Agreed, I love it when I see older threads like this go active and I have an opportunity to participate in a current context.Thanks for bringing this thread to the spotlight once again, it was overlooked by me but now I get to vote...[SNIP]
First I have heard this version. Seems Karen's "basement" voice is a little more pronounced on this recording. More depth. I like it!One of my favorite versions of this single is the mono promo version. There's a little bit of extra reverb heard in Karen's lead in the mono version with some compression that sounded great on AM radio stations of the day.
Harry
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 really is fascinating to hear this bit about Austraila and it reminds us of all those early hits and how big they actually were in those first few years! I really think they could have had even a few more hits in 1971 if they desired.
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.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.
As Richard says on the official website “Help” was slated as their second single after Ticket.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.
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.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
HiIn 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).
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.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.
Given their immense popularity in the UK, I often wonder why some of the singles performed so poorly on the charts.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.
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.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.