Mix & Match the Post-1973 Tracks

[ringves]

I think it's fair to say that most fans consider the post-1973 albums to be less rewarding than the initial albums up to 1973. Even Richard himself has described "Horizon" - which most fans consider to be a classic - as "a little draggy".

So here's a challenge. Take all the songs from "Horizon" up to "Made in America" (excluding the Xmas album) and make up only 3 studio albums. You can mix and match songs from different recording sessions with the objective being to maintain the Carpenters commercial viability and avoid the obvious tiredness which crept into some of their later work.

Any takers ?

 

[Mark-T]

Sure! Give me some time...and I promise not to read this thread again until I have mine done...

 

[RainyDays]

Yeah, I'll take part!

 

[Mark-T]

OK, looking at all these tracks, I made a few hard-core choices:

• No oldies. Postman, Hush. Breaking Up, Beechwood.
• No Standards- save I Can Dream Can't It for a full disc of them
• No quirky songs- no Occupants, Man Smart, Argentina. Save Bwana for the jazz album
• Christmas Portrait is perfect as is.

So, release number 1: Classic sounding ballads with a few upbeat tracks

Release #1

Touch Me When We’re Dancing
I Need to Be in Love
Boat to Sail
All You Get From Love is a Love Song
Solitaire
Happy
Want You Back in My Life Again
I Just Fall in Love Again
You
Only Yesterday
I Believe You
One More Time
Love Me For What I Am

Next year, Christmas Portrait
Christmas Portrait (as released) #2

Third year, a Country Collection special release (maybe with Top of the World-both versions, Jambalaya and Reason to Believe. Showing a mix of old and new)

Country Collection (Release #3)
Those Good Old Dreams
Desperado
When It’s Gone
Sweet Sweet Smile
Two Sides
Goodbye and I Love You

It was obvious to me that part of the problem with getting a hit was the song choices. If we could have included all releases post The Singles, the list would look very different. But I was trying to play by the rules...OOPS- just realized that Christmas was Excluded! Bad student!

 

[A&M Retro]

GREAT list! Exactly how I would have picked it myself, though I definitely would include 'Two Sides' on the killer album list. One of my all-time favorites.

 

[Must Hear This Album]

I’m down. Okay, so I think Karen and Richard should have taken 1975 and most of 1976 off of work and focused on just enjoying their well-earned success. In the fall 1976, they should have gone back to the studio to record the follow-up to Singles 1969-1973.

The album would have been called, Two Sides, with side one, billed the “happy side,” being entirely comprised of happy, mostly up-tempo songs, and side two, titled, “sad side,” being reserved for heartache-themed ballads.

The album would have come out in the summer of 1977.

“Happy Side”
Happy
Only Yesterday
Touch Me When We’re Dancing
Those Good Old Dreams
Sweet, Sweet Smile
You’re The One

“Sad Side”
I Need To Be In Love
Desperado
(I’m Caught Between) Goodbye And I Love You
One More Time
When It’s Gone (It’s Just Gone)
Two Sides

 

[RainyDays]

I’m down. Okay, so I think Karen and Richard should have taken 1975 and most of 1976 off of work and focused on just enjoying their well-earned success. In the fall 1976, they should have gone back to the studio to record the follow-up to Singles 1969-1973.

The album would have been called, Two Sides, with side one, billed the “happy side,” being entirely comprised of happy, mostly up-tempo songs, and side two, titled, “sad side,” being reserved for heartache-themed ballads.

The album would have come out in the summer of 1977.

“Happy Side”
Happy
Only Yesterday
Touch Me When We’re Dancing
Those Good Old Dreams
Sweet, Sweet Smile
You’re The One

“Sad Side”
I Need To Be In Love
Desperado
(I’m Caught Between) Goodbye And I Love You
One More Time
When It’s Gone (It’s Just Gone)
Two Sides

Great concept and title!

 

[Mark-T]

Nice!

 

[A&M Retro]

Ok, here's my dream album post '75 (not counting Karen's solo or their killer Chrismas albums):

Aurora
All You Get From Love Is A Love Song
(Want You) Back In My Life Again
Only Yesterday
Sweet Sweet Smile
Two Sides
Desperado
Two Lives
Trying To Get The Feeling Again
You're The One
Touch Me When We're Dancing
Please Mr. Postman
Your Baby Doesn't Love You Anymore
Ordinary Fool (with all the syrup removed....just bass, piano, drums and Karen's leads)
Eventide

I kept Sweet Sweet Smile followed by Two Sides as originally sequenced for "Passage". And not the CD version, but the original vinyl release. There's very little time elapsed between songs on the original release. The songs segue beautifully on the vinyl , and that's lost in the CD pressings. Now that I look back, there are only four Top 40 hits on my list.

Oh, well, $#!^ happens.

Amazingly, nothing from "A Kind Of Hush" made my list. To my ears, that's the draggy album. There's a sadness there that's difficult to pinpoint. It's just not Carpenters at their very best. There's some beautiful stuff on that album, but none of them compare to the songs above in my opinion (with the possible exception of "I Need to Be In Love").

 

[goodjeans]

Ok, here's my dream album post '75 (not counting Karen's solo or their killer Chrismas albums):

Aurora
All You Get From Love Is A Love Song
(Want You) Back In My Life Again
Only Yesterday
Sweet Sweet Smile
Two Sides
Desperado
Two Lives
Trying To Get The Feeling Again
You're The One
Touch Me When We're Dancing
Please Mr. Postman
Your Baby Doesn't Love You Anymore
Ordinary Fool (with all the syrup removed....just bass, piano, drums and Karen's leads)
Eventide

I kept Sweet Sweet Smile followed by Two Sides as originally sequenced for "Passage". And not the CD version, but the original vinyl release. There's very little time elapsed between songs on the original release. The songs segue beautifully on the vinyl , and that's lost in the CD pressings. Now that I look back, there are only four Top 40 hits on my list.

Oh, well, $#!^ happens.

Amazingly, nothing from "A Kind Of Hush" made my list. To my ears, that's the draggy album. There's a sadness there that's difficult to pinpoint. It's just not Carpenters at their very best. There's some beautiful stuff on that album, but none of them compare to the songs above in my opinion (with the possible exception of "I Need to Be In Love").

 

[goodjeans]

...imagine "I Need To Be In Love" with a stronger drum track and over the top sibling overdubs, bringing it home.
I remember a Phila. DJ commenting that Karen should 'shack up' and stop the depressing songs.
Well, she was shacking up and the wonderful tune needed more meat.
IMHO.
...whatever and have a great day/evening.