Carpenters "The Nation's Favourites" compilation coming in the UK

[newvillefan]

A surprising number one I have to say, and a surprise at what wasn't in the top ten.

This is what one Twitter user posted:

"I think the people who voted were the people who work in the #ITV canteen and the producer's mum. No way is that the No.1 #carpenters song".

I have to say, I agree. I don't think Richard would have expected or been happy with that result. Superb programme though and featured some unseen footage as well as a couple of family friends being interviewed for the first time.

 

[kc4eva]

This is what one Twitter user posted:

"I think the people who voted were the people who work in the #ITV canteen and the producer's mum. No way is that the No.1 #carpenters song".

I have to say, I agree. I don't think Richard would have expected or been happy with that result. Superb programme though and featured some unseen footage as well as a couple of family friends being interviewed for the first time.

The song wouldn't have been in my top ten that's for sure. But I loved it, and there was LOTS of effort put into it with the fantastic interviews as well as the archive footage. Well done ITV (not something I often say, ha!).

Just looked on iTunes - Nation's Favourite is #11, Carpenters Gold is #13 and Carpenters Gold 35th anniversary is #46.

Had a look at Amazon and Nation's Favourite is #1 on the bestsellers list! Absolutely fantastic.

 

[tomswift2002]

So what was the #1 song? The way everyone's talking it sounds like it might be Jambalaya (On The Bayou)!

 

[newvillefan]

So what was the #1 song? The way everyone's talking it sounds like it might be Jambalaya (On The Bayou)!

I've PM'd you so as not to spoil the surprise for those that don't want to know until they see it

I've just watched it again and noticed a previously unseen snippet of them during the recording of the promo video for All You Get From Love Is A Love Song. I was also quite surprised to see that they used hardly any of the official promo videos to feature the songs. Most of the clips featured were taken either from their 1971 performance at the BBC, Make Your Own Kind Of Music, 1973 concerts in Holland/UK and 1974 Budokan, so many of the performances were live. There were also some great album tracks featured in amongst the countdown like One Fine Day, A Song For You and Love Is Surrender.

The segment towards the end featuring A Song For You was very touching. Petula Clark said that she still wonders what Karen would be like now with her "indestructible" voice and Herb and Jerry both said that it was sad how Karen never really knew just how great she was.

All in all, a brilliant programme worthy of the hype and featuring some great guests from their past, including Hal Blaine, Herb Alpert, Jerry Moss, John Bettis, Paul Williams (now grey haired!), Paul Gambaccini, Petula Clarke, Earle Dumler and Frankie Chavez as well as some more contemporary artists like Rumer, Nicole Scherzinger and Jim and Andrea Corr.

 

[Nicko]

I've PM'd you so as not to spoil the surprise for those that don't want to know until they see it

I've just watched it again and noticed a previously unseen snippet of them during the recording of the promo video for All You Get From Love Is A Love Song. I was also quite surprised to see that they used hardly any of the official promo videos to feature the songs. Most of the clips featured were taken either from their 1971 performance at the BBC, Make Your Own Kind Of Music, 1973 concerts in Holland/UK and 1974 Budokan, so many of the performances were live. There were also some great album tracks featured in amongst the countdown like One Fine Day, A Song For You and Love Is Surrender.

The segment towards the end featuring A Song For You was very touching. Petula Clark said that she still wonders what Karen would be like now with her "indestructible" voice and Herb and Jerry both said that it was sad how Karen never really knew just how great she was.

All in all, a brilliant programme worthy of the hype and featuring some great guests from their past, including Hal Blaine, Herb Alpert, Jerry Moss, John Bettis, Paul Williams (now grey haired!), Paul Gambaccini, Petula Clarke, Earle Dumler and Frankie Chavez as well as some more contemporary artists like Rumer, Nicole Scherzinger and Jim and Andrea Corr.

Not forgetting Delaney & Bonnie Bramlet and Klattu

 

[theninjarabbit]

Just reading about unused snippets and all the guests, I'm actually getting excited! I can't wait to watch this program!

