"And When I Die"

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One of Karen's best performances, I believe. Honestly. The passion and power she puts into it without going bombastic is amazing. Her voice wasn't fully matured, but so what? It's interesting to hear this very raw and different "belting"/soul, grit style that was toned down once they got bigger. It would be interesting if they followed this trend a bit on some future album cuts.

Of course the haunting lyrics/arrangement eerily foreshadow her death and simply add to the tune's melancholy.

Does anyone remember how/when the track was leaked?
 
Interesting Question !
I do not remember exactly how I came to have a copy of this song.
As with many other 'Carpenter' songs--at first, I did not like it.
However, as time progressed--and, I listened closely, more intently,
I grew to love it.
Karen does show another facet of her remarkable vocal prowess.
Passion and power, absolutely.
A stunning performance--would love to have the Vinyl.

Wanda Freeman:
"Karen had a nice alto voice....I never really thought anything of it, but
it was a very clear voice...she really opened up...she really wanted to do that song
."
(Schmidt,2010, page 42).
 
There's a really poor-quality copy of "And When I Die" floating around on the Internet. I've attempted to correct some of what was wrong. First off, the sound was extremely top-heavy (tinny), so I've attempted a bit of EQ to help it out. Second, there was a lot of background noise from the tape/record from which it came, so I've attempted to remove some of that as well. Third, it seemed to me to be running at too fast a speed, so I knocked it down 1% and it sounds more like Karen's voice to me, not so chipmunky. Finally, though the recording has some stereo information to it, it seemed way off balance to the left, so I've moved the vocals more to the center.



Harry
 
There's a really poor-quality copy of "And When I Die" floating around on the Internet. I've attempted to correct some of what was wrong. First off, the sound was extremely top-heavy (tinny), so I've attempted a bit of EQ to help it out. Second, there was a lot of background noise from the tape/record from which it came, so I've attempted to remove some of that as well. Third, it seemed to me to be running at too fast a speed, so I knocked it down 1% and it sounds more like Karen's voice to me, not so chipmunky. Finally, though the recording has some stereo information to it, it seemed way off balance to the left, so I've moved the vocals more to the center.



Harry

Another example of Karen's versatility as a singer. It took guts for a little white girl from the suburbs to tackle a gospel song. :wink: And Wanda Freeman is no slouch either to keep up with!
 
Brilliant, Harry! You've got the chops (and ears) of a first-rate engineer. And this should remind us that early Karen, with more power and a bit more roughness, might well be the authentic, truest-to-herself version. The sublimation of her sound might have been in part a sublimation to success. There really is something thrillingly free to be found in her singing right up to "Road Ode" on A Song For You which just doesn't manifest in the later work, brilliant as it is. Getting "better" may not have been an evolution so much as a refuge from all the forces that brought anxiety into her personal and professional life. That's why many of us value Passage and the solo album for being examples of Karen searching for a new "edge," one that would permit all the dimensions of her incredible talent to shine at its brightest. We got so much, and yet...there was so much, much more.
 
Best version I ever heard of this track, so would this be Karen in her head voice? Would this have been recorded in a recording studio or classroom?

It's not my favorite song but cool to hear once a year or so.
 
Anyone know what year Karen recorded this song?

I think it was 1966 or 1967 while they were still at school. I am so thankful that someone recorded this performance because it otherwise would have become another lost piece of their history. It may have been talked about happening but hearing it for ourselves is something totally different. The soul and youthful exuberance here are so special and demonstrate how their gifts were already blooming.
 
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