Name your top 15 favorite songs!

I am looking over other people's lists and realized the quandary I am in, in that there are more songs I could choose, so I am going to take it on myself and add a Second List of 15 songs which could be merged with the one I just gave...

16. All You Get From Love is a Love Song
17. Those Good Old Dreams
18. The Uninvited Guest
19. Road Ode
20. Maybe It's You
21. Mr. Guder
22. Happy
23. You
24. Want You Back In My Life Again
25. Another Song
26. Sailing on the Tide
27. Two Lives
28. Two Sides
29. I Just Fall In Love Again (RPO version with instrumental segueing before it)
30. Ave Maria
 
It’s interesting that a quieter album track such as ‘Crescent Noon’ appears on about one third of the Top 15 lists on this thread. ‘Crescent Noon’ is one of my old favourites, so I shouldn’t be surprised.
 
I agree with your sentiments, Jarred. I think that ‘Somebody’s Been Lying’ was actually more classy, or traditionally ‘musical’, maybe, than a lot of the music appearing on early 80s albums, which is perhaps why it might have given the impression of not belonging to the 80s.

It's very classy, and doesn't have a whiff of the early 80s because it's so classy. Does it fit in with the pop scene then? Of course not. But it sounds better and more timeless today and that's what matters most. The 80s as a whole is largely hit and miss for me, it's the most "tacky" and dated era of popular music even when I do love individual songs from that decade. MIA is demonstrative that the duo were woefully out of touch with the times, but even if they weren't, would the album really have soared on the charts? I think that's why I'm forgiving of them continuing on with their more timeless 70s sound, because it makes the better tracks on MIA sound much better today as a result.
 
I’m going to try for 15:
1. Yesterday Once More
2. Close To You
3. A Song For You
4. Rainy Days and Monday’s
5. We’ve Only Just Begun
6. For All We Know
7. Superstar
8, Top Of The World
9. Hurting Each Other
10. Love Me For What I Am
11. Bacharach Medley
12. Where Do I Go From Here
13. I Won’t Last A Day Without You
14. I Can Dream, Can’t I
15. Bless The Beasts and the Children

Wow, I did not think I could actually pick only 15. These may probably change tomorrow for there are so many favorites that don’t fit into 15. Ever time I make a list of favorites it grows. I think each song chosen by others are also great songs-especially Somebody’s Been Lyin. Just listen to Karen’s vocals alone-they are exquisite! (It’s the pompous orchestration that weakens it, because it was not necessary.) which brings up the subject of the magic found in the earlier songs. I used to think as a youth, that it was a talent to choose certain instruments to accompany the songs for it was just enough, not too much, yet classic. Little did I know it was because of a lack of tracks. However, as I age, I like it all. It’s just harder to keep it at a high quality level. Maybe that’s why I like the RPO in the songs. It raises the bar! One thing funny, I can’t believe I left off Please Mr. Postman, for I played that song so many times as a youngster that the black colored groves became light gray to almost white. (I love all the layered vocals to the end of the song-plus Karen was in great voice). That’s why I said, tomorrow the list could have adjustments.
 
1.- Yesterday Once More
2.- Superstar
3.- Trying to get the feeling again
4.- Prime Time Love
5.- All you get from Love is a Love Song
6.- Want you back in my life again
7.- If I had you
8.- Slow Dance
9.- If We Try
10.- Top of The World
11.- Touch Me When We're Dancing
12.- Kiss me the way you did last night
13.- Rainy days and Mondays
14.- There's a Kind of Hush
15.- B'Wana She no Home
 
I made a list of my favorites and it was 27 tracks. Making the cuts was painful. I left some good ones off the list (TTR [I like the 1969 version as much as the 1973 version], Happy, Solitaire, RDAM, HEO, Road Ode, I Can't Make Music, etc.). Anyway, as others have said, these are my favorites right at this moment.

Someday
Baby It's You
Mr. Guder (TBH, I prefer their live performances of this song to the album version)
For All We Know
Superstar
A Song For You
Only Yesterday
(I'm Caught Between) Goodbye And I Love You
One More Time
Two Lives (I had to include this one; this provides my custom title)
Look To Your Dreams
The Uninvited Guest
If I Had You
Little Altar Boy
Tryin' To Get The Feeling Again

I shall make no comments about other's lists. I have thick skin, so you can fire away at me if Mr. Guder offends anyone.:D

YEAH! for Mr Guder!! Love the album version, but I agree with you that seeing Karen sing it live is always a delight!!:)
 
I can’t help it...must include 5 more for 20 favorites.
Ordinary Fool, From This Moment On, Ella/Karen Medley, Caught Between Goodbye and I Love You, I Just Fall In Love Again.

Craig
 
Great question...very difficult to answer! Haha.

My favourites change regularly, but I’ve tried to narrow it down to my current top 15 (in no particular order).

