"Merry Christmas Darling" (other singers)
- Thread starter AM Matt
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Walkinat9
Well-Known Member
I must admit that I never thought I could listen to anyone else singing this little masterpiece other than Karen & Richard, but now you've got me looking for cover versions, so thanks for this one, Matt! 
So far, this is the one I like best, by Vanessa Williams (never even knew she recorded it) :
And I quite enjoyed this instrumental version as well, by Doug Webb:
Still exploring....
Greg
So far, this is the one I like best, by Vanessa Williams (never even knew she recorded it) :
And I quite enjoyed this instrumental version as well, by Doug Webb:
Still exploring....
Greg
Walkinat9
Well-Known Member
Portlander
Well-Known Member
My preference goes out to Vanessa Williams who nailed it with her crystal clear voice and excellent arrangement. I remember she had kind words for Karen and Richard when the song was released in 2004 while making a few appearances on the morning talk shows.
The late Frank Pooler (wife said) also loved this version.
All these MCD covers are nice, but for me Karen Carpenter (solo) on the Bruce Forsyth show. I enjoyed the little different nuances she gave to the words compared to the original. The first time I heard her sing MCD on the show, I was surprised when she subbed "Happy Christmas, Brucie!" at the end. It was so effortless, seamless, warm and sincere. If I didn't know the original or who she was, I'd have thought those were the original lyrics.
3Favorites
Active Member
You know there is another way of looking at this.
If other artists sing the song, that means it's popular. Maybe even a standard. I would think most composers would want that.
I have a version by Glenn Maderios. He's the one who sang "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You." He had a Christmas CD. His version is an up tempo rendition. I do prefer the Carpenters' version. But I can listen to his.
Merry Christmas Darling Glenn Maderios
If other artists sing the song, that means it's popular. Maybe even a standard. I would think most composers would want that.
I have a version by Glenn Maderios. He's the one who sang "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You." He had a Christmas CD. His version is an up tempo rendition. I do prefer the Carpenters' version. But I can listen to his.
Merry Christmas Darling Glenn Maderios
3Favorites
Active Member
How do you guys get the actual video to load into your post? I used the insert link, but it doesn't show the video like others post.
JohnFB
She was born to belong to the lines of a song...
Yes, the nuances she enhances this version with are really extra special - proving once again that only Karen could improve on Karen - just as she had done before with the re-recording and quality upgrade of this song in 1978 when compared to the 1970 original...
I do like the Vanessa Williams' version, especially the accompaniment and the slightly uptempo, jazzy feel...and the Herb Alpert version is delightful including the choral accompaniment...the piano work of the Amy Grant rendition is excellent and should have been expanded into the "break" - her voice is, as always, pleasant and listenable, if not riveting or mesmerizing...
JohnFB
She was born to belong to the lines of a song...
Here's the Chrristina Perri version - with her mostly all-girl band and her tambourine and the typical swirling vocal harmonies at the end (as per R & K) - pleasantly entertaining, but I can't help feeling that she's hoping that not too many listeners are familiar with Karen's version...
Portlander
Well-Known Member
Not bad and I liked the harmonies at the end. So does Richard and the Pooler family receive royalties when this song is recorded and released by another artist? I've always been confused on how the songwriting legal details work, maybe Chris would know.
tomswift2002
Well-Known Member
They would receive royalties, since the artist would have to clear the mechanical rights for the song in order to record it, plus any other rights that certain countries might require by law. Here in Canada they need both mechanical rights, which allows the song to be recorded in a fixed manner (CD, vinyl, TV broadcast), and performing rights (radio, TV, digital, live, background). And the rights last until 50 or 70 years after the last author has died. So with Merry Christmas Darling, even though Frank Pooler died in 2013, his estate could possibly be earning royalties on it until 2122 or later, since Richard is still alive right now and the 50-70 (or in some countries 120 years after death) doesn’t start until the year after his death.
JohnFB
She was born to belong to the lines of a song...
I just copy the web address that appears in the address box at the top on the YouTube page (as an example) and then paste it into the text anywhere here in my post...I don't use the Insert Link symbol above...
How is this applied to all those Youtubers (especially the ones who are obviously more than amateur) doing Carpenters covers?
