Carpenters on the Johnny Cash Show
- Thread starter GDBY2LV
- Start date
She rocked those bangs, her signature look for me and many.
DAN BOLTON
Well-Known Member
No question, but the other band members really didn't..check Harry's post (#26) for proof.
Carpe diem
Well-Known Member
Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
NOW...that's a Superstar!!!
Carpe diem
Well-Known Member
Gary Sims, Doug Strawn, Bob Messinger, and Danny Woodhams backing up the duo!
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
For me their cheesy 1970/1971 haircuts are what make them look all the more square. Their worst, worst period clothes and hair wise in my book. I cringe whenever I see photos or footage of them from that era.
I think on someone else that era would have looked dorky but Karen’s 70-71 look (and the variations in 72/3) she made really work, the glossy bangs and dark locks framing her sharp, sculpted features perfectly. I appreciate how great she looked even more knowing that ten years later her hair looses its luster and she’s lost under an unflattering perm.
Richard’s Dutch Boy early hair looks weren’t always flattering on him, however. I liked her personal wardrobe of this era and even the campy 70s stage outfits are charming on her (to a degree).
John Adam
"A House Is Not A Home"
It's Karen's classic, I'm Karen Carpenter the drummer who sings.
But after she got coaxed out front, she stylized herself a bit more being "Karen the vocalist" who also plays the drums!
Natural progression and the landscape changed a lot from the early 70's to the later 70's in general.
Carpe diem
Well-Known Member
Love the early Karen with the bangs. Richard's Prince Valiant haircut is out there, but hey, they were trying to establish some kind of identity. I cringe when I see a 1981 Karen with that permed-out lifeless dull hair singing TMWWD with sunken eyes and emaciated looks. Give me the early seventies girl with that magnificent mane of brown hair and those overalls any day of the week...
The Rainy Days video....damn what a sight for sore eyes she was with that face and lush locks.
tomswift2002
Well-Known Member
That early 80’s perm really aged Karen by about 50 years.
byline
Well-Known Member
There's such a mix of opinions on Karen's and Richard's attire and hairstyle periods. The only complaint I had about Karen's bangs was when she let them grow over her eyebrows. I found them beautiful when she let her eyebrows show. Richard's Prince Valiant/pageboy haircut was kind of "of its time" ... but it started looking more like a helmet than his actual hair. When he began getting it cut short, in layers, it was a much more attractive look for him.
Someone commented about Cher being dressed "to the nines" in a Bob Mackie gown. We have to remember that Karen wasn't just a singer; she was an instrumentalist. Her clothing was meant to allow her to sit at an "unfeminine" instrument, the drums, and play comfortably. Also, it's easy to forget that many of her clothing choices mirrored what was popular fashion for young women at that time. It wasn't glamour, but it was a sort of "casual formal" that young women were experimenting with at the time. Granny dresses, much as they are disdained by many here, were part of that. It was a sort of harking back to the Victorian era, but updating it with vibrant '70s colors. Same with the outfit that Karen wears here; the lacy blouse, tunic vest and pants are a way of giving Karen a romantic look above the waist, while allowing her the freedom to play her drums.
It's easy to look back at most '70s fashion and say "Bleh!" Lord knows, I do. But I also see Karen and Richard being very much of their time, with Karen really being ahead of her time because she was rocking a functional look for women, and one that worked specifically for Karen at her drums. But, because it wasn't deemed fashionable, she wasn't celebrated for it. That's too bad, in my opinion.
Later on, Karen took the advice of others (Freda says she influenced Karen, and there were probably others, as well) and went for a much more conventional feminine image. At the time, I applauded it because I thought that's how women should dress. But since then, and especially given all we know about Karen's issues with self-esteem, I wish she'd held her ground and continued dressing and presenting herself in her own unique style. But it was not to be.
