Carpenters-in-the-crib
Active Member
Well, I think "goofus" and "man smart" are lousy. "Believe" is not as bad, but not worth a mention either. I pretty much do not like most of what they did past 1975, including Karen's throw-away solo album.
Poll: Your Favorite Least Favorite Carpenters Track
- Thread starter John Adam
- Start date
AnnaSock
Active Member
I’ve voted for I Believe You as it’s the track I listen to most out of those three, and I particularly like the RPO version. However, I can’t say I particularly dislike any of them.
Although, in general, some of the Carpenters’ songs are better (or at least more to my personal taste) than others, I can honestly say there isn’t a track of theirs I don’t enjoy listening to. My favourites seem to change depending on my mood.
Although, in general, some of the Carpenters’ songs are better (or at least more to my personal taste) than others, I can honestly say there isn’t a track of theirs I don’t enjoy listening to. My favourites seem to change depending on my mood.
John Adam
"A House Is Not A Home"
From by above opening explanation and one response.
"These seem to be three of the Later 70's more "unloved songs".........And they feature full-on "Karen" vocals."
Thanks for the suggestions, though. Valid points.
Geographer
Well-Known Member
I have no problem with the choice of the three tracks. I Believe You belongs there with the other two, for sure. The fact that I chose Goofus and my "favorite least favorite" song was an eye opener to me. I HATE Goofus, but find it much more listenable than the other two. I will give IBY one kudo, though; it's more listenable than Man Smart Woman Smarter. Now THAT song was a waste of recording time/tape.
John Adam
"A House Is Not A Home"
Thanks for your input! But please vote for "Believe" and we won't tell anyone!
John Adam
"A House Is Not A Home"
A fun and logical way to look at this, which was my intention! Good job.
GaryAlan
Well-Known Member
Actually, I find it difficult to use the word "hate"
for any Carpenters' recording.
Out of their total output, there are perhaps TEN songs that I dislike to some extent.
I can't honestly use the word "hate." No matter what my inclination, I will say this:
Karen's voice is NEVER the real issue with any of the songs I dislike:
an example is I Believe You. She sings the song flawlessly, to be sure.
However, the overall arrangement and the lyric simply fail to spark my interest.
Goofus wins for me, if only due to its outstanding arrangement and vocal harmonies.
I almost like Man Smart, Woman Smarter...but, its flow is somewhat "clunky." (halting ?),
and it is an adventurous undertaking.
Here is Robert Palmer, and I like this:
for any Carpenters' recording.
Out of their total output, there are perhaps TEN songs that I dislike to some extent.
I can't honestly use the word "hate." No matter what my inclination, I will say this:
Karen's voice is NEVER the real issue with any of the songs I dislike:
an example is I Believe You. She sings the song flawlessly, to be sure.
However, the overall arrangement and the lyric simply fail to spark my interest.
Goofus wins for me, if only due to its outstanding arrangement and vocal harmonies.
I almost like Man Smart, Woman Smarter...but, its flow is somewhat "clunky." (halting ?),
and it is an adventurous undertaking.
Here is Robert Palmer, and I like this:
I'm surprised "Drucilla Penny" isn't on the list. It's gotten a lot of hate over the years.
Of the songs on the list, I would have to pick "I Believe You" as my favorite of the bunch. I don't hate it as much as others do, but it would still never make my Carpenters top 40 list.
Of the songs on the list, I would have to pick "I Believe You" as my favorite of the bunch. I don't hate it as much as others do, but it would still never make my Carpenters top 40 list.
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
Another example of of a late 70s Carpenters recording where Richard’s arrangement is a virtual carbon copy. Karen even emulates his singing style on their version.
GDBY2LV
Well-Known Member
Of these 3 choices it’s Goofus. What an odd song to record in the mid seventies. Maybe it was a favorite of Harold & Agnus, for them. Then to release it as a single when “You” was such a powerful alternative. Anyway it’s poor chart success further lead to radio steering away from them as a result. I consider AKOH lp a for the fans only release even today.
MorningOpensQuietly
Well-Known Member
Wow, that's a pretty harsh declarative. Sorry to hear that you don't even like the classic "Christmas Portrait" released in 1978! Want to reconsider?
