⭐ Official Review [Single]: 21. "GOOFUS"/"BOAT TO SAIL" (1859-S)

Which side is your favorite?

  • Side A: "Goofus"

    Votes: 15 32.6%
  • Side B: "Boat To Sail"

    Votes: 31 67.4%

  • Total voters
    46
MORE THAN DANCING was only available in the us as an import, and they were few and far between. C&T left A&M because they felt the A&M machine had lost confidence in them. they went to CASABLANCA were they had a #1 hit. due to multi reasons CASABLANCA folded as their second album was released. I think the DANCING album must have been self funded because it was on a MOONLIGHT AND MAGNOLIAS label; everything TONI did was associated with moonlight and magnolias.
 
I don't know about Ireland, but in Australia, 'Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft' reached its high level of success all by itself. It was never flipped with 'Can't Smile Without You' on radio. 'Calling Occupants' was all over the airwaves all over the country in late 1977 and especially in early 1978. At night, when radio stations turned up their frequencies and you could pick up stations from the other side of the country, when you turned the dial, you heard the song on every second station. It reached Top 5 in individual states such as South Australia but peaked at different times in different places, so only rose to Number 13 nationally. (One national chart has it peaking at Number 10).

Getting on to the topic of this thread, I like both 'Goofus' and 'Boat to Sail'. Having said that, I've got a feeling that 'Goofus' had a different 'B' side in Australia.

I loved 'Goofus' at the time it was released as a single. (I was twelve at the time). It was played regularly on local radio, (which was only a small station in a sparsely-populated area. I doubt that it was played widely across the country). I loved the whole 'A Kind of Hush' album, at the time. I ordered that in 1977, the year after it was released. To order records in my town, you went into a dark, dusty store with bicycles hanging from the ceiling and fans, washing machines, nuts and bolts and all sorts crowding the floor, and placed your order. You had to wait for about half an hour while a book listing currently-available records was consulted and the order form was filled out. Then you waited two or three months for the record to arrive.

I played 'A Kind of Hush' constantly and loved 'Goofus' as much as all the other tracks. I loved the harmonies, the story of the song, the piano chords, the instrumentation and that long 'Oooooh' at the end. I loved the fact that the lyrics mentioned growing up on a farm in the country. I was excited every time I heard the song on radio.

For this survey, although I liked 'Boat to Sail', I have chosen 'Goofus' as my favourite side because I regard it as the more interesting song with the more impressive arrangement. It also has that sentimental pull for me, being attached to childhood memories.

Boat to Sail was the B side here in Australia as well.
 
Goofus. I just like the whole feel of it and Karen delivers an upbeat vocal, there are great harmonies, an interesting arrangement and a tuba. It's a track that would have inevitably appeared on a Richard Carpenter Trio album had rock tuba taken off.

Boat to Sail is a close second (though almost won if only for that moment when Karen does that final exhale at the 3.03 mark).
 
Goofus. I just like the whole feel of it and Karen delivers an upbeat vocal, there are great harmonies, an interesting arrangement and a tuba. Boat to Sail is a close second (though almost won if only for that moment when Karen does that final exhale at the 3.03 mark).

I agree. I reckon 'Goofus' is great! I love the tuba. I love the harmonies. I love the range and the fun of the song. It would be one of the best three songs on the 'A Kind of Hush' album.

I don't think I am such a big fan of the final 'Ah' on 'Boat to Sail', or any of the other 'Ahs'. 'Boat to Sail' is a reasonable song, but nowhere near as enjoyable as 'Goofus'.
 
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My vote goes to Goofus, I really like that song. I have never been able to get into Boat to Sail and usually skip it when it appears on rotation. I have a test pressing 45 rpm of Goofus that sounds really nice and being issued with a mono recording is terrific. I like Karen's vocal performance on this track and the sax solo and drums are neat.
 
^^Yes, I have often stated--and, still believe-- that Carpenters'
Goofus has a great arrangement.
And, those harmonies !
I do love the song !
 
Had to chime in--again--regarding the song
Goofus.....
First, it is of some interest to note that (according to the website Who's sampled...)
the song Goofus occurs in very few incarnations. Of those, fewer still with vocals.
And, that being said, my assessment remains unaltered:
Creative arrangement , great harmonies and fluid vocals.
Really, for me, this song is a winner off of the Hush album.

What does not help this song is the attempt to lip-sync in the 1978 Space Encounters Special.
That "shtick" does it no favors. Too bad.
 
I'm split I love the background vocals and arrangements of both. I voted so long ago I forget which one I chose. I choose both this morning. Well heck, any morning.
 
Had to chime in--again--regarding the song
Goofus.....
First, it is of some interest to note that (according to the website Who's sampled...)
the song Goofus occurs in very few incarnations. Of those, fewer still with vocals.
And, that being said, my assessment remains unaltered:
Creative arrangement , great harmonies and fluid vocals.
Really, for me, this song is a winner off of the Hush album.

