Manilow does the Carpenters

[JAZZ4JEFF]

On the next Barry Manilow album "Greatest songs of the 70's", Barry will do his version of "Close to you". The CD drops in September.

As you know, this will make the 4th time they have crossed paths. The Carpenters recorded "Can't smile without you" first before Barry had a big hit with it. They also both did their own versions of "Trying to get the feeling", and "Where do I go from here".

And to be complete with the Manilow/Carpenters connection, they both also did the holiday favorites "The Christmas song", "Jingle Bells", White Christmas, "Have yourself a merry little Christmas", "Winter wonderland", "Santa Clause is coming to town", "Home for the holidays", & "Christmas waltz".

Always nice to see a Carpenters song out there again. I am sure Barry will do tons of press on this new CD, and the conversation of the Carpenters will come up.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I guess I have mixed feelings about this. I have always felt that Carpenters created the definitive version of that song...even the writer, Burt Bacharach, says so. There's no way Barry can do anything but a lesser version of it. On the other hand, it will be nice to have the Carpenters mentioned and the song get some deserved attention.

The CD drops in September.

Why does the music industry keep using this phrase? It started in the rap industry. To me it makes the music sound.... well, like droppings. Which admittedly a lot of it is, these days. I prefer "The CD will be released in September." (I guess that's just my old-school showing thru.)

 

[Harry]

Whenever my CD's drop, the jewel case usually cracks...

Harry

 

[Dave]

--That's just it...! (--Er, not really talking about "Dropping Stuff"...)

But "Close To You" just seems to be sooooo over-associated with Richard & Karen Carpenter, that we tend to forget the other versions of that Classic song, that are also out there...



Dave

 

[JMAR5]

I think Manilow will do a good job on "Close to You", but you are right, it is a definitive Carpenter song. Even though many artists have covered the same Bacharach songs there are certain artists who have the definitive recording.

Close to You-Carpenters
The Look of Love-Dusty Springfield(even though Sergio&B66 is a good one)
Make it Easy on Yourself-The Walker Brothers
Do You Know the Way to San Jose?-Dionne Warwick
I Say A Little Prayer-Aretha Franklin
This Guy's In Love With You-The founder of A&M
One Less Bell to Answer-Fifth Dimension

 

[Mr. SPAC]

Mr. Manilow has done very well with his recent collections celebrating the songs of the decades. He has paid homage to the artists that created those memorable songs we all still want to hear (and knows he cannot take too many artistic liberties or they would not be the same songs people want to hear again. "If I Were A Carpenter" ring a bell to anyone?)

Barry, Karen & Richard were good friends. I sat behind Richard & Mary at a Manilow concert a few years ago. They had come to enjoy and support an old friend. No doubt Barry will respectfully pay tribute to his friends and honor the legacy they created.

I look forward to hearing the entire collection!

 

[Mark-T]

Barry's version of CTY is actually pretty good- as far as a 29 second clip can show. I'll probably buy it on I-tunes...

 

[GOODY4SHOES]

Barry's version of CTY is actually pretty good- as far as a 29 second clip can show. I'll probably buy it on I-tunes...

No quintuplets piano trills... bogus.

 

[Harry]

A judge in Colorado has sentenced noise-statutes offenders with forced listening to the likes of Manilow and Carpenters!

http://cbs4denver.com/topstories/local_story_258183427.html

Harry

 

[Mark-T]

Thankfully, Ft. Lupton is about an hour north of Denver, where I live.
Boy, am I embarrassed

 

[SakuraSYayoi]

No quintuplets piano trills... bogus.

So Herb Albert didn't suggest Barry arrangement about the quintuplets!?

I read another article about Harry's link, article/video.
These articles reminded me of old articles/video where Barry's songs were used to keep the young guys, who made big noise at parking area, away before.
People, who lived next to the parking lot, complained that they heard Barry's "Copa" and "Can't Smile Without You" too much. Even some Barry fans skip the two songs.
I love new arrangement "Copacabana" on the new album, though.

I received the new album yesterday. Mine is American release. (Currently I love "Bridge Over Troubled Water".)
British edition has "Solitaire".
I watched TV ad on Barry's official site in the U.K. The ad has "Close To You" and the site has sample of "Close To You"!!

I also watched QVC programs Pt.1 & Pt.2 on QVC site. "Close To You" was mentioned at Pt.1.