Someone commented about Cher being dressed "to the nines" in a Bob Mackie gown. We have to remember that Karen wasn't just a singer; she was an instrumentalist. Her clothing was meant to allow her to sit at an "unfeminine" instrument, the drums, and play comfortably. Also, it's easy to forget that many of her clothing choices mirrored what was popular fashion for young women at that time. It wasn't glamour, but it was a sort of "casual formal" that young women were experimenting with at the time. Granny dresses, much as they are disdained by many here, were part of that. It was a sort of harking back to the Victorian era, but updating it with vibrant '70s colors. Same with the outfit that Karen wears here; the lacy blouse, tunic vest and pants are a way of giving Karen a romantic look above the waist, while allowing her the freedom to play her drums.
It's easy to look back at most '70s fashion and say "Bleh!" Lord knows, I do. But I also see Karen and Richard being very much of their time, with Karen really being ahead of her time because she was rocking a functional look for women, and one that worked specifically for Karen at her drums. But, because it wasn't deemed fashionable, she wasn't celebrated for it. That's too bad, in my opinion.
Later on, Karen took the advice of others (Freda says she influenced Karen, and there were probably others, as well) and went for a much more conventional feminine image. At the time, I applauded it because I thought that's how women should dress. But since then, and especially given all we know about Karen's issues with self-esteem, I wish she'd held her ground and continued dressing and presenting herself in her own unique style. But it was not to be.
She did dazzle in some contemporary wardrobe for sure, though. I watch the Jerry Dunphy interview and she looks fantastic in that mini skirt ensemble. I wonder if Agnes made a stink about her showing that much skin on camera.
Carpe diem
Well-Known Member
^^ And also, on that same special, check out Karen on this sequence beginning at 1:23 where Karen and Rich are walking into the studio and Karen takes that silly looking hat off and Jack Daugherty helps her take off her coat. OOH LA LA!!
. As a matter of fact, she looks incredibly HOT (There, I said it!) during that whole recording session of Hurting Each Other IMHO. That is what I am talking about when I refer to the "early Karen". When it comes to this magnificent creature, To me, it was not all about her once-in-a-generation voice. The woman was a pleasure to look at during most of her career. By the way, I really hope I didn't offend anyone with this, we have some great female contributors in this forum, no disrespect intended at all. I tried to do it in a humorous way.
. As a matter of fact, she looks incredibly HOT (There, I said it!) during that whole recording session of Hurting Each Other IMHO. That is what I am talking about when I refer to the "early Karen". When it comes to this magnificent creature, To me, it was not all about her once-in-a-generation voice. The woman was a pleasure to look at during most of her career. By the way, I really hope I didn't offend anyone with this, we have some great female contributors in this forum, no disrespect intended at all. I tried to do it in a humorous way.^^ And also, on that same special, check out Karen on this sequence beginning at 1:23 where Karen and Rich are walking into the studio and Karen takes that silly looking hat off and Jack Daugherty helps her take off her coat. OOH LA LA!!
I think it’s these words of encouragement/praise that she needed to hear at the time, a lot more body positivity about how her outer beauty matched her inner radiance. She did say that she got marriage proposal’s quite a bit.
Proudofyou
Well-Known Member
NowhereMan
Funny, but it seems I always wind up here with you
The topic of Johnny Cash brings up something I've often wondered about Top of the World. During the last chorus, when Karen echoes the word "top" and then Richard, in a deep bass voice, echoes "down," it sounds reminiscent of the song "Daddy Sang Bass" with Johnny and June Carter Cash. Johnny starts with "Daddy sang bass," in his iconic voice and June responds with "Mama sang tenor." I wonder if this was any inspiration to Richard when he was crafting his arrangement?
byline
Well-Known Member
I'm pretty sure Maria started at the time we began seeing Karen's eyebrows tweezed within an inch of their lives . Sandy started after Maria and Richard broke up.
I think Karen and her mother chose her wardrobe and hairstyles before that; I thought I read that Agnes influenced or even chose a lot of Karen's clothes in those early years, but I could be remembering that wrong.
