How did you get into CarpenterS?

January of 1974. My cousin Darolyn was wearing out "The Singles" and I was mesmerized by the booklet. Then my parents gave me "Now & Then" for my birthday that April. From then on, I just could not get enough.
 
From then on, I just could not get enough.

It's funny, for all there are other artists I absolutely love, I was never as insatiable for their music as much as I was once I discovered the Carpenters back catalogue. I couldn't find all their albums fast enough and ate it all up insatiably. That has only ever happened with them. With each unreleased gem that surfaced like the box set tracks, 'Trying To Get The Feeling Again' and 'As Time Goes By', I was almost giddy with excitement.
 
Wow! It is so nice to see all of you new members joining in! Welcome to all of you! I think you'll enjoy it. This is easily the nicest forum with the nicest people on the internet, that I know of.

Enjoy!
 
I was fourteen in 1996 and in the summer before high school I bought 'Carpenters' album on Karussel tape. I liked it although I felt I had to grow up a little bit to enjoy the music of the band. That September I bought the 'The Singles 1969-1973' tape and I liked it better. My favourite songs were 'Superstar', 'Top of the World' and 'Rainy Days and Mondays'. After nothing happened. I got to know more tracks of the band but nothing special happened.
As you see from my avatar, I am a huge ABBA fan( althought I do not listen too much pop music, I like rock, metal and folk), and that time I started building my ABBA collection, I wanted to find a similar band who play qualitative music without contemporary elements(I mean eletronica). This was the beginning of my story.

Some months ago the story started again. I bought 'The Singles 1969-1961' on CD and when I listened for the songs, I blew my mind! Immediately I have fallen in love with the band again! I started collecting their CDs and records, so a small collection have already built up.

Tapes:
Carpenters (Karussel)
The Singles 1969-1973
Reflections

LP:
The Singles 1969-1973
Horizon
A Kind of Hush
Yesterday Once More (although only disc one is on the sleeve)

CD:
The Singles 1969-1981
Horizon
A Kind of Hush

I have ordered 'Passage', 'A Song for You,' 'Now and Then' and 'Yesterday Once More' on CD and I cannot wait to get them!
 
You're in for a treat, especially with A Song For You!

I have all albums in mp3 format...but I am an oldschool music listener..Prefer vinyl and CD to mp3...I feel that A Song For You is big, but it will be huge when I listen to the CD!:D
 
As I've stated elsewhere, I'm the throwback of my house, with great interest in groups from the 80s and back. Growing up, I definitely absorbed my father's eclectic tastes in music - I definitely remember liking groups like Little River Band, Supertramp, and Beach Boys. I really don't know where the Carpenters fit in -- they were my folks' wedding song with "We've Only Just Begun", but I don't ever recall hearing it -- but "Top of the World" ... I remember sitting in the car at maybe 11-12 years old, my mom was driving and I told her how beautiful I thought the song was. Full-blown interest, however, wouldn't come until years later.

Like some twist of fate, the Carpenters were reintroduced to me as a young adult (17-18) by means of "The Rainbow Connection". A friend of my mom's was driving us somewhere and he plugged his MP3 into the car's tape deck ( the auxiliary input looked like a cassette tape with a long wire) and that song came on. I recognized the style, and upon asking, my mom told me it was by "the Carpenters, the same people who did Top of the World" and I was immediately hooked; I went home, and I swear, must've listened to "Top of the World" and "Sing" for hours. I had just met my endless love. :)

Slowly but surely, I had listened to every single one of their hits on my phone at the time. Close to You...Superstar...Rainy Days and Mondays... like the user who started this forum said, each experience was absolutely incredible. I had to have more of this group that had struck some chord within me. I dove into their catalog and ate up any information on them. Karen's story saddened me especially. That didn't stop me from listening; in fact, I listened more. Acquired more of their music. FULL ON Carpenters fever!!! I think I made my family sick of them at some point. :D

I ended up collecting them on vinyl, too; they are my treasures. One of the first I owned was my mom's "Tan Album". I never tire of their songs- and each listen, I hear something different.

It's quite interesting to read that my experiences are very similar to all of yours, even if we may be separated by a generation. I am honored to be on these forums with such kind people who share my love for this wonderful duo. And to those that share their stories and memories... thank you.
 
