The Uninvited Guest

[From This Moment On]

Hi.

The lyrics appear to be ambiguous as to whether the guest is actually a ghost or a live woman. To my mind, this song is the drop dead gorgeous highlight of Lovelines and is testimony to the sublime talents of Karen and Richard. If you're reading this, Richard, I salute you!

What do other peeps think?

 

[Vinylalbumcovers]

Hi.

The lyrics appear to be ambiguous as to whether the guest is actually a ghost or a live woman. To my mind, this song is the drop dead gorgeous highlight of Lovelines and is testimony to the sublime talents of Karen and Richard. If you're reading this, Richard, I salute you!

What do other peeps think?

Ooh, I never thought it that before. I was thinking of her initially as the other woman who's literally in his life - i.e. the side chick he's cheating with. In that case, it's all his fault and she's a fool to stick around, though it would seem that she won't be doing that much longer.

It could be deeper than that though. "The Uninvited Guest" could be the memory of a woman he was involved with (maybe his wife) who has passed away and, try as he might, he can't let her go. He thought he was ready to move on but he's not. Maybe he never is. This way, it's not really his fault but it certainly isn't hers either. The pain is real but there's no one to whom blame can sensibly be assigned. It just is...

Ed

 

[newvillefan]

Hi.

The lyrics appear to be ambiguous as to whether the guest is actually a ghost or a live woman.

I never thought of it as a real ghost, I always took it to mean the lingering presence of an ex-girlfriend, sung from the point of view of a jealous (current) girlfriend.

 

[From This Moment On]

I never thought of it as a real ghost, I always took it to mean the lingering presence of an ex-girlfriend, sung from the point of view of a jealous (current) girlfriend.

Yes, that makes sense. The man hasn't let go of the ex-girlfriend and still thinks of her. The lyrics really are a cut above.

BTW, whereabouts in London are you from? I live in the Bexleyheath area.

 

[newvillefan]

Yes, that makes sense. The man hasn't let go of the ex-girlfriend and still thinks of her. The lyrics really are a cut above.

BTW, whereabouts in London are you from? I live in the Bexleyheath area.

Yeah it’s a real highlight of the album. A real gem. To think, had Karen lived we probably would never have heard it, as it would likely have remained in the vaults.

I’m originally from Newcastle but live in Ruislip, West London so you’re the opposite side of the city to me

 

[From This Moment On]

^ I think we're very fortunate to have Voice of the heart and Lovelines.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

"The Uninvited Guest" could be the memory of a woman he was involved with (maybe his wife) who has passed away and, try as he might, he can't let her go.

I've always thought the same, except the uninvited guest hasn't passed away...the person is still around and on the mind.

 

[Simon KC1950]

I'm glad that there are others here who appreciate "The Uninvited Guest" as much as I do. Over the summer I was obsessed with the "Lovelines" album and listened to it multiple times each day. "The Uninvited Guest" is a gem of a song that I adore. The lyrics and Karen's delivery are so emotional and raw. When I first heard it, which would have been Christmas 2015, at aged 15 I always thought along the lines of a Ghost. But now after listening to it tons of times and growing up a bit I see it as a hurt person who's partner still has feelings for their ex (or is she just being paranoid?)

 

[Jarred]

It's eerily fitting that this track be released after Karen died, as the shadow of death that hangs over this song and album mirrors the lyrics of the song in a way and provides a new dimension to the words. Not everything fits together neatly I don't think, but there's still something there between Karen and the words.

Karen is the ghost that's still there, she's on our minds, we smile when we hear her, we like what she says. You could semi interpret it as her talking about herself in the third person; not "I", but "she/her". We didn't invite her spirit into our homes, but she's there in some form nonetheless. Then there's the talk of pain and tears. The pain is killing her, she wants to express it through tears but she holds it all in as she has done for many years until she has succumbed to an inner spiritual dissolution and her physical body goes with it.

This is just an interesting, unusual way of looking at the song, just one of those real life, mysterious, cosmic alignments that often only reveal themselves in hindsight.

 

[Greg]

I love this song. Karen's reading is gorgeous and she does some very delicate and nuanced singing - though from my recollection it was only a work lead. The way she sings 'I should leave you, but I love you oh, it doesnt make sense' always strikes me.

 

[Rumbahbah]

I have to admit I've never thought - nor do I think the songwriters ever meant - the 'ghost' line in 'The Uninvited Guest' to be taken literally. To me it's clearly about an 'other woman'. Still, it's a good song - one of the better tracks to come out of the Made in America recording sessions.

 

[newvillefan]

To me it's clearly about an 'other woman'.

As Karen sings, “she’s the other woman who’s on your mind”.

Probably one of the most stellar outtakes we have, along with Ordinary Fool. The rest of the outtakes on VOTH pale in comparison and rank as average MOR material. Not where they should have been heading from 1980 onwards.

 

[tomswift2002]

I first heard this back in 1999 and right away I thought it was the Carpenters Halloween song. I always thought, and get an image of a man looking at a photo album in a laz-y-boy with a ghostly outline over his left shoulder, that it was either about a man who has remarried because his wife has died and has remarried, and the new wife still sees the deceased wife in his life and feels jealous and doesn’t know how to compete with a ghost. Or the man is divorced but he still has feelings for his divorced wife (maybe they have kids together) and his new wife is jealous of the old wife.

