NEW SPECIAL: A Song For You (BBC)

Harry, I understand the frustration and disappointment. I have two CDs and two Hi-Res downloads of RPO. I would have preferred one of each with the definitive final versions. That said, this experience, even though at times frustrating, for me was much more preferable than getting nothing but crickets from Richard and Universal.

As with anything else in life, one takes the good and not so good and decides what value to give it.

As far as any of the new versions being definitive, for me the one (and probably the only one) has to be "Ticket To Ride." The newly recorded piano, orchestrations, mix, and that it is one of K & Rs best interpretations of someone else's material make it timeless. It is both nostalgic (in a good way) and current, as if it had been recorded just yesterday. Yet parts of the song were recorded 50 years ago! For me this final RPO version is definitive.
 
I think if there’s another RPO album than there’s so many more songs I’d like to see included over “Now” which just isn’t a great song, despite the lyrics having emotional significance as Karen’s last song.

What about “A Song For You”? I Can’t Make Music? Road Ode? Hideaway? One More Time? I get that all can be included but I’d put priority over so many more songs before Now.
 
Personally, I disagree with Richard on one point: Another Song was an excellent addition to the Close to You album. Really shows off versatility and willingness to take risks.

I still have to hear the audio, what did he say about it?
 
As much as I was pining away for my RPO vinyl, I don't believe I have played it since I got it. I still tend to listen to their original albums. The album cover is nice and so is the white vinyl and I'm glad I have it in my collection. As far as Karen's vocals "being more out front", I wanted to think so, but now I'm not so sure. I thought so on I Just Fall In Love Again, but then I play my vinyl of the song from "Passage" and her lead sounds magnificent. Did we really get much bang for our bucks?
 
Personally, I disagree with Richard on one point: Another Song was an excellent addition to the Close to You album. Really shows off versatility and willingness to take risks.

Yeah, I disagreed with him there as well. Yes, the album was rushed but that song was right in their laps and perfectly placed to close side B. It’s my favourite track from the entire album.
 
When I hear CTY as a whole I’m awestruck but how eclectic and fluid/well-paced it is. Yes, there’s some of their beautiful standard ballads (Baby/Maybe it’s You) but even on their bread and butter these arrangements still are fresh and compelling. In other words, they don’t feel like filler to solely demonstrate Karen’s pathos, but legit tracks with substance. The track list has so much variety that it leaves you breathless. An enormous contrast to an album like AKOH.

Another Song is the epitome of their early innovation because it’s so unlike anything that came after, and ends the album with an intoxicating swirl of textures and moods. It’s brilliantly beguiling lyrically and musically, which suits each their gifts perfectly. (And I’m of the opinion that the remix ruins the tension and excitement with a needlessly plodding baseline.)
 
I love Another Song and find it a very creative selection for the Close To You album. I can’t imagine it not being a selection. It’s actually one of my favorites.

As far as the RPO goes, I’ll Just Fall in Love Again sounds perfect, better than before. Even so, I never thought of the project as definitive, yet alternative. Superstar, Rainy Days, Hurting Each Other, Ticket, For All We Know and Touch Me all have great versions and even better than on past albums. The only one that actually suffers from the original is Top of the World. The others are decent alternative versions. it is certainly worth the money to me and if you get downloads by amazon you can get them in better fidelity than on a CD ( with their HD and ultra HD options) and get all updates listening to the cloud free in amazon and iTunes. It is not a misuse or waste of money. All those who prefer albums or CD are most likely going to enjoy what they have better for those mediums have a lack of quality of past comparison. Today, with quality downloads there are choices today for every listener and more still coming. This is something I never thought we would see in our lifetime. I’m excited over new technology and these newer recordings that take advantage of what is out there and possibly even of what is to come!!!!! As an added benefit, downloads have lyrics!
 
My recommendation is to purchase the Amazon Cube or the AppleTV. They have really created a new listening experience for me! The quality of the best fidelity download from Amazon is only limited by the source it plays from. And it tells you in the Amazon music app as to the specific quality and the potential that remains.
 
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He’s been saying that since the 80’s.
Truth be told? I am surprised the 50th was underwhelming. I am very surprised as I have steadfastly refused to accept the empty vault idea.
Although I want to thank Richard Carpenter for all of his preservation. I've been waiting for 49 years and three days for this 50th anniversary. Seven years old at the time. I'd say I'm a faithful person. Too faithful apparently. That's a long time to wait on a dream.
 
The Liner Notes for album Close To You, 40th Anniversary cd-set, Richards writes:
"...four other songs John Bettis and I wrote while still in college, Crescent Moon, Mr. Guder, Maybe It's You and
Another Song, a perfect example of pretentious, wacky, '60s musical abandon. It is complete with a recitative (lifted from Handel)
and extended solo backside. Karen's and my multi-tracked vocal break which precedes the Borodin-inspired penultimate section,
however, is still thrilling to listen to."
 
