New Release - If I was asked to create

[Song4uman]

In case Universal or Richard would ever call to ask me to put together a new album….I thought I should be prepared. J I don’t usually go so detailed on stuff anymore. Used to, but haven’t for a while and decided it would be fun to think about.

The album would be released as streaming, download, CD and double vinyl.

The vinyl would be pressed by one of the following, since Universal seems to not press vinyl well.

SMLXL Vinyl

Music on Vinyl

Craft Recordings

I’ve purchased records pressed by each of these and they are GREAT!! More on the vinyl colors later…



The album would be gatefold with glossy paper with the logo in black ink. The cover photo would be the one with Karen in an orange dress seated in a white chair with Richard standing behind. The back cover would be the “Reminiscing” cover in yellow and white. Inside the jacket there would be four photos taking up the entire space.

1. From the same shoot as the Lovelines cover. It is in Randy’s book Illustrated Discography pg 115, also in Mike and Chris’ book, pg. 204

2. Rolling Stone cover

3. Photoshoot of Karen’s solo album with red jacket and big hair. Not the over the shoulder one, but straight on.

4. another from Randy’s book, Chapter 18, page 167

The inside dust jackets would have lyrics, info and more pictures, a nice lightweight card stock



The vinyl would come in various colors, depending on where purchased and would all be 180 gm, AND would be perfect!!!!

Amazon – black

Carpenters site – Orange Marbled

Barnes and Noble – Split vinyl orange/yellow

Target – one translucent orange one translucent yellow

Target would have an exclusive. New pressing inside of Close to You 7” orange vinyl and the cover would be one of the photos I have seen with Karen wearing a pink headband.



Richard would use the same program that brought Karen’s voice forward in the RPO albums – so any place I say vocals cleaned up, etc. that is what it means



Album 1

Without a Song – just Karen and Richard the intro part

Bless the Beasts and the Children – soundtrack version

Alternate take of Close to You

MMM Medley

I Won’t Last a Day – Karen’s cleaned up vocal and Richard playing new piano accompaniment



Karen/Ella Medley

Tryin’ to Get the Feeling- vocal cleaned up

Medley from Make Your Own… vocal cleaned with new piano by Richard and new segues

Rode Ode – vocals cleaned

Can’t Smile without you – b-side 74-78 version



Album 2

I Can’t Make Music – cleaned up vocal with new accompaniment of Richard playing piano

New piano medley by Richard of NON Carpenters songs- his own spin

And When He Smiles – cleaned up vocal

Make Believe It’s Your First Time – solo version

Something’s Missing – unreleased solo

Last One Singing The Blues- cleaned up vocal



A Song for You – cleaned up vocal

When Time Was all we Had – Richard from Time

Please Mr. Postman – Karen’s vocal with new accompaniment by Pentatonix

This Masquerade – Karen’s clean up vocal – new accompaniment with Take 6

Sweet, Sweet Smile – Karen’s vocal with new accompaniment by a blue grass band – I don’t know names

Karen’s Theme


Jonathan

 

[Song4uman]

@Mike Cidoni Lennox
@Chris May

 

[tomswift2002]

Ok, here's my idea:

Title of the album:

Carpenters: Prime Time Love

Format to be released: Vinyl, HDCD, DualDisc, Digital

Artwork: Front cover will be a print of a new oil painting, commissioned for this release that features the likeness of Karen and Richard somewhere, but paints a scene from the song "Prime Time Love". The inside gatefold of the Vinyl and under the CD/DVD tray will have the yellow/white photo from Reminiscing, with the titles on each side (kind of like the 1985 Yesterday Once More LP). The back cover will feature the Phoenix shirt picture from the 1984 Yesterday Once More record.

One note about the DualDisc is that it will offer all the tracks remixed into DTS 5.1 on the DVD side; the CD side will have non-HDCD PCM versions. The stand-alone CD will be encoded in the 24-bit HDCD format.

So with that set aside, lets get to Disc 1

CD/DualDisc 1
Vinyl Side 1

Prime Time Love
You're Baby Doesn't Love You Anymore
Don't Try To Win Me Back
Leave Yesterday Behind
(Want You) Back In My Life Again
Remember When Loving Took All Night
The Rainbow Connection

Vinyl Side 2

Say Yeah!
My Body Keeps Changing My Mind (1991 Remix)
Who Do You Love?
Lovelines
Beechwood 4-5789
I've Got Rhythm
You're Just In Love

CD/Dual Disc 2
Vinyl Side 3

Dancing In The Street
I Kept On Loving You
Touch Me When We're Dancing
Slow Dance
Tryin' To Get The Feeling Again
Baby It's You (RPO version)

Vinyl Side 4

Making Love In The Afternoon (record new backing track to make it an upbeat dance track without the disco elements)
Jimmy Mack (use Karen's vocal track, record new backing instruments)
Kiss Me The Way You Did Last Night
You're Enough
Sailing On The Tide
All You Get From Love Is A Love Song
California Dreamin'


