Different Background Chorales

Status
Not open for further replies.
ullalume

ullalume

Well-Known Member
Hey,

So I was just inspecting my Carpenters albums and noticed that the background choirs alter from album to album.

1976's INTBIL - MOR Chorale
1977's I Just Fall in Love, Argentina, Occupants - Webb Smith Singers
1978's Xmas Portrait - Tom Bahler Singers

In effect The O.K. Chorale only rear their heads for the MMM 1980 TV Special, and were then featured in Because We Are In Love and everything else after Karen's death.

To my ear, the OK are inferior to the earlier singers. . .a little too cutesy-poo enunciated compared to the real choral sound of the earlier groups.

They do have some nice spots in Old Fashioned Christmas (and they were used for Ave Maria in which they sound divine) but even this album credits the "English Chorale" with several cuts.

Thoughts anyone

neil
 
OOOhhhh God! This is like picking scabs. I'm absolutely certain I Need To Be In Love suffered from the chorale. The overdubs thru-out HUSH are really phenomenal You has em, Boat To Sail has em, Goofus oh yeah. Point being, infusing that horrible noise in place of either stark Karen or K&R vocals was top 40 death. The umpteen remixes have buried the chorale in the mix. I enjoy this much more. When I got home with the 45 INTBIL it was a virgin listen. Instantly I'm all WHAT...WHAT??? What in the hoo-hay is that guy thinking? Lovely song agreed, but never floated the boat for me. Thought the chorus could of used some beefing up anthem style. double lead or whatever they do. Maybe it is doubled...so triple it. If I listen it's more an exercise in trying to identify with Karen and why the live performance she reported was so personally difficult.

Jeff
 
I never much cared for any of the additional singers on any of the recordings, outside of our duo.
I felt that All you get from love is a love song would've been better with only K&R on background vocals.
As for INTBIL, I listened to the 45 single today and it sounded great, but, yes, remove the chorale and
a great song becomes even greater.
Strength of a Woman could have done without additional singers, with only K&R overdubs.

But, the male choral parts on Silent Night was a nice touch; even as the added chorus on Ave Maria did not sit well with me.
 
ullalume said:
Hey,

So I was just inspecting my Carpenters albums and noticed that the background choirs alter from album to album.

1976's INTBIL - MOR Chorale
1977's I Just Fall in Love, Argentina, Occupants - Webb Smith Singers
1978's Xmas Portrait - Tom Bahler Singers

In effect The O.K. Chorale only rear their heads for the MMM 1980 TV Special, and were then featured in Because We Are In Love and everything else after Karen's death.

To my ear, the OK are inferior to the earlier singers. . .a little too cutesy-poo enunciated compared to the real choral sound of the earlier groups.

They do have some nice spots in Old Fashioned Christmas (and they were used for Ave Maria in which they sound divine) but even this album credits the "English Chorale" with several cuts.

Thoughts anyone

neil
Click to expand...
Personally, I liked the Carpettes better than other singers, if K&R didn't do the background singing themselves. Never cared for that choral sound Richard used.
 
It was listening to Rainbow Connection that set me off. I really like the track, but with their overdubs it could have really had a Crystal Lullaby feel. Still, without her, I see why he gave it to the choir (but I would have preferred the Leave Yesterday Behind treatment. . .anything pop that wasn't their voices just kind of feels like a foreign body in the plasma. . .destined to be rejected)

Neil
 
Nice comparison to Crystal Lullaby on Rainbow Connection.
As much as I love hearing Karen on that tune, Rainbow Connection, I keep thinking how much she disliked this song.
I've always wondered if Karen disliked the song, or her rendition of it. I'll have to do some background checking on that.
I barely like the original of that tune. With Karen on vocals, I can handle it.
Compared to other Paul Williams' material ,recorded by Karen and Richard, Rainbow pales.
 
If there were an equivalent to an OK Chorale in more recent years, then may I share this Pat Boone video?

He's backed by such a background choir on my favorite song from his last original CD release, Near (2010)...

The song is "Dance With Me Slow", originally written & performed by Beth Nielsen Chapman...

A collection of love ballads (that admittedly at age-76, he was very able to sing out real well, if that was all he was capable of singing, being as long as the tempo was slow--but he still sounds good!) released on his own Pat's Gold label...

Wonder if this could have been something Karen and/or Richard could have made an attempt to tackle...

Here it is, "Dance With Me Slow":




-- Dave
 
Last edited:
You're right, Dave. He's sounds pretty good. And this could have been a nice song for Karen to croon.
 
If Richard for whatever reason didn't want to (or couldn't) do their signature sound, imho it would have been better to go one of two ways - a more soundalike version (I just discovered that on the 'DeBarge' record "Who's Holding Donna Now", El's the only family member singing - Richard Page and Steve George are doing soundalike bgvs); or a less whitebread-sounding group (maybe more of the Ron Dante-Barry Manilow-type nice big washy vocal group thing)......
 
Ronstadt's Cry Like a Rainstorm features 1st song side 1 STILL WITHIN THE SOUND OF MY VOICE opening with a brooding full on large background group that take the elevator out of chorale and inserted soul and ear interest. Lets re-record some of these garish flaws and give this long suffering fan a reprieve. Too much LONG BEACHY college choir crap rearing its ugly head. I've heard here that there are only a dozen or so trax molested this way. But beyond the triumphant Christmas Portrait the choir should stay closeted til December.

Jeff
 
I heard a story years ago from a superfan who had heard 'The Rainbow Connection' before it was released. The original tape apparently has Karen making a comment like, 'That's the LAST time I will sing this crap for you' at the end. It could be a story and just a story, but I think it has credibility based on Richard's quote in the Mook book: "If I released 'The Rainbow Connection', Karen would come down and get me!"
 
"Session From Hell" perhaps. If Osborne liked the old amber nectar at that time, he could have easily confused a 1982 session with a 1980
 
djn said:
I've heard here that there are only a dozen or so trax molested this way.

Jeff
Click to expand...

Actually only 5 in Karen's Lifetime (INTBIL, OCCUPANTS, FALL IN LOVE AGAIN, ARGENTINA, BECAUSE WE ARE IN LOVE). Had Karen lived there would be no more choir(with ultra rare exception. . . .check out the massive block harmonies in MIA). OK CHORALE wasn't a musical direction, it was a perceived NECESSITY
 
I enjoy the authentic nostalgic appearance of the I Can Dream quartet. Seems fitting and rightly placed. Now Occupants has the background chorale sound that nestles in my ear. I do appreciate a rock opera flavor over Sunday school vocals.

Jeff
 
"I Can Dream Can't I" was arranged and orchestrated by Billy May (with RC) and was purposely done the way it
was with the intention of giving the song a 1940s feel. (it was written in 1937). The background singers in this
particular arrangement ( I believe) serve a different purpose than the chorale in later tunes. One of the liner notes,
or interviews regarding the Horizon tracks, provides details regarding the song. I'll do some digging.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom