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And a great way to realize the power of music. Something about the Carpenters struck a chord in us all -- and it is thanks to them that I'm currently enjoying a renaissance, falling in love with late-60's pop and folk music. I always come back to the Carpenters, though; it's the voice of this heart and soul.Thanks for reading it. It's a really great disc, and its a great way to celebrate decades of achievement.
On the next tune, another Carpenter / Bettis number, it's Richard not Karen on the lead vocals- and he's great. Strong, confident, solid, it's a good change of pace. Many fans think I Kept on Loving You ...
Their cover of "Help" was another early recording for the album because the "unsweetened" versions of it along with "Love is Surrender" found their way onto the Your Navy Presents tapes in March. Since Richard said that they had to rush to complete the album once "(They Long to Be) Close To You" hit it big on the charts, I wonder if any of the songs were "leftover recordings" that did not make the final cut for "Offering"?Mark, I greatly enjoyed your thoughtful, fresh, review of LP Close To You !
Thanks for the enormity and effort you put in to that endeavor !
Your review prodded me to a new listen, this morning.
We are fully in sync on the songs Mr. Guder and Help !
Although, I always thought the arrangement for
We've Only Just Begun was subtly complicated ( still brilliant) !
(I've always loved Baby It's You, Another Song and Crescent Noon.
Amusingly, were it not for the LP version of Close To You, that song would never be on my Top 10 !).
And, as with you, it was only after hearing this album that I heard the Offering/Ticket To Ride album.
Which makes the LP Close To You all the more interesting !
(That is, specifically contrasting/comparing those two LP's: especially Karen's vocals and drums !
As for the Bettis/Carpenter partnership: it wasn't until Goodbye To Love that I became convinced
of their songwriting abilities as partnership !).
Also, of some slight relevance, I read this tidbit from the Carpenter Web Site:
Richard Carpenter: " ...the first two tracks recorded being
“Love Is Surrender” and “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again”.
This was before “Close To You” was brought to our attention."
I have, no doubt, forgotten something.
But, of these songs--1967 to 1972--
only four,
Another Song, Crystal Lullaby, Goodbye to Love and Top of the World
stand out for me as excellent Carpenter/Bettis Compositions.
And, at that, Top of the World is "iffy" ! (Though, I love the song !).
Mr.Guder (horrid !)
^^Mary Beth, I believe I have a love/hate relationship with the song, Mr. Guder.
It seems so sophomoric (lyrically) compared to much of the Close To You album.
And, yet, I do discern sparks of ingenuity: the harmonies, especially.
Thus, my use of the term 'horrid,' might be over-doing it, but it is a song I routinely skip.
It has no business appearing on the Gold compilation, but, there it is !
I feel it has been over-sold as a money-maker for the composer !
Boy! I bet when Richard wrote this song that he could've never imagined it would ever be analyzed so deeply and intently many years later! Yikes!I let the lyrics slide a bit more because of the unusual subject matter (not that I have a real issue with them) and that it's a rather interesting topic and title.
I love how the tempo and tone is upbeat and breezy, but the lyrics and ending are very dark and melancholy. Mr. Guder represents their intro to a patriarchal social structure who they will continue to be dictated by. Guder wants them to stay the same, play a game and have no distinguishing characteristics of their own - to become a generic follower. They want to rebel (they publicly make fun of him with the song/title) but know that they are the only ones who will ultimately suffering the consequences. They almost can't muster up the inner strength to fight back (not against just Guder but future "Guder's") and somehow know that despite their youth there going to be stuck in a cycle until they break it. And that really never happened. The song is like a plea, at first disguised as fun and accommodating, but they soon, at the end, real what they really wish to say through the tone and structure of the arrangement. The operatic overdubbing at the end followed by the flute, etc drives home that resigned melancholy like nothing else.
Boy! I bet when Richard wrote this song that he could've never imagined it would ever be analyzed so deeply and intently many years later! Yikes!