CD/DualDisc 3

Vinyl Side 5

Sweet, Sweet Smile
I Won't Last A Day Without You (re-record the backing track, and give it a more punchy feeling)
Jambalaya (On the Bayou) (re-record the piano into stereo)
Breaking Up Is Hard To Do
Can't Smile Without You (74-78 version)
Goofus

Vinyl Side 6

There's A Kind of Hush (All Over The World) (remix it, so that it's got more of a dance beat to it, maybe re-record the drums to give it the bigger punch)
Fun, Fun, Fun
Heather (re-record Richard's piano in stereo to get rid of the "dated" sound)
Book of Love
Shuboom!
Johnny B. Good
Johnny Angel (studio version)
Daddy's Home
Little Honda
I'm Still Not Over You

 

[David A]

Really enjoy reading these, appreciate the thought and effort put into this - though I suspect it was a "labor of love" as they say .

I agree with many of the choices and options, including packaging ideas.

 

[Randy M]

In one of these threads ages ago, I said I was working on a Christmas CD of Karen/Richard without all the music in between, as separate tracks. Finally!!! I finished it after mulling it over for years and years. Got the songs in running order, volume equalized, and ready to burn to CDR. I always walk away for a few days when I've been focused on one project. Tonight I gave it a full all-the-way-through listen. It sounds great! More than great. I was/am quite proud of myself...... and then song #10, I'll Be Home For Christmas (song #9 is Merry Christmas Darling), began playing. My ears pricked up when I heard some clicks and other small artifacts which sound a lot like vinyl clicks? I'm scuttling about manually de-clicking or replacing it with a backup version. It's happening, and it will be home (my home) for Christmas.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

^^
They did the same thing on Time Life Christmas with the Carpenters. It’s just all Karen one song after the next with no separate tracks. I really like this set except for track MCD which should not have been tampered with.

Wow Christmas is right around the corner. 🎄

 

[Harry]

I took a different tack. I took the German Christmas Portrait and separated out the tracks so that when they come up in a random shuffling, the song has a more proper start and end. It required a few fade-outs and fade ins, but it works. When the German CD was mastered, the track index was "approximate" at best.

 

[motownboy]

My idea is a Carpenters album of stripped down versions of songs they have recorded. This is the opposite to the RPO album. It would be using the original multitracks and/or (preferably) new arrangements by Richard using piano, acoustic guitar, small string ensemble, perhaps some wind instruments, and light percussion. This would work SO fantastically well because of Karen and Richard's talent and because of the songs.

Suggested Songs (in no particular order):
Desperado
The Uninvited Guest
We've Only Just Begun
(I'm Caught Between) Goodbye and I Love You
Happy
Goodbye To Love
Make Believe it's Your First Time (Karen's solo LP version)
I Need to Be in Love
Sweet, Sweet Smile
Touch Me When We're Dancing
Two Sides
Now
Reason to Believe
Solitaire
Those Good Old Dreams
When it's Gone (It's Just Gone)
Ticket to Ride
Tryin' To Get The Feeling
I Can't Make Music
Top Of The World
Where Do I Go From Here
You're The One
Reworking a Bacharach/David Medley using songs from the live versions
Medley: Johnny Angel/End of The Word (arranged into a medley)
Medley: Da Doo Ron Ron/One Fine Day (I wish Karen had recorded the full lyrics for "One Fine Day')
Last One Singing The Blues

I think this is a very worthwhile project that would be received very favorably and would bring new fans to Karen and Richard. Plus, it could be done by Richard without leaving his area of residence.

 

[tomswift2002]

Last One Singing The Blues I’m kind of surprised that Richard hasn’t issued a remix or just finished it in the last 30 years since it was put on the solo album. I know he doesn’t like the solo tracks as much, but out of the whole collection, it’s the one track that is in the worst legally released state.

 

[Mark-T]

Last One Singing The Blues I’m kind of surprised that Richard hasn’t issued a remix or just finished it in the last 30 years since it was put on the solo album. I know he doesn’t like the solo tracks as much, but out of the whole collection, it’s the one track that is in the worst legally released state.

I'm a HUGE fan of this song- even in its unfinished state.

 

[Christopher Gough]

I have an Apple Music playlist which I call my 'Carpenters Platinum Album' - track listing -

Now; The Uninvited Guest; You're the One; From This Moment On; I Won't Last a Day Without You; Love is Surrender; Make Believe its Your First Time; Reason to Believe; 1980 Medley - Sing/Knowing When to Leave/Make It Easy On Yourself; Someday/We've Only Just Begun; Touch Me When We're Dancing; (I'm Caught Between) Goodbye and I Love You; Love Me For What I Am; I'm Still Not over You (from Richard's Album 'Time'); Only Yesterday.

A relaxing mix guaranteed to improve my mood.

 

[Vinylalbumcovers]

Richard would use the same program that brought Karen’s voice forward in the RPO albums – so any place I say vocals cleaned up, etc. that is what it means

That's not the work of a program. He has digital backups of the original multitracks and he avoided the heavy-handed reverb of remixes past. Just an FYI.

Ed

 

[newvillefan]

That's not the work of a program. He has digital backups of the original multitracks and he avoided the heavy-handed reverb of remixes past.

