Album covers - A SONG FOR YOU *

[Calvin R Murty]

I hate to be the one to start a topic drift, but about the 'Close To You' LP album - the border around the photo, for most albums I've seen, was in grey or bluish grey. However, the one I have is bright yellow. Are there any other variants?

Also, the tan album (LP) sold locally in Singapore back then was not just the plain logo with a flap (to make it look like an envelope) but it was just a normal cover with a photo of the duo (the same photo inside the 'flap' version).

Calvin

 

[Harry]

The CLOSE TO YOU variation with the yellow border: yes, Calvin, I think I recall you bringing that up and showing it to us on Ran's old RoadOde board. We all guessed at the time that it was some Asian variation. Original CLOSE TO YOU albums actually have an almost foiled-silver border that later changed to a flat grey color as the album was re-printed.

The tan CARPENTERS album also had that alternate cover with the picture instead of just the plain logo. I've seen British "Spectrum" copies like that, and even have the CD variation of that.

Harry

 

[A&M Retro]

Man of Steel is correct. Richard has complained about that cover for years. I have an interview where he talks about all the variations they did to the album, and he gets madder and madder throughout the interview about the album covers.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

Just thinking about the ASFY cover -- I wonder why they didn't just add a Carpenters photo to the cover. That would have given it more 'impact' than making the heart bigger!

 

[manofsteel1979]

Just thinking about the ASFY cover -- I wonder why they didn't just add a Carpenters photo to the cover. That would have given it more 'impact' than making the heart bigger!

I often thought that it was odd, aside from the logo like pic of them on the back cover flap,there are no photos of them on the album anywhere!

Was this around the time there was all that crap in the rock press about them having an incestuous relationship? I remember reading somewhere that a smartass disc jockey once asked Karen & Rich on the air that if incest was "their thing". It didn't help how A&M seemed to market them in the early days. Maybe the lack of any photos was attempt not to add "fuel to the fire". Plus,Rich and Karen hated those early photo shoots,so they were probably reluctant to pose for anymore "prom night" pics.

 

[A&M Retro]

There is a photo on the inner sleeve. Same photo they transferred to the promo stickers that came with the original vinyl. Richard hated that, too. Said it looked too 'lovey dovey'. LOL>>
I scanned the promo stickers, but I can't figure out how to attach the pic to this e-mail. Any ideas?
Bob.

 

[manofsteel1979]

There is a photo on the inner sleeve. Same photo they transferred to the promo stickers that came with the original vinyl. Richard hated that, too. Said it looked too 'lovey dovey'. LOL>>
I scanned the promo stickers, but I can't figure out how to attach the pic to this e-mail. Any ideas?
Bob.

I stand corrected. I pulled out my opened vinyl,and there it is. Forgot about it. Since I transferred all my music to my computer and Ipod, I rarely open or use my vinyl/CD's anymore.

I have to agree with Richard. The only thing that saves the pic is that Karen looks so beautiful (of course, I always think Karen is beautiful *sigh*). Also,I can't blame Richard for not liking their pics from that time. His "Prince Valiant" hair style was atrocious. Unfortunately, I too had a similar hairstyle in the mid 80's. Of course, I was five and "He-Man and The Masters of the Universe" were all the rage, but still...

 

[A&M Retro]

LOL!!!! You're excused....I'm 48 and was 10 when the album came out. My nephew is 28 and was a HUGE He Man dude, too!!

 

[Song4uman]

I am just glad to know that other people have seen the various covers.....a year ago or so on here or another site, when I mentioned 3 covers, I was told there were only two.....I thought I had lost my mind..hahahaha

 

[richard_sloat]

The proper thing would be to say "I don't like it." You pick any song in history and there will be plenty of people who would say it is a great song. (Well, except maybe "Disco Duck." But every other song.)

I was curious so I went and listened to that song... and now I can't seem to stop repeating this RIDICULOUS song!!!!! It's so ridiculous it is funny as hell!!!!

