Copyright infringement?
- Thread starter PGMoss
- Start date
motownboy
Well-Known Member
Would you say the same about a comedian like Rich Little who still does some remarkably accurate impersonations of people like Johnny Carson, several US presidents, Paul Lynde, Kermit the Frog, Dr. Phil, Gene Kelly, Jimmy Durante, etc. as part of his nightclub act? He is considered something of a legend at what he does. How about when an actor plays a famous celebrity in a feature film biopic?
Vinylalbumcovers
Ah am so steel een luv weeth yoo
Of course not. If she's problematic for you, just ignore her. She's not forcing you to watch her or listen to her. Do neither and your problem is solved.
Ed
Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
I haven’t been following Harriet like I did when she first started. I’ve bought 1 CD and purchased 4-5 single downloads.
Harriet has been a singer long before she ever recorded a Carpenters song. She really is her own singer although she does quite a lot of covers. She probably loves the Carpenters music and I think she did a great job.
I agree with Ed if it bothers you don’t listen. I’m more concerned that you felt the need to sign up and your first post is against another singer. Not so good.
What about Olivia Newton-John, she covered Rainy Days and Mondays on her Phil Ramone produced album Indigo, Women of Song album. Same applies here, she loved Karen and it’s an honor of her legacy to cover a recording of Carpenters.
Harriet has been a singer long before she ever recorded a Carpenters song. She really is her own singer although she does quite a lot of covers. She probably loves the Carpenters music and I think she did a great job.
I agree with Ed if it bothers you don’t listen. I’m more concerned that you felt the need to sign up and your first post is against another singer. Not so good.
What about Olivia Newton-John, she covered Rainy Days and Mondays on her Phil Ramone produced album Indigo, Women of Song album. Same applies here, she loved Karen and it’s an honor of her legacy to cover a recording of Carpenters.
CarpentersToYou
Somehow you brought the gambler out in me...
There's long been an obsession to find the next Karen. There simply isn't another one. I suppose some fans find comfort and some get some sort of closure hearing what could have been. I'm one of those fans that would rather play a dvd or watch a terrible quality vhs than listen to someone try to imitate. To each their own.
Vinylalbumcovers
Ah am so steel een luv weeth yoo
I think the "obsession" you speak of is likely the domain of a very small number of people. For my part, I know there won't be a "next Karen" so I don't pay much attention to that kind of thing. Tori does have echoes of her but she's no spitting image. Harriet shows even more of her influence and has displayed eerie similarities at time IMHO. That said, we'll never find that "next Karen...and that's cool. I'm more than fine with the one we had.
Ed
Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
Harriet’s song “What’s Mine is Yours” is what made my ears take notice, there are parts of that song that sound like Karen. For me it wasn’t that she sounded exactly like her or that I wanted her to…it was more that she had that warmth and intimate sound that Karen often projected. Little reflections that touched me the same way I had heard a new Carpenters song. I also LOVE LOVE her cover of “I’m Not In Love”
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
Just Harriet, that's her name as an artist.
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
It’s much like the Carpenters remixes. Some can’t listen to the remixes and the originals are always there. Some love both the originals and the remixes and can listen to both no problem. Others don’t care for the originals and only like the remixes.
(Insert artists above)
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
It’s much like the Carpenters remixes. Some can’t listen to the remixes and the originals are always there. Some love both the originals and the remixes and can listen to both no problem. Others don’t care for the originals and only like the remixes.
(Insert artists above)
Can anyone think of any other artist that has had their back catalogue so extensively remixed, re-recorded and facelifted as Carpenters? Because I can't.
It's taken forever, but yeah, The Beatles. They're in the process of remixing every song.
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
Ah yes of course the Beatles, thanks Harry. I still don't think they've gone as far with that catalogue as Richard has with his - many tracks have had the basic backing tracks rebuilt (at least in part). Most of what the Beatles have had done is remixed from mono to stereo or edited for things like the Love Album.
Vinylalbumcovers
Ah am so steel een luv weeth yoo
Richard remixes and adds unnecessary "additional production." He's done it repeatedly with some songs. His additional touches are a curiosity worth listening to once maybe but I always go back to the originals. I don't even bother with the RPO stuff that much. The originals were fine as they were. I only deviate when Karen updated vocals on a few things. She was totally right to do that. It's the tinkering after she passed that I have zero interest in. So yeah, no one has done all of that more than Carpenters.
Ed
I'm sorry, but I don't understand why Rumer keeps coming up as a Karen soundalike. She doesn't sound a single thing like her in my opinion. Not every alto is a Karen soundalike.
Randy M
Well-Known Member
T.Rex and Tony Visconti.
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
She does sound quite reminiscent of Karen on her single 'Slow'. Many others including music reviewers have commented on it.
I was in the music business for some 40 years, but am not a lawyer, so I feel a little bit qualified to answer this.
It would only be infringement if these new artists were trying to pass themselves off as the actual Carpenters, or trying to sell their music with the Carpenters name on it. As long as they are clearly stating who they are, they're in the clear.
If they were to, for example, record all the music on one of the albums, put it in a similar cover and make it look "really close" to the real thing, they might have an infringment issue, but as long as they are clearly "somebody else," there shouldn't be any problems.
Jack A.
Well-Known Member
She specifically sounds very similar to Karen on the line "Do you know how to calm me down?" I think it's her timbre on that line.
While she does sound somewhat reminiscent on the whole, I just don't think she sounds that much like Karen, personally - not as much as Harriet. In other words, I do hear the subtle similarities that others have noticed, but I don't think she sounds similar enough to call her a "soundalike." Regardless, I do love Rumer's unique tone. "Slow" is a song that worked perfectly for her voice.
I actually just now came upon Harriet. Before her there was of course Tori i heard and sure she sounds similar to Karen. But i always thought she’s trying real hard to sound like Karen. Harriet’s low register is VERY similar to Karen’s but to me she doesn’t come across trying to sound exactly like her the way Tori does. I like Harriet’s sound better, seems more natural. Don’t get me wrong, Tori is a huge talent. Just like Harriet’s “warmth” better.
I think the main reason why there won't be a "next Karen," is because Karen Carpenter was not only extremely talented, but also a product of a particular era and a particular musical environment.
Karen was a great singer, but Richard made sure she had good songs that were meticulously arranged, resulting in a certain type of sound. I think there are many very talented singers. But they are singing substandard songs that have arrangements seemingly generated by a software program.
That said, I did appreciate this version of "Top of the World" by an artist I had not heard of before.
Vinylalbumcovers
Ah am so steel een luv weeth yoo
That's a solid point. The time, place, and environment played a part on making her who she was and, thus, how she sounded. We're all products of all of those things and she's no different.
Ed
JohnFB
She was born to belong to the lines of a song...
That's true and accounts for a certain degree of her uniqueness - but the main reason that there will never be another Karen, that is, there will never be anyone who sounds exactly like her, is anatomical - just like with acoustic guitars or violins which all sound slightly different, human beings each have a uniquely structured voice box largely responsible for the tonal quality (timbre) of the sound generated. The "gods of music" clearly created a once-in-a-lifetime masterpiece when they got together and crafted her. Then they retired, figuring they could never duplicate that accomplishment. They were right. The only way we're going to get another Karen is if she is reincarnated and comes back to life and starts walking and singing among us. Don't hold your breath...