I watched Barry's appearances on The Insider, this month at fan's video site. Carpenters were mentioned at one of the appearances.

I watched DVD part of the new album. Barry talked about his mini history. He showed his old open reel and cassette and there was cassette recorder. It reminded me of Richard's playing old demo tape at old SONY(SONY 200?) for Japanese audience.

I'd like to know if Carpenters or "Close To You" will be mentioned on
"The Colbert Report" Sept. 18
"The Early Show" Sept. 19.
"The Martha Stewart Show" Sept. 20
"Jimmy Kimmel Live!" Sept. 21?
"The Singing Bee" October 9?
"Dancing with the Stars" October 30?
"Tonight Show with Jay Leno" October 31?
Thanks!!


Barry sang duet with Mellissa Machester and Olivia Newton-John again. (Olivia sang Barry's Christmas song, duet with Barry, and Olivia's Christmas album will contain it.)
Olivia sang "Rainy Days and Mondays" (produce by Phil Ramone), "Close To You" and "Yesterday Once More". Olivia was going to sing duet with her late good friend several years ago. The plan seemed to disappear.

Ron Dante wrote;

I met Karen many times at the A & M recording studios while working with Barry M.
She was a delightful person and very kind and sweet. She was a big fan of Barry's and wanted to do a duet with him.
I'm sorry we missed out on that one.

Is it possible that Barry, Olivia and other Karen's friends will sing duet with Karen like Olivia did with Peter Allen? Maybe for Karen's 60-y-o-birthday?

Sakura

 

[Mike Blakesley]

Is it possible that Barry, Olivia and other Karen's friends will sing duet with Karen like Olivia did with Peter Allen?

I sure hope not. Those posthumous duets reek of crass commercialism, and are creepy to boot.

As for your first question - I wouldn't think there's a need to ask for outside input on the Manilow record from Herb A or anyone else, because the intent is probably not to re-create the old arrangements, but to put the Manilow stamp on them.

 

[Mark-T]

Barry's childishness regarding "The View" is making me consider not purchasing even the Close to You track. Sounds like a spoiled brat- and I like him and his music...

 

[SakuraSYayoi]

I don't think it childishness. If The View would accept Barry's request, Barry would have appeared. I haven't known about Elisabeth Hasselback. I only read Barry's message, an article about this, and watched a TV program clip on the net. It's very rare about political subject and Barry. I only can recall Barry's message just after 911 and appearance with Barbra Streisand.

This reminded me of the Rolling Stone interview with Carpenters. Toronto DJ's question.

“We’ve narrowed the interviews we give now down to….
practically none.
“This DJ from Toronto called me up on the air. It was
different, I’ll grant you that. He opens up by saying, ‘What’s the
difference between you and Paul and Paula?’
‘There were two of them. There’s two of us,’ I said. ‘That’s where it ends.’
‘OK,’ he says, ‘what
about Sonny and Cher?’”
Karen: "She’s thinner."
“’All right,’ he says finally. ‘I know where it’s at.
We might as well bring it out. I’ve listened to the lyrics of your songs. I
know that Karen’s singin’ ‘em to you. I know they’re about incest. You
want to talk about this?’ I couldn’t believe it. I was stunned. I tried to
explain, absolutely not. Imagine - I tried to explain! ‘I don’t even write
all of those songs. They just happen to be love songs. Karen sings them. I
sing and arrange. We happen to be brother and sister.’”
“I remember how you threw the phone down when that was
over.”
“Yeah. That was the last phone interview we ever did.”

I read that their manager refused all the interviews in Japan, 1974. So reporters followed them It's sad that Karen was not in good condition and sometimes stayed at hotel while other band members went shopping. When Karen could go out, so many reporters made Karen not shopping.

Barry mentioned "I will be on a whole slew of other shows."

Is it possible that Barry, Olivia and other Karen's friends will sing duet with Karen like Olivia did with Peter Allen?

I sure hope not. Those posthumous duets reek of crass commercialism, and are creepy to boot.

As for your first question - I wouldn't think there's a need to ask for outside input on the Manilow record from Herb A or anyone else, because the intent is probably not to re-create the old arrangements, but to put the Manilow stamp on them.

Thanks for the reply, I was just kidding with the first question.

I love watching Richard perform with Karen in the screen and with Richard himself in the screen.


