Heard Carpenters

I was at an outdoor party with mostly middle-aged guests I didn't know, and requested to the DJ that he play "Close to You." He did, and it was really cute to see a few older couples get up and dance. One lady said fondly, "Oh, the Carpenters!" (Devious plan successful. :wink: )
 
AT 40 on satellite radio yesterday and program repeats on Sundays: Goodbye to Love @ #7. Casey Kasem's into: "Here's a couple of millionaires from Downey, CA. Karen & Richard Carpenter."
 
I was at an outdoor party with mostly middle-aged guests I didn't know, and requested to the DJ that he play "Close to You." He did, and it was really cute to see a few older couples get up and dance. One lady said fondly, "Oh, the Carpenters!" (Devious plan successful. :wink: )
A simpler time for some of us. :wink:
 
It had escaped me until now, but WDUV (105.5 FM out of Tampa), and Gold 99.7
have done a tremendous job, of late , playing Carpenters' songs:
We've Only Just Begun
Close To You
Superstar
Rainy Days and Mondays
Top of The World
Only Yesterday

and,
Yesterday Once More,

have all featured prominently on their playlists (this past few weeks).
I must say, We've Only Just Begun is an absolute unqualified masterpiece of pop music.
Of Course, all of the above songs are masterpieces in their own way, but WOJB
has it all: Vocals, Lyric, Arrangement,and more,.....timelessness-- if there ever was a timeless Classic.
 
I never hear them on the radio here in San Francisco, but on a recent Sunday I heard a neighbor in my building blasting 'A Song For You' through their open windows. It made me happy!
 
Started up the car yesterday and heard this loud "Waaaaaaaah". Startled, I reached for the radio volume control until I realized that the "Waaaaaaaah" was followed by "...close to you." The station is the same one GaryAlan mentions, WDUV-FM, The Dove, from Tampa Bay.

Harry
 
Started up the car yesterday and heard this loud "Waaaaaaaah". Startled, I reached for the radio volume control until I realized that the "Waaaaaaaah" was followed by "...close to you." The station is the same one GaryAlan mentions, WDUV-FM, The Dove, from Tampa Bay.

Harry
Those "Waaaaaaaahs" are so distinguishable from other "Waaaaaaaaaas" though, aren't they. :wink:
 
This Morning, Gold 99.7 played, "Please Mr. Postman".
What a song!
What an experience for September 2014!
Easy to see why tune this reached #1 in 1975!
 
I am fairly certain most, here, have seen this....(though clear copies are hard to come by)...
but, it seems to get removed everytime it pops-up, so catch it while available:
Karen and Richard, Ben Vereen and Toni Tenille
 
I am fairly certain most, here, have seen this....(though clear copies are hard to come by)...
but, it seems to get removed everytime it pops-up, so catch it while available:
Karen and Richard, Ben Vereen and Toni Tenille

I saw that back when it aired. Karen seemed to look fine on American TV broadcasts. It was a shock to find out later she was so ill.
 
Well, really, almost 'heard' Carpenters.
Instead, the original early version of "I Can Dream, Can't I".
And, let me say, what Karen Carpenter brings to this song is wholly unearthly.
This interpretation , from 1975, is such an incredible achievement--especially when compared to its prior
incarnation, that I wish Karen Carpenter had recorded more of the American Standards.
 
Sat by the pool in Gran Canaria listening to Carpenters "You're The One"......nearly fell of my lounger into the pool. Did Richard authorise playback of this song? Hope he got his royalty payment from sunny Gran Canaria.
 
Last edited:
Sat by the pool in Gran Canaria listening to Carpenters "You're The One"......nearly fell of my lounger into the pool. Did Richard authorise playback of this song? Hope he got his royalty payment from sunny Gran Canaria.