 

[richard_sloat]

Man of Steel is correct. Richard has complained about that cover for years. I have an interview where he talks about all the variations they did to the album, and he gets madder and madder throughout the interview about the album covers.

I DO like the cover for A song for you... so what that it looks like a Valentine's card?? I always assumed the album was packaged like a gift to the audiences, it IS entitled A SONG FOR YOU!

 

[A&M Retro]

I've always liked the cover, too!

 

[manofsteel1979]

Man of Steel is correct. Richard has complained about that cover for years. I have an interview where he talks about all the variations they did to the album, and he gets madder and madder throughout the interview about the album covers.

I DO like the cover for A song for you... so what that it looks like a Valentine's card?? I always assumed the album was packaged like a gift to the audiences, it IS entitled A SONG FOR YOU!

It is a memorable cover, I will give you that. It certainly stands out on the racks, for better or for worse.

However, you have to look at it from Richard's perspective. He wanted their music to be taken seriously and to be judged on it's own merits. He was already unhappy with how A&M saddled them with the "whiter than white,squeeky clean, milk drinking, mom & apple pie" image, and he was obviously incensed at the incest bulls--t that was going on in the rock press. This album cover and the rest of the packaging helped dispel neither. I think this was the last straw, and after this, Karen and Rich had demanded more control over their album covers/marketing.

Note how both "Now & Then" and "Singles 1969-1973" changed to a more sophisticated style in terms of packaging and design. No more "two teen sweethearts on prom night" photos.They finally started to look like two attractive twenty-something sibling musicians.

I hate to admit it, but when I bought my CD of "A Song For You" at my local F.Y.E store several years back, I felt a tiny bit conspicous when handing it to the cashier with a cover like THAT. It also didn't help that the cashier was a hot girl that I had briefly dated in high school,but that's another story...

I can only imagine what it was like for fans of the Carps felt in the 72'. You try to convince your rock buddies that The Carpenters were serious musicians and were misunderstood...and then the cover to their newest album looks like something from Hallmark.

Luckily, the music trumps all THAT!

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I also remember the sticker that was attached to the ASFY cover. It looked a bit like an open, heart-shaped locket with a picture of the Carpenters inside the hearts. I can see why Richard didn't like it...but the label had never promoted a sibling act before and didn't know how to handle it. (They should have called a good advertising agency, I guess?)

Note how both "Now & Then" and "Singles 1969-1973" changed to a more sophisticated style in terms of packaging and design.

Yes but Richard famously hated the NOW AND THEN cover too!

 

[song4u]

I can only imagine what it was like for fans of the Carps felt in the 72'. You try to convince your rock buddies that The Carpenters were serious musicians and were misunderstood...and then the cover to their newest album looks like something from Hallmark. I can only imagine what it was like for fans of the Carps felt in the 72'. You try to convince your rock buddies that The Carpenters were serious musicians and were misunderstood...and then the cover to their newest album looks like something from Hallmark.

Well, um, most of us were "in the closet".

 

[manofsteel1979]

I also remember the sticker that was attached to the ASFY cover. It looked a bit like an open, heart-shaped locket with a picture of the Carpenters inside the hearts. I can see why Richard didn't like it...but the label had never promoted a sibling act before and didn't know how to handle it. (They should have called a good advertising agency, I guess?)

Note how both "Now & Then" and "Singles 1969-1973" changed to a more sophisticated style in terms of packaging and design.

Yes but Richard famously hated the NOW AND THEN cover too!

Richard was (is) a hard man to please. Being a perfectionist, he always sees something wrong. I think "Now & Then" had one of the better covers.

 

[Calvin R Murty]

I think he hated the Now & Then cover because the window of the car sort of blocked part of Karen's face, or something like that...

 

[richard_sloat]

OK, so it's not THE BEST ALBUM COVER OF ALL TIMES... I could drop out the heart but then it would get too similar to the Carpenters album cover, only colored differently.