Copy/paste the url directly into the text of your message. When I use my computer, I see a “preview” button that let’s you see what your post will look like. With my Ipad, no “preview” option.
tomswift2002
Well-Known Member
YouTube scans the content of the video and then their bots match the music, and the person will get a notification that their video can not be monetized because it contains copyrighted material. At that point any money that would go to the YouTube channel goes to the proper publishing companies like SOCAN or ASCAP. Sometimes it’s a pain, since if they are performing a public domain tune like “Joy To The World”, they’ll still get flagged and have to fight it.
tomswift2002
Well-Known Member
There are also companies that just seem to blanket a ton of public domain songs on YouTube. A few years ago I posted a Christmas video of a local choir singing “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus” and I think it was Hexcorp that was claiming that they owned the melody to the song because it was from another religious song. Funny thing is, both songs were public domain since the last composer died in something like 1895; suffice it to say, the copyright had expired 5 years earlier, even if they were trying to use the 120 year claim for another country! And this was 2020, that Hexcorp was trying to claim copyright. I eventually won the case because Hexcorp finally realized that they had no legal grounds.
Found this cover of MCD by Tori Holub - this 19 year old up and coming singer , self-described hardcore Carpenters fan and collector may give Harriet, Rumer, Weyes Blood a run for their money in the receiving "sounds like Karen Carpenter" comments sweepstakes in the future. She doesn't really sound like Karen (hitting those basement notes), but you can hear Karen's influence in her singing style. She just released her cover with the help of a Grammy winning audio engineer of "Merry Christmas Darling," and it's a near clone of Richard's arrangement. I also added a link to another track she released ("My Christmas Dreams") which has a very heavy Carpenters influence (opening piano, sweep of a harp, harmonies, etc...). For anyone interested, check out her TikTok page for videos on her singing Carpenters covers (all by request of her followers) and her collection of Carpenters memorabilia. She also has a TikTok video (link provided below) of her trying to recreate the WOJB overdubbing harmonies (credits Chris May for his Youtube video on the process). Results are pretty good (I think she surprised herself). Holub said she discovered the Carpenters when she got into 60's music (yes, "60's" not "70's"). Karen and Richard influencing a new generation of recording artists...... 
Chanticleer: Merry Christmas, Darling
After 3 weeks on the road… Merry Christmas, Darling
Original by Richard Carpenter and Frank Pooler, arranged by Andy Van Allsburg (featured here on water bottle)
https://www.chanticleer.org/christmas
(My comment: Makes me wish for a time machine and have Spectrum have a go at it.)
After 3 weeks on the road… Merry Christmas, Darling
https://www.chanticleer.org/christmas
(My comment: Makes me wish for a time machine and have Spectrum have a go at it.)
Walkinat9
Well-Known Member
Chanticleer: Merry Christmas, Darling
After 3 weeks on the road… Merry Christmas, Darling
Original by Richard Carpenter and Frank Pooler, arranged by Andy Van Allsburg (featured here on water bottle)
https://www.chanticleer.org/christmas
(My comment: Makes me wish for a time machine and have Spectrum have a go at it.)
They sure were having a jolly old time there
You can't blame a Carpenters-fan though for hoping to hear Richard's low-going "...Chri-histmaaas..." part right before the final "...dar-liiiinnnng", but I did hear a very nice "oooh" chord before the last "I wish I were with you"
Well, if I'm no mistaken, Spectrum was around from the 2nd half of 1967 thru the 1st half of '68, so if they had any gigs during the last months of '67, they may have sung MCD as well, would love to hear that
As far as Spectrum voicing goes, this is as close as it gets, I guess, just missing 1 male voice:
Nice! All we need wish for is one from the Carpenter family (though Richard said they all sing "low" including Mary).They sure were having a jolly old time there
You can't blame a Carpenters-fan though for hoping to hear Richard's low-going "...Chri-histmaaas..." part right before the final "...dar-liiiinnnng", but I did hear a very nice "oooh" chord before the last "I wish I were with you"
Well, if I'm no mistaken, Spectrum was around from the 2nd half of 1967 thru the 1st half of '68, so if they had any gigs during the last months of '67, they may have sung MCD as well, would love to hear that
As far as Spectrum voicing goes, this is as close as it gets, I guess, just missing 1 male voice:
Walkinat9
Well-Known Member
Been listening to several male versions as well, hoping to find one that appealed to me (maybe if Glenn Medeiros had sung his version in a lower key, coz I did like his voice in some of his hit songs...)
So despite this not being a professional recording and the guitar getting a bit lost at some point, I liked this guy's voice and his laidback style best :
And while we're on the guitar accompaniment, here's a pretty, acoustic guitar instrumental version:
So despite this not being a professional recording and the guitar getting a bit lost at some point, I liked this guy's voice and his laidback style best :
And while we're on the guitar accompaniment, here's a pretty, acoustic guitar instrumental version:
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