 

[Another Son]

Most of the clips featured were taken either from their 1971 performance at the BBC, Make Your Own Kind Of Music, 1973 concerts in Holland/UK and 1974 Budokan, so many of the performances were live. There were also some great album tracks featured in amongst the countdown like One Fine Day, A Song For You and Love Is Surrender.

The segment towards the end featuring A Song For You was very touching. Petula Clark said that she still wonders what Karen would be like now with her "indestructible" voice and Herb and Jerry both said that it was sad how Karen never really knew just how great she was.

All in all, a brilliant programme worthy of the hype and featuring some great guests from their past, including Hal Blaine, Herb Alpert, Jerry Moss, John Bettis, Paul Williams (now grey haired!), Paul Gambaccini, Petula Clarke, Earle Dumler and Frankie Chavez as well as some more contemporary artists like Rumer, Nicole Scherzinger and Jim and Andrea Corr.

If you're talking about footage from the BBC Talk of the Town concert, (Karen in that thin, colourful pant-suit with a lot of patterns on it), that was filmed during Carpenters' 1974 tour of UK, not 1973. It was screened in early March, 1974, (the week of Karen's 24th birthday). The concert in Holland, where Karen has that greeny-bluey pantsuit that shows her shoulders and back, with that mirror thing behind, was also filmed on the world tour of 1974. (Being a bit pedantic here). Or were there different clips? Not sure if K&R did concerts in UK in 1973. I don't think so. Was the live audio used in The Nation's Favourite Song programme, or were the studio versions dubbed in with live footage? The snippets from the All You Get From Love is a Love Song filming session sound interesting. Looking forward to seeing them!

 

[adam]

If you're talking about footage from the BBC Talk of the Town concert, (Karen in that thin, colourful pant-suit with a lot of patterns on it), that was filmed during Carpenters' 1974 tour of UK, not 1973. It was screened in early March, 1974, (the week of Karen's 24th birthday). The concert in Holland, where Karen has that greeny-bluey pantsuit that shows her shoulders and back, with that mirror thing behind, was also filmed on the world tour of 1974. (Being a bit pedantic here). Or were there different clips? Not sure if K&R did concerts in UK in 1973. I don't think so. Was the live audio used in The Nation's Favourite Song programme, or were the studio versions dubbed in with live footage? The snippets from the All You Get From Love is a Love Song filming session sound interesting. Looking forward to seeing them!

Hi
Carpenter appeared in Uk in september 1971. February 1974.November 1976.Karen also visited london December 1978/bruce forythe show. october 1981

 

[adam]

Hi
Any information yet about viewers ratings.I hope lots of people tuned in

 

[newvillefan]

If you're talking about footage from the BBC Talk of the Town concert, (Karen in that thin, colourful pant-suit with a lot of patterns on it), that was filmed during Carpenters' 1974 tour of UK, not 1973. It was screened in early March, 1974, (the week of Karen's 24th birthday). The concert in Holland, where Karen has that greeny-bluey pantsuit that shows her shoulders and back, with that mirror thing behind, was also filmed on the world tour of 1974. (Being a bit pedantic here).

My bad, the UK and Holland appearances were both 1974 as well as Budokan

Was the live audio used in The Nation's Favourite Song programme, or were the studio versions dubbed in with live footage?

Most of it was the live concert audio, just a couple were overdubbed.

 

[Another Son]

My bad, the UK and Holland appearances were both 1974 as well as Budokan
Most of it was the live concert audio, just a couple were overdubbed.

Thanks for the info, Newville. Yes, it's getting hard to remember all those details that used to be so clear.

 

[Another Son]

Most of it was the live concert audio, just a couple were overdubbed.

By the way, does anyone remember that a DVD set was being officially produced in Japan around 2006 with the three BBC concerts on it? (1971, 1974 and 1976). It was even up on Amazon.com for pre-order, but was 'pulled' at the last minute.

 

[Graeme]

SPOILERS

A very brief summary of the documentary (including the order of songs) can be found below. To be honest the order of the songs is unimportant. I may well have made a few errors (especially with dates) so please feel free to correct. Richard comments on every track.

Close to You, Yesterday One More, Please Mr Postman, We've Only Just Begun, Sweet Sweet Smile (album tracks) played during the introduction.