  1. We’ve Only Just Begun
  2. I Need to be in Love
  3. Goodbye To Love
  4. All You Get From Love is a Love Song
  5. Sweet, Sweet Smile
  6. Two Sides
  7. Love Me For What I Am
  8. Calling Occupants
  9. California Dreaming
  10. Baby, It’s You
  11. Superstar
  12. Leave Yesterday Behind
  13. Please Mr. Postman
  14. Rainy Days and Mondays
  15. Happy
 
SO hard- and it always changes. But for now, and by album (and like all of you, I cut out many songs I love):

We’ve Only Just Begun
Baby It’s You

Superstar
Rainy Days and Mondays

Hurting Each Other
A Song for You

This Masquerade

Only Yesterday

I Need to Be in Love
Boat to Sail

All You Get From Love is a Love Song

Strength of a Woman

Ordinary Fool
Your Baby Doesn’t Love You Anymore

When I Fall in Love
 
An impossible exercise, but currently:
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (1974)
Please Mr. Postman (Single)
Solitaire (Single)
We've Only Just Begun
A Song For You
Bless The Beasts And Children (soundtrack)
Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft (long)
One More Time
Trying To Get The Feeling Again
Goodbye To Love (original)
Yesterday Once More (single)
Top Of The World (1972)
At The End Of A Song
Love Me For What I Am
Merry Christmas Darling (1970)
 
It's amazing how people's lists differ. GaryAlan's list has only four songs that appear on my list, and there are 12 songs on my list that don't appear on his!
 
It's amazing how people's lists differ. GaryAlan's list has only four songs that appear on my list, and there are 12 songs on my list that don't appear on his!

I was just thinking the same!

When looking at other people’s lists, I’ve also been seeing songs I’d overlooked. I’ll likely revisit my own list again soon.
 
My Top 15 (in order, as of this date):
  1. Solitaire
  2. I Need to Be in Love
  3. Only Yesterday
  4. Superstar
  5. You're the One
  6. Rainy Days and Mondays
  7. We've Only Just Begun
  8. There's a Kind of Hush
  9. All You Get From Love Is a Love Song
  10. I Won't Last a Day Without You
  11. You
  12. I Can Dream Can't I
  13. Two Sides
  14. Yesterday Once More
  15. Please Mr. Postman
 
I don't generally list favorites or non-favorites, but at some point in time I assembled a playlist of favorite Carpenters songs. They all sound good to me:

Faves.jpg
 
Here are mine:

  1. You’re The One
  2. Happy
  3. Sweet Sweet Smile
  4. When It’s Gone (It’s Just Gone)
  5. Rainy Days And Mondays
  6. I Need To Be In Love
  7. Goodbye To Love
  8. B’wana She No Home
  9. Goofus
  10. At The End Of A Song
  11. From This Moment On
  12. Tryin’ To Get The Feeling Again
  13. The Rainbow Connection
  14. Baby It’s You (RPO Version)
  15. Look To Your Dreams
 
When Richard and Karen recorded “album cuts”, I wonder if they realized just how much they would affect some listeners, like me. I believe it’s what kept me coming back to them and buying their albums.
 
I don’t hear any 50’s sound to it. Thing is, the Carpenters should’ve gone more in the direction of Touch Me, Beechwood & Want You. The early-80’s were full of ballads by Air Supply and other groups. And it was clear that in 78, “I Believe You” was not the way to go for success, so why they decided to populate MIA with similar songs four years later is a mystery.

I don't hear any 50's thing either. I hear a decent Paul Riser MOR arrangement that's one of his sleepier renderings. He's done far better for others (think Teena Marie's "Casanova Brown" for where he really flexes his muscles). Karen sounds wonderful on it but it was doomed to fail, IMHO, and it did.

Ed
 
In no particular order:

1. All You Get From Love Is A Love Song
2. Rainy Days and Mondays
3. Road Ode
4. You're The One
5. Kiss Me The Way You Did Last Night
6. Crescent Noon
7. Another Song
8. Bacharach-David Medley
9. Let Me Be The One
10. B'wana She No Home
11. Eve
12. When It's Gone, It's Just Gone
13. Love Me For What I Am
14. I Won't Last A Day Without You
15. Ordinary Fool
 
Last edited:
Top Of The World (Favorite)
Aurora/Eventide
Crystal Lullaby
For All We Know
Happy
I Won't Last A Day Without You
Leave Yesterday Behind
Only Yesterday
Sing
Superstar
Sweet Sweet Smile
Those Good Old Dreams
Yesterday Once More
Love Is Surrender
Dont' Be Afraid To Love
 
Back in March 2016, there was a thread called "Carpenters In 20 Songs". I took my list from that thread, removed 5 items, and changed 1. It was as hard as having teeth pulled.

1) Eve
2) (They Long To Be) Close To You (Extended Album Version)
3)Superstar
4) A Song For You
5) This Masquerade
6) Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (1974 Single)
7) Bacharach/David Medley (1974 Extended, Live Version; Anthology Album)
8) Solitaire (1975 Single)
9) I Can Dream Can't I
10) You
11) Don't Cry For Me Argentina
12) Where Do I Go From Here
13) Merry Christmas Darling (1978 Version)
14) Now
15) I Just Fall In Love Again (RPO Version)
 
Back in March 2016, there was a thread called "Carpenters In 20 Songs". I took my list from that thread, removed 5 items, and changed 1. It was as hard as having teeth pulled.

1) Eve
2) (They Long To Be) Close To You (Extended Album Version)
3)Superstar
4) A Song For You
5) This Masquerade
6) Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (1974 Single)
7) Bacharach/David Medley (1974 Extended, Live Version; Anthology Album)
8) Solitaire (1975 Single)
9) I Can Dream Can't I
10) You
11) Don't Cry For Me Argentina
12) Where Do I Go From Here
13) Merry Christmas Darling (1978 Version)
14) Now
15) I Just Fall In Love Again (RPO Version)

Great choices! Karen sings Don’t Cry For Me Argentina excellently. Also, the RPO version of I Just Fall In Love Again is one of the most beautiful songs I’ve heard.
 
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