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I totally agree. Lots of other great performances, but there's something extra special about 'Solitaire'.I had not listened to 'Solitaire' in a long time. Just listened to it. My God. "Hypnotize" is right. I know it's subjective, but is there a song that better displays Karen's vocal acumen? Just amazing.
I love 'Road Ode' as well. The melancholy but warm, engaging and conversational quality of Karen's vocal in the first two verses, especially, before the first chorus, is all at once attention-grabbing, endearing and captivating.I personally like Road Ode it's probably my favorite Carpenters number approx area I like is 1.44 - 2.10 , but I really love this song so much apart from Solitaire and A Song For You its my top Song by them.
I know a lot of fans think Solitaire is slow and plodding, but to me it's her finest recording. A cavalcade of her vocal brilliance, all measures of her talent is expressed on this single track...It is an amazing work IMHO...I totally agree. Lots of other great performances, but there's something extra special about 'Solitaire'.
Richard Carpenter (Solitaire, Gold Liner Notes):
"Why I felt that those two additions (guitar and pipe organ)
were worth all the trouble and expense incurred is beyond me now."
(To this comment , I say.....wake up Richard !)
A bit off topic, but let's just call it a "palate cleanser". Why we love Karen (all Karens). One of the great baby boomer female names (my wife's name is Karen). The greatest "Karen" moment in cinematic history;
I liked that reading of the word, Solitaire, for sure, but there's another one that was equally as mesmerizing to me - on the final chorus when the double Karen's and maybe Richard - sort of reverberates on the first syllable of SOLitaire... just before 'And keeping to himself he plays the game'... it's a very climactic portion of the song, and I love the vocal arrangement as well as the musical crescendo...I had not listened to 'Solitaire' in a long time. Just listened to it. My God. "Hypnotize" is right. I know it's subjective, but is there a song that better displays Karen's vocal acumen? Just amazing.
Agreed.... Similarly to that tune, I like the intimacy on An Uninvited Guest. The versus on that song are a vocal triumph for me... Those little cracks in her annunciation... it really is like she is sitting right there next to you as so many have said through the years...When we hear the doubling of Karen's background vocals:
"...on my own way..."
in Somebody's Been Lying.....
I'd like to hear more of that type of "background" on Made In America....
I love 'Road Ode' as well. The melancholy but warm, engaging and conversational quality of Karen's vocal in the first two verses, especially, before the first chorus, is all at once attention-grabbing, endearing and captivating.
I personally like Road Ode it's probably my favorite Carpenters number approx area I like is 1.44 - 2.10 , but I really love this song so much apart from Solitaire and A Song For You its my top Song by them.
It's a decent tune. I know what they were going for but, IMHO, the lyric is pretty rough. It's like they knew what they wanted to say but had trouble saying it. Unfortunately, with a fantastic singer like Karen, lyrical flaws are spotlighted and they are for me here. The song feels very much to me like "We've Only Just Begun" sideways - especially the chorus. I do like the chord changes though.
Ed
On the Bacharach/David Medley from 1971, you can hear "woah, woah, woah.....wahhhhhhhhh" & then the instrumental part comes in & someone is laughing!! Matt Clark Sanford, MI
Yes! I agree about the impact of all these moments! Wonderful wafts of sound and melody! Snatches that demonstrate Richard's immense skill.I can’t remember if I said this but “Sing” has a few of these moments - most due to Richard’s vocal arrangement:
Karen’s first “to last your WHOLE LIFE LOOOONG”
Second verse - Richard and Karen’s backgrounds as the kids sing
Richard and Karen’s “to last your whole life loooong”.
The kids “la la la la la” behind Richard’s and Karen’s vocal line in the same spot. Masterfully arranged. The kids were made part of the “stack” and it’s genius.
The “Ooh ooh” Richard and Karen do behind the second to last “just sing...sing a song”
The kids on the last one.
Great stuff from Richard all around. His vocal arrangement saves what’s otherwise a pretty cheesy idea.
Ed