The T.V. Specials

[JMAR5]

I was browsing through Amazon's DVD list and was quite surprised by all of the 70's t.v. variety specials that have been released to DVD. Everything from Barry Manilow specials, Paul Lynde Halloween special, Captain & Tennille various shows etc etc etc. It would be nice if Richard finally decides to let the Carpenters fans enjoy the 5 ABC specials they did. I would love to see them once again and who really cares about the **CAMP** factor. I know this has been discussed here before, but wouldn't it be nice to see those 2 wonderful Carpenter CHRISTmas specials at this time of the year....The CARPENTERS AT CHRISTMAS and CHRISTMAS PORTRAIT

A Carpenter Fan Forever

 

[newvillefan]

Richard probably won't ever sanction the release of the specials in his lifetime. It's well known he dislikes them intensely, and to be fair the middle 3 haven't aged well. Space Encounters is cringeworthy, I was both overjoyed and embarrassed the first time I ever saw it lol!

The Very First Television Special and the last one, Music Music Music, remain timeless and classy to this day, in my honest opinion.

Richard has pulled a lot of the music from them, especially for 'As Time Goes By', but he steadfastly refuses to put them out in their visual entirety.

 

[JMAR5]

Richard probably won't ever sanction the release of the specials in his lifetime. It's well known he dislikes them intensely, and to be fair the middle 3 haven't aged well. Space Encounters is cringeworthy, I was both overjoyed and embarrassed the first time I ever saw it lol!

The Very First Television Special and the last one, Music Music Music, remain timeless and classy to this day, in my honest opinion.

Richard has pulled a lot of the music from them, especially for 'As Time Goes By', but he steadfastly refuses to put them out in their visual entirety.

It's such a shame. So many other artists have agreed to theirs being released, total cheeseball sketches and all. If you are a Carpenter completist, you would want all 5 specials. Anything Carpenter I can get my hot little hands on.

 

[aaflyer98]

I agree that parts of the specials are cheeseball. They were considered corny by many even when they first aired! (I cringed back then with Karen & Kristy McNichol's Christmas Alphabet!) But I love them. Maybe one day we'll get them all.

 

[JAZZ4JEFF]

It's such a shame. When Richard was asked about these before, he said the music rights issues were too difficult to overcome. But, we've seen them done by several other artists.

As for the "cheezy" factor, get over it. The cheezy factor is what makes them fun. The dumb sketches on "Sonny & Cher", the hat jokes on the "Captain & Tennille", KISS performing with Paul Lynde on his Halloween special, and Barry Manilow dancing with Penny Marshall on his 1st special. It's all fun and a reflection of the times. I wish he would not try and revise history. Is Fred Astaire known for "Royal Wedding" or "The amazing dobermans"? C'mon, Richard!

 

[newvillefan]

It's such a shame. When Richard was asked about these before, he said the music rights issues were too difficult to overcome. But, we've seen them done by several other artists.

And he himself overcame this issue with the release of the Ella/Perry Como tracks for 'As Time Goes By'. Back in 1991, the Ella Medley wasn't passed for inclusion on 'From The Top' because of copyright costs associated with her estate (even though the words 'As Time Goes By' were mistakenly left on the embossed lettering on the cover ), and yet lo and behold, this and the Como Medley did come out eventually.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I'll bet Richard is making his kids sign documents that those shows won't even get released AFTER his lifetime!

 

[JMAR5]

I'll bet Richard is making his kids sign documents that those shows won't even get released AFTER his lifetime!

I sure hope not Mike. I am a completist. I want everything Carpenter

 

[newvillefan]

I sure hope not Mike. I am a completist. I want everything Carpenter

I doubt that, Richard has a lot of stuff in the vaults that we know exist, that will probably never see the light of day in official remastered format:

5 x TV specials
Karen solo outtakes
Thank You For The Music (unfinished)
the remaining RCA tracks
1980 MIA outtakes
1982 outtakes (RC and KC leads)
the hundreds, if not thousands, of live concerts he recorded of their shows

plus many, many more

 

[JMAR5]

I sure hope not Mike. I am a completist. I want everything Carpenter

I doubt that, Richard has a lot of stuff in the vaults that we know exist, that will probably never see the light of day in official remastered format:

5 x TV specials
Karen solo outtakes
Thank You For The Music (unfinished)
the remaining RCA tracks
1980 MIA outtakes
1982 outtakes (RC and KC leads)
the hundreds, if not thousands, of live concerts he recorded of their shows

plus many, many more

What are the RCA tracks? What time period? and what is MIA outtakes?

