Les Paul/Mary Ford Influences on Carpenters

[newvillefan]

I came across these two clips on youtube that really make me relate to the Carpenters and how much they attribute their sound to Les Paul and Mary Ford.

This first clip showcases the harmony vocal sound years before overdubbing became well known in the music industry. More importantly, it's also on the list of Carpenters songs rumoured to be still in the vaults - debatable whether complete with vocals, but I'd LOVE to hear Karen's interpretation of this, which I'd envisage would have been done with the same amount of vocal layering as we heard on 'Without A Song', as it was also recorded in 1980. Where Les plays the guitar solo, I can hear Richard doing a piano instrumental similar to 'Dizzy Fingers'.



This next song is memorable to me as it was featured (albeit a different appearance) in the Carpenters documentary 'Only Yesterday', where Richard recounted hearing overdubbing for the first time. Les Paul's guitar playing in this is just wow!



These songs are such a joy to hear and for me are inextricably linked to the Carpenters sound that would emerge in later years. Anyone else agree?

 

[Dave]

Yes, it's the creating harmonies from a single vocal via use of multi-tracking that was a key element of the CarpenterS sound!

Les & Mary did create a never-ending influence from that device, from Karen & Richard, onward...!

The quintessential rock guitar, the Gibson Les Paul was what its creator/designer of the solid body had on me!


-- Dave

 

[Dave]

Yes, the first thing I think of when it comes to Les & Mary; Multi-Tracking, too:



Think Karen & Richard have long agreed!



-- Dave

 

[A&M Retro]

I always thought the unreleased version of "How High The Moon" would have been the one Ella Fitzgerald performed on "Music, Music, Music". That would be amazing if K&R did it.

 

[Must Hear This Album]

Great thread. It has me thinking about influences. Last time I visited the Rock-&-Roll Hall of Fame, they had this fun section with touch screens, where visitors could click on an artist, Simon & Garfunkel, for example, and get a few video clip samples of their influences (The Everly Brothers, The Moonglows, etc.). Unfortunately (and I checked *grin), they didn’t have an entry for Carpenters, but if I could add one (are you listening, R&RHOF?), Les Paul and Mary Ford would most certainly be one of the video samples I’d use as an influence. As well as (of course) the “3B’s,” Bacharach (I’d use Dionne Warwick’s version of “Close To You,” even thought RC wasn’t familiar with her version when he put together his arrangement, The Beatles (I’d use “Ticket To Ride” or “Help!” for obvious reasons), and Beach Boys (I’d use “Warmth Of The Sun,” with its tasty multi-layered vocals, for which BBs were always praised and Carpenters always maligned – insert me scratching my head, here).

In terms of artists, in turn, who Carpenters influenced, I’d include the following: k.d. lang, Sheryl Crow, Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth), and Gloria Estefan, and Gwen Stefani (No Doubt). Others?

 

[ullalume]

Can't remember where I read it, but I think Karen and Richard used "Eleanor Rigby" as a template for some of their harmonies.