20 Touch Me When We're Dancing (album track). One of Richard's favourite tracks. Interview with Sue Lawley regarding their break from recording and Karen's marriage.

19 It's Going To Take Some Time (album track). Interview with Toni Stern and others.

Ticket to Ride (usual video). How they started; interview with Karen and Richard (1973?) regarding their love of the Beatles.

One Fine Day (album track). Their childhood and the move to LA.

Fun Fun Fun (album track). Interview with Frankie Chavez, Karen's first drum teacher.

Dancing In The Street (1968 Talent Show). Richard and John Bettis on Karen's drumming and coming from behind the drums.

18 Hurting Each Other (usual video). Ruby and the Romantics' version played.

17 I Need To Be In Love (Live London Theatre performance). Interview with John Bettis “nobody was within nuclear weapon range of a relationship”, the pressures of touring. Interview with Earle Dumler, English Horn player on the track. Karen's favourite track.

16 For All We Know (live BBC 1971 concert performance). Original film version played; interview with Karen and Richard about seeing Lovers and Other Strangers; Paul Gambaccini on Richard's instrumentation and presentation; Joe Osborn on how the bass was a “second lead”.

15 Sing (footage from 'Robert Young With The Young' guest starring the Carpenters – an ABC special). Interview with Bob Cranshaw, bass player with Joe Raposo's Sesame Street Band; how A&M didn't like it; Richard's fondness for Getting To Know You from the King and I; Japan 1974 concert footage, including rehearsal.

Love Is Surrender (album track). Herb Albert and Jerry Moss talk about signing the Carpenters, Rock and Roll, the Carpenters importance to A&M.

14 I Won't Last A Day Without You (album track) Interview with Paul Williams; interview with Karen and Richard about siblings working together and the odd tiff (1971?)

13 Superstar (album track) Interview with Earle Dumler, oboe player on Superstar, and how Karen's vocal influenced how he played the opening oboe section; Paul Gambaccini on the history of the song, written by husband and wife duo Delaney and Bonnie, footage of their version and reference to Eric Clapton playing on the original track;, interview with Bonnie Bramlett) and the “sleep with you again” lyric change (Boonie's feelings were hurt by this initially).

12 Only Yesterday (the usual video) John Bettis on how the song was an attempt to be “joyful again”, the lost bet about it making it into the top 10.

11 Goodbye To Love (live Talk Of The Town concert version, 1974) Petula Clark, Nicole Scherzinger, Paul Gambaccini, Nicky Chinn, John Bettis, and Jim and Andrea Corr comment on the song. Gambaccini says he can go to his grave happy having seen his favourite guitar solo performed live by Tony Peluso (forget Jimmy Hendrix, Eric Clapton and others). Also comments regarding “selling out.”

10 Jambalaya (On The Bayou) (live 1974? concert version – pale blue outfit). Not released in the USA and how the UK gave the Carpenters some hits that the US didn't.

9 Solitaire (album track) Includes silent footage of a rehearsal where Karen is wearing a blouse with a radish pattern on it; Andrea Corr on Karen's voice including reference to the loneliness and pain in it and why this vocal is the reason she loves her voice; “the song bird of sadness (Nichole Scherzinger); Richard on how it really shows off what Karen can do; the beginning of the health fears surrounding Karen and her anorexia; Richard on how Karen wanted to lose her hour glass figure; Jerry Moss and John Bettis concerning her health; Joe Osborne on how everyone was concerned and tried to help her; Hal Blaine on hugging her “she was like a little bird that had fallen out of a tree or something, it was really very, very sad”; how it was a very private matter for Karen (the anorexia question in the Sue Lawley interview); Petula Clark hugging Karen goodbye and whispering into Karen's ear “you've got to stop this, whatever you're doing you've got to stop this.”

Run Around Sue (not the Carpenters!) Classic rock and roll hits. The popularity of the oldies.

Da Doo Ron Ron (live 1974? concert footage - Karen in pale blue outfit)

8 Yesterday Once More (live Talk Of The Town concert version, 1974) Richard knew it would be a hit; most successful UK hit, narrowly missing out on the number one spot; how the Corrs' parents sang this song and that their mum was compared to Karen Carpenter.