Looking harder at it, it certainly has that love motel billboard feeling. "US$X a night, come love in the A song for you place". It reminds me of Margaret White, Carrie's mother in the book Carrie... she would not allow Carrie to wear anything red. And a few days before the prom night, she enters Carrie room to see her trying her red dress. "Red. It had to be red. (...) Burn it, Carrie. Rip this satanic red off of your body and burn it! Burn it! Burn it!"

Anyway I still like it. It's so... ROMANTIC.

 

[manofsteel1979]

Looking harder at it, it certainly has that love motel billboard feeling. "US$X a night, come love in the A song for you place". It reminds me of Margaret White, Carrie's mother in the book Carrie... she would not allow Carrie to wear anything red. And a few days before the prom night, she enters Carrie room to see her trying her red dress. "Red. It had to be red. (...) Burn it, Carrie. Rip this satanic red off of your body and burn it! Burn it! Burn it!"

I can almost imagine Karen and Rich getting the preview for the "ASFY" album cover, and with a few changes,the above dialog could have still taken place:

Karen: "Oh,brother. It had to be red, with a white heart?! Why does it look like something out of the Hallmark store? *sigh* I'm gonna call Herb and find out what he and Jerry have been smoking to have let the marketing department do this..."

Richard:"Burn it,Karen. Rip this satanic red off the record and burn it! Burn it!!BURN IT!!!!!!"

Karen, after a long,awkward moment of silence: " Note to self,make sure to stock the cupboard with decaf next time."

 

[BarryT60]

wow... fun topic.... I loved Horizon on the first day I saw it - and to this day - prefer that photograph to any of the others. Didn't like the Hush cover - nor the inner photograph... Loved Carpenters, A Song For You, Now & Then, Singles, Passage, Christmas Portrait, Love Songs, and Yesterday Once More. VOTH is special as well. If I had to put a couple on the "not so great" list, maybe it would be Hush. At the time, I liked MIA and CTY - but The others to me - had more oomph. Hush looked like it should have been a country album with all that wood trim and etched glass.... Missed the mark that one....

 

[richard_sloat]

I can almost imagine Karen and Rich getting the preview for the "ASFY" album cover, and with a few changes,the above dialog could have still taken place:
Karen: "Oh,brother. It had to be red, with a white heart?! Why does it look like something out of the Hallmark store? *sigh* I'm gonna call Herb and find out what he and Jerry have been smoking to have let the marketing department do this..."
Richard:"Burn it,Karen. Rip this satanic red off the record and burn it! Burn it!!BURN IT!!!!!!"
Karen, after a long,awkward moment of silence: " Note to self,make sure to stock the cupboard with decaf next time."

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[BarryT60]

Anyone remember the two versions of ASFY?

I remember my brother had the original - then I liked the one with the further shadowed / angled variation of the logo... I think I read later that Richard preferred the former - but hey - I was a kid... the red was brighter - and I was happy that there was a frehser treatment on the artwork!

Made me buy it! That's two copies in one house-hold!


Someone also made a comment on their first album.... Mine was Now & Then. (Sister had CTY and Carpenters, brother had Song 4 Y) so I have an affinity for N & T - since it was MY FIRST....

 

[Harry]

Is everyone aware that both versions of the A SONG FOR YOU album cover survived to the CD age?

The first above is the original A&M CD released in the '80s and used the more angled logo and larger heart. The second one is the "Remastered Classic" CD cover using the smaller-heart and straighter logo.

Harry

 

[Mike Blakesley]

They made the white border larger (proportionally) for the CD issues. I wonder if the Japanese cardboard-sleeve issue preserves the proper white-to-red ratio?

This might have to be covered during the A&M Corner Southern Command Summit.

 

[Harry]

They made the white border larger (proportionally) for the CD issues. I wonder if the Japanese cardboard-sleeve issue preserves the proper white-to-red ratio?

This might have to be covered during the A&M Corner Southern Command Summit.

We'll put it on the agenda.

Harry