I was about 7 years old when I heard "Close To You" on the radio. I recall becoming very excited when the song came on.
Although my family were not big album collectors at the time, we had a grand supply of 45's. At least one family member
owned every Carpenters single between "Close To You" & "A Kind of Hush". And they were the only group of 45's that the
B-Sides were played just as much as the A-Side. I remember requesting the "Horizon" album for Christmas in 1975, but I was
given a Helen Reddy album instead. (Thanx a lot Santa!) I was pretty smitten with Olivia Newton-John at the time,
so the small album collection I had at the time was mainly her.
Although as time passed, The Singles 1969-1973 was a part of our family's record library.
I once worked with someone who had told me that the best Christmas album he had ever heard was Christmas Portrait.
After acknowledging this, I went out and purchased a copy. I was immediately struck on how this record
was so typical of the Christmas music I grew up with. I immediately fell in love with it.
But I still wasn't sold on collecting all their works.
Sadly, I have to admit, that it wasn't until after Karen's passing that I really got hooked.
I remember being saddened and shocked at the news of her death, not really knowing anything was wrong.
When "Voice of the Heart" was released, I immediately bought it (the vinyl, no less.)
My first thought was "this is truly a voice of the heart", an album adequately named.
Since then, it's been all Carpenters. I own all their works available.
I still don't own everything by Olivia or the Beatles,
but I have to have everything Karen.
She is truly the best female singer who ever lived.
And no one can stand up to her voice today.
 
The first time i heard the carpenters was when my mother had the album " Ticket to ride". I enjoyed hearing it however it wasnt until the early 80s when i was able to purchase my copy but my first carpenters album i ever purchased was " The Singles 1969-1973. That was my gateway album.
 
I got into the Carpenters about the time the "Karen Carpenter Story" debuted on TV. I was about 12-13 at the time and a commercial advertising it came on. My mom and grandma (as though I wasn't in the room), said, "I'll bet she'd like that Karen Carpenter, we should watch that." I took it upon myself to remember when it would be on and watch it - the rest is history. When people talk about how important original music is for a biopic, for me, it was paramount. If I'd have had the money, I would have gone out the next day and bought every album I could get my hands on (in cassette form, the media of the day). Alas, as a pre-teen, I didn't have that ability (otherwise known as no personal funds :cry:). Also, living in a more rural area, about 12-15 years after they were popular, proved as limited (selection-wise) as my funds. It was a frustrating time. God bless the internet and a job that allows me to buy a music "treat" now and then. Thankfully, I think I've heard just about everything that was ever released, but like everyone else, wish there was more! I really like the idea of making a medley of unfinished stuff.
 
I got into the Carpenters about the time the "Karen Carpenter Story" debuted on TV. I was about 12-13 at the time and a commercial advertising it came on. My mom and grandma (as though I wasn't in the room), said, "I'll bet she'd like that Karen Carpenter, we should watch that." I took it upon myself to remember when it would be on and watch it - the rest is history. When people talk about how important original music is for a biopic, for me, it was paramount. If I'd have had the money, I would have gone out the next day and bought every album I could get my hands on (in cassette form, the media of the day). Alas, as a pre-teen, I didn't have that ability (otherwise known as no personal funds :cry:). Also, living in a more rural area, about 12-15 years after they were popular, proved as limited (selection-wise) as my funds. It was a frustrating time. God bless the internet and a job that allows me to buy a music "treat" now and then. Thankfully, I think I've heard just about everything that was ever released, but like everyone else, wish there was more! I really like the idea of making a medley of unfinished stuff.
I totally can relate Superstar i too Lived in a rural area too. And although i was fortunate there were afew record shops within 30-40 miles from where i lived. My funds were very limited too. But i share your joy that nowadays with the internet we are able to purchase our favorites ( which were only a dream to us back when we were kids) it looks like we are similar in age i saw the Karen Carpenter story on tv as well. And being already a listener it only further helped me appreciate Karen and Richard's music all the more.
 
I vividly recall the first time I became aware of the music of the Carpenters... I was around 12 years old and a neighborhood girl invited me to her house. While there, she put the 45 of "Close to You" on her portable turntable and the magic began! I recall hearing that magnificent voice...the harmonies...! I was hooked. And I remember watching the record spin around with that brown/tan label and the A&M logo while Karen's voice filled the room. A lifelong love of Karen and Richard's music began that day. Thereafter, I haunted the local department store whenever I learned of a new Carpenters single or album release date. I still recall the excitement of purchasing the latest Carpenters music! There are many fine singers who have been recorded and filled the airwaves. Some are still with us and others have passed on. And then there are a few no others can touch in terms of style, emotion, and their unique vocal style. No voice affected me like Karen's, and I don't think another ever will. I feel fortunate to have seen her and Richard in concert twice in the 70's. I am new here as well, and look forward to sharing with others who treasure the music and legacy of the Carpenters.
 
I had a 'Weekly Reader' magazine (remember those?) from school with The Carpenters on the front, and also our teacher gave us Carpenters book covers. But hearing them, it was probably 'Close To You' which was played during our "May Day" court in 1st/2nd grade. We had to dance a slow waltz to it over & over again. My aunt had the early Carpenters sheet music & I would read the lyrics, stare at the pictures. Karen was one of my first female celebrity girl crushes...until Lynda Carter (Wonder Woman) came along :tsk:
 
No voice affected me like Karen's, and I don't think another ever will.

