Indeed they were! Thanks for posting them.
🎧 Podcast Carpenters: Q&A, Ep. 3: "We've Only Just Begun"
- Thread starter Chris May
- Start date
Podcasts
Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
Chris, another excellent podcast!!
Regarding the incomplete track, what did you mean that Richard felt they needed longer songs for the album and they omitted this one because they felt it was another shorter track. The ASFY album contains quite a few tracks hitting the 4 min mark, Goodbye To Love, I Won't Last A Day Without You, Crystal Lullaby and Road Ode. The title track is over 4 mins. One really can’t count intermission and the reprise as they are not really songs. I still debate whether they should have included both Flat Baroque and Piano Picker together, one should have been left off the album in my opinion. I always thought shorter tracks had a better chance of getting radio play vs longer one like ASFY, Calling Occupants, This Masquerade and Solitaire which were considered quite long back then.
Regarding the incomplete track, what did you mean that Richard felt they needed longer songs for the album and they omitted this one because they felt it was another shorter track. The ASFY album contains quite a few tracks hitting the 4 min mark, Goodbye To Love, I Won't Last A Day Without You, Crystal Lullaby and Road Ode. The title track is over 4 mins. One really can’t count intermission and the reprise as they are not really songs. I still debate whether they should have included both Flat Baroque and Piano Picker together, one should have been left off the album in my opinion. I always thought shorter tracks had a better chance of getting radio play vs longer one like ASFY, Calling Occupants, This Masquerade and Solitaire which were considered quite long back then.
The point was to have the majority of the tracks clock in between three to four minutes, unlike the Tan album. ASFY has a few shorter tracks on it as it is, and that was enough.
Song4uman
Well-Known Member
Absolutely loved this. Thank you @Chris May
Martin Medrano
Well-Known Member
After watching this i just want to say I'm sure I'm not the only one who would like to hear more of what you did with showing off how their harmonies were done. I would personally like to hear how the song calling occupants was done.
Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
My hope is that “We’ve Only Just Begun”
byline
Well-Known Member
Well, just when you think you know all there is to know about a duo you've been following for decades, another revelation comes your way. I had no idea that, during their studio recording sessions, Karen and Richard were not listening to their previously recorded harmonies while singing their stacking harmonies. If you're a choral singer, you have that technical ability ... and obviously they did. What an ear they had for their own voices, and each other, to sing with such flawless intonation and accuracy. Thank you, Chris!
Oh, I don't agree with that at all. Including those songs was part of what made that album so cool and unique - it had a variety of sounds on it. Mostly Karen, a bit of Richard, a bit of instrumentals. It was almost like an intermission in a show. Taking those songs out would have made the album bland. That's just my opinion of course, but there ya go.
Another Son
Well-Known Member
Thanks, Chris. Hearing those two will be a treat, for sure.
Portlander
Well-Known Member
I'd love to hear an interview with Dan Woodhams, Gary Sims and Cubby O'Brien. With the amount of television specials they participated in, a performance at the White House along with the years of touring with Karen and Richard I bet they could provide some amazing insight and interesting stories. Sadly, we've lost Tony, Doug and Bob so there are only a few members of the Carpenters inner circle left. Not sure if I've ever seen an interview from Dan Woodhams in any format including the numerous documentaries on the Carpenters over the years?
I've spoken with both Gary and Dan in the last few years. Gary is not up for doing any more interviews on the Carpenters. Dan was initially open to it, but needed to resolve a previous issue with Richard. I've not reached out to him since.
I've not yet interviewed Cubby, but will consider doing so in the near future!
Chris
Another Son
Well-Known Member
Wonderful!!
Portlander
Well-Known Member
Appreciate the update Chris. Cubby would give some great perspective on Karen's love for playing the drums and the fun they must have had performing in concert together.
ullalume
Well-Known Member
Can't wait
Curious about this. I sure hope everything's okay between the two of them.
Similar discussions
- Sticky
