⭐ Official Review [Video]: "INTERPRETATIONS"

WHICH CARPENTERS MUSIC VIDEO IS YOUR FAVORITE?

  • 1.) Without A Song 1:01 (Youmans/Rose/Eliscu)

    Votes: 9 17.0%
  • 2.) Superstar 3:49 (Russell/Bramlett)

    Votes: 3 5.7%
  • 3.) Rainy Days and Mondays 3:36 (Williams/Nichols)

    Votes: 5 9.4%
  • 4.) Ticket to Ride 4:10 (Lennon/McCartney) *

    Votes: 1 1.9%
  • 5.) Reason to Believe 3:03 (Hardin)

    Votes: 3 5.7%
  • 6.) (They Long To Be) Close To You 4:33 (Bacharach/David)

    Votes: 5 9.4%
  • 7.) Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft 7:07 (Woloschuk/Draper)

    Votes: 4 7.5%
  • 8.) Little Girl Blue 3:24 (Rodgers/Hart)

    Votes: 3 5.7%
  • 9.) Bless The Beasts and Children 7:07 (De Vorzon/Botkin, Jr.)

    Votes: 1 1.9%
  • 10.) Please Mr. Postman 2:50 (Holland/Gorman/Dobbins/Bateman/Garrett) *

    Votes: 11 20.8%
  • 11.) We've Only Just Begun 3:04 (Williams/Nichols)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 12.) When I Fall In Love 3:08 (Heyman/Young)

    Votes: 2 3.8%
  • 13.) From This Moment On 2:39 (Porter)

    Votes: 6 11.3%

  • Total voters
    53
From This Moment On was originally cut from the Music, Music, Music special, so the video and mono audio together has never been released.

The U.K. CD version of Interpretations from 1994 (the CD that has 21 tracks) features the original mono mix, whereas the US CD (with 16 tracks) has the remixed stereo version that's found on the DVD. Of course, Richard always recorded and mixed the Carpenters TV tracks in stereo, with just the final mixdown for TV being in mono. And that's really the difference in the two: in one the piano's in mono, the other the piano is spread across the stereo stage.

Just to further clarify, the piano track(s) you hear between the two mixes is actually different.

The original was cut mono in 1980, and can be heard as you mention on the '94 UK release of this compilation. For the '95 US release, Richard actually re-played the entire thing so that it could be not only mixed in stereo, but also given a little more "spunk" than the original performance.

Not too long after he did that session, engineer Bill Smith (who was then a second man at Capitol and part of the project with Richard) was working with me on a project over at A&M. He recalled how blown away he was at Richard's some-odd "30 or so takes" he did in order to nail it, as there was no click track in which to reference - only Karen's voice! To quote Bill, "Richard was a MONSTER on that piano!"
 
While I often like the remixes, I prefer the first version with the mono piano, only because it has the effect of making Karen's vocal stand out a little more. It also gives the UK INTERPRETATIONS a little more purpose in this world, as it's the only place to find that mix.
 
While I often like the remixes, I prefer the first version with the mono piano, only because it has the effect of making Karen's vocal stand out a little more. It also gives the UK INTERPRETATIONS a little more purpose in this world, as it's the only place to find that mix.

I agree wholeheartedly. And not to veer slightly off topic here (shifting from the video discussion to correlating album release), but I also mentioned elsewhere that I prefer the mastering on the UK release to the US release of the CD, particularly on Trying To Get The Feeling Again, as the cut found on the US release seems a bit over compressed.
 
I agree wholeheartedly. And not to veer slightly off topic here (shifting from the video discussion to correlating album release), but I also mentioned elsewhere that I prefer the mastering on the UK release to the US release of the CD, particularly on Trying To Get The Feeling Again, as the cut found on the US release seems a bit over compressed.

I'm the opposite - I think the US version of the song sounds crisper, as if the drums have been re-recorded.
 
Of all of the single-disc Compilations,
the Interpretations (21-song,Canada) is really a stand-out for me.
As much as I love the cd Love Songs,
Interpretations
wins the day for me.
Unfortunately, I believe the inclusion of Make Believe Its Your First Time on Love Songs
is the 'sticking point' for me--simply too weak a song (imho).
Also,
Karen's drumming is featured (5 songs) on Interpretations:
Sing,This Masquerade,When It's Gone,Ticket To Ride,Please Mr. Postman.
Plus, "New" Karen Vocals:
Without A Song and Trying To Get The Felling Again,From This Moment On.