That sums up my love for Carpenters like no other sentence can. I was captivated the first second of the first time I ever heard her voice and that's never happened to me since with any other singer. The album that encapsulates that feeling more than any for me is A Song For You.
 
I had a 'Weekly Reader' magazine (remember those?) from school with The Carpenters on the front, and also our teacher gave us Carpenters book covers.
Wow, I don't remember that Weekly Reader issue, and I was an avid reader. What a nice teacher. She must have been a fan.
 
I just rediscovered the Carpenters, thanks to the PBS pledge week special in December. I'm 65, so I was around when they first hit the charts, but got my draft notice in early 1970, then enlisted in the Air Force in April 1970. What with basic training and some advanced training, I had limited access to music, basically just AM radio. I do remember hearing their music and liking it, but was not a hard core fan at that point. In Jan. 1971, I was shipped overseas, and was at various overseas bases until August of 1973. So during that time it was only Armed Forces radio for us, although there were a group of us who owned Carpenters albums. A small overseas base at that time was really somewhat cut off from normal American culture. The radio did play Casey Kasem's top 40 show on the weekend. No American TV was available to us. By the time I was discharged in '74, I had lost touch with the Carpenters' music, then got married, had children, etc. Since the PBS special, I have been bingeing on the stuff on youtube and buying some of their CDs. I never really appreciated just how talented they were/are. I especially enjoy the music videos of them, since I missed a lot of that at the time (70-73). Some of the best are the "Make Your Own Kind of Music" highlights from 1971. The show was not a high-budget production, and the video is not the best quality, but still great to see.
 
I love the live medley they performed on Make Your Own Kind of Music. I still look for that video on YouTube once in a while because it's so good.
 
Back in 1995 when I was 23. Even though I had heard of them, I had never heard the music. I was staying at a friends house. I wanted to listen to some music, and he had a Carpenters compilation from 1990. Yesterday once more was the first song and I thought how nice it sounded. Then Superstar, rainy days, every one was a winner for me. Since then they have been in my top 3 favourite acts. Carpenters are magic.
 
Well, since this thread is bumped here, I might as well add mine.

I finally "got into" Carpenters by hearing my mom play them. I believe it was the Millennium Collection. I remember loving "Yesterdat Once More" and "This Masquerade". Later, Now & Then and Close to You proved me hooked. See where that's taken me...:D Not that I'm obsessed or anything. :whistle:
 
Even though I haven't been a fan for all that long, it seems like I've always been into The Carpenters. I remember a long time ago, back in Feb 2016, I was in a group chat with some online friends, and one of them said "Have any of you heard of Karen Carpenter?". Me, unknowing that I was going to become obsessed with them months later, I said no. Right then and there, I remember her talking about how Karen was in a duet with her brother in the 70's and died of anorexia in the 80's, and how her death date was the next day after the conversation.
But, I didn't get into them at that time. It wasn't until roughly June 2016 that I actually started looking up The Carpenters music. I can't remember exactly what I was looking up, but I somehow came across The Carpenters. After skimming through their Wikipedia page, I decided to look them up, and absolutely loved them. After trying to look them up on social media and talking about them on another forum, I was very disappointed to be met with hate and very little posts about them on social media ie Instagram. :cry:
But that didn't stop me from liking them, because I believe that you can like whoever you want, and everyone has different opinions. I got my first Carpenters album the following month after getting into them. That album was SATD Singles 1969 - 1981. I was so incredibly happy with it, being so hard to find anything Carpenters related in my area for some bizarre reason. That's also when I found out that my mom was a fan of The Carpenters. She was born in the 70's, so she was in her pre-teen years when Karen passed away.
Luckily, I wasn't met with too much hate from my family, and certain people online (such as the girl that mentioned KC in the group chat). And the weird thing is the fact that I had just recently remembered about that chat. I even said to myself "Wow, I can't believe that I used to not know them!"
In conclusion, The Carpenters have been such a great influence on me and my life. Though I haven't learned much about them, I'm hoping to learn much more about them here!
And yes, I've just begun.... :laugh:
 
Probably (They Long To Be) Close To You's most melancholic setting... Homer's desertion scene when Marge leaves only their wedding video for Homer to play, in The Simpsons Movie. Actually really clever cinematically, with the contrast between the song's joy in the wedding video's context, and then the longing and loneliness in real life as Homer watches, panics and does the whole falling onto a heart shaped iceberg that cracks apart thing, soundtracked by Close To You! Kinda made the song intriguing, and yes that's my first memory of Karen's voice, aged 6 in The Simpsons Movie's original run at the cinema.
 
Back
Top Bottom