7 There's A Kind Of Hush (usual video). Richard feels it's just “okay”; Paul Gambaccini on how it wasn't a step forward and why they didn't actually need any more hit records for people to want to see them as they had such a big catalog of previous hits people wanted to hear.

Help (BBC 1971 concert performance) Their success in the UK. Footage of the New London Theatre and Talk Of The Town concert. 22-27 November 1976 sell out week long run at the London Palladium (42,000 people to attended over 11 shows). Picture of a Double Decker bus advertising the concert (with Carpenters logo).

6 Rainy Days and Mondays (live BBC 1971 concert performance). Paul Williams's role the film the Chase was cut. He was so depressed by this that he started writing songs. Rainy Days and Monday based on something his mum said to him when he heard her muttering to herself (talking to myself and feeling old). Kate Garraway commented on how it seemed that Karen was feeling every word she sang. Richard and Rumer – how Karen sang beyond her years. Nichole Scherzinger talked about Karen's comforting voice.

5 Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft (usual video). Interview with John Woloschuk and Terry Draper, co-writers. Klaatu described as “a little off the wall.” Provide the background of the song. How the appeal of Star Wars helped the song become a hit. Klaatu admired Karen and Richard and how Karen and Richard sent them a signed test pressing of Passage.

4 (They Long To Be) Close To You (live BBC 1971 concert performance). Interview with Burt Bacharach, Andrea Corr, Nichole Scherzinger, Kate Nash (“greatest song on the planet”) and others. Snippets of versions by Richard Chamberlain (Burt Bacharach - “terrible record”), Dione Warwick and Herb Albert). The ending of the song and how it was like a whole other song (Rumer)

I Fell In Love With You instrumental section (BBC 1971 concert)

3 Top Of The World (the usual video and performance from a 1974? concert – pale blue outfit) John Bettis interview. The background of the song. The risk of doing a country song and how it was only released due to “people power”.

Song For You (includes video footage of Carpenters performing the song) Karen's death, news and funeral footage. Jerry Moss - “she really didn't know how great she was.” Hal Blaine commented that when she passed away “it was the end of an era.” Richard says Karen was “a really good person, a very nice person and just so incredibly gifted.”

2 We've Only Just Begun ( 1970 lip-synched tv footage at drums – Karen in a green outfit). Paul Williams and the bank commercial footage. Regarded as a newly weds sound track. Myleene Klass played the song on her harp at weddings to make some money while at university.

Help (album track)

1 Please Mr Postman (Disney Land video). Richard – “it's a lot of fun to listen to”. John Bettis - “it was a run away turntable hit, it just melted radio.” Marvelettes and Beatles versions played. Interview with Brian Holland (co-writer). How Richard wasn't happy during the filming of the video as he didn't like how they were being promoted. Biggest selling record worldwide. Number 2 in the UK.

Narrated by Zoe Ball. Contributions by Richard Carpenter, Hal Blaine, Jim and Andrea Corr, Kate Garraway, (tv presenter) Toni Stern, Nicky Chinn, Joe Osborne, Petula Clark, John Bettis, Paul Gambaccini, Earle Dumler, Bob Cranshaw, Burt Bacharach, Herb Albert and Jerry Moss, Paul Williams, Bonnie Bramlett, Rumer Kate Nash, Rumer, Myleene Klass, Nichole Scherzinger, Brian Holland, Frankie Chavez.

 

[newvillefan]

I think that post should have been prefaced with the word SPOILERS

 

[Graeme]

I think that post should have been prefaced with the word SPOILERS

Sorry - spoiler notice added.

 

[MARK KILLINER]

wow Graeme, now that`s what you call a spoiler alert

well, I just watched it, about 10 mins before posting and have to say, I spent more time filling up than singing and I didn't see number one coming at all I had a think about it last night and figured `those good old dreams` maybe no.1 ............ but was I off base!

anyway, really enjoyed it, well put together and even learned some new things. Richard is clearly looking very well, which is good to see.
my quote of the programme has to go to myleene klass, `its like an ear-worm, once it`s in, you can`t get it out`. love that line, what a way to describe a song!

