Carpenters In 20 Songs...

Status
Not open for further replies.
...and yet with all the stuff I need to do, I can find the time to do a segue!

I tried "Eve", but the keys that the two songs were in clashed too much. So I substituted "Someday". That also clashes with "Now", but the final chord is discordant anyway, so the first passage of "Now" is merged with the final discordant bit of "Someday" until the oboe finally wins out.

I'm not thrilled with this segue, but it was a challenge! And the titles certainly go together!

Segue Someday to Now - Clyp »
 
Harry said:
...and yet with all the stuff I need to do, I can find the time to do a segue!

I tried "Eve", but the keys that the two songs were in clashed too much. So I substituted "Someday". That also clashes with "Now", but the final chord is discordant anyway, so the first passage of "Now" is merged with the final discordant bit of "Someday" until the oboe finally wins out.

I'm not thrilled with this segue, but it was a challenge! And the titles certainly go together!

Segue Someday to Now - Clyp »
Click to expand...

Now if only someone would do a segue of Maybe It's You and Ordinary Fool. MIY ends with the line "only a fool" and Ordinary Fool begins with the line "only a fool."
 
Harry said:
...and yet with all the stuff I need to do, I can find the time to do a segue!

I tried "Eve", but the keys that the two songs were in clashed too much. So I substituted "Someday". That also clashes with "Now", but the final chord is discordant anyway, so the first passage of "Now" is merged with the final discordant bit of "Someday" until the oboe finally wins out.

I'm not thrilled with this segue, but it was a challenge! And the titles certainly go together!

Segue Someday to Now - Clyp »
Click to expand...
thank you, kind sir! :)

I agree on the titles... when the flute starts - I think it sounds pretty good.... that oboe cuts through the dark of night though, doesn't it?! Thanks so much for investigating and creating! BT
 
Don Malcolm said:
A fabulous idea for a thread—if it were somehow practicable, a poll where people could pick their 20 favorite songs from the master list of Carpenters’ recording would be the way to wind up with a “consensus list.” But that master list would have something like 300 songs on it! Too cumbersome, I suspect…

So, for now, the best solution is to put the info into a spreadsheet and see how it evolves. We only have seven participants (including my ballot, and unfortunately not including Scotty’s 42-song list—hoping he will get it down to 20-25 at some point and re-post…) and this list could clearly shift a good bit, but this is how it looks right now:

6/7 (5 songs)

A Song For You, Rainy Days & Mondays, Superstar, Only Yesterday, Goodbye to Love

5/7 (2 songs)

We’ve Only Just Begun, Yesterday Once More

4/7 (6 songs)

Merry Christmas Darling, All You Get From Love is a Love Song, I Need To Be In Love, Close to You, Road Ode, Another Song

3/7 (7 songs)

Let Me Be The One, This Masquerade, Touch Me When We’re Dancing, Ordinary Fool, Crescent Noon, Hurting Each Other, Ticket To Ride

That actually adds up to 20 songs, with 9 of the tracks (in bold) being Top 20 hits.

Top 20 chart hits not in the “Top 20” right now: Please Mr. Postman (2/7), Top of the World (2/7), For All We Know (2/7), A Kind of Hush (0/7)…I’m probably missing several here.

My ballot is very idiosyncratic, skewing heavily toward the early work:

All I Can Do, All of My Life, Ticket to Ride, We’ve Only Just Begun, Maybe It’s You, Help!, Close to You, I’ll Never Fall in Love Again, Crescent Noon, Another Song, Rainy Days & Mondays, Superstar, Goodbye to Love, Hurting Each Other, Road Ode, Yesterday Once More, Only Yesterday, Desperado, Bwana She No Home, Calling Occupants

Still, at this point in time, 12 of my top 20 are in the overall Top 20, though I suspect that Crescent Noon and Another Song would very likely be bumped from the Top 20 as more ballots come in.

Hoping for more lists...will update!
Click to expand...
Big thanks, @Don Malcolm, for the data sorting! VERY interesting. We could come up with an “Official A&M Forum Carpenters In 20 Songs” playlist. Great stuff.
 
I'll bite!

For the record, I started by listing 26 songs... so as I type - I'll be forced to edit... :*(

Chronological Order:

1) All Of My Life
2) Turn Away
3) Ticket To Ride
4) We've Only Just Begun
5) Love Is Surrender
6) Close To You
7) Baby It's You
8) Rainy Days & Mondays
9) For All We Know
10) Superstar
11) A Song For You
12) Hurting Each Other
13) Goodbye To Love
14) Yesterday Once More
15) Only Yesterday
16) Please Mr. Postman
17) Sandy
18) Sweet. Sweet Smile
19) Merry Christmas Darling
20) Where Do I Go From Here?

