⭐ Official Review [Album]: "A SONG FOR YOU" (SP-3511)

[Harry]

Yeah, if you think about it, A SONG FOR YOU has virtually every track available elsewhere in a remixed or alternate version, whether it's just a speed-up or a true remix.

 

[Beto]

I was hoping for something similar for the 50th anniversaries of CTY and Carpenters, but it didn't happen. For ASFY's 50th anniversary I prepared a playlist with the A&M 393511-2 cd (I couldn't get the Remastered Classics version) and remixes of different compilations I could get. Recently someone shared the single version of Piano Picker Flat Baroque in wav format, much appreciated.
So, this is the playlist I listened to on the 13th of this month:

01. A Song For You (A&M 393511-2).wav
02. Top Of The World (1972 Version).flac
03. Bless the Beasts and Children (Single).flac
04. Hurting Each Other (Single).flac
05. It’s Going To Take Some Time (Single).wav
06. Goodbye to Love (Single).flac
07. I Won’t Last A Day Without You (Single).wav
08. Top Of The World (1991 Remix).wav
09. Bless The Beasts And Children (1991 Remix).wav
10. Hurting Each Other (1991 Remix).wav
11. I Won’t Last A Day Without You (1991 Remix with segue).wav
12. Crystal Lullaby - Road Ode (1987 Remix).wav
13. Top Of The World (2004 Remix).wav
14. Live In Japan (GTL, TOTW & HEO).wav
15. Hurting Each Other (RPO).flac
16. Top Of The World (RPO).flac
17. Goodbye To Love (RPO).flac
18. Top Of The World (RC'sPSb).flac
19. I Won't Last A Day Without You (RC'sPSb).flac
20. Goodbye To Love (1991 Remix).wav
21. I Won't Last A Day Without You (1972 Album Mix, Slow).wav
22. A Song For You (1972 Version).flac

 

[masqueraded]

Just wondering why the RC didnt use the LP speed for Last a Day when they were aiming for the original album tracks? Guess same question goes with the sped up You.

 

[newvillefan]

In the credit list for this album, it says “Intermission inspired by Crucifixus - Antonio Lotti ca. 1667-1740”.

For many years I’ve been meaning to look that track up and I did today. The first 60 seconds of this gave me goosebumps. There are echoes of Carpenters throughout and it’s like Karen is in the choir, singing in her head voice that she uses so well to emulate this sound.

 

[John Tkacik]

I have a question for either Chris or Mike. In the research for the Musical Legacy book, do you have any dates for the release of the revised album covers? Would it be wrong to assume that the "Enlarged Heart" version sold less copies than the original version due to it coming out 2nd and limited time of release before it reverted back to the original artwork for the 3rd version (square sticker hyping songs instead of locket).

 

[Chris May]

I have a question for either Chris or Mike. In the research for the Musical Legacy book, do you have any dates for the release of the revised album covers? Would it be wrong to assume that the "Enlarged Heart" version sold less copies than the original version due to it coming out 2nd and limited time of release before it reverted back to the original artwork for the 3rd version (square sticker hyping songs instead of locket).

Unfortunately much of the documentation A&M had prior to the acquisition by Universal Music was lost or destroyed.

 

[A&M Retro]

Unfortunately much of the documentation A&M had prior to the acquisition by Universal Music was lost or destroyed.

Ugh that SUCKS.

 

[Jack A.]

I'll revive this thread to offer my opinion...

Easily my favorite C's album. It came out when K&R were still in their heyday and it sounds like a very polished record. Also has by far the most hits off of any one C's album, so there's a lot to choose from here. As I've stated elsewhere before, ASFY is the only album of theirs that I would listen to straight through and not skip any song.

It also seems worth mentioning: Something interesting I've noticed about this album is that on every other song, Richard's piano is mixed in the center, but on "Goodbye to Love," it's panned way to the left. Seems like it was changed for every release after "The Singles."

 

[rockdoctor]

This is a very good album. Even though it did not hit the sales of the "Carpenters" album, it is not far behind. I pick Goodbye to Love and Bless the Beasts and the Children as my favorite selections. The cover is a bit much as it seems that it makes it look like a Valentine's Day album.

 

[newvillefan]

How A Song For You only got to #13 in the UK is beyond me. I’m amazed that it took until the release of Horizon for them to have a number one album in the UK as well.

I think I’ve mentioned this before but if you put the US and UK charts side by side, there was an almost mirror-image reversal in chart performance during their peak. The midway point was Now and Then, where they matched exactly (which always satisfies my OCD greatly )

Album	US Peak	UK Peak
Close To You	2	23
Carpenters	2	12
A Song For You	4	13
Now & Then	2	2
Horizon	13	1
A Kind Of Hush	33	3

 

[Mark-T]

^^ Fascinating!

 

[Portlander]

Interesting that "Yesterday Once More" (the single) peaked at #2 in the US and UK in 1973. And what was up with the UK and Ireland's affection for "Calling Occupants" where it went #9 in your country and #1 in Ireland? It barely received any airplay in the US. "Please Mr Postman" was also a favorite of yours (#2) along with Australia, Canada and the US where it topped the charts. And the Carpenters last hit "Touch Me When We're Dancing" failed to even chart in the UK which was a surprise.

 

[Jack A.]

The C's really were the royalty of #2's.

 

[newvillefan]

And what was up with the UK and Ireland's affection for "Calling Occupants" where it went #9 in your country and #1 in Ireland? It barely received any airplay in the US.

I think there are three reasons why this song was a hit in the UK and Ireland:

1) Carpenters had toured here recently, up and down the UK in particular;
2) We Brits just love a great novelty record! Many weird and wonderful ones have been Christmas #1 over the years.
3) We didn't have the sheer number of radio stations to choose from in the UK in the 1970s. Most Carpenters fans at the time tuned in to BBC Radio 2, which was home to a number of DJs like Terry Wogan and Tony Blackburn who loved Richard and Karen and played their records a lot. I can also imagine zany DJs like Kenny Everett playing 'Occupants' a lot on his show.

And the Carpenters last hit "Touch Me When We're Dancing" failed to even chart in the UK which was a surprise.

I think that was largely down to the fact the only appearances they did in the UK were months after its release If they’d appeared in June or July on a prime time TV show like Wogan and performed the song, it could have been a whole different story.

 

[CraigGA]

This is a very good album. Even though it did not hit the sales of the "Carpenters" album, it is not far behind. I pick Goodbye to Love and Bless the Beasts and the Children as my favorite selections. The cover is a bit much as it seems that it makes it look like a Valentine's Day album.

Bless the Beasts and the Children is one of my all-time favorites. Certainly a Carpenter's classic. I do not recall anyone else doing it other than Muzak versions.