of the extra breaths without count-ins were flown-in from other recordings. The one that says "edited" is really just a shorter version. Sorry I wasn't more clear.

 

[GaryAlan]

Here is Tony Peluso,
Melody Maker:
"But, he's fed up of basking in the glory of that one track, Goodbye To Love,
and points out that there are others on which he feels he's shone.
Why doesn't anyone listen to what I did on Please Mr. Postman ? he asks......
Still, he adds shrewdly, if you're noticed, be grateful, right ? "

Read more--while it is still there:
ARTICLE & PICTURE : TONY PELUSO, CARPENTERS' MR GUITAR | eBay

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

^^I love Tony's track Happy...love Karen's reading on that one and a much needed lift on Horizon.

 

[GaryAlan]

A question for the cognoscente:
I am listening to the Canadian release cd, Reminiscing (a favorite single-cd compilation),
Is there "reverb" added to this release of
Goodbye To Love ?

 

[John Adam]

My 10th favorite Carpenters single of all time is "Goodbye To Love." The guitar solo rocks, and I prefer a version where that is more prominent! I love how Karen sings this line, "Time and time again the chance for love has passed me by." It can't be easy doing that in one breath. I think this blends the easy listening and lite rock genre perfectly. Again Karen sings this like she's lived it, being all of 22 years old.

9/10

 

[adam]

Hi
Goodbye to love.chart facts.

Australia. 25
Canada.4
Hong kong .1
Ireland. 12
Israel. 3
Malaysia. 2
UK. 9
USA. 7

 

[newvillefan]

Please stop spamming the forum.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Please stop spamming the forum.

I think what Adam should have done was post all these charts in a separate thread of his own instead of bringing thousands of posts to the front as this does appear to be spamming when he may not have wanted it to appear that way. This could go on forever....

It just makes for a messy/confusing forum...lol

 

[GaryAlan]

Here is video to accompany one of my all-time-favorite songs:
Goodbye To Love. Notice Karen's drumming (at 1:20)--Karen, too soft ? I doubt it,
how does a drummer hit softly while being that physical on a drum hit !
Karen Carpenter & Tony Peluso - Home Movies:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0JzXjk4-Vo

 

[tomswift2002]

Here is video to accompany one of my all-time-favorite songs:
Goodbye To Love. Notice Karen's drumming (at 1:20)--Karen, too soft ? I doubt it,
how does a drummer hit softly while being that physical on a drum hit !
Karen Carpenter & Tony Peluso - Home Movies:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0JzXjk4-Vo

Was this meant for a documentary? I’m just wondering with the timecode was this transferred for a TV show or something (but the timecode indicates that it was shot a 24-frames per second).