JBee
Active Member
1974 was a pivotal year for the Carpenters. They were literally at the "top of the world" professionally and in a sense physically/mentally as well (before Richard and Karen's personal issues overtook them). They were able to take a song that had been an album cut two years earlier (I Can't Last a Day Without You) to #11 on the Top 20, turn a Hank Williams country song from 1952 (Jambalya) to an international hit, and their cover of a Marvellettes song from 1961 (Please Mr. Postman) became their second #1 hit, a single that was huge all over the world. They also put out their second classic Christmas song (how many groups even have one?) in their version of Santa Claus is Coming to Town. They literally could do no wrong professionally, and the downwind didn't really come until later in 1975 when Karen's problem finally surfaced (leading to her collapse) and Horizon (a great album, but one loaded with ballads and downbeat songs outside of Postman, which had been released EIGHT months earlier and didn't fit on it thematically) started a downward trend in sales.
So, 1974 was a primal year for them professionally and personally (you just need to look at Karen from video in early 1974 when she was at a very healthy weight to how much slimmer - though still beautiful - she was in the Perry Como Christmas special at the end of the year to speculate that this was the year when you-know-what started). Yet no album. For the first time since signing with A&M - nothing. It was a over a two year gap between studio albums (Now and Then released in May 1973 and Horizon in June 1975) and even the best-selling Singles 1969-1973 was a 1973 release.
Richard has said in one of the documentaries that he questioned the wisdom then of not putting out the album, and the idea is basically ludicrous when thinking about it now ("You don't forget about the records and go touring all over the world" Richard says in the "The Carpenters:Only Yesterday" British documentary.) Particularly for a group that prided themselves of being a "recording artists" more than concert ones. According to Coleman, the Carpenters played 203 concerts in 1974 in a 365 day year. Considering at this period in time they were one of the best selling RECORDING groups in the world and millionaires several times over (by their own admission) this IS pretty ludicrous. Bettis has also said that the Carpenters toured more than any group with their kind of success did.
So what if they hadn't toured that much and actually put out an album in 1974 (even the end of '74 which would have given RC more time to work on Horizon, for a later '75 release date, which I believe he now says he could have used)? What kind of material would have been on it. Richard has said that the reason for the Oldies medley on Now and Then was he really didn't have new material, and a lot of the stuff on Horizon is really SLOW. I think the Carpenters took their downward turn when they stopped with more uptempo stuff after Postman and Only Yesterday.
Off the top of my head if I had to put a 1974 album together of songs I know the C's were familar with and Richard seems to have some kind of arrangement for (this is all predicated on if RC doesn't take his usual six months or so to do it and just feels the need to get material out there, which he now says he should have):
1. Please Mr. Postman
2. And When He Smiles (which should have been an album cut at some point and RC said they were going record it all the way back in the '71 BBC Concert)
3. Dancing in the Street (the original jazzy RC Trio version with Karen on drums, they really should have recorded THIS rather than the version they did for the '78 TV Special with its everybody else does it like this style).
4. Any Day Now, the version they did in concert during this period as part of a Bacharach medley that was included in the Anthology collection. KC sounds great and RC's arrangement is terrific. I actually think this one is single material even though its another oldie, it's that good.
5. A longer edition of Zodiac Medley from MYKOM (Richard was an expert at medley making and this was obviously one they had in the pocket.) So Good Day Sunshine, Wishin' and Hopin', A House is Not a Home, Trains and Boats and Planes, I Wanna Be Free, New World Coming.
6. Carpenter/Bettis song that would segue into the Zodiac medley ala Yesterday Once More. Another single material song.
7. Cinderella Rockefella - why not? It's another short song that already part of their concert staple. Album filler basically. It's short and they could use either Doug Strawn or a big name guest singer to duet with Karen (it would be weird for Richard to do it).
8. Another Carpenter/Bettis original.
9. Santa Claus is Coming To Town - hear me out on this. Yes, it is a Christmas song, but its one they are very confident in (the arrangement and the vocal are some of the best work they ever did) and I personally believe it is much BETTER than mere seasonal music. It's fantastic. It should have been an album cut somewhere (and never was until after Karen's death, and Old Fashioned Christmas).
10. ????? - mystery uptempo song that could be a third or fourth single cut from the album.
