Carpenters Made Music

I was a 14 year old gay school kid in suburban London when I first heard Carpenters 'Close to You'. Although I later understood that a Carpenters version of the song would never have seen the light of day without Richard, it was that mesmeric voice that made a connection. A connection which has lasted fifty years. I didn't tell anyone, particularly at school, that I was a Carpenters fan. Everyone else seemed to be listening to hard rock and I would have been singled out in more ways than one if I'd been honest about my musical taste. The stories about them being 'squeaky clean', supposedly unfashionable and the rest made it across the Atlantic into the UK music press; even without the speed of a world wide web at that time. I waited anxiously for every Carpenters new release and marvelled as Karen's voice matured and Richard became ever more accomplished at writing, arranging, producing and recording. He also appeared to instinctively identify other people's songs that were right for the most important instrument of all - Karen's voice. I saw Carpenters live twice. Once at the London Palladium and again at the Royal Festival Hall on London's south bank. I sat in the front row at the Palladium show. Karen came down into the audience and asked people (including me) to 'la la la la la' into her mic during 'Sing' as the audience's vocal efforts were being recorded onto a reel to reel tape recorder on the stage. We then heard our embarrassing efforts played back to the audience afterwards. Red faces all round. Mike Cidoni Lennox and Chris May's book 'Carpenters The Musical Legacy' makes it clear that the wonderfully crafted music was often created in a 'pressure cooker' environment and at some speed - an amazing achievement. I thought every album sounded as though they had taken forever to record it. I'd like to see an uplifting documentary - 'Carpenters Made Music' - which focuses on the joy of what they did, rather than the tragedies caused by the pressures they had to bear. I thank Carpenters for 50 years of amazing entertainment so far. They will remain with me for the rest of my life.
 
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