John Adam
"A House Is Not A Home"
AnnaSock, I'm with you. I don't hate any songs, but there are some that I tend to skip when playing a CD. My least favorite of the three is "Smarter." It just isn't my preferred listening. "Goofus" gets annoying after a while, again not my cup of tea. After it's inclusion in the RPO set, I have a better liking of "Believe." The poll results are really close right now, but it does show our appreciation for these sometimes unappreciated songs!
Thanks to everyone who has voted or commented so far. That's what we do at the Carpenters Forum
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
I disagree, that song is nothing more than a pleasant album track on a medioacre album filled with album-only tracks (I Need To Be In Love aside). Herb Alpert’s assessment of the quality of the material during the recording process was spot on: not up to their usual standard. Strange that the label allowed the album to go forward despite these concerns but then stepped in and vetoed the solo album for the supposed same reason.
Another Son
Well-Known Member
I was crazy over both ‘Goofus’ and ‘I Believe You’ at the time they were singles! For starters, both feature a strong dose of one of my favourite sounds - Carpenters’ harmonies - and both feature another of my favourite things - soul-satisfying arrangements of the type that Richard did so well. As a pre-teen, I recognised the whimsy of the lyrics, (and the tune), of ‘Goofus’ and loved it. I’m not sure whether you have to be a kid to enjoy that side of the song, though - I mentioned my age thinking that may have helped - it remained a favourite for the next forty years.
‘I Believe You’ was released during (another) boiling hot summer and I was entranced by it. I thought it a majestic, high quality recording and production, especially in terms of the vocals, harmonies and arrangement - a cut above other music played at the time. It’s true that, over the years, I’ve come to think of the lyrics as being a bit mushy, but the recording itself and the song will probably never go out of favour with me. Interestingly, both ‘Goofus’ and ‘I Believe You’ were very definitely on high rotation on my local radio station, when they were released.
Although ‘Passage’ reached Number 11 in my state and generated a lot of excitement, ‘Man Smart, Woman Smarter’ never ignited a spark of any sort in me, which was unusual in a song that Karen sang, and it’s never caught my interest in the 40 years since. (Songs which Richard sang and instrumentals - usually little spark). Somehow, the song suits Robert Palmer better, in that era of his career. It’s interesting that almost the same arrangement as Robert Palmer’s was used on Carpenters’ version. I was listening to Palmer’s version recently - I don’t mind some of his output from that era. I still don’t particularly like his version, but I’ve liked Carpenters’ version less. Their version almost irks me and always has, even when I was a die-hard mid-teen fan.
It would never have occurred to me to put ‘Goofus’ or ‘I Believe You’ on a ‘worst of’ list. ‘Man Smart, Woman Smarter’, I can believe.
Something to keep in mind is that just because people mention flaws in the lyrics or critique production or have an opinion over choice of single or whatever, it doesn’t mean they HATE or even dislike the song. You can be unsure about the lyrics, for example, or see negative features in some area or have opinions about some other aspect of the song, but still love the overall package.
‘I Believe You’ was released during (another) boiling hot summer and I was entranced by it. I thought it a majestic, high quality recording and production, especially in terms of the vocals, harmonies and arrangement - a cut above other music played at the time. It’s true that, over the years, I’ve come to think of the lyrics as being a bit mushy, but the recording itself and the song will probably never go out of favour with me. Interestingly, both ‘Goofus’ and ‘I Believe You’ were very definitely on high rotation on my local radio station, when they were released.
Although ‘Passage’ reached Number 11 in my state and generated a lot of excitement, ‘Man Smart, Woman Smarter’ never ignited a spark of any sort in me, which was unusual in a song that Karen sang, and it’s never caught my interest in the 40 years since. (Songs which Richard sang and instrumentals - usually little spark). Somehow, the song suits Robert Palmer better, in that era of his career. It’s interesting that almost the same arrangement as Robert Palmer’s was used on Carpenters’ version. I was listening to Palmer’s version recently - I don’t mind some of his output from that era. I still don’t particularly like his version, but I’ve liked Carpenters’ version less. Their version almost irks me and always has, even when I was a die-hard mid-teen fan.
