Carpenters in Rolling Stone magazine (again)

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So Carpenters are in Rolling Stone magazine again, making #5 on a recent list: “20 Biggest Songs of Summer.” Is this what rock cred feels like? I’m looking at you, Rock-and-Roll Hall of Fame.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/p...rpenters-they-long-to-be-close-to-you-0296920

 

[newvillefan]

How interesting that they rank it as a top summer tune when Richard got such cold feet about releasing it in the summer of 1970 because it was such a slow song.

 

[A&M Retro]

Who knows? Maybe 2015 is Carpenters year?

 

[GDBY2LV]

Who knows? Maybe 2015 is Carpenters year?

I can dream, can't I?

 

[Mike Blakesley]

Funny, "Close to You" doesn't seem like a summer song to me. If I think Carpenters and summer, two things come to mind: Either "Top of the World" or the oldies medley from Now and Then (played at top volume with the windows down, of course, "American Graffiti"-style.)

 

[Harry]

I DO associate "(They Long To Be)Close To You" with summer, since it was in the summer of 1970 when I bought that single.



Harry

 

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Funny, "Close to You" doesn't seem like a summer song to me. If I think Carpenters and summer, two things come to mind: Either "Top of the World" or the oldies medley from Now and Then (played at top volume with the windows down, of course, "American Graffiti"-style.)

Agreed. For me it's the Bacharach/David medley, but mainly because I discovered it on my sister's copy of the Tan Album and wore out the grooves of tht track during the summer of my 6th grade year. Plus, the jazzy, bossa nova style of the medley just reminds me of summer.

 

[Mark-T]

You've heard this before (at least most of you)- for me, the Summer Song is Boat to Sail. Full of happy memories doing exactly that in summer of 1976.

 

[Guitarmutt]

Great! Intriguing, now I have to think. Carpenters and seasons are linked in my brain, but it's usually autumn and winter.

'And When He Smiles' is spring!

Top of the World?
Iced Tea
Mr. Guder

All remind me of Summer, for example.

 

[A&M Retro]

'All You Get From Love Is A Love Song', 'Touch Me When We're Dancing', '(Want You) Back In My Life Again', 'Close to You', 'Goodbye to Love', 'Yesterday Once More', 'Desperado' and 'I Won't Last A Day Without You' are ALL Summer songs to me. That was part of magic of growing up with Carpenters during their time on the airwaves and first spin on the turntable. There was usually a Summer album to look forward to each year. Great memories.

 

[BarryT60]

I think I feel summer when I hear Yesterday Once More... That was playing quite a bit in the summer of '73... I remember Solitaire was summer '75 - but it didn't get nearly the airplay...

 

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Carpenters are #10 on Rolling Stone’s recent (?) list, “20 Greatest Duos Of All Time.” The duo regularly appears on these RS lists, which might indicate there may be a chink in the hipper-than-thou armor of the Rock-and-Roll Hall of Fame, given RS editors / leadership seem to hold much sway on who gets in. Recent, less-hip inductees (e.g., Hall and Oats, Chicago) suggest a nomination might be in the cards (“even though the odds are high, we’ll play them down”) for Karen and Richard.

Why does this matter to me? Maybe I’m seeking validation for my sonic palette. Maybe it’s vindication for years of often being the "lone voice crying in the wilderness." To wit, I recently loaned the PBS Complete Singles collection to a 40-something rock musician friend of mine, who completely missed the big picture with Carpenters, dismissing their songs as "Osmonds fluff" (no offense intended to Donny and Marie and siblings; I’m unfamiliar with their music - it might be amazing - I’m responding more to the “fluff” reference).

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/p...f-all-time-20140317/10-the-carpenters-0627012

 

[Mike Blakesley]

One thing I have found, though -- you can't change somebody's musical taste. You can point out how amazing the arrangements are, or how stunning the guitar solo is, or how wonderful the voice is, but if somebody doesn't like something they're not going to decide they like it just because you pointed out the great qualities of it.

I found this out with my friend Keith, and the Doobie Brothers, which is one of my favorite bands. He likes rock, but doesn't like the Doobies. I pointed out, yeah but look at the upbeat lyrics; the cool twin-drummer style; the varied lead vocals; the amazing 'pop+rock' songwriting; the range of their sound; the longevity of the band in the face of all the personnel changes, health problems, etc. He said "Yeah, but the music still sucks."

About the only thing you can do is introduce someone to an artist and HOPE they dig it.

 

[dvakman]

Some great writers aside, Rolling Stone has always editorially been more about the fashion of music than the music itself. From the very beginning, they made a point of elevating the San Francisco scene over what was happening in LA, and have only relatively recently acknowledged the greatness of the Beach Boys, for example. They dismissed McCartney for decades because ed in chief Jann Wenner (who incidentally also lords over the R&RHOF) was "cool" with Lennon. It's not surprising that they are way behind the curve re: Carpenters given their antiquated, narrow minded, "rockist" stance over the years. I'm not sure that we're witnessing a sea change in their attitude re: Carpenters; it's just that Karen in particular is so highly regarded now by the critics and the industry that they can't get away with ignoring them anymore.