Wow that's an ultra-rare one to hear in public! Hope you enjoyed those few minutes Chris :)
 
Wow that's an ultra-rare one to hear in public! Hope you enjoyed those few minutes Chris :)
As soon as heard the intro my ears pricked up, thinking it must be a cover of the Carpenters version of this song, and then after that piano intro, Karen started singing. I was very surprised as well, this song is a real hidden gem not usually heard in public. I know I'm being fussy now, but I was feeling so chilled out, wish they had played "Ordinary Fool"......on second thought, not a good idea, might have drowned in the pool !!!
 
I am fairly certain most, here, have seen this....(though clear copies are hard to come by)...
but, it seems to get removed everytime it pops-up, so catch it while available:
Karen and Richard, Ben Vereen and Toni Tenille

First time for me to see this clip, makes you wonder what else is out there waiting to be discovered.
 
Hard as it may be to believe, I never got the chance to see Carpenters on television
during the 1970's! (It goes without saying I never attended a concert.)
I missed (almost) every television special they were ever involved with!
No---I might have caught " Space Encounters" ---come to think of it.
But, honestly, throughout the decade of the 70's, my only real 'contact' was through
albums and radio.( Almost Sad !)
But, I did do some catching up in the 1990's and 2000's! (VHS, then internet).
There is a point in here somewhere..sorry for the discursiveness...
Yes, here we go:
Carpenters were all over that radio dial in the 1970's, that I do recall, fondly.
I recall 'Touch Me When We're Dancing" getting a good amount of radio-play,
both in Central Florida and Northern Illinois. But, then, the bottom seemed to
drop out, again ( like: after Occupants departed the airwaves).
Had a tough time finding Made In America, but that inner-sleeve photo
bothered me (greatly), then.
As,then, I had no idea the torment that was engulfing the duo.
So , now, when the occasion arises, and I do hear Carpenters on the radio, my mind
wanders to the past, and, quite frankly, it is difficult to listen to these songs as I did back
when they were staples of radio.
I appreciate these songs much more, and I appreciate the uniqueness of Karen and Richard Carpenter.
 
The first time I saw Karen & Richard on TV was on the Andy Williams Show, which even though was an import from the US, was very popular in the UK back in the early seventies. I had no idea until Karen had passed away, that five TV specials had been recorded by the duo in the US. If Richard was to cherry pick the best moments from those five TV specials, that would make one hell of a DVD.
 
As soon as heard the intro my ears pricked up, thinking it must be a cover of the Carpenters version of this song, and then after that piano intro, Karen started singing. I was very surprised as well, this song is a real hidden gem not usually heard in public. I know I'm being fussy now, but I was feeling so chilled out, wish they had played "Ordinary Fool"......on second thought, not a good idea, might have drowned in the pool !!!
What made this even more special, is normally I don't stay by the pool, prefer the beach, but it was too windy, and just by chance, ended up by the pool.....in the right place at the right time. Tomorrow if they could play "Sailing On The Tide" that would really make my holiday!!
 
Well, really, almost 'heard' Carpenters.
Instead, the original early version of "I Can Dream, Can't I".
And, let me say, what Karen Carpenter brings to this song is wholly unearthly.
This interpretation , from 1975, is such an incredible achievement--especially when compared to its prior
incarnation, that I wish Karen Carpenter had recorded more of the American Standards.
I was listening to this song on headphones, I think Karen's vocal chords were wrapped around the mic when this was recorded, and the basement voice is used to it's ultimate level.
 
We've Only Just Begun on AT40 this week 1970 @ #9. Casem introduced the countdown by saying Close to You (and others-but who cares?! Haha) had dropped off the chart
this week. So, late September, early October 1970, Carpenters were on AT40 with both hits!
 
Did anyone else in the UK go to Boots to buy their copy of the album "Close To You"? That album cover photo was weird, the angle is all wrong, Karen's feet look huge, and Richard appears almost smaller than Karen!
 
I moved to Beijing about 5 months ago. The other day I was eating at a pizza place at Les Galleries Lafayette called The Crow's Nest and heard "Top of the World" play. It was such a welcomed event.
 
Back
Top Bottom