It would never have occurred to me to put ‘Goofus’ or ‘I Believe You’ on a ‘worst of’ list. ‘Man Smart, Woman Smarter’, I can believe.
Something to keep in mind is that just because people mention flaws in the lyrics or critique production or have an opinion over choice of single or whatever, it doesn’t mean they HATE or even dislike the song. You can be unsure about the lyrics, for example, or see negative features in some area or have opinions about some other aspect of the song, but still love the overall package.
GaryAlan
Well-Known Member
I do enjoy comparing Dorothy Moore, Barbara Mandrell and Karen Carpenter,
I Believe You.
Dorothy sings of a "brown eyed little girl," Barbara sings of a "blue eyed girl" and
Karen sings of "freckled little girl." Interesting, the slight variations on that lyric.
Karen's is the only lead-vocal that wraps around me in any meaningful manner.
Barbara Mandrell incorporates some nice changes (countrified), though.
I Believe You.
Dorothy sings of a "brown eyed little girl," Barbara sings of a "blue eyed girl" and
Karen sings of "freckled little girl." Interesting, the slight variations on that lyric.
Karen's is the only lead-vocal that wraps around me in any meaningful manner.
Barbara Mandrell incorporates some nice changes (countrified), though.
I agree totally. This goes into what I was going to say about I Believe You - the lyrics are awkward and clumsy as hell but yet it's my favorite song of these three because I love the dreamy feel of the orchestration and Karen's completely into the words, much more so than her drab reading of, say, "You". She makes the lyrics sound compelling through the emotion and phrasing - who else could give a listener goosebumps with that final "freckled little girl who looks like we do..." line and make it sound moving and alive?
Carpenters-in-the-crib
Active Member
You got me there. I love their Christmas music!!!Wow, that's a pretty harsh declarative. Sorry to hear that you don't even like the classic "Christmas Portrait" released in 1978! Want to reconsider?
GDBY2LV
Well-Known Member
I don’t dislike any of the 3 songs in this poll. I just think Goofus was a goofy song choice. The whole AKOH lp is weak as far as AM radio hits. The adult station where I was going to college played it too. It’s on very few compilation sets because of its poor chart success and the kind of song critics love to pounce on. At least “You” made it on the Japanese only “Evergreens” cd.
The fan club did ask which cut from AKOH should be the next single though, and Goofus was the fans choice. The rest is history.
The fan club did ask which cut from AKOH should be the next single though, and Goofus was the fans choice. The rest is history.
Another Son
Well-Known Member
I notice that Barbara didn’t fancy living in a cave. The song definitely works as a country song. I like Dorothy Moore’s version. I’m a bit of a fan - I have a few of her CDs - not because she sang ‘I Believe You’. For me, it started with ‘Misty Blue’.
John Adam
"A House Is Not A Home"
Did anyone mention "worst list?"
A bit of thought went into the three I chose, hoping it might spark some great conversation. We all would have a different three songs, that's for sure, but for different reasons. Which leads me to the last paragraph you wrote that I agree with wholeheartedly, Brian. Thank you for posting that.Another Son
Well-Known Member
Robert Palmer’s version of ‘Man Smart, Woman Smarter’ has more punch and grit. Maybe it’s the repeated guitar line. That definitely adds something. I didn’t mind listening to his version just then. I could almost like his, especially when played in context of the whole album or with others of his songs from that era. (I didn’t like the ‘Simply Irresistable’ / ‘Addicted to Love’ era).
tomswift2002
Well-Known Member
How many people are not reading the first post?
But, quite frankly I’d take “Druscilla Penny” over “I Believe You” any day.
John Adam
"A House Is Not A Home"
The countrified version has a few lyrical variations from the Carpenters version. It sometimes comes across as a totally different song. The Carpenters version is the most "grand" of the three versions. But is bigger always better?
All three of these songs (in the poll) are "grand" in a different way than many of the Carpenters tracks. They seem to attract attention for various reasons, which would be fun to continue to discuss.
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