The Karen and Olivia Song Swap

[Mark-T]

Given the mentions of Karen and Olivia Newton-John together (based on the thread Anyone read this? ), I started thinking "What Olivia song would I have loved to hear Karen sing and visa versa?"

Here are my answers:

Karen would record "Lovers" (from the "Clearly Love" album) and "Make a Move on Me" (from the "Physical" album).

Olivia would record "Boat to Sail" (But of course! ) and "Crystal Lullaby".

What would your choices be?

 

[CARPENTERS-COLLECTOR]

can`t think of an answer to the thread right now, but I like your blog Mark
never thought anyone, would ever sing `when I fall in love` like Nat King Cole, till Karen blew me away with it, but now, so has Michael Buble!

 

[Mark-T]

THANK YOU! In ten years, I've published 2,800 posts, and I have 320+ in various stages of completion. It's been an amazing personal journey for me.
Kind of stuck on my next Carpenters "fresh look" album review (AS4Y). But my goal is to finish it for the 50th.
I'm always happy when I hear people enjoy the blog. Thanks again.

 

[Carpe diem]

Ok, here is my swap: Karen on vocals for If Not For You - Seems similar to Reason To Believe (folk/country). Next,
Karen stepping in for a try on Suddenly with Clif Richard (Karen would finally get to do a duet!). But it would be hard to surpass Olivia on that. It's my favorite Olivia vocal. It would be interesting to hear Olivia do I Need To Be In Love and I would agree with you on Crystal Lullaby. I think ONJ could totally handle it.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

What an awesome thread Mark!!
Two of my favorite artists of all time.

My picks:
Olivia Newton-John (You’re The One)
Karen Carpenter (Shaking You)

These are such personal songs for me. I can hear Karen leaving her trademark vocal fry on different spots on Shaking You adding to the heart breaking lyrics. What more could I ask for Olivia singing to me that I’m the one she loves?

I know there not hit songs but I’ve always been touched more from album cuts than chart hits.

 

[Murray]

Karen: "Life Stream" and "I Honestly Love You"
Olivia: "You" and "Two Sides"

 

[Mark-T]

What an awesome thread Mark!!
Two of my favorite artists of all time.

My picks:
Olivia Newton-John (You’re The One)
Karen Carpenter (Shaking You)

These are such personal songs for me. I can hear Karen leaving her trademark vocal fry on different spots on Shaking You adding to the heart breaking lyrics. What more could I ask for Olivia singing to me that I’m the one she loves?

I know there not hit songs but I’ve always been touched more from album cuts than chart hits.

I had to find Shaking You. (And now I have to find "Life Stream".) SU is a powerful, touching song. I love the video in Venice.
Nice choice, Rick! I like your other choices, too, Murray!

 

[CARPENTERS-COLLECTOR]

Olivia singing `close to you`

 

[Murray]

I had to find Shaking You. (And now I have to find "Life Stream".) SU is a powerful, touching song. I love the video in Venice.
Nice choice, Rick! I like your other choices, too, Murray!

Found it for you Mark...


I had completely forgotten about "Shaking You". Excellent choice, Rick! Is that song on any of Olivia's compilation albums? I used to have the "Two Of A Kind" soundtrack on cassette - until the car deck decided to eat the tape.

 

[GaryAlan]

Great Thread, Mark !
One of my favorite ONJ songs is the relatively unknown song
The Rumor (written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin).
I can envision Karen performing this song !
As for ONJ performing a KC song,
how about imagining what she does with
When It's Gone.

Do not neglect to read about the Physical album, released October 1981,
here: www.popmatters.com/olivia-newton-john-physical-2613720727.html

 

[Carpenters-in-the-crib]

For me, it would sound odd for Karen to sing any of Olivia's songs because of the high sweet pitch that Olivia sang in. This is a great question so I will answer.
Olivia would sing "Those Good Old Dreams"
Karen would sing "Suspended In Time"

 

[jaredjohnfisher]

Huge fan of both voices. In all seriousness—or silliness—how about a swap between “Please Mr. Please” and “Please Mr. Postman”?!

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

I had completely forgotten about "Shaking You". Excellent choice, Rick! Is that song on any of Olivia's compilation albums? I used to have the "Two Of A Kind" soundtrack on cassette - until the car deck decided to eat the tape.

No unfortunately it doesn’t appear on any compilations just the soundtrack. The soundtrack also contains a few other nice tracks like the duet with JT Take a Chance (reminds me a bit of her duet with Cliff Suddenly. There is also a great pop song Twist of Fate and a rockier song Livin in Desperate Times unfortunately the unedited version can only be found on the LP and single 45 vinyl. The bad edit has been used on every CD. I’m thinking the masters must have been destroyed or someone never fixed the bad edit loop. There is also the song from Journey, Ask the Lonely.

 

[Mark-T]

OH, I like "Life Stream", Murray!

 

[John Adam]

What an awesome thread Mark!!
Two of my favorite artists of all time.

My picks:
Olivia Newton-John (You’re The One)
Karen Carpenter (Shaking You)

These are such personal songs for me. I can hear Karen leaving her trademark vocal fry on different spots on Shaking You adding to the heart breaking lyrics. What more could I ask for Olivia singing to me that I’m the one she loves?

I know there not hit songs but I’ve always been touched more from album cuts than chart hits.

This is going to make me think, since these two are my favorite female singers.
But I really like these two choices you made.

 

[AM Matt]

The song "Lifestream" was done first by the late Rick Nelson in 1974. Matt Clark Sanford, MI

 

[Mark-T]

^^ He had a great voice as well!

 

[John Adam]

This is going to make me think, since these two are my favorite female singers.
But I really like these two choices you made.

OK, This is my gut answer.
I would like to hear Karen sing a "Gibb" song, so I choose "Come on Over" which Olivia had as a single in 1976. (??) I would like Olivia to sing a song that Karen recorded for her solo album, that Olivia's producer (John Farrar) wrote, but Liv has not recorded, called "Remember When Lovin' Took all Night."

Very wordy, I need to get to the point, don't I? lol

 

[Jamesj75]

The possibilities are seemingly endless... and it took me a while to come up with something.

For Olivia:

"I Won't Last a Day Without You"
"All You Get From Love Is a Love Song"
With the higher, up tempo chorus in both songs, I believe Olivia would soar.​

For Karen:

"I Honestly Love You" --- Tailor-made for Karen: Ballad, check! Love song, check! Showcase to emote, check!
"Instrument of Peace" --- This beautiful, inspirational ballad with original lyrics based on a prayer, which closes out Grace and Gratitude, would benefit from Karen's comfort with religious songs, Karen's ability to emote, and Richard's vocal arrangement, with either traditional overdubs of both voices or Karen's self-harmony (as shown in the chorus of "I Have You").

This is going to make me think, since these two are my favorite female singers.

Ditto!

Very wordy, I need to get to the point, don't I? lol

You're not the only one, John!​

 

[AM Matt]

Rick Nelson "Lifestream" (audio only) (from 1974 'Windfall") (MCA Records): Matt Clark Sanford, MI

 

[Mark-T]

Really nice! Thanks, Matt!

 

[newvillefan]

I often wish Karen had been included as a guest on Olivia’s TV special that included ABBA and Andy Gibb. That show and line up was made for her. Imagine her jamming with them all in that short section where they were singing harmonies to the Beach Boys and Bee Gees songs? She could have taken on the drumming duties alongside Benny on piano and Bjorn on guitar. Then there’s the 20 minute live “catwalk” section at the end where she could have traded harmonies with the others to their songs and maybe a Carpenters track or two such as Please Mr Postman or Only Yesterday.