Be that as it may,
Love Songs went Gold (certified June 12,2000)
Interpretations did not match those sales--
too bad !
 
Of all of the single-disc Compilations,
the Interpretations (21-song,Canada) is really a stand-out for me.
As much as I love the cd Love Songs,
Interpretations
wins the day for me.
Unfortunately, I believe the inclusion of Make Believe Its Your First Time on Love Songs
is the 'sticking point' for me--simply too weak a song (imho).
Also,
Karen's drumming is featured (5 songs) on Interpretations:
Sing,This Masquerade,When It's Gone,Ticket To Ride,Please Mr. Postman.
Plus, "New" Karen Vocals:
Without A Song and Trying To Get The Felling Again,From This Moment On.

Be that as it may,
Love Songs went Gold (certified June 12,2000)
Interpretations did not match those sales--
too bad !

Does anyone else remember the UK TV advert for Interpretations? There were two versions, both featured a woman standing painting a portrait at an easel and the songs featured included Desperado and Solitaire.

For those of you who haven't seen it, the below clip features Richard being interviewed at his home in Downey about the Interpretations release in 1994.

 
^^Thanks for the memories !
Had not noticed before, but the official Carpenter Webpage--in the recordings section--
fails to include cd Love Songs.
And, while that page does include (a photo of)
Interpretations,
it provides no information of the songs on that cd !
 
The title and track listing of this album pisses me off. I was hoping for an album of Carpenters (Interpreting) songs that other people made famous. We've Only Just Begun and Rainy Days and Mondays have no place on this album.

It would follow that Passage, could have been called Interpretations because ALL of the songs were written by other people.

My dream 21 songs would have been

1. Desperado
2. Postman
3. Ticket
4. Breaking Up Is Hard To Do
5. Beachwood
6. Masquerade
7. A Song For You
8. Can't Smile
9. Tryin to get the feeling
10. When I Fall In Love
11. Just Fall in Love Again
12. Hush
13. Johnny Angel
14. Little Girl Blue
15. Dream, Can't I
16. Reason to Believe
17. Magic Moments Como parts only
18. Close Encounters/Star Wars
19. Richard's You'll Never Know
20. Vegas Bacharach Medley
21. Studio version of Thank You For The Music
 
Is there no actual "Official Review" thread for the audio
cd of Interpretations ?
Well, in any event, it is my "listen" for the day.
As a single-cd compilation, this remains a favorite--for many a reason.
1. It is not simply a compilation of "hits."
2. We got some new material...Trying To Get The Feeling Again, foremost among that new material.
3. Many vocal favorites here...
Bless The Beasts And Children,
This Masquerade,
Solitaire,
When I Fall In Love
When It's Gone,
Where Do I Go From Here,
Desperado,
Little Girl Blue,
You're The One.

4. We do get some interesting Singles...among them....
Sing, Superstar, Rainy Days, If I Had You, Please Mr.Postman
We've Only Just Begun, Calling Occupants, Close To You
....

This compilation is a favorite,
Oh, yes, I do have TWO promotional Posters for this release (24X36),
and the UK 45 Vinyl and cd-single of Trying To Get The Feeling Again.
So, yes, I do love this release.
 
I remember when Interpretations (the album) came out in 1994, I was living in Munich at the time and they had this great record store where you could request a CD from the counter and listen to it at a headphone booth before buying it. I did that with this album, having nearly fainted when I saw that there were new song titles on it that I wasn’t familiar with. I vividly remember playing the opening track first, loving it but wondering why it was so short, and then skipping straight to Tryin’ To Get The Feeling Again...and falling completely in love with it on first listen. To this day, it’s in my top three favourite Carpenters songs. The other two would be Touch Me When We're Dancing and A Song For You.
 
Regarding #9 song on Video,
Bless The Beasts And Children,
the resource info above lists 7:07....should be closer to 3:15....

Now, regarding the Interpretations- cd version of the song,
am I the only one who is irritated by the "cold ending" ?
I prefer the fade-out on the original.

So, the time of the 45- vinyl is 3:08,
the Vinyl LP list 3:07,
Interpretations cd is 3:15.

I am unable to tell, but, isn't the Int-cd time an error ?
 
Well, I finally secured a copy of the
USA/cd version of Interpretations.
It is a promo copy,
I believe I got a decent deal at $5.00 !
 
Does anyone else remember the UK TV advert for Interpretations? There were two versions, both featured a woman standing painting a portrait at an easel and the songs featured included Desperado and Solitaire.

For those of you who haven't seen it, the below clip features Richard being interviewed at his home in Downey