I had to leave out a couple of my absolute favorites, such as Solitaire, and I Just Fall In Love Again, in favor of Ticket and CTY - for obvious reasons... And forgive the omission of I Need To Be In Love, however, those verses of Sandy just send me... Hearing that melody and that rich velvety voice - takes me back to the summer of '76 more than any other song on that album. Finally, for the country song, I chose SSS - versus Top - just because - - uh - er - I like it better! Love that Top went to number one - but it was always just an album cut for me, dawg...

GREAT exercise...
 
BarryT60 said:
I'll bite!

For the record, I started by listing 26 songs... so as I type - I'll be forced to edit... :*(

Chronological Order:

1) All Of My Life
2) Turn Away
3) Ticket To Ride
4) We've Only Just Begun
5) Love Is Surrender
6) Close To You
7) Baby It's You
8) Rainy Days & Mondays
9) For All We Know
10) Superstar
11) A Song For You
12) Hurting Each Other
13) Goodbye To Love
14) Yesterday Once More
15) Only Yesterday
16) Please Mr. Postman
17) Sandy
18) Sweet. Sweet Smile
19) Merry Christmas Darling
20) Where Do I Go From Here?

I had to leave out a couple of my absolute favorites, such as Solitaire, and I Just Fall In Love Again, in favor of Ticket and CTY - for obvious reasons... And forgive the omission of I Need To Be In Love, however, those verses of Sandy just send me... Hearing that melody and that rich velvety voice - takes me back to the summer of '76 more than any other song on that album. Finally, for the country song, I chose SSS - versus Top - just because - - uh - er - I like it better! Love that Top went to number one - but it was always just an album cut for me, dawg...

GREAT exercise...
Click to expand...
I’ve always had a particular fondness for “Sandy.” I’ve never been able to explain it. It’s remarkably smooth. Like velvet.
 
For me, this is a challenging exercise, albeit with promises of fun... I know that, in other threads, we might have listed our favorites via other parameters. But I think Richard (and others?) did an excellent job with the 1997 compilation Love Songs. Although I might personally wish to interject a few album cuts ("Two Sides," "I Can Dream Can't I," "You"), I think that this particular lineup (taken from this site's excellent and comprehensive "Complete Recording Resource": Love Songs ») truly captures the wheelhouse of Carpenters to great effect:

Track listing:

1. I Need To Be In Love (1990 remix)
2. Solitaire
3. We’ve Only Just Begun (1991 remix)
4. This Masquerade (1990 remix)
5. You’re the One
6. Superstar (1991 remix)
7. Rainy Days And Mondays (1991 remix)
8. Top Of The World (1973 version, 1991 remix)
9. Make Believe It’s Your First Time
10. I Just Fall In Love Again (my choice instead: "Two Sides")
11. (They Long to Be) Close to You (1991 remix)
12. For All We Know (1990 remix)
13. Where Do I Go From Here? (my choice instead: "I Can Dream Can't I")
14. Only Yesterday (1991 remix) (middle length edit)
15. All You Get From Love Is A Love Song
16. When I Fall In Love (1990 remix) (my choice instead: "You")
17. Hurting Each Other (1991 remix)
18. I Won’t Last a Day Without You (1991 remix, single version, slow)
19. A Song For You (1985 remix)
20. Goodbye To Love (1991 remix)
 
Must Hear This Album said:
I’ve always had a particular fondness for “Sandy.” I’ve never been able to explain it. It’s remarkably smooth. Like velvet.
Click to expand...
Really, one of the few times on that album that Karen demonstrates her full rich voice - in all it's velvety glory. The low lows and the smooth ride into her higher register... "Being with you I'm like a child again - - Your eyes can see clearer than mine...." Delicious....
 
BarryT60 said:
Love that Top went to number one - but it was always just an album cut for me, dawg...
Click to expand...
Barry, you spell this out perfectly! I feel the same...

BarryT60 said:
...takes me back to the summer of '76 more than any other song on that album...
Click to expand...
As I have said repeatedly, A Kind of Hush is near the top of my favorite Carpenters' albums. Taking me "back to the summer of '76" is just one of those reasons. And if a time machine is ever created (and affordable :laugh:) in my lifetime, I will surely travel to that time destination. For the time being, reminiscing will work just fine... :)
 
Jamesj75 said:
Barry, you spell this out perfectly! I feel the same...


