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Official Review [Single]: 8. "HURTING EACH OTHER"/"MAYBE IT'S YOU" (1322-S)
- Thread starter Chris May
- Start date
Carpe diem
Well-Known Member
Thanks for bringing this thread to the spotlight once again, it was overlooked by me but now I get to vote...Side A for me. Love Maybe It's You, but not a hard choice. Hurting...one of their big hits from that incredible roll they were on the first half of the decade. A great pop song, fit Top 40 radio perfectly. Wonderful lead vocal from Karen with a memorable hook. The video was awesome too.
But, I too have been "duped", it's not "ocean king"?! All this time..."Ocean King" fits in perfectly with the follow-up lyrics; "walks along the waves of velveteen, his only thought is love for me..." How does "ocean came" make sense? My whole visual of this song is now messed-up.
But, I too have been "duped", it's not "ocean king"?! All this time..."Ocean King" fits in perfectly with the follow-up lyrics; "walks along the waves of velveteen, his only thought is love for me..." How does "ocean came" make sense? My whole visual of this song is now messed-up.
theninjarabbit
Well-Known Member
I always saw these lines as two different perspectives. "Rising on the shore, the ocean came." Then, after this observation, we return to the narrator with "Walks [being a noun, not a verb] along the waves of velveteen... his [the gentleman the narrator is walking with] only thought is love for me."
I can see how it works the other way-- the "ocean king" rises from the shore and walks alongside it, hoping for love between the narrator and the other person.
I can see how it works the other way-- the "ocean king" rises from the shore and walks alongside it, hoping for love between the narrator and the other person.
GaryAlan
Well-Known Member
It is amusing....even with a song such as
Maybe It's You
(which, heretofore, I have largely ignored),
once I spin the 45-Vinyl and then begin listening to all of the extent compilations,
Albums,Cd's...and such...I acquire an entirely new--and different--perspective
of one 'little' song. So, as with yesterday I only listened to various versions of
the exact same song--Maybe It's You--nothing else, just one song.
But, I surely appreciate this song ever so much more !
Maybe It's You
(which, heretofore, I have largely ignored),
once I spin the 45-Vinyl and then begin listening to all of the extent compilations,
Albums,Cd's...and such...I acquire an entirely new--and different--perspective
of one 'little' song. So, as with yesterday I only listened to various versions of
the exact same song--Maybe It's You--nothing else, just one song.
But, I surely appreciate this song ever so much more !
theninjarabbit
Well-Known Member
I went to a Carpenters tribute band concert last week, and their performance of "Hurting Each Other", both at the show and on their CD, intrigued me. They ended it with a cold stop, a la "If I Had You"-- the line "Can't we stop" right after the last "breaking each other's hearts, tearing each other apart". It left enough of an impression on me to wonder what it would have been like if the Carpenters had done it originally.
David A
Well-Known Member
Agreed, I love it when I see older threads like this go active and I have an opportunity to participate in a current context.
Hurting Each Other has always been a favorite of mine. I really enjoy reading comments from those who are musical, concerning things like delineating how a particular chord is constructed, etc - often times it explains in technical terms why I loved something about the song but didn't know "what" it was that grabbed me (in this case, that amazing "STOP" chord, as explained by Harry and Chris); when listening to this song, I feel a pleasant tension build, waiting for that chord sound like a sweet little bump of Dopamine
It also helps me better understand and appreciate the talent and effort that went into the construction of their songs, and why those who reflexively dismiss the C's as "pop pablum" have their heads firmly ensconced in their...
_I_ hear "ocean came" and that makes sense to me. "King"...is she singing about Poseidon? "Ocean king" sounds like an outboard motor model. Hah!
Carpe diem
Well-Known Member
First I have heard this version. Seems Karen's "basement" voice is a little more pronounced on this recording. More depth. I like it!
