Carpenters country style songs.

"Sweet, Sweet Smile" is the first song of theirs that pops in to my mind when you mention country and western. It reached number 8 on the C & W charts, if I am not mistaken. Richard has remarked it should have been a bigger hit.
 
The five mentioned above are the most obviously country. Then I went down the song list and found a few more that could be considered sort-of countryish... overdubbing a little steel guitar in strategic places would country them right up. So this would make a nice country album if you mixed them up.

Top of the World
Reason to Believe
Sweet Sweet Smile
Jambalaya
Desperado
I Believe You
Touch Me When We're Dancing
Want You Back In My Life Again
Sing
Please Mr. Postman
Those Good Ol' Dreams
 
“Sweet, Sweet Smile”, “Reason To Believe”, “Top Of The World” & “Jambalaya” were issued on the ‘Carpenters- Country Collection’ 7-inch 33.

“Slow Dance” might also be a good choice for a country song, if it had some steel guitar. Also “You’re Just In Love” & “Leave Yesterday Behind”.
 
"(I'm Caught Between) Goodbye and I Love You" has a country flavor with the steel guitar.
You are correct. That song happens to be one of my favorites after reason to believe. I really love the chorus of im caught between goodbye and I love you. I hope this song is redone with the rpo in the future.
 
I made myself a little country playlist a few years ago, the closest thing to a full country album. It's called "Country Dreams"

1. Jambalaya (On The Bayou)
2. Sweet, Sweet Smile
3. Two Sides
4. Nowhere Man
5. Goofus
6. Reason To Believe
7. Top Of The World
8. All Because Of You
9. Those Good Old Dreams
10. Somebody's Been Lyin'
11. The End Of The World
12. When It's Gone (It's Just Gone)
13. The Uninvited Guest
14. When You've Got What It Takes
15. Jambalaya Live At The Palladium

I would have loved it if the Carpenters had recorded a country album, they really suited it. They did a handful of country songs, and country "ish" so this was the best I could come up with. And thought it would be fun to see how it would look as an album. What do you think?
 
I made myself a little country playlist a few years ago, the closest thing to a full country album. It's called "Country Dreams"

1. Jambalaya (On The Bayou)
2. Sweet, Sweet Smile
3. Two Sides
4. Nowhere Man
5. Goofus
6. Reason To Believe
7. Top Of The World
8. All Because Of You
9. Those Good Old Dreams
10. Somebody's Been Lyin'
11. The End Of The World
12. When It's Gone (It's Just Gone)
13. The Uninvited Guest
14. When You've Got What It Takes
15. Jambalaya Live At The Palladium

I would have loved it if the Carpenters had recorded a country album, they really suited it. They did a handful of country songs, and country "ish" so this was the best I could come up with. And thought it would be fun to see how it would look as an album. What do you think?
I too wish that they would have done a country album. i like the name you came up with.
 
Didn't Richard state that The Uninvited Guest was a country song they recorded in 1980?
I never got a country feel from that song and I still don't. I just consider it a heartbreak song.
 
Which makes me wonder, did Karen and Richard ever meet country great Dottie West?
 
All the comments above is just another reason why the duo should've released a country album! ONJ went country, and it worked out great for her.
I'm convinced that if Karen had lived longer, they would have released a country album. Especially considering the synthesizer-dominated new wave sound ruled the 80s pop charts, followed by the hair bands and then the alternative/grunge of the 90s. So they would've been forced to go country if they wanted another big hit record. Dan Seals did the same thing, as did Marie Osmond, among others.
 
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