If I were a Carpenter
- Thread starter andywithaz
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Most Carpenters fans I've talked to aren't too crazy about If I Were A Carpenter. I didn't bother with it for the longest time, but curiosity got the better of me - and I found out that Richard actually played and sang backup on the Matthew Sweet track - not something that was very widely known.
Harry
...who just listened to that track this past weekend, online...
Harry
...who just listened to that track this past weekend, online...
Geographer
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Geographer
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An after thought:
It would be nice if there were a "serious" tribute CD. Somthing that had EVERY single re-done by more main-stream artists. For example:
KD Lang doing Superstar, Manhattan Transfer doing "Yesterday Once More," Gloria Estiphan (did I spell that right?) doing "Just Begun" and some popular male country artist or country duet (you choose, they all sound alike to me) doing "Those Good Ol' Dreams." You get the idea. Why limit a tribute CD to just one genre of music?
It would be nice if there were a "serious" tribute CD. Somthing that had EVERY single re-done by more main-stream artists. For example:
KD Lang doing Superstar, Manhattan Transfer doing "Yesterday Once More," Gloria Estiphan (did I spell that right?) doing "Just Begun" and some popular male country artist or country duet (you choose, they all sound alike to me) doing "Those Good Ol' Dreams." You get the idea. Why limit a tribute CD to just one genre of music?
The remake of "Superstar" to me is haunting...one of the few on this CD that I like. One almost gets the feeling a few of these bands were mocking Carpenters and not paying tribute to them. But then again, there have been other flawed tributes out there, like the "Encomium" Led Zeppelin tribute that was just as spotty as the Carpenters disc was. There was a recent Genesis tribute as well...after hearing how "The Carpet Crawlers" was slaughtered, I pretty much decided not to get it. I've pretty much written off tribute albums as a whole...the one or two good songs don't offset the cost of having to listen to the rest. Buy it used, as cheaply as possible. 
Another option would be to find the ultra-cool 45 rpm box set of the album. All 14 songs are on seven 45s.
Yeah, it's pretty spotty. Tribute albums don't seem to work too well unless it's one artist paying tribute to one other artist, such as Merle Haggard's tribute to Bob Wills, "the best damn fiddle player in the world," or Johnny Cash Sings Hank Williams.
Yeah, it's pretty spotty. Tribute albums don't seem to work too well unless it's one artist paying tribute to one other artist, such as Merle Haggard's tribute to Bob Wills, "the best damn fiddle player in the world," or Johnny Cash Sings Hank Williams.
Tim Neely said:
Tim: do you have the Joe Jackson I'm The Man release that was all on 7" 45's? I never got that one, but did get the two 10" version of Look Sharp!. Missed on the Police Regatta de Blanc 2-10" set.
Even single artist tributes can go both ways. As a rule they are usually better than multi-artist recordings. But I have two Cal Tjader tributes. One is by Poncho Sanchez--a great tribute called Soul Sauce. The other is by Dave Samuels, Tjaderized. That one drifts too far away from a "Latin" sound to be of much use. I only keep it due to my interest in Tjader's music...beyond that, I think I listened to it once or twice.
Rick-An Ordinary Fool
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Murray
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I really like Shonen Knife's "Top Of The World". It's a pretty wild arrangement, but a fun listen. Matthew Sweet's "Let Me Be The One" is pretty good, very similar to the original arrangement. I also don't mind Sonic Youth's "Superstar", a very haunting, almost spooky performance. I don't care for the rest of the album, not even Sheryl Crow's performance of "Solitaire" (unusual, as I generally like Sheryl's music).
Murray
Murray
I enjoyed several of the songs on this tribute, particularly the Cranberries version of "Close to You". (Bare Naked Ladies did a great version of this tune on the Bacharach tribute).
There was another, more mainstream Carpenters tribute being planned around the same time as "If I Were a Carpenter", but it fell through for some reason. I'm not sure what happened, but I would love to see the project revived.
Tony
There was another, more mainstream Carpenters tribute being planned around the same time as "If I Were a Carpenter", but it fell through for some reason. I'm not sure what happened, but I would love to see the project revived.
Tony
drmmergirl
New Member
This CD taught me one thing.
There just is no sound like that of the Carpenters (arrangement genius Richard and Karen's crystal voice that melts the hardest heart)
And. . . every song that the Carpenters re-made is better than the original, like:
The Barry Manilow song, "I can't smile without you" and "Tryin to get the feeling again"
Dione Warwick's "Close to You"
Masquerade (forgot original artist, but Karen's is better)
Paul Simon's "Still Crazy after all these Years"
Please Mr. Postman (whoa. . . #1 hit)
ETC
I say to other artists: Nice try!
There just is no sound like that of the Carpenters (arrangement genius Richard and Karen's crystal voice that melts the hardest heart)
And. . . every song that the Carpenters re-made is better than the original, like:
The Barry Manilow song, "I can't smile without you" and "Tryin to get the feeling again"
Dione Warwick's "Close to You"
Masquerade (forgot original artist, but Karen's is better)
Paul Simon's "Still Crazy after all these Years"
Please Mr. Postman (whoa. . . #1 hit)
ETC
I say to other artists: Nice try!
Murray
Well-Known Member
drmmergirl said:
The Carpenters recording of "Can't Smile Without You" WAS the original! They recorded it in 1976 for the Kind of Hush album. Barry Manilow didn't record the song until 1978. It is possible that the Carpenters were also the first to record "Tryin' To Get the Feeling Again". Both theirs and Manilow's versions were recorded in 1975. What makes me suspect that the Carpenters were first, is that they used the ORIGINAL lyrics.
The Carpenters also recorded "I Just Fall In Love Again" before Anne Murray, and "This Masquerade" before George Benson! It's amazing that they didn't release any of these as singles, while others had huge hits with them.
Murray
...who thinks that "Can't Smile Without You" would have made a much better single than Goofus!!!...
Rudy said:Tim: do you have the Joe Jackson I'm The Man release that was all on 7" 45's? I never got that one, but did get the two 10" version of Look Sharp!. Missed on the Police Regatta de Blanc 2-10" set.
Yeah, I have the Joe Jackson 7" box set. All the 45s are small hole 33s, unlike the If I Were a Carpenter box, which are all large hole 45s. Plus it comes with a poster. I do have the 10-inch version of Reggatta de Blanc but don't have Look Sharp! on 10-inch.
andywithaz
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Geographer
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I, too, fell prey to purchasing the "other" If I Were A Carpenter. I have no idea who these people are doing Carpenters songs, but it is a horrible CD. It has the Carpentes traditional logo on it which tells me one of two thing: Richard authorized it (wich I highly doubt) or it's an unauthorized bootleg. I bought it at a Virgin Records store, which I thought was reputable, but I guess I was wrong. Buyer beware!
Sharon -me too .... 
Demon set is .....words you can think about ..... 
I still enjoy the 1994 tribute album ....if you are looking for Carpenters
type recordings -stick to the originals.
3 tracks are OTT -the rest are interesting and varied.
Sonic Youth , Dishwalla , Matthew Sweet , Cranberries are good versions ....just feel Sheryl Crow should have chosen a different classic to cover .....
Peter
Demon set is .....words you can think about ..... I still enjoy the 1994 tribute album ....if you are looking for Carpenters
type recordings -stick to the originals.
3 tracks are OTT -the rest are interesting and varied.
Sonic Youth , Dishwalla , Matthew Sweet , Cranberries are good versions ....just feel Sheryl Crow should have chosen a different classic to cover .....
Peter
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