Another Son
Well-Known Member
I was still a pre-teen when 'A Kind of Hush' and 'I Need To Be In Love' were singles but was already a huge fan and was very aware of chart action, keeping up with the Top 40 each week and listening to the radio every day.
With a pre-teen sort of approach to music, I at first connected better at the time with the upbeat vibe of 'There's a Kind of Hush' than with the slower, adult-orientated 'I Need to Be In Love'.
I already had hits like 'For All We Know', 'Yesterday Once More', 'Goodbye to Love', 'It's Going to Take Some Time', 'Sing', 'Hurting Each Other', 'Top Of the World', 'I Won't Last a Day', 'Please Mr. Postman', 'Only Yesterday' and 'Solitaire' indelibly stamped on my mind by then and, on the first couple of listens, was a bit disappointed with 'I Need to Be In Love'. I didn't think it was catchy enough and thought it dragged. However, I soon got into the song as it climbed the American charts, was a bit disappointed in its low peak and by the time I bought the 'A Kind of Hush' album the following year, loved the recording.
From that time to this, 'I Need to Be In Love' has been one of Carpenters' songs that I think is unbeatable. Having said that, I do like the 'Bruce Forsyth Show' live version of the song. My opinion since adulthood has been that 'I Need To Be In Love' is in an entirely different class and realm from 'A Kind of Hush'.
By the way, even though 'Solitaire' was slower in tempo as well, it never occurred to me that it was too slow. I was immediately captivated and mesmerised by that song on first listen, with the chills and goosebumps, etc. That recording, for me, has always been magical, from first listen until now.
With a pre-teen sort of approach to music, I at first connected better at the time with the upbeat vibe of 'There's a Kind of Hush' than with the slower, adult-orientated 'I Need to Be In Love'.
I already had hits like 'For All We Know', 'Yesterday Once More', 'Goodbye to Love', 'It's Going to Take Some Time', 'Sing', 'Hurting Each Other', 'Top Of the World', 'I Won't Last a Day', 'Please Mr. Postman', 'Only Yesterday' and 'Solitaire' indelibly stamped on my mind by then and, on the first couple of listens, was a bit disappointed with 'I Need to Be In Love'. I didn't think it was catchy enough and thought it dragged. However, I soon got into the song as it climbed the American charts, was a bit disappointed in its low peak and by the time I bought the 'A Kind of Hush' album the following year, loved the recording.
From that time to this, 'I Need to Be In Love' has been one of Carpenters' songs that I think is unbeatable. Having said that, I do like the 'Bruce Forsyth Show' live version of the song. My opinion since adulthood has been that 'I Need To Be In Love' is in an entirely different class and realm from 'A Kind of Hush'.
By the way, even though 'Solitaire' was slower in tempo as well, it never occurred to me that it was too slow. I was immediately captivated and mesmerised by that song on first listen, with the chills and goosebumps, etc. That recording, for me, has always been magical, from first listen until now.