The Rainbow Connection Question
- Thread starter 350hunny
- Start date
- Status
Geographer
Well-Known Member
I agree with Richard Sloat. Sometimes, I think, we tend over-think or over-listen. It's not my favorite song, but I think Karen sings it just fine and Richard's arrangement is top-notch as always. What cracks me up is that, on one hand, many here scream for Richard to put out any snippet of any song Karen may have sung and then, criticize the hell out of it once it's released.
Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
Geographer said:
I totally agree with you. It's almost like the fans continue to hold him to this level of perfection that followed them throughout their career. For instance the person that wrote Richard about the Rainbow Connection on the fans ask section, the person says, "“Regarding ‘The Rainbow Connection’ - My question is whether there may be a leakage of a sound where Karen sings 'dreamers and meeeeee'. I'm not sure if this is the reason why you left it out as an outtake to begin with"
They start off with this huge negative, like oh I'm gonna find this error and "show Richard" I mean come on people, the song is a work lead, be grateful we even have it and he gave it to us, we may not like the arrangement he did but Karen's vocal is flawless and amazes me how lovely she sounds on a one time reading.
It's probably stuff like this that Richard gets all the time and why we will not see any more songs that may be in the vaults to come out. I've said it before but look at ATGB, all that work Richard did to get this out to the fans and it really gets no attention or recognition, lost recordings abound on that CD (I think it's a gem).
richard_sloat
Member
richard_sloat
Member
Chris-An Ordinary Fool said:
I think you are totally wrong. That attitude is the least probable coming from a fan of Karen's voice in my opinion. I will always consider it as being only an expression of curiosity and care for the making of the Carpenters recordings, something I bet Richard enjoys as having "good ears" and being attentive to their work, as he replied to the guy who noticed the vocal editing on Maybe it's you on From the top and the Close to you album.
http://richardandkarencarpenter.com/fans_ask_Archive-All.htm
Also Richard has released the karaoke version of Superstar even with a perfectly listenable lead vocal leakage all throughout the song and he didn't care, he thought it was worth it.
Rick-An Ordinary Fool
Well-Known Member
richard_sloat said:
It's possible, however my point is that the song was a "work lead" it was never finished back in 1980 so for anyone to criticize how it turned out years later I just found to be in poor taste. I look at it like a "gift" from Richard he never had to finish it but he did at the fans request yet once it's here for us to listen we have to disect it and see what could possibly be wrong with it? I don't see the appreciation in that especially from a song that was only a work lead.
richard_sloat
Member
Chris-An Ordinary Fool said:
I don't see any CRITICIZING at all. One should not be accused of "criticizing" only for ASKING. Crticizing means expressing a VALUE JUDGEMENT, which there's none in asking about something that may be present within a work of art like whether is there any sound leakage. Saying that it makes the recording unlistenable or a poor quality recording, THAT would be criticizing. You are fighting a straw man.
aaflyer98
Well-Known Member
Remember, Karen didn't like Solitaire either...and it's a great vocal performance! I personally like Rainbow Connection and for that matter all of the previously unreleased material that we've been treated to. As for opinions on the quality and our debating, well thats gone on for years with the released music on the original albums. And you always have the 69-73 fans, the post 74 fans, purists, remix lovers, etc etc. It's cool to talk about what we like or dont, or what we'd change. For me I'd dump the choir on all songs on all albums except the christmas album, but that's my opinion!
In reality, we can't change the music or persuade Richard to release anything more (although I can dream), so we have cool discussions on their music. What else would there be to talk about?
In reality, we can't change the music or persuade Richard to release anything more (although I can dream), so we have cool discussions on their music. What else would there be to talk about?
richard_sloat
Member
Yeah, imagine how fun it would be to show appreciaton for the posthumous releases 24 hours a day and nothing more. And like Richard had this tremendously successfull career on his own and had to STOP IT ASIDE and do the public a FAVOR in releasing more of Karen's vocals that VERY FEW PEOPLE would be interested in hearing!! Lol!!
Vinylalbumcovers
Ah am so steel een luv weeth yoo
A&M Retro said:
It's interesting how different ears perceive differently. If this were any others singer, I'd agree with you. However, Karen had such an over-developed sense of song and interpretation that, to me, she actually sounds like she's phoning it in a bit. She's doing what's required and nothing more. She was so good that she could sing a tune she didn't like and make you think she was totally involved.
Karen was also the rare singer who could take total schlock and make it sound amazing. "Leave Yesterday Behind" is such an example. The tune is nice and Richard does a nice arrangement on it. However, the lyric is incredibly weak. Still, she manages to make it deep and meaningful. Such was the gift of Karen.
Ed
Vinylalbumcovers
Ah am so steel een luv weeth yoo
richard_sloat said:
Kermit's version is infinitely more affecting - at least to my ears. There's something about the way he (Jim Henson, really) interprets the words that just makes the song come to life. I've heard other versions of it (it's been done to death) and while some are good, none come close to that of our green friend.
Ed
- Status
Similar discussions