What does not help this song is the attempt to lip-sync in the 1978 Space Encounters Special.
That "shtick" does it no favors. Too bad.
I agree, GaryAlan. There's something really different and appealing about the song and it sounds great. It's always been one of my favourites from 'A Kind of Hush'. I really dislike the video from the special, though.
 
(page 18) CashBox ,August 28, 1976:
"CARPENTERS (A&M 1859)
Goofus (3:09) (Leo Feist — ASCAP) (W. King, W. Harold, G. Kahn)
An inspired choice for a single from this duo. The two take this old song and make it
their own. The harmonies are outstanding, and Karen Carpenter has never sung better.
A fun song, this will get a lot of MOR play, and should get a lot of pop adds too. Slick sax
solo."


CashBox
October 9th, 1976:
"ON THE SINGLES SCENE
: Among the most heavily programmed
jukebox singles in the area, according to Ralph LaRose of Syracuse One Stop, are:
“Do You Feel Like We Do” by Peter Frampton (A&M), “A Dose Of Rock And Roll” by Ringo Starr
(Atlantic), “Love So Right” by the Bee Gees (RSO), “I Only Want To Be With You” by the Bay
City Rollers (Arista), “Goofus” by The Carpenters (A&M), “Muskrat Love” by the Captain &
Tennille (A&M) and “The Reaper” by Blue Oyster Cult (Columbia)."
 
So, I am listening to Goofus this morn.
What is interesting here is that---as is well known---
Saturday, Mr. Guder, Druscilla Penny....haven't worn well with me through the years.
(as with the overdose of Medleys).

On the other hand, each time I listen to Goofus,
as with the 1976 Cashbox Review above,
I greatly enjoy the "outstanding harmonies."
And, I do feel it is an "inspired choice."
 
You is my favorite song from the album. VERY RADIO FRIENDLY and goes back to their classic sound.

Goofus Was my first 45. I got it in 2000 when I was 12 and played the heck out of it. Love the song, but had they released something like this on A Song For You or Now & Then it would’ve been more appreciated.

By the way Gary Drucilla Penny and Saturday and For All we know are two of my favorite songs from that album.
 
It's funny, I also got my first Carpenters 45 in 2000, but it wasn't Goofus, although it was from the same album. It was There's A Kind Of Hush (All Over The World).
 
A Kind Of Hush was my favorite song when I was age 3-5. I played Singles 74-78 and Offering like crazy as a kid. Multiple times a day. Drove my family nuts!

Singles 1974-1978 was the first album cover I remember seeing and hearing. I loved Kind Of Hush and sweet sweet smile as a toddler and would dance singing “early in the morning till it’s dark”
 
An abomination of a single. Terrible A-side that never should have even been recorded in the first place, coupled with a sleeper B-side (even if it is a lovely track). Whoever thought up this combination at this point in their career needs their head examined. Richard never should have let this one through.
 
Can I repeat my previous Post ?
CashBox , August 28, 1976 (page 18):
"CARPENTERS (A&M 1859)
Goofus (3:09) (Leo Feist — ASCAP) (W. King, W. Harold, G. Kahn):
An inspired choice for a single from this duo. The two take this old song and make it
their own. The harmonies are outstanding, and Karen Carpenter has never sung better.
A fun song, this will get a lot of MOR play, and should get a lot of pop adds too. Slick sax
solo."


CashBox October 9th, 1976:
"ON THE SINGLES SCENE
: Among the most heavily programmed
jukebox singles in the area
, according to Ralph LaRose of Syracuse One Stop, are:
“Do You Feel Like We Do” by Peter Frampton (A&M), “A Dose Of Rock And Roll” by Ringo Starr
(Atlantic), “Love So Right” by the Bee Gees (RSO), “I Only Want To Be With You” by the Bay
City Rollers (Arista), “Goofus” by The Carpenters (A&M), “Muskrat Love” by the Captain &
Tennille (A&M) and “The Reaper” by Blue Oyster Cult (Columbia)."
 
I wondered when this thread would resurface again :whistle:

Guess it goes hand in hand with the activity of the "Hush" album thread! (Which I've been following lately.)

An abomination of a single. Terrible A-side that never should have even been recorded in the first place, coupled with a sleeper B-side (even if it is a lovely track). Whoever thought up this combination at this point in their career needs their head examined. Richard never should have let this one through.

I personally don't care for Goofus. It is just plain goofy. It would of made a great non-album B-side curiosity at best. Karen sounds great, as she does on all of the "Hush" album. I just don't think it's a great song period. I don't know if any (artist) could make me like this song. But I don't blame this single for being the downfall of the Carpenters pop career in the States. That's my only defense of "Goofus."
 
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