I'd like to listen to Barry's "Superstar". Karen didn't like "Superstar" when she heard it on the LP. Then Richard saw Bette Midler sing this song with Barry's arrangement on Tonight Show.
Did Barry play the piano at the Tonight Show?
"Superstar" became the first big hit by Carpenters in Japan.


Seeing songs and thinking about original singers on Barry's new album and Grammy nominations in 1970, it's great that Carpenters won the Grammy Awards.

Barry Manilow's back up singer recorded "Merry Christmas Darling" before.
Barry will release another Christmas album soon. "Silver Bells" and "White Christmas"....

Sakura

 

[Gordo]

Barry's childishness regarding "The View" is making me consider not purchasing even the Close to You track. Sounds like a spoiled brat- and I like him and his music...

I figure the guy at least deserves some credit for steering clear if he felt that that environment would make him more inclined to discuss his political views than his music.

...Although he certainly made his point announcing his political views by singling out Elisabeth as the object of his scorn!

Speaking of political views, I buzzed over to the Colbert Report site just now thanks to Sakura's heads-up on Manilow's appearance (last night, as I type this). You can view a clip here, if you're curious, but it's more about Colbert's loss at the Emmys than anything:

http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/the_colbert_report/index.jhtml

(As of this writing, the video is the second one posted in the little viewer window.)

 

[Jay Maynes/Juan Oskar]

Com'on Barry...Elisabeth Hasselback is gorgeous! Barry. Go on The View and take me, Captain Bacardi, Mr. Bill, Steve S., and Neil so that we can sit next to her and protect you. Anyway, some of the Corner guys would like to get a better "View" of Elisabeth. Sinceramente, JO.

http://www.eonline.com/news/article/index.jsp?uuid=7930a03e-1707-41fe-a3e2-74bd0b0dc540&sid=fd-news

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I personally would like to get a closer view of her, I don't care what her views are!

But seriously folks, let's remember that this is a discussion on the Manilow album and let's not get political here.

 

[Gordo]

Is it me, or is the deluxe version of the album -- the one with a second disc containing a few more bonus tracks (e.g., more new acoustic versions of Manilow's own songs) -- more difficult to come by than the regular version?

I've tried tracking down the deluxe version on Canadian websites, to no avail. I think I'm going to have to cave and order it from the States...although with the Canadian dollar doing so well, that might actually be cheaper than tracking it down here in Canada, anyway!

 

[Mark-T]

Yeah- I started this sorry, folks!

 

[Dave]

OK, kids, lets' not let one "political boondoggle" be something that taints an entire career of someone we otherwise admire and enjoy the music of... (--Yes, there are many--TOO Many!!!--examples of ones who express one "VIEW-point" and unfortunately base their career ENTIRELY on "viewPOINTS" that I don't wanna ramble on in this Thread to [Numerously!] discuss...) inkshield:

That aside, and to continue our discussion, I'm glad to see the Carpenters to have made such an impact that Barry sees fit to cover their songs... Though it can be said that each career, too, has had its share of songs they have each written themselves, along with others written by other composers, which they also saw to interpret, ably, and have had the lasting Hit with it, as well...!!!



Dave

 

[Gordo]

I could look it up, but it's more fun to discuss: Who did the original version of "It Never Rains In Southern California"? I can hear it in my head, but I have no idea whom I'm hearing!

...And do I recall Julio Iglesias releasing a medley of that song and one of his others about "Moonlight" something-or-other?

 

[Johnny Angel]

I could look it up, but it's more fun to discuss: Who did the original version of "It Never Rains In Southern California"? I can hear it in my head, but I have no idea whom I'm hearing!

...And do I recall Julio Iglesias releasing a medley of that song and one of his others about "Moonlight" something-or-other?

Albert Hammond (who co-wrote the Carpenters song "I Need To Be In Love") was the original singer of "It Never Rains In Southern California."

 

[Harry]

Albert Hammond also wrote or co-wrote seven of the ten songs on Lani Hall's Grammy-winning Spanish album, ES FACIL AMAR as well as producing the album.

http://www.amcorner.com/lanihall/index.php

Harry

 

[Gordo]

Thanks for the info. on "Never Rains"! (Wow, he's prolific!)

 

[Actorman]

Albert Hammond's son, Albert Jr. is a guitarist for the band The Strokes.