 

[newvillefan]

What are the RCA tracks? What time period? and what is MIA outtakes?

These are the remaining tracks they recorded as the Richard Carpenter Trio for RCA Victor Records in the mid 60s. Made In America sessions provided a number of songs still not out there, including tracks like 'I Don't Want Your Arms Around Me'.

 

[aaflyer98]

What are the RCA tracks? What time period? and what is MIA outtakes?

Made In America sessions provided a number of songs still not out there, including tracks like 'I Don't Want Your Arms Around Me'.

Wow... this is the first I've heard about this track! What others do you know about from the Made In America sessions??

That is my favorite album... and would love to hear ALL (wouldn't we all!).

 

[newvillefan]

From the 1980 sessions:

All Good Things I Remember--81
I Don't Want My Arms Around You--80 (Richard Vocal)
Last of the Romantics--80
Once In A Lifetime--81
Play A Simple Melody--80
Peter Pan Moon--80
Sweet Talkin' Guy--80
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress--80
You Made Me Feel Love--80

From 1982:

Fallin' For Love--82
Fool Me--82 (Richard Vocal)
Love You Through and Though--82
Some Guys Have All The Luck--82
Stop Me--82

I'm particularly interested in the one bolded above. I know Richard only chose to release 'Now' and 'You're Enough' but I'm sure this is another Karen track recorded in April 1982.

 

[JMAR5]

From the 1980 sessions:

All Good Things I Remember--81
I Don't Want My Arms Around You--80 (Richard Vocal)
Last of the Romantics--80
Once In A Lifetime--81
Play A Simple Melody--80
Peter Pan Moon--80
Sweet Talkin' Guy--80
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress--80
You Made Me Feel Love--80

From 1982:

Fallin' For Love--82
Fool Me--82 (Richard Vocal)
Love You Through and Though--82
Some Guys Have All The Luck--82
Stop Me--82

I'm particularly interested in the one bolded above. I know Richard only chose to release 'Now' and 'You're Enough' but I'm sure this is another Karen track recorded in April 1982.

I didn't realize there were that many more unreleased songs. I knew he had put most of them on Voice of the Heart and Lovelines. After all the years they finally did a Jimmy Webb song "Moon is a Harsh" and didn't release it...what a shame. The ManTran also did "Sweet Talkin Guy" and was quite successful with I might say. Lauren Masel did the lead
I really hope Richard puts these treasures out.

 

[newvillefan]

Bear in mind, these are just those from the 1980-1982 era. Others include:

Ain't Misbehavin--83
All The Way--79
Auld Lang Syne--79
Better World--79
Can't Buy Me Love
Come And Be Kind--77
Don't Leave Me
For The Minute--77
Funny Faces--79
How High The Moon--83 (medley)
Hurting--75
I Can't Stay Mad At You--77
I Don't Need You--79 (Kenny Rogers covered this)
I Finally Got It Right This Time--77
I'll Be Seeing You--79
I'll Be Yours--80
Lord's Prayer--83
Love Is Coming Back--75
Love Me Like The First Time--79
Mad--79
Magic In The Music--76
Once In A Lifetime--81
Play A Simple Melody--80
Peter Pan Moon--80
Rainbows In Your Eyes--79
Real Love--77
Runaway--77
Savin' It Up
Sebastion
Second Thought--77
Slaughter On 10th Ave--83
Some Guys Have All The Luck--82
Stay Young--77
Sunday Afternoon
Thank You For The Music--79
Try To Win A Friend--75
The Wedding Prayer--83
We Won't Be Back Tomorrow--77
What Are You Doing For Love
Where Is Love--75
Why Don't They Understand
You Made Me Feel Love--80
You'll Never Know--83
Yours Sincerely--79

People who dispute this list should remember that it also included:

Dizzy Fingers--83
Do You Hear What I Hear--79
He Came Here For Me--79
Home For The Holidays--79
I Can't Smile--77
I Heard The Bells--79
I've Got Rhythm--83
Just Fall In Love--78
Karen / Ella Medley--83
Kiss Me The Way You Did Last Night--80
KFRC Radio Jingle--78
Leave Yesterday Behind--79
Little Alter Boy--79
Nutcracker--79
Rainbow Connection--81
Slow Dance--79
Star Wars--79
Uninvited Guest--80
What Are You Doing New Years Eve
When I Fall In Love--83
Where Do I Go From Here--79
Without A Song
You're Just In Love--83
You'll Never Know--83
You're The One--77

...all of which turned out to be bona fide tracks which were actually recorded or transferred from the vaults, more or less recorded in the year stated from the A&M tape logs listed here.

Fascinating to see that Richard considered tracks like the 'Karen/Ella Medley', 'Dizzy Fingers', 'I Got Rhythm', 'You're Just In Love', and 'When I Fall In Love' for inclusion on Voice Of The Heart. Along with his own stellar performance of 'You'll Never Know'

 

[JMAR5]

How on earth did you get such an extensive list of unreleased songs?

 

[newvillefan]

It's from the very famous 'Buried Treasure' list of tracks from the vaults that was published in a Japanese mook. Richard was not happy it was released, but the extracted songs I listed show that many of them are complete, and so it stands to reason that many more may exist. Richard chooses to release or not to release, usually depending on whether he likes them or not.

 

[AandMFan]

I thought that Richard firmly stated in an interview a few years ago that many of the unreleased tracks did not have enough of a complete track from Karen's lead vocals to where he could complete the mastering. I also remember him saying with newer technology he was able to complete some tracks he released that previously he would not have been able to do with the technology that existed at the time the initial recording was made. I have seen a much shorter list of unreleased tracks. Wow he could work on mastering these and release a box set.

Can we not get someone to ask Richard about all of this and reconfirm which tracks are incomplete? Is he just so private that he doesn't think fans should know about his work? You wouldn't think it would be offensive to ask him these things but he seems very determined not to discuss the vault situation. I was surprised that he answered any vault questions during that interview a few years ago. The person who interviewed him lives in Japan and e-mailed me the interview with the agreement I would not post it anywhere.

 

[goodjeans]

'Buried Treasure'

I received a newsletter with all of the aforementioned song titles in the early 90's so there is a plethora of music hidden away...

 

[Actorman]

I assume that "Runaway" is a cover of the Del Shannon classic.

Is "Some Guys Have All The Luck" the Rod Stewart song? If so, I wonder if they changed it to "Some Girls..."

Great list! Thanks for sharing. I doubt we will ever see most of these on a legitimate release but it gives me hope that at least a couple more might see the light of day at some point.

 

[aaflyer98]

OMG...we have a full album...completed or not, can't Richard finish it with his vocal additions to the incomplete parts? Richard has to understand that he is like a curator of a museum, so to speak! And Karen is the long gone famous artist! Release it! There is all this treasure there and he is the keeper... ok, I'm being melodramatic, but wow, I'd love to hear all of these titles. Do I think it will happen, no. But, here's hoping!

 

[Calvin R Murty]

Or...he could do something along the lines of ABBA Undeleted - in the fourth CD of the ABBA Box Set 'Thank You For The Music'. and release it as a bonus disc to one of the 40th Anniversary Compilations, if any.

 

[JMAR5]

I am really surprised there are that many unreleased songs. I would of thought maybe 5 or 6 but not that many. It's seems kind of strange that they didn't complete some of these songs. Tthe 82 sessions were for an up and coming new album right?

 

[newvillefan]

The 82 sessions were for an up and coming new album right?

Yeah Richard was sounding Karen out on work lead vocals in 1982, the one chance he got was in April. The plan was to add these towards releasing a comeback album in the summer of 1983. The newsletters also mention this.

 

[JMAR5]

I was in the fan club at the time of her death and I vaguley remember that.
You really wonder what direction they would of moved into, and even if they would of stayed at A&M Records had that tragedy not happened. I am thinking they would of gone into more of a jazz market, because at that time pop music started changing drastically from their time. I know that some other artists from their heyday era 68-74 had a hard time getting a record contract.