Nonexistent Carpenters songs that you can just hear

I just heard the duet, Something’s Missing In My Life, by Paul Jabara & Donna Summer. He’s not a great singer, but decent song writer. He starts the song out very mellow and subdued, often a little flat. Then Donna comes in and sings it at full voice. Totally overwhelmingly so. It ruins the song. Unfortunately Karen’s unreleased version, a much better interpretation, hasn’t been cleaned up and cleared for an official release, is far superior. I hope those 9 missing tracks see an official remixed or cleaned up release before Richard retires completely.

 
I was listening to Bette Midler's 1990 album "Some People's Lives" this morning and the final song "The gift of love" reminded me of this old thread. Suddenly I could hear Karen singing the song and it gave me a strong "Made in America" vibe, if you know what I mean.
The song was written by the same team responsible for the Bangles' smash "Eternal flame": Billy Steinberg, Tom Kelly and Susanna Hoffs. I first heard it on Norwegian superstar Sissel Kyrkjebø's album "Gift of Love" (1992). I'm including both versions here.





One of my favorites from that album is "Since You Stayed Here." Only recently I discovered Dionne Warwick sang it all the way back in 1977. I can hear Karen singing this, too. The wistfulness Bette gives to the final line; Karen would have nailed it.


He Was Too Good for Me / Since You Stayed Here
 
This song popped into my head this morning and upon digging it up online and listening to it, I thought it could have been an eighties Carpenters track that never was. "Let's keep what we've got" was written by Charles Fox and Hal David for the Disney Sunday movie "The Parent Trap II" (1986) and sung by Marilyn McCoo. I liked the song upon hearing it over the opening and closing credits of the movie and remember copying it to a cassette at the time. I've never heard another version of this song anywhere, but now I have no difficulty imagining Karen singing it.

 
Good choice! I don't know if it's "hit" material, but I can surely imagine Karen's voice singing this one.
 
I always thought she'd do a great job on Whitney Houston's "All At Once." Such a great Jeffrey Osborne lyric. Karen always needed a great lyric to really soar and this has it, not to mention the great chord changes and the monster modulation near the end.

Ed
 
I was listening to Harriet’s song today that she recorded, “I’m Not In Love” and I could hear this on Karen’s solo album. If not one of the album tracks, even a demo. The key is perfect for Harriet and I can hear Karen singing this song as well. There is a kind a smooth sultry, sexiness in her vocals in the way she delivers the lines and it’s so intimate. Karen could easily have recorded this the same way. In fact I can hear Karen’s vocal fry on some of these ending notes in my head. Yes it’s a remake but so was Jimmy Mack and I’m Not In Love would have been such a better choice for an unreleased recording from her solo sessions.

 
I was listening to Harriet’s song today that she recorded, “I’m Not In Love” and I could hear this on Karen’s solo album. If not one of the album tracks, even a demo. The key is perfect for Harriet and I can hear Karen singing this song as well. There is a kind a smooth sultry, sexiness in her vocals in the way she delivers the lines and it’s so intimate. Karen could easily have recorded this the same way. In fact I can hear Karen’s vocal fry on some of these ending notes in my head. Yes it’s a remake but so was Jimmy Mack and I’m Not In Love would have been such a better choice for an unreleased recording from her solo sessions.


I just listened to this song i can totally hear karen on this. Especially the ending. Very nice song. Thanks for sharing.
 
When I first heard 10cc "I'm Not In Love" in 1975, I thought it was Paul McCartney & Wings!! Singer Eric Stewart on lead vocals. Eric Stewart did worked with Paul McCartney in the 80's decade including "Tug Of War" (1982) & "Flowers In The Dirt" (1989)!!
 
Among many others this beautiful classic from The Great American Songbook - Frank Loesser's 1944 masterpiece...Sarah nails it...

 
The Johnny Hates Jazz track 'Turn Back The Clock' would have been a dream for Karen. The song is crying out for a lush Carpenters arrangement and the tempo and warm, nostalgic lyric and whistful chord changes make it perfect for Karen.

 
The Johnny Hates Jazz track 'Turn Back The Clock' would have been a dream for Karen. The song is crying out for a lush Carpenters arrangement and the tempo and warm, nostalgic lyric and whistful chord changes make it perfect for Karen.


I had never heard this song before, but I can so hear Karen on it- and an amazing Richard "Only Yesterday/Only the Angels Know" type arrangement.
 
The whole album is really good. The big hit was Shattered Dreams of course, but my favorite is Me and My Broken Heart. Ironically I just bought the 30th Anniversary expanded edition with 12” mixes, b-sides,and acoustic versions of the album in a 3 disc set. One of my favorites from the 80’s. Definitely worth buying.
 
Even though Richard did record this as an instrumental I can hear Karen singing "Favorite Things" From The sound of
 
Along these lines … I just read a couple of weeks ago that Last Night I Couldn't Get to Sleep at All was originally written for the Carpenters, but they turned it down because they were uncomfortable with the reference to using sleeping pills. I don't know why I never knew that before. I'm not going to complain about the 5th Dimension's version -- but now when I play, it I try to imagine what Richard & Karen would have done with it.
 
Tony Macaulay said:
"They said 'Oh, we can't record it because it mentions sleeping pills and they are drugs and we don't mention drugs.'

He subsequently rewrote that part of the lyric, didn't like what he'd written, and he submitted it to the Fifth Dimension instead. Talk about not understanding the context of a lyric. "Goody Four Shoes" to a fault...LOL!

Ed
 
I can imagine that Karen would have done an amazing cover of "Daydream Believer". I really like Anne Murray's version but I would have loved to have heard Karen sing it.
 
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