He (or his engineer) did employ software though to remove the various glitches such as the aircon unit that were “locked in” to the recordings. I think that’s what was meant.

 

[CarpentersToYou]

I would take the whole concert that was recorded from where we got the medley in Their Greatest Hits and Finest Performances and have Richard complete the parts that weren't recorded properly - perhaps in the style of RPO

 

[newvillefan]

I would take the whole concert that was recorded from where we got the medley in Their Greatest Hits and Finest Performances and have Richard complete the parts that weren't recorded properly - perhaps in the style of RPO

That I would pay to hear! The rest of the concert recording must exist, minus the bass, kick drum and Richard’s vocal track. It wouldn’t be that hard to spruce up and complete. The audio quality of the medley we do have is outstanding.

 

[tomswift2002]

That I would pay to hear! The rest of the concert recording must exist, minus the bass, kick drum and Richard’s vocal track. It wouldn’t be that hard to spruce up and complete. The audio quality of the medley we do have is outstanding.

At this point, would Richard be able to re-record his vocals. The last interview I heard with him, his voice sounded very dried out from his smoking and age. At this point, would Richard be able to sound like he did 50 years ago before his vocal cords dried out? It reminds me of how when you think of Walt Disney’s vocals in the early 1920’s/30’s Mickey Mouse cartoons they are very high pitched, whereas when you compare his final Mickey Mouse performance in the 1950’s “Mickey Mouse Club” opening, Disney wasn’t able to get it as high as he did 20-30 years earlier because of his age, but really it was due to his smoking having dried out his vocal cords.

 

[Song4uman]

He (or his engineer) did employ software though to remove the various glitches such as the aircon unit that were “locked in” to the recordings. I think that’s what was meant.

Yes. Thank you!!

 

[Florian]

If I would create a new compilation album, for someone who is completely new to the Carpenters, I would do the following track listing:

1. Invocation
2. Hurting Each Other (1973 remix)
3. I Just Fall in Love Again
4. (They long to be) Close to You (1991 remix)
5. I Believe You (2018 RPO mix) - with the standart MIA vocal take
6. Maybe It's You (1990 remix)
7. Baby It's You
8. Ticket to Ride (1973 version)
9. Top of the World (1973 version)
10. Yesterday Once More (1985 remix, without the reverb)
11. There's a Kind of Hush (All over the World) (single mix)
12. Solitaire (Single version)
13. Piano Picker (the version from "Live at the Palladium")
14. Johnny Angel
15. Can't Smile Without You (single version)
16. I Need to be in Love
17. I Won't Last a Day Without You
18. From this Moment on (1980 studio recording)
19. California Dreamin'
20. Get Together (Your Navy Presents version)
21. I Kept on Loving You (clean open)
22. We've Only Just Begun
23. Benediction
24. Sometimes

 

[Harry]

If I would create a new compilation album, for someone who is completely new to the Carpenters, I would do the following track listing:

1. Invocation
2. Hurting Each Other (1973 remix)
3. I Just Fall in Love Again
4. (They long to be) Close to You (1991 remix)
5. I Believe You (2018 RPO mix) - with the standart MIA vocal take
6. Maybe It's You (1990 remix)
7. Baby It's You
8. Ticket to Ride (1973 version)
9. Top of the World (1973 version)
10. Yesterday Once More (1985 remix, without the reverb)
11. There's a Kind of Hush (All over the World) (single mix)
12. Solitaire (Single version)
13. Piano Picker (the version from "Live at the Palladium")
14. Johnny Angel
15. Can't Smile Without You (single version)
16. I Need to be in Love
17. I Won't Last a Day Without You
18. From this Moment on (1980 studio recording)
19. California Dreamin'
20. Get Together (Your Navy Presents version)
21. I Kept on Loving You (clean open)
22. We've Only Just Begun
23. Benediction
24. Sometimes

This is a really nice compilation or playlist. It shows a lot of thought, and it sounds good too. I've been listening to it as a playlist and it's really good.

 

[Florian]

Thank you very much! But I also thought for several hours about which songs go well together and which mix offers the best experience for a newbie.

 

[Mark-T]

I'll also add this here:
What about a project with a decidedly 60s/70s/Retro feel?
Maybe a mix of songs like Nowadays Clancy, Get Together, Help, Baby It's You and focused on some of the earlier hits.
Could appeal to a new crowd that thinks the 60s and 70s were cool.

 

[Beto]

Something similar to Ultimate Collection (UK version, 2 CD) with new remixes in the style of Superstar 2004, dynamics of any 1995 CD (no brickwalled) and the voice with no reverberance and as clear as I Just Fall In Love Again (RPO version). If not, just cleaning/removing those noises of editing in the original mixes and some EQ (no adding kick drum, please!). It could be released next year with the "55th Anniversary" sticker or in 2026 like "Ultimate Collection 20th Anniversary Ed."

 

[Jorge]

How many singles have been released since 1982? Maybe we could have a Carpenters The Singles 1982-2002 and include Trying to Get the Feeling Again, and others!