Carpenters Songs That Stopped You in Your Tracks and Made You Listen

Calling Occupants came across my Renault radio during my college pre-law school practicum in thr 70s. I was preparing for a career in entertainment law (which did not happen....another story for another day) and on this particular day I needed something to stop traffic and get my attention. And this newly released single sure did. So intrigued by the music and lyrics, I pulled over to the side of the road to listen more carefully to this unusual but captivating tune about messages from the vast unknown....exactly what I was searching for during my time in college and discernment of my calling. So often Carpenters music struck a chord in my life!
 
Karen and Richard’s sound and, in particular, Karen’s voice had such an impact on me that I can remember exactly where I was when I first heard particular songs and can go back to those places and moments of rapture in my mind, even now.

On the school bus in 1972, looking out on a wintery landscape, I heard ‘It’s Going to Take Some Time’ on the bus radio. The lyrics and Karen’s interpretation seemed to be perfectly illustrated by the overcast, frosty countryside. I remember being particularly taken with the lines, “Like the young trees in the winter time, I’ll learn how to bend” and “The birds on the telephone line are crying out to me, ‘Next time!’” (There are telegraph poles lining all the roads in that area - great vantage points for the local birds - and the area is thick with beautiful eucalyptus trees, in places).

My family was going on a Sunday drive around the countryside one afternoon in 1973 when ‘The End Of the World’ was played on the radio. I was in awe!

I was riding on my bike down our track, transister slung over the handle bars, when ‘Jambalaya’ came on the radio. (It was a single in my region). I loved the up-tempo feel, the good-time lyrics, the harmonies and the section with the handclaps, which seemed very exciting, at the time.

Walking near our hay stack with the radio one day, I heard ‘I Won’t Last a Day Without You’. By that time, Karen’s voice seemed second to none and she seemed to own the entire genre of popular music. Her delivery of this song suggested that she was the definitive authority on everything to do with storytelling through song.

On a sunny afternoon in 1975, I was in a car with my much older cousin, her husband and my sisters, on a drive through the hills, when ‘Only Yesterday’ came on the radio. I was entranced by Karen’s beautiful vocals, the harmonies and the sunny, upbeat vibe of the song.

Lying in bed with the radio on a very cold winter’s night in 1975, I heard ‘Solitaire’ for the first time. I couldn’t believe the beauty of Karen’s voice. This one gave me chills, (if I wasn’t already frozen in my icy room), my heart raced and I got that strange sensation at the back of my neck.

Again, on a cold night in my bedroom, this time in 1976, I heard ‘Can’t Smile Without You’. I loved the harmonies; in fact, the entire song; and thought it was Carpenters’ latest single.

I used to listen to American Top 40 religiously every Saturday morning, mainly because I knew that a run-down of the very latest hits from the US was where I was most likely to catch the latest Carpenters release at the earliest time. Thus, I first heard ‘All You Get From Love Is a Love Song’. I thought that this recording was heavenly and was destined to be a smash.

A bit earlier in time, I had heard ‘Close to You’ on a special edition of American Top 40 on some type of earlier hits retrospective. I must have heard the song at the time it was Number One but must have been too young to take much notice. This time, I loved the languid feel of the track and the harmonies.

At the end of a school day in 1977, for some reason, I was sitting in the kitchen of our farmhouse with the radio hanging out the window, (must have had something to do with the reception), when ‘Calling Occupants’ came on. I was intrigued. The DJ said, “At the end, Karen sings ‘We are your friends’. Let’s hope they ARE friendly when they arrive”, (speaking as if it was a given that we were going to have a visit from extra-terrestrials). About three months later, the single hit the Top 5 in my state and ‘Passage’ reached the Top 15. Such an exciting time for a Carpenters fan!

On a hot, summer day in January 1979, ‘I Believe You’ came on the radio for the first time, while I was walking in our garden. Richard’s keyboards and the bass were so distinctive that I knew it was Carpenters within the first couple of bars, before Karen started singing. I thought the harmonies were so beautiful that I thought I would faint. I had the radio on every minute after that, that summer and, for a while, ‘I Believe You’ was played every day.

And there are so many other events of my early life, some mundane and some rapturous, underscored by Carpenters’ songs, Richard’s arrangements and Karen’s voice.
 
Karen and Richard’s sound and, in particular, Karen’s voice had such an impact on me that I can remember exactly where I was when I first heard particular songs and can go back to those places and moments of rapture in my mind, even now.

On the school bus in 1972, looking out on a wintery landscape, I heard ‘It’s Going to Take Some Time’ on the bus radio. The lyrics and Karen’s interpretation seemed to be perfectly illustrated by the overcast, frosty countryside. I remember being particularly taken with the lines, “Like the young trees in the winter time, I’ll learn how to bend” and “The birds on the telephone line are crying out to me, ‘Next time!’” (There are telegraph poles lining all the roads in that area - great vantage points for the local birds - and the area is thick with beautiful eucalyptus trees, in places).

My family was going on a Sunday drive around the countryside one afternoon in 1973 when ‘The End Of the World’ was played on the radio. I was in awe!

I was riding on my bike down our track, transister slung over the handle bars, when ‘Jambalaya’ came on the radio. (It was a single in my region). I loved the up-tempo feel, the good-time lyrics, the harmonies and the section with the handclaps, which seemed very exciting, at the time.