As I have said repeatedly, A Kind of Hush is near the top of my favorite Carpenters' albums. Taking me "back to the summer of '76" is just one of those reasons. And if a time machine is ever created (and affordable :laugh:) in my lifetime, I will surely travel to that time destination. For the time being, reminiscing will work just fine... :)
Click to expand...
It was a very good year... aye? :wink:
 
Must Hear This Album said:
What an expansive list! Thank you so much for sharing. I particularly like how you alphabetized the songs, which creates an automatic “randomization” in terms of chronology and timeline. Unexpected songs follow familiar hits. As I glance down the list, it’s fun to think about how these songs would play-in to the next song. For instance, I bet “Superstar" is a great lead-in to the opening drum licks on “This Masquerade.” Same with “All Of My Life” and “All You Get...” A nice approach. So I’m surmising the 20 song assignment is just not gonna happen for you? :)
Click to expand...
20 songs is just too little for me, with such an abundance of great ones to choose from. I'll just leave it at what I made. Although, even with the list I created, I will sometimes listen to a song I did not include and become overly overwhelmed by it, wondering why it wasn't included.
 
Harry said:
And here are those two segues!

Superstar to This Masquerade - All Of My Life to All You Get - Clyp »

Harry
Click to expand...
There has been too much, in the way of compilations, of Superstar & Rainy Days and Mondays being paired together. I thought it would be interesting to see how the two songs paired with different songs. When I created my compilation, I purposely listed the songs alphabetically so not to show favor. I was quite amazed and pleased on how well Superstar & This Masquerade paired, as well as Rainy Days and Mondays with Road Ode. But I think Road Ode would be even better had it started before the last fade of Rainy Days, a better segue, I think.
 
ScottyB said:
But I think Road Ode would be even better had it started before the last fade of Rainy Days, a better segue, I think.
Click to expand...

Not so good. The two are in very different keys and don't blend well at all.
 
James got me to pulling out the
Love Songs
compilation:
It makes this list easier to 'compile' (it's difficult in any event):

I'd replace (!) I Need To Be In Love with One More Time.
Replace This Masquerade with Another Song.
Solitaire stays, but the Single version.
Top of The World stays, but, the 1972 version.
Make Believe It's Your First Time is Out (sorry--no way on my list !)
Bless The Beasts and the Children--original soundtrack-- instead.
Keeping Close To You--the Album Cut please.

All else I'd keep the same.
That's a quick way to my 20 !
 
GaryAlan said:
James got me to pulling out the
Love Songs
compilation:
It makes this list easier to 'compile' (it's difficult in any event):

I'd replace (!) I Need To Be In Love with One More Time.
Replace This Masquerade with Another Song.
Solitaire stays, but the Single version.
Top of The World stays, but, the 1972 version.
Make Believe It's Your First Time is Out (sorry--no way on my list !)
Bless The Beasts and the Children--original soundtrack-- instead.
Keeping Close To You--the Album Cut please.

All else I'd keep the same.
That's a quick way to my 20 !
Click to expand...
I do like that Love Song track listing. Probably my favorite compilation... Plus - I love the fact that it charted when released... :)
 
Love Songs was one of my first compilations, along with Singles 1969-1981. Both great choices for the tracklist!
 
We now have ten ballots in, and here are two quick updates.

First, the 20-song vote threshold is now 4 votes. We still have 20 songs that qualify on our “20 Song” list…

9—A Song For You, Goodbye to Love, Rainy Days & Mondays, Superstar, Only Yesterday
8—We’ve Only Just Begun
7—Close To You
6—Hurting Each Other, Yesterday Once More, All You Get From Love is a Love Song
5—Another Song, Merry Christmas Darling, For All We Know, I Need To Be in Love
4—Ticket To Ride, Top of the World, Road Ode, This Masquerade, Solitaire, You’re the One

Note that seven of the top eight vote-getters are Top 20 singles. That extends out to eight of the top ten, and nine of the top 13. (Note that two Top 20 singles, “Sing” and “I Won’t Last A Day Without You,” have yet to receive any votes in this poll.)

More detailed analysis shows that most voters have from 8 to 10 Top 20 hits listed in their personal Top 20 songs. Two voters, Guitarmutt and Geographer, are exceptions to this, with only three and two Top 20 hits among their favorites.