Note to Chris May: Please take notice of the significant outpouring of love for "Another Song" in this thread and strongly consider communicating it to Richard at some point in your future interactions. I think it is important that he know how many of his fans revere and continue to engage with his "...wacky 60s musical invention" and regret that he did not venture at least a bit further into it. Some of what he says here is reminiscent of what Brian Wilson used to say about SMILE, and it's possible that neither of these two extremely gifted songwriters/arrangers were able to find a comfortable balance between major commercial success and a parallel world where their work could legitimaltey enter into the scary, pretentious, mercurial world of "high art."

Hence, perhaps, the continuing discomfort about the "extreme" edges of the Spectrum material--and all the more reason why he should be made aware of people's love and admiration for it. Maybe he'll wave it off, but at least he will know the depth of people's feelings--and that might count for something...
 
Note to Chris May: Please take notice of the significant outpouring of love for "Another Song" in this thread and strongly consider communicating it to Richard at some point in your future interactions. I think it is important that he know how many of his fans revere and continue to engage with his "...wacky 60s musical invention" and regret that he did not venture at least a bit further into it. Some of what he says here is reminiscent of what Brian Wilson used to say about SMILE, and it's possible that neither of these two extremely gifted songwriters/arrangers were able to find a comfortable balance between major commercial success and a parallel world where their work could legitimaltey enter into the scary, pretentious, mercurial world of "high art."

Hence, perhaps, the continuing discomfort about the "extreme" edges of the Spectrum material--and all the more reason why he should be made aware of people's love and admiration for it. Maybe he'll wave it off, but at least he will know the depth of people's feelings--and that might count for something...

Perhaps Richard could visit this site and read for himself what his core fans are saying about his work and his legacy. He could learn a lot about what the "market" for his product is saying and desiring. But he'd have to wade through some personal attacks on him and his mother which might be why he stays away.

But count me in as also a "fan" of Another Song!
 
I wish Richard would redo the song im caught between goodbye and I love you. I like the country vibe that it has. Also i really love a song for you because of karens vocals. Not to mention the reprise that is just tugging at my heart strings.
Who agrees?
 
Yes, and heck I'm still in love with "Nowadays Clancy....." What I love about those early album tracks are how they are a capsule of the time. Also, When It's Gone is a good one too to look at. Finally, "You're the One" always sounds like there was problems with the background of noise. But man, that is a great performance. Just please please, the only one I BEG is never redone is "Jambalaya". I just can't with that one. :)
 
Yes, and heck I'm still in love with "Nowadays Clancy....." What I love about those early album tracks are how they are a capsule of the time. Also, When It's Gone is a good one too to look at. Finally, "You're the One" always sounds like there was problems with the background of noise. But man, that is a great performance. Just please please, the only one I BEG is never redone is "Jambalaya". I just can't with that one. :)
I agree with each song but When Its Gone. It’s the only song that I dislike. The arrangement and orchestration is just beat to death with the recitative percussion like a death march on a country road. Karen sings great but the song is just too long and drawn out. As all redone tracks from the early 70’s vocal harmony is removed along with the tracks of noise so Jamambalya would end up sounding ‘live’ with little background stacks and emphasized bass and drum line. I love You’re the One and always felt it deserved to be a 1977-78 hit but the Carpenters just were not getting AirPlay in those days. I always felt that the turn to TV was correct for them, it just needed less goofiness in the content of the shows. Thankfully, the Christmas have proved their power since Disco had not crept into Christmas to override tradition as it had in pop music. And yes, there were slow songs like Anne Murray’s You Needed Me and Debbie Boone’s You Light Up My Life, but they were not the Carpenters. It was a total flip from the early 70’s when the Carpenters were heard over Anne and the Boone Family.
 
I agree with each song but When Its Gone. It’s the only song that I dislike. The arrangement and orchestration is just beat to death with the recitative percussion like a death march on a country road. Karen sings great but the song is just too long and drawn out. As all redone tracks from the early 70’s vocal harmony is removed along with the tracks of noise so Jamambalya would end up sounding ‘live’ with little background stacks and emphasized bass and drum line. I love You’re the One and always felt it deserved to be a 1977-78 hit but the Carpenters just were not getting AirPlay in those days and the song was still on the shelf. I always felt that the turn to TV was correct for them, it just needed less goofiness in the content of the shows. Thankfully, the Christmas have proved their power since Disco had not crept into Christmas to override tradition as it had in pop music. And yes, there were slow songs like Anne Murray’s You Needed Me and Debbie Boone’s You Light Up My Life, but they were not the Carpenters. It was a total flip from the early 70’s when the Carpenters were heard over Anne and the Boone Family.
 
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