some thoughts about Karen...

[cam89]

Hello All,
I was wondering about Karen and if she got any media coverage on the 20th anniversary of her passing? Anything in magazines?
I was listening to the song Another Song on the CLOSE TO YOU lp, and I really love her simple intro...and then the song really turns rocking...to me, it sounds like a light alternative song of today, with some more harmony...her vocals have an edge...she sounds as if she is bordering in pain and sadness. Vocally, the song is too short...but I love the pyschodaelic quality of it...and the harmonic sound blows me away. how could anyone listen to this song and say it is easy listening? I mean, I think the Carpenters were very gifted in their craft...adding many different musical dimensions to their songs and albums. Was Karen drumming on this track or Hal Blaine?
I was listening and watching the REMEMBERING THE CARPENTERS dvd, and was watching the AVE MARIA song...what a gorgeous rendition by Karen...she was very thin...and tv adds about 10 pounds...but her version was gorgeous...I was able to hear Karen sing the song Ave Maria live, on tape given to me by another Carpenters fan, and she almost sings it exactly like the album version...and does a powerful job. I wish one day we could hear Karen's other version of the Schubert version...unless it was only the instrumental that was recorded...
The song For All We Know, won an academy award for best song 1970...but the Carpenters did not win an academy award right? I think maybe since they had the hit single...people associated the award with them...right?
Did anyone catch the version the Carpenters sang in 1972 of Bless The Beasts and the Children? Was it live or lipsynched? How did she sound?
The neat thing about Karen is that if she liked an outfit, she wore it lots of times, and not just throwing it away after one use. I really liked a lot of her hairdos and clothes. She was fashionable in her time. I know, because I look back at pics of my Mom, and she wore similar fashions and hairdos...

My thoughts,
Cameron
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[Jay Maynes/Juan Oskar]

Hal Blaine was the drummer on most of the early Carpenters stuff. Even Close to you. Later...Jay

 

[Only Yesterday]

I think Karen was the drummer in this song. Hal Blaine indeed was drumming in the most of the early stuff, but in the Close To You album, Karen was the drummer in the tracks: Mr. Guder, Another Song, Help and I Kept On Loving You ( I guess).

Please if anyone have for informations and like to share with us, we'll be glad!!!

 

[CraigGA]

I think that Close To You had high influences of early 70 jazz, as well as the birth of the smooth comfort sound that became their focus with songs like Close to You and Maybe It's You.

Another Song is one of my favorites and displays not only the vocal talents of Karen, but the vocal dubbing technique and arrangements that Richard used with a text-painting reference, esp. in the words, 'the warmth of you has gone', ending in a drum solo that focus on the inner self as it travels through the 'new land'.

Although this is clearly a perfect picture of musical arrangement, the ear would never have heard it if it was not for Karen's voice, which framed it.

Craig