In May 1972, Carpenters toured Australia and released 'Great Hits of the Carpenters' to coincide with the tour. 'Hurting Each Other' peaked as the tour progressed, eventually reaching Number 4, after entering the charts on March the 20th. The song spent 27 weeks on the charts in total, becoming Carpenters' third longest-running hit on the Australian charts after 'Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft', (29 weeks), and 'Close to You', (31 weeks). 'Hurting Each Other' became the 23rd biggest hit of 1972 in Australia. It was, of course, performed throughout the tour, as seen on the live concert special screened on Channel 7 at the time and now available on DVD in Japan and seen on YouTube.
'Great Hits of the Carpenters' entered the charts during the tour, on May 15th, and eventually reached Number 3, becoming the 16th biggest album in Australia for 1972. It stayed on the charts for 18 weeks.
Because of this album's success, Australia didn't later get 'The Singles' but instead released 'Great Hits Vol 2 1969 - 1973', (Number 24). 'Hurting Each Other' appeared on this album, as it hadn't entered the charts when 'Great Hits' was released.
Other successful compilations in Australia which included 'Hurting Each Other', up to the early 90s, were 'Very Best of the Carpenters', (Number 1 in early 1983), and 'Their Greatest Hits', (Number 15 in 1990).
'Great Hits of the Carpenters' entered the charts during the tour, on May 15th, and eventually reached Number 3, becoming the 16th biggest album in Australia for 1972. It stayed on the charts for 18 weeks.
Because of this album's success, Australia didn't later get 'The Singles' but instead released 'Great Hits Vol 2 1969 - 1973', (Number 24). 'Hurting Each Other' appeared on this album, as it hadn't entered the charts when 'Great Hits' was released.
Other successful compilations in Australia which included 'Hurting Each Other', up to the early 90s, were 'Very Best of the Carpenters', (Number 1 in early 1983), and 'Their Greatest Hits', (Number 15 in 1990).
tomswift2002
Well-Known Member
Don't forget that they were thinking of releasing Help as a single before Close To You. I wonder how that would've faired.
It would be interesting to see how Druscilla Penny did on the Argentinian/Paraguay charts.
I don't think 'Help!' would have been a hit had it been the second single. Although it's a different arrangement from the original, it's not distinctive or memorable in the way that 'Close to You' was. Following up 'Ticket to Ride' with another Beatles cover as a single wouldn't have been a very smart move for a new act either.
tomswift2002
Well-Known Member
As Richard says on the official website “Help” was slated as their second single after Ticket.
Carpenters: Close To You album, 1970, Karen Carpenter, Richard Carpenter
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
It’s frightening to think what could have happened if they’d gone ahead with that as a single. It likely would have bombed and Herb, this time listening to those urging him to drop them after Offering, would probably have let them go.
Hi
Often wondered why Hurting each other was never released in the UK. Its such a great song.
some chart info
Hurting each other.
Austalia no 4
Brazil no 3
Canada no 2
Hong kong no 8
Japan no 56
Malaysia no 1.
Hurting Each Other was released in the UK as a single (catalogue number AMS 885) in early 1972, but like several of their early singles ('Rainy Days and Mondays', 'It's Going to Take Some Time' and 'Sing'), it failed to make the Top 50 singles chart that was then in operation.
newvillefan
I Know My First Name Is Stephen
Given their immense popularity in the UK, I often wonder why some of the singles performed so poorly on the charts.
I think it’s partly down to the fact that they were seen more as an albums band. Some more contemporary acts fare similar in the UK: Sinply Red are also known for selling huge amounts of albums but they have only ever had one UK chart topper.
I think a lot depended on whether singles got airplay or promotion, especially for a foreign act. The public would only know a single had been released by either hearing it on the radio, seeing it on TV (and generally the song had to have already charted for that to occur) or happening upon it in a record shop. Presumably if a track didn't get picked up by radio stations, it wouldn't get much traction in terms of sales. With only a Top 50 chart as well, it would be relatively easy to get squeezed out of the rankings. Even other big US artists like Diana Ross and Stevie Wonder released some singles that missed the charts at that time.
Simply Red were around in a slightly different era - they generally promoted their singles quite heavily in terms of TV appearances, etc, but their singles success was spotty. Certainly their albums were bigger sellers.
