"All My Life" (Anyone know about this title?)

[aaflyer98]

Does anyone know if the unreleased Carpenters song RUMORED to be in the "vaults", titled "All My Life" is the song recorded by Kenny Rogers?
I know it's a pipe dream, but I'd love to hear Karen's version, if this in fact this is the song that's rumored to be in the vaults. (For that matter, I'd love to hear anything unreleased) Anyone have inside info on this?

 

[AM Matt]

A song that was left out of "42 Greatest Hits" by Kenny (also from 1983 "We've Got Tonight"). The chorus goes "And with the touch of your hand, you took me farther that I ever been, you love me like, you love me all my life". The song went to # 38 (Billboard Hot 100) in 1983. Kenny also did that song on the People's Choice Awards that same year when Dick Van Dyke hosted the event. I also think that David Foster also handled the orchestra part on Kenny's version. Matt Clark Sanford, MI

 

[Mark-T]

I'd heard this song years ago and never made the connection.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

This song is listed in the Mook Book, part of the buried treasures list. There is a 2 page article with a photo of Richard, each song is listed with what looks like an explanation below the track but it's all in Japanese, except for the titles of the songs. This song is also part of another list on the following page of songs possibly recorded by the duo.

 

[close2u40]

According to Buried Treasures (which has been very accurate in the past!), the song was recorded in the 1980-81 sessions for Made In America. It is indeed the Kenny Rogers song and if memory serves, has a completed vocal. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Richard might categorize this song in the same vain as "Thank You For The Music" and "The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress". He feels their versions are inferior to other versions out there. But wouldn't it be wonderful to hear these along with "Why Don't They Understand", "Try & Win A Friend" and "I Don't Need You (another Kenny Rogers song). Oh to dream......

 

[mr J.]

"All My Life" was recorded in 1980 and it's a complete recording.Wasn't aware that Kenny Rogers covered it.There are also,to my understanding, two other complete MIA outtakes: "The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress" and "All The Way"(the Frank Sinatra standard).I think "All The Way" was done with a full string section-possibly Peter Knight did the orchestration on it.There's also a few other MIA outtakes that weren't finished.

 

[BarryT60]

Oh Dear Lord - I wish Richard would release all of the above... Moon is particularly of interst to me - as well as the others... Maybe he has one more album in mind for these to shine...

RC - if you read these blogs, one more favor for the masses would be more than greatly appreciated. And listen, I appreciate the feeling of not wanting to release material that may have been released by other artists, but the same could have been said for Desperado - or Tryin' To Get The Feeling Again, (or CTY for that matter!) and the Carpenters versions were sublime and hold their own - when compared to the more classic versions of those songs...

Still hoping to hear a few new melodies from our favoite artists.... BT

 

[Mark-T]

Yes, Moon is of particular interest to me. Heartbreaking lyrics perfect for Karen.

 

[aaflyer98]

The Carpenters recorded a lot of music and released a lot of songs already recorded by other artists. From their first album to their last, every album had a cover song, correct me if Im wrong. Some songs were similar to the other artist arrangements and some were quite different.
At this point in the game if any future Carpenters songs are released they most likely wont be hit singles, but the album sales would be good. And as fans, some of us that go way back to the beginning would love to hear them. So what if they sound like the other artists. So what if they don't. The songs would be embraced by us, the Carpenters fans. I have doubts that we will ever hear anything more, but I sure wish we would.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

I have doubts that we will ever hear anything more, but I sure wish we would.

I would sadly have to agree. I always look back on the release of ATGB, alot of work went into getting the CD released by Richard not only all the material but the copyright loopholes Richard had to get approved. For me, it's a wonderful CD of material but I don't think it faired to well from a marketing standpoint. I'm not sure how much money it brought to all those involved but I have seen this CD selling on ebay for only $1.00 in the past. Would another CD of this kind of material for future release profit a record label or be worth Richard's trouble?

 

[BarryT60]

Oh, I am thinking it would. (IMHO) I think world-wide, the fans would flock to a release that had these half-dozen new tunes on it... It may in fact be the last time anything new from this iconic band makes it to release, and that in and of itself would be newsworthy.

Today is a new day - marketing-wise... I wouuld reitierate.... Go for it, RC! If nothing else, there are a slew of true die-hard fans that would relish in just a few more songs from one of the greatest acts of all time. Perhaps, Richard could accompany the CD with instrumentals written by himself more recently. That could be a nice way to get his newer efforts heard....