Another scenario is that it’s Richard sitting in the chair and Karen is jealous of Richard’s girlfriend’s and feels that she’s not getting the same attention from him as she once did.

 

[AnnaSock]

The Uninvited Guest is a great song. Karen sings it beautifully and the lyrics are haunting (haha).

I actually seem to get different theories each time I listen to it, depending on my mood. The first time I did wonder if it was a literal ghost, but I’m more inclined to go with it being the memory of an ex he can’t get over.

It’s interesting to read about the different ideas everyone associates with it.

 

[ullalume]

Love it.
I would have jettisoned Strength and put this after Good Old Dreams. Both kinda country but entirely different treatments.

 

[From This Moment On]

As Karen sings, “she’s the other woman who’s on your mind”.

Probably one of the most stellar outtakes we have, along with Ordinary Fool. The rest of the outtakes on VOTH pale in comparison and rank as average MOR material. Not where they should have been heading from 1980 onwards.

Which outtakes are you referring to, newvillefan? I prefer Voice to Lovelines, (it's one of my favourites) but there's not much to choose between them.

 

[newvillefan]

Which outtakes are you referring to, newvillefan?

Two Lives
Make Believe It's Your First Time
Two Lives
At The End Of The Song
Prime Time Love
Your Baby Doesn't Love You Any More

...all outtakes from Made In America

 

[Rumbahbah]

Two Lives
Make Believe It's Your First Time
Two Lives
At The End Of The Song
Prime Time Love
Your Baby Doesn't Love You Any More

...all outtakes from Made In America

I'd rank 'Your Baby Doesn't Love You Anymore' and 'Two Lives' above 'The Uninvited Guest', but it's definitely one of the stronger outtakes (and, indeed, better than several of the tracks that made it on to Made in America). At the very least, it has quite a different feel from the other tracks recorded at the same time, so would have helped to break up the album's rather samey feeling.

 

[From This Moment On]

Two Lives
Make Believe It's Your First Time
Two Lives
At The End Of The Song
Prime Time Love
Your Baby Doesn't Love You Any More


...all outtakes from Made In America

Oh wow, I didn't realise there were so many outtakes from MIA. Thanks for the info.

 

[GaryAlan]

Rainbow Connection is also an MIA outtake (As Time Goes By, Liner Notes).

 

[tomswift2002]

“Leave Yesterday Behind” could also be considered a MIA outtake as it was recorded in 1978 around the time of “I Believe You” (it’s to bad “Leave Yesterday Behind” wasn’t finished in 78 as it’s the better song).

 

[newvillefan]

At the very least, it has quite a different feel from the other tracks recorded at the same time, so would have helped to break up the album's rather samey feeling.

This is very true - even Karen's lead vocal is fuller and more present than many of the tracks on Made In America. I would have put in as track 5 on side 1, replacing Somebody's Been Lyin'.

 

[tomswift2002]

If I was producing Made In America in 1981 I would have this line up for the album:

Side 1

Prime Time Love
Your Baby Doesn't Love You Anymore
Don't Try To Win Me Back
The Uninvited Guest
If I Had You (but remix it so that it ended cold)
Leave Yesterday Behind
(Want You) Back In My Life Again
Remember When Loving Took All Night
The Rainbow Connection

Side 2

My Body Keeps Changing My Mind (aside from keeping Karen's lead track, and the opening drum line (but with added reverb and more stereo separation), I'd re-record the instruments and backing vocals, so that this was a very upbeat dance track, kind of like what Richard did in 1991, but eliminating the disco entirely)
Lovelines
Beechwood 4-5789
Looking For Love* (again a re-record, possible a Richard lead)
I've Got Rhythm
You're Just In Love (just as it appears on As Time Goes By, with Richard dueting with Karen)
Touch Me When We're Dancing
Slow Dance


*if it was written I might even consider Something In Your Eyes with Richard on lead.

Single Releases:

Single #1 If I Had You/Don't Try To Win Me Back (this would be issued shortly after starting the project, as aside from some light editing, they are already ready to go)
Single #2 I've Got Rhythm/Leave Yesterday Behind (to tie-into the Carpenters 1980 TV special)
Single #3 My Body Keeps Changing My Mind/You're Just In Love (this would be released within the month prior to the album's release)
Single #4 The Rainbow Connection/Kiss Me The Way You Did Last Night
Single #5 Touch Me When We're Dancing/Making Love In The Afternoon
Single #6 Prime Time Love/Lovelines
Single #7 Your Baby Doesn't Love You Anymore/The Uninvited Guest
Single #8 (non-album single) Do You Hear What I Hear? (duet with Richard)/I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day (keep Karen's vocal track from 78, but re-record the instruments, including adding bells to the track)

With Singles 5 & 8, the three tracks that were not on MIA would just be single-only tracks, with a possibility of hinting at what might come in the future, with the Christmas tracks being released somewhere around October/November 1980.

https://forum.amcorner.com/threads/your-mia.15939/