Kencarpenterfan
LOVE THE CARPENTERS
MERRY CHRISTMAS DARLING
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Argh I can't vote yet because I haven't heard the RPO version yet, but I promise to vote after I get the CD.
Yes it’s the 7thSame, I'll be able to tell you after Dec 7th. (is it 7th?)
It never ceases to amaze me how much she evolved that amazing voice in such a short amount of time. In the 68 college show where she sang Dancing In The Street she sounded like she could sing for The Runaways. A very Cherie Currie type of voice, followed by the booming chest vocals in 69-70. Shortly thereafter, she was making the hair on peoples necks stand up with her whispery vocals on Close To You, then came the sassiness and increase of power in 74-75, followed by a mellowing and smooth sweetness in 77-78, and almost a sultry style in 79-80 after the influence the solo sessions had on her.Will the new album be on iTunes? Is this new track based off the original or 78 cut?
Also, it's 1970 for me. There's real ache in her voice here, and I love her early deeper voice of the early 70s a bit more than her later one. Her voice grew technically richer and more refined in 1971 (quality wise her 69-70 work was still just as powerful) but I love the grit here, it fits the sadness of the lyric in a way her sweetened 1978 vocal doesn't. It's as if she wanted to move past her old approach and in the process didn't put the emotional element into it. Still great to hear but doesn't have the soul.
It never ceases to amaze me how much she evolved that amazing voice in such a short amount of time. In the 68 college show where she sang Dancing In The Street she sounded like she could sing for The Runaways. A very Cherie Currie type of voice, followed by the booming chest vocals in 69-70. Shortly thereafter, she was making the hair on peoples necks stand up with her whispery vocals on Close To You, then came the sassiness and increase of power in 74-75, followed by a mellowing and smooth sweetness in 77-78, and almost a sultry style in 79-80 after the influence the solo sessions had on her.
Like her favorite group, the Beatles, there was quite a bit of growth in a short amount of time. I guess that's one of the things that makes one an artiste.
1970 for me. I like the rawness in her voice and in the recording, which still retained that edge heard on tracks from the Offering era. The 1978 re-recording is a little too sweet for my liking. The RPO version just goes even further with the sweetness.
So the RPO is the 78 version?
Someone years ago on this board claimed that the yearning in her voice went away after 1975, which I understand what they mean but don't agree. I think because her style did change and we didn't get as many of those more "direct" vocals, for some it feels like a limiting of emotional effectiveness. But I think that even if someone misses her previous style, her matured one is just as haunting, possibly even more beguiling for the way it sneaks around a lyric/melody and when the undiminished melancholy of her voice sinks it's hooks into your soul.
I really like what you wrote above and I had to re quote this part. I agree with you. I’m one that prefers Karen’s later vocals to her early one. I find them much more emotional.
If someone told me I could only have the album TTR or CTY or her solo album, it would be her solo album without hesitation.
It's on the iTunes store right now for pre-order. I found it listed in the "Pre-Orders" section on the main page. If you search for "Carpenters" it doesn't show up.I haven't heard any yet! Will the album be on iTunes as well?
For some the holidays can be a lonely and hard time to get through but this song is so comforting in her delivery and words.
This quote (from Rick) is from another thread, for me it sums up the sentiment of Merry Christmas Darling.
I like all versions of this great song. It's fun to hear her sing it in different times in her life. But I think the 1978 version is somewhat immortalized because of the Christmas special and album.
Take my upvote!As the 1970 version was the "hit" version, I will always champion it as the correct and preferred version.
No. Only Karen’s vocal seems to come from the 78 sessions. The rest of the RPO seems to be a new recording (the 78 mix used the 1970 backing tracks, so stuff like the piano and drums were in mono, whereas on the RPO those are in stereo, with the piano being a electric piano similar to the 1992 remix).So the RPO is the 78 version?
So the RPO is the 78 version?
As far as I can tell, yes: the RPO vocal is the 1978 vocal, with new drums and orchestration.
No. Only Karen’s vocal seems to come from the 78 sessions. The rest of the RPO seems to be a new recording (the 78 mix used the 1970 backing tracks, so stuff like the piano and drums were in mono, whereas on the RPO those are in stereo, with the piano being a electric piano similar to the 1992 remix).
The 1978 version is too "conversational" to me (...a "special" one for you...), with Karen attempting to warm her prior vocal up.