Walking near our hay stack with the radio one day, I heard ‘I Won’t Last a Day Without You’. By that time, Karen’s voice seemed second to none and she seemed to own the entire genre of popular music. Her delivery of this song suggested that she was the definitive authority on everything to do with storytelling through song.

On a sunny afternoon in 1975, I was in a car with my much older cousin, her husband and my sisters, on a drive through the hills, when ‘Only Yesterday’ came on the radio. I was entranced by Karen’s beautiful vocals, the harmonies and the sunny, upbeat vibe of the song.

Lying in bed with the radio on a very cold winter’s night in 1975, I heard ‘Solitaire’ for the first time. I couldn’t believe the beauty of Karen’s voice. This one gave me chills, (if I wasn’t already frozen in my icy room), my heart raced and I got that strange sensation at the back of my neck.

Again, on a cold night in my bedroom, this time in 1976, I heard ‘Can’t Smile Without You’. I loved the harmonies; in fact, the entire song; and thought it was Carpenters’ latest single.

I used to listen to American Top 40 religiously every Saturday morning, mainly because I knew that a run-down of the very latest hits from the US was where I was most likely to catch the latest Carpenters release at the earliest time. Thus, I first heard ‘All You Get From Love Is a Love Song’. I thought that this recording was heavenly and was destined to be a smash.

A bit earlier in time, I had heard ‘Close to You’ on a special edition of American Top 40 on some type of earlier hits retrospective. I must have heard the song at the time it was Number One but must have been too young to take much notice. This time, I loved the languid feel of the track and the harmonies.

At the end of a school day in 1977, for some reason, I was sitting in the kitchen of our farmhouse with the radio hanging out the window, (must have had something to do with the reception), when ‘Calling Occupants’ came on. I was intrigued. The DJ said, “At the end, Karen sings ‘We are your friends’. Let’s hope they ARE friendly when they arrive”, (speaking as if it was a given that we were going to have a visit from extra-terrestrials). About three months later, the single hit the Top 5 in my state and ‘Passage’ reached the Top 15. Such an exciting time for a Carpenters fan!

On a hot, summer day in January 1979, ‘I Believe You’ came on the radio for the first time, while I was walking in our garden. Richard’s keyboards and the bass were so distinctive that I knew it was Carpenters within the first couple of bars, before Karen started singing. I thought the harmonies were so beautiful that I thought I would faint. I had the radio on every minute after that, that summer and, for a while, ‘I Believe You’ was played every day.

And there are so many other events of my early life, some mundane and some rapturous, underscored by Carpenters’ songs, Richard’s arrangements and Karen’s voice.
I can't tell you how much I enjoyed reading this! You paint beautiful pictures with your words.
 
I can't tell you how much I enjoyed reading this! You paint beautiful pictures with your words.
Thanks so much, Mark T. That’s got to be the nicest response I’ve ever had! Thank you! I just wish I had time to read the posts of other people. I’m hoping to do that on the weekend. Take care.
 
A Song For You, been a Carpenters fan for a while and just happened to come across the song. I listened to it and it immediately became one of my favourites
 
The most recent Carpenters song to make me sit up and listen was "I Can Dream Can't I".
Her voice seemed right there. SO rich, so warm, so present. Wow, just wow.

Just to add to the Wow factor (don't know if you've seen it before)...... A comment from Pam Dubois, Patty Andrews' daughter, posted on YT under one of the many uploads for ICDCI.

I Can Dream Cant I_Carpenters.png

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I wish the Carps had "unleashed" Bob more often with extended instrumental solos on some of their records, as they did on A SONG FOR YOU (at least on the album versions, where time wasn't such a critical factor) - and maybe included a few solely instrumental tracks featuring the whole band (Karen on drums, of course) scattered thru their catalog...

Joan's post is the 1st reference I can recall stating that Bob also played piano (in addition to all the other instruments)...is this widely known?
I seem to recall seeing him play live on a YouTube video lately. Am I imagining this? I'm thinking a European concert.
 
Just to add to the Wow factor (don't know if you've seen it before)...... A comment from Pam Dubois, Patty Andrews' daughter, posted on YT under one of the many uploads for ICDCI.

I Can Dream Cant I_Carpenters.png

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wow is right...I love this forum. Pardon me if I overpost for a few months...been dying to talk to others about the Carpenters.
 
If so, what songs?
I recall watching "The Karen Carpenter Story" when it premiered. Part way through the film, I heard "You're the One" for the first time. Immediately, my attention turned from watching to listening, as I knew that the song was something that was unreleased.

Later in 1989, I picked up the Lovelines album and was very pleased to see that "You're the One" was included in the song list. To this day, I view that recording as one of Karen's finest performances.
 
..."You're the One" was included in the song list. To this day, I view that recording as one of Karen's finest performances.
Absolutely! Precisely in terms of her vocalization - the quality of her actual singing - it's a masterpiece, right up there with SUPERSTAR, RAINY DAYS AND MONDAYS, A SONG FOR YOU, FOR ALL WE KNOW, HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS and a few others...
 
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To this day, I view that recording as one of Karen's finest performances.

For me, that is her single finest vocal performance ever. Her reading of the song, her vocal presence, phrasing and breath control are all encapsulated in that one magical performance.

The song deserves to be far better known than it is, and I wish it had been included on Passage in place of ‘I Just Fall In Love Again’. It would likely have been singled out for praise over and over again by the critics at the time.
 
The first time that I heard Superstar on the radio back in 1971, it happened to me. Now anytime I hear a Carpenters song, I tune out everything else like Johnny Blaze.
 
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