 

[A&M Retro]

The 'Zodiac Medley' would also be a nice choice. There's PLENTY that could still come out, but it's up to Richard. While I'm so thankful he's released what has come out since Karen's passing, there's always room for more. As somebody mentioned earlier, who CARES if "Thank You For The Music" sounds like the ABBA version? We'd love to hear Karen's interpretation no matter what it sounds like. And you can be sure it sounds amazing!

Unfortunately, Karen's passing was the ultimate game changer, and that fact alone makes these still-shelved tracks priceless to Carpenters fans. There's also some very early stuff that has yet to come out (based on the 'Mook' list). I hope Richard is reading because we'd love to hear it. As he said when "Voice of the Heart" came out, "It seems wrong to just have it sitting on a shelf....Karen would want it out there, too". I'm not saying he should release anything subpar (and he wouldn't), but hearing 'new' versions of cover songs or anything else recorded to their high standards would be wonderful.

 

[bste2003]

This song was mentioned some time ago on another forum alongside a comprehensive list of other unreleased 'Carepnters' recordings. I think most of you will have the list anyway but I thought it would be interesting to hear if anyone has versions, perhaps by other artists:

All My Life--81
Ain't Misbehavin--83
All The Way--79
All Good Things I Remember--81
Auld Lang Syne--79
Better World--79
Come And Be Kind--77
Don't Leave Me
Fallin' For Love--82
Fool Me--82 (Richard Vocal)
For The Minute--77
Funny Faces--79
He Came Here For Me--79
How High The Moon--83 (medley)
Hurting--75
I Believe In You
I Can't Stay Mad At You--77
I Don't Need You--79 (Kenny Rogers covered this)
I Don't Want My Arms Around You--80 (Richard Vocal)
I Finally Got It Right This Time--77
Just Fall In Love--78
Just Somebody
KFRC Radio Jingle--78
Last of the Romantics--80
Lately--79
Lord's Prayer--83
Love As Old As The Heart (Richard Vocal)--83
Love Is Coming Back--75
Love Me Like The First Time--79
Love Song--78
Love You Through and Though--82
Mad--79
Magic In The Music--76
Once In A Lifetime--81
Play A Simple Melody--80
Peter Pan Moon--80
Rainbows In Your Eyes--79
Real Love--77
Runaway--77
Savin' It Up
Sebastion
Second Thought--77
Some Guys Have All The Luck--82
Stay Young--77
Stop Me--82
Sunday Afternoon
Sweet Talkin' Guy--80
Telephone Co. Jingle
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress--80
Try To Win A Friend--75 (Barbara Streisand has now released this)
A Wedding Prayer--83
We Won't Be Back Tomorrow--77
What Are You Doing For Love
Where Is Love--75
Why Don't They Understand
You Made Me Feel Love--80
You'll Never Know--83
You're The One--77
Yours Sincerely--79
Basket Case

 

[Jeff]

Here we go again...How earnestly I wish this list would materialize in the form of completed recordings. Maybe someday, but according to sources in and around maybe not. Yet I still thrill to giving this list a going over. Wheels spinning, hopes hoping and all the fun of conjuring a potential release. Sadly tho I am quite used to the grim reality as routinely expressed. I must admit I check our site here frequently for news regarding the holy grail. It's been said never say never. If there is a changing of the guard and money to be made we just might hear something else. Who knows? I must admit that this state of longing can be tedious as best.

Jeff

 

[close2u40]

I think our best hope is for a few unreleased recordings to leak on future compilations.....hopefully!! Patty Duke recorded a song called "Why Don't They Understand" in the 60's. Her albums are being reissued on CD. It may be the same song?

 

[aaflyer98]

The unreleased list depresses me! There's so much and I know some of it is not complete, but do you think we will see any of it in our lifetime?

 

[Mark-T]

No. I wish we would though.

 

[Toolman]

"I Can't Stay Mad at You" would probably be a remake of the Skeeter Davis ("End of the World") oldie, which is a near-soundalike of the uptempo "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do". Joe South ("Games People Play", "Walk a Mile in My Shoes") wrote and recorded one called "Fool Me" in 1971 that barely dented the Billboard charts. I can't imagine it's the same one that Richard cut, though...I don't "hear" Richard at all when listening to South's song. Country singer Don Williams had a hit with one called "I Believe in You". Anne Murray, "Love Song". Many of the titles seem familiar. It would be interesting at least to know if they were covers or original takes of the songs we associate most with those titles. BTW, where is "Thank You for the Music"? Not on the list...