 

[Charlie D]

Summer songs for me are Only Yesterday, Happy, Boat To Sail

 

[John from Aus]

Ah, Summer! This one may not have the same association for you guys in the Northern Hemisphere, but "Postman" is one that does it for me. I heard it first in January '75 (it was released a bit later here in Oz, and it was mid-Summer then). Along with that goes the Oldies Medley - especially "One Fine Day". And we're enjoying Summer right now - better dig them out for a play.

 

[Jamesj75]

Okay, so Rolling Stone threw the Carpenters (and their fans) a bone... As they do on occasion... Pity it wasn't done while Karen was alive... But putting them at #10 behind most of the acts that precede them is akin to listing Niagara Falls as just one of the top 30 natural wonders of the world.

(Full disclosure: I'm partial to Niagara Falls. A photo I took of the Niagara River, just a few miles from the falls, is my avatar!)

 

[Tapdancer]

I couldn't care less whether an artist or group receives accolades in Rolling Stones magazine.

As a 10 year old, I gave the Carpenters 10 out of 10 after listening to just the first 10 seconds of "Close To You".

Good music is good music, and I don't know why it should take anyone else almost forever to come to the same conclusion.

 

[BarryT60]

So - what's the status on the R & R Hall of Fame?

Any new campaigns we need to be aware of?

I agree with Tapdancer above - but wouldn't mind just a little more public recognition for the contribution to the 70's music landscape...

 

[newvillefan]

So - what's the status on the R & R Hall of Fame?

Any new campaigns we need to be aware of?

I agree with Tapdancer above - but wouldn't mind just a little more public recognition for the contribution to the 70's music landscape...

I did read recently that they won't ever be inducted due to the number of notable/influential industry individuals that Richard has managed to p*** off over the years.

 

[moog]

I did read recently that they won't ever be inducted due to the number of notable/influential industry individuals that Richard has managed to p*** off over the years.

Where did you read that?

 

[Mike Blakesley]

It's not surprising that they are way behind the curve re: Carpenters given their antiquated, narrow minded, "rockist" stance over the years.

They're not behind the curve. Their audience and focus has always been "rock & roll" first and foremost, so they are just serving their audience. As for focusing on San Francisco in the early days -- well, that's where they began, so you'd expect them to focus on that area until they gained more of a national exposure.

And even though Carpenters DID make a lot of hits and DID provide an early example of the "power ballad," I don't think you would find one person out of any given 50 who would classify them "rock & roll." Nobody disputes that Karen was a great singer; and anyone who knows music should know that Richard is a stellar producer and arranger; but there are (or were) hundreds of great singers, producers or arrangers who are not and never will be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame," because...they're not rock & roll.

 

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[QUOTE="Mike Blakesley, post: 147150, member: 7”] And even though Carpenters DID make a lot of hits and DID provide an early example of the "power ballad," I don't think you would find one person out of any given 50 who would classify them "rock & roll." Nobody disputes that Karen was a great singer; and anyone who knows music should know that Richard is a stellar producer and arranger; but there are (or were) hundreds of great singers, producers or arrangers who are not and never will be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame," because...they're not rock & roll.[/QUOTE]

I appreciate this point, Mike, as I sometimes hear a version of this argument when discussing the R&RHOF induction process, but I’m not sure I agree with the assumption that inductees must be classified purely as “rock and roll,” as there are plenty of R&RHOF inductees who could be said to fall outside a narrow definition of the category. To wit:

Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, Bobby Darin, The Four Seasons, The Platters, Simon & Garfunkel, Etta James, Al Green, Gladys Knight & The Pips, The Shirelles, The Bee Gees, Jackson 5, Mamas & Papas, Dusty Springfield, The Staple Singers, The Moonglows, James Taylor, The Flamingos, Brenda Lee, Miles Davis, Leonard Cohen, Abba, Darlene Love, Donovan, Laura Nyro, Randy Newman, Donna Summer, Cat Stevens, and Bill Withers. The list of non-rock & roll artists grows when you include inductees from the categories of “early influencers” (e.g., Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong, The Ink Spots) and “non-performers” (e.g., Carole King and Quincy Jones).

I’ve always perceived that the induction of the above listed artists suggests that the R&RHOF takes a broad look at the art form and is, therefore, able to include more that just artists who plugged a guitar into an amp and turned it up to 11 (and I accept that some may disagree with a few of my examples, above, but clearly, the critical mass of these inducted artists aren’t “rockers,” per se).

 

[dvakman]

Rolling Stone is only about rock n' roll if you believe that most of the diva pop starlets that have graced the cover of the magazine for at least the past 20-30 years have anything to do with rock n' roll.