 

[GaryAlan]

UK ITUNES:
#8 Carpenters - The Nation's Favourite Songs (+36)
#16 Carpenters - Carpenters: Gold - Greatest Hits (New)
#59 Carpenters - Carpenters Gold - 35th Anniversary Edition (New)
Source:
UK iTunes Top Albums »

(DigitalSpy)Overnight Television Ratings:
Strictly Come Dancing : 9.26m (46.5%)
Go For It: 2.46m (12.2%) Inc +1
The X Factor: 8.28m (39.0%) Inc +1
Newzoids : 3.31m (16.7%) Inc +1
Carpenters Song: 2.15m (13.4%) Inc +1

 

[newvillefan]

The X Factor: 8.28m (39.0%) Inc +1
Newzoids : 3.31m (16.7%) Inc +1
Carpenters Song: 2.15m (13.4%) Inc +1

All three of the above shows were aired back to back in order on ITV last night. What this seems to point to is that people switched channels in droves after the X Factor finished. I can't believe drivel like Newzoids could garner a million viewers more than the Carpenters broadcast. Then again, there's no accounting for taste.

 

[MARK KILLINER]

not sure what bothers me more, the low figures, or the fact it was beat by newzoids

 

[Jamesj75]

SPOILERS

A very brief summary of the documentary (including the order of songs) can be found below. To be honest the order of the songs is unimportant. I may well have made a few errors (especially with dates) so please feel free to correct. Richard comments on every track.

Graeme, thank you so much! I really appreciate all your effort and time in presenting the detailed data and synopsis to us. I have been reading all these great comments, wondering why no one has told us the song order or, at the very least, the #1 song. So thank you for doing so, and in such detail, even including the other songs that were featured. For me, I won't be watching the show anytime soon, and I just wanted to know the bottom line. For those who didn't want to read the final tally (but did so) before seeing the show, one can still enjoy the program! I'm equally as impressed that there is so much attention and notable chart action as a result.

 

[adam]

Hi
dissapointed with ratings it received.Thought it might garner 5 or 6 million viewere.Talentless x factor wanabes and newzoids.yuk.

 

[wideawakeat4am]

I don't mind the spoilers...
So will a DVD be available to purchase of this video program?
How will those in the US get to see this? After all this talk, I'd like to see this one. How long did it run, an hour? I thought Richard was done with interviews? I ask too many questions.

I've just caught up with it and without any adverts it was about an hour in length, so am thinking it had an hour and thirty minutes slot in the schedule. I was surprised that it followed something as big as 'X Factor' and ITV clearly saw it as something that would be popular and worthy of primetime.

I thought the same about Richard being 'done' with interviews, which is why I cynically thought this would just be rehash of past interviews. Richard is looking pretty good but you can tell that it still upsets him to talk about Karen, but if he lives to be 100 I'm sure that won't change. Time is a great healer that's true, but it doesn't heal completely something as deep as Karen's death.

It is definitely worth a watch as the progamme makers weaved in other tracks as well as the 'top 20' which worked really well. There were also a lot of good contributors.

As others have said, I am not sure how this 'top 20' was voted for but it was still worth watching.

 

[tomswift2002]

It also sounds like there was no talking about the Carpenters post-1981 UK hits or even Richard's solo projects since Karen's death. It would be really nice if we could get an interview with Richard talking about his Time and Pianonist-Arranger-Composer-Conductor albums.

 

[Harry]

Through the magic of the Interwebs, I've managed to watch this special. They did a pretty good job, mostly concentrating on the uplifting joys of Carpenters and their recordings. Sure, there was some obligatory mention of the difficulties in later years, but I thought they did a great job emphasizing the positives. There have been so many of the specials over the years that have focused on the tragic side of the duo.

Thus there was no talk of solo albums, failed marriages, drugs, diseases, or works outside of Carpenters. For me that was refreshing.

 

[Mark-T]

Same here, Harry. I was able to see it as well. I thought they did a FANTASTIC job of honoring Richard without demising Karen's equally God-given talent.