Second, it might be interesting to see which of the Carpenters’ recordings have gathered the most “Top 20 song” support. We can do this by adding up the point totals for each album. When we do this, it looks like this (in chronological order):

Offering/Ticket to Ride 11
Close to You 30
Carpenters (tan) 31
A Song For You 38
Now & Then 13
Horizon 20
A Kind of Hush 12
Passage 14
Made In America 6
Voice of the Heart 7
Lovelines 8
From the Top 3
As Time Goes By 2
Various Xmas 6

Another way to break this out is to list the number of songs from each album that have been selected in individual Top 20 lists. While the A Song For You album has the highest point total, it doesn’t have the most number of different songs selected by voters. It has eight. But the Close to You album has nine—due in large part to yours truly, who picked two songs from it that no one has picked. In fact, it’s shockingly clear that Close to You is my favorite Carpenters’ album, given that seven songs from it are on my Top 20. No one else has more than four songs from it!

I hope more forum members will stop by and add their ballots...this is a very interesting exercise and I will keep cranking the data until the last precinct is heard from!!
 
Last edited:
Must Hear This Album said:
Actually, I voted for “I Won’t Last A Day Without You.” :)

Love this analysis, though. BIG thanks, @Don Malcolm.
Click to expand...

My bad, MHTA--that should have read "It's Going to Take Some Time," not "I Won't Last A Day Without You."

More ballots, please! I wonder what Richard's favorite 20 songs are? That would be some list to add to all this, wouldn't it? Chris May, could you possibly impose on him to provide that?
 
Oh man, Don, do I have to pick just 20? :D Okay, here goes my ballot. I could pick 20 based on the hits alone, but I tried to include some of my favorite album cuts.

  1. Don't Be Afraid
  2. All of My Life
  3. Turn Away
  4. (They Long to Be) Close to You
  5. Another Song
  6. We've Only Just Begun
  7. Mr. Guder
  8. Rainy Days and Mondays
  9. Superstar
  10. One Love
  11. Let Me Be The One
  12. Top of the World
  13. Hurting Each Other
  14. Road Ode
  15. I Won't Last A Day Without You
  16. Goodbye to Love
  17. This Masquerade
  18. Yesterday Once More
  19. Only Yesterday
  20. All You Get From Love Is A Love Song

Honorable mentions are "Nowadays Clancy...","For All We Know", "Happy", "Please Mr. Postman", "(A Place to) Hideaway", "Crystal Lullaby", "Touch Me When We're Dancing", and "I Can't Make Music". Further proof that you cannot pick just 20!... :)
 
Okay, okay. Not sure this is gonna be tangible, but here I go!
1. Ticket to Ride - raw form or re-recorded, it shows off Richard's arranging skills and Karen's vocals very well.
2. Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing - shows the creative side
3. (They Long to Be) Close to You - kinda obvious here, right?
4. We've Only Just Begun - people are still using this in weddings; it is timeless.
5. Rainy Days and Mondays - beautiful, powerful
6. Superstar - Classic and perfect
7. Let Me Be The One - another very possible single; great vocal work
8. Goodbye to Love - a turning point
9. I Won't Last A Day Without You - pretty and a great display of Karen's vocals
10. Road Ode - a glimpse at fame's other side
11. Top of the Word - classic Carpenters sound
12. Yesterday Once More - another classic
13. Desperado - unusual, but boy does Karen put some force into that vocal!
14. Only Yesterday - definitive and lovely
15. (Caught Between) Goodbye and I Love You - Karen really shines here
16. I Need To Be In Love - describes feelings nearly everyone has a least once in their life
17. All You Get From Love Is A Love Song - the vocals! The sax! The everything! Oooo...
18. Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft - something very unique from the duo for sure!
19. When It's Gone (It's Just Gone) - very well done in every area from vocals to arrangement
20. Look to Your Dreams - a perfect ending

The ones I really wanted but couldn't keep:
For All We Know
I Kept On Loving You
Love Me For What I Am
Hurting Each Other
I Won't Last A Day Without You
One More Time
(A Place to)Hideaway
Kiss Me The Way You Did Last Night
Where Do I Go From Here?
Honolulu City Lights
Intermission - oh, wait...:wink:

And there's my list. Two lists. 30 songs...sigh. I am not good at this :rolleyes:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar discussions

Simon KC1950
Carpenters - Change the record (Lyric)!
2 3 4
Replies
78
Views
1K
chuckbo
C
W
Of all of the Carpenters' songs with Karen as lead vocalist, what's unique about their cover of "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do"?
Replies
8
Views
310
kprather
K
W
Create your own Carpenters TV album
Replies
2
Views
170
Bartog739
B
05_LF
A Song For You Japanese release?
2
Replies
38
Views
821
Another Son
A
W
"Sometimes" solo performance by Richard at R&KC Performing Arts Center February 1998
Replies
0
Views
84
Without A Song
W
Back
Top Bottom