I also believe Karen should have recorded Perry Como's It's Impossible as an album cut (either in 74 or 75). The shortened version she does on the Christmas special is incredible. It could have been put in as a tribute to Como (a singer both Carpenters obviously admired and RC still does) who had recorded not one, not two, but THREE Carpenters songs on his 71/72 albums.
Any other thoughts about possible album choices OR what an album released in 1974 would have meant for the Carpenters professionally and personally at the height of their fame? Or even their legacy (it would have meant less touring which would have been VERY good for Karen, and it would have added to their dominance of the first half of the 1970s in terms of sales, and future catalog sales)?
So, 1974 was a primal year for them professionally and personally (you just need to look at Karen from video in early 1974 when she was at a very healthy weight to how much slimmer - though still beautiful - she was in the Perry Como Christmas special at the end of the year to speculate that this was the year when you-know-what started). Yet no album. For the first time since signing with A&M - nothing. It was a over a two year gap between studio albums (Now and Then released in May 1973 and Horizon in June 1975) and even the best-selling Singles 1969-1973 was a 1973 release.
Richard has said in one of the documentaries that he questioned the wisdom then of not putting out the album, and the idea is basically ludicrous when thinking about it now ("You don't forget about the records and go touring all over the world" Richard says in the "The Carpenters:Only Yesterday" British documentary.) Particularly for a group that prided themselves of being a "recording artists" more than concert ones. According to Coleman, the Carpenters played 203 concerts in 1974 in a 365 day year. Considering at this period in time they were one of the best selling RECORDING groups in the world and millionaires several times over (by their own admission) this IS pretty ludicrous. Bettis has also said that the Carpenters toured more than any group with their kind of success did.
So what if they hadn't toured that much and actually put out an album in 1974 (even the end of '74 which would have given RC more time to work on Horizon, for a later '75 release date, which I believe he now says he could have used)? What kind of material would have been on it. Richard has said that the reason for the Oldies medley on Now and Then was he really didn't have new material, and a lot of the stuff on Horizon is really SLOW. I think the Carpenters took their downward turn when they stopped with more uptempo stuff after Postman and Only Yesterday.
Off the top of my head if I had to put a 1974 album together of songs I know the C's were familar with and Richard seems to have some kind of arrangement for (this is all predicated on if RC doesn't take his usual six months or so to do it and just feels the need to get material out there, which he now says he should have):
1. Please Mr. Postman
2. And When He Smiles (which should have been an album cut at some point and RC said they were going record it all the way back in the '71 BBC Concert)
3. Dancing in the Street (the original jazzy RC Trio version with Karen on drums, they really should have recorded THIS rather than the version they did for the '78 TV Special with its everybody else does it like this style).
4. Any Day Now, the version they did in concert during this period as part of a Bacharach medley that was included in the Anthology collection. KC sounds great and RC's arrangement is terrific. I actually think this one is single material even though its another oldie, it's that good.
5. A longer edition of Zodiac Medley from MYKOM (Richard was an expert at medley making and this was obviously one they had in the pocket.) So Good Day Sunshine, Wishin' and Hopin', A House is Not a Home, Trains and Boats and Planes, I Wanna Be Free, New World Coming.
6. Carpenter/Bettis song that would segue into the Zodiac medley ala Yesterday Once More. Another single material song.
7. Cinderella Rockefella - why not? It's another short song that already part of their concert staple. Album filler basically. It's short and they could use either Doug Strawn or a big name guest singer to duet with Karen (it would be weird for Richard to do it).
8. Another Carpenter/Bettis original.
9. Santa Claus is Coming To Town - hear me out on this. Yes, it is a Christmas song, but its one they are very confident in (the arrangement and the vocal are some of the best work they ever did) and I personally believe it is much BETTER than mere seasonal music. It's fantastic. It should have been an album cut somewhere (and never was until after Karen's death, and Old Fashioned Christmas).
10. ????? - mystery uptempo song that could be a third or fourth single cut from the album.
I also believe Karen should have recorded Perry Como's It's Impossible as an album cut (either in 74 or 75). The shortened version she does on the Christmas special is incredible. It could have been put in as a tribute to Como (a singer both Carpenters obviously admired and RC still does) who had recorded not one, not two, but THREE Carpenters songs on his 71/72 albums.
Any other thoughts about possible album choices OR what an album released in 1974 would have meant for the Carpenters professionally and personally at the height of their fame? Or even their legacy (it would have meant less touring which would have been VERY good for Karen, and it would have added to their dominance of the first half of the 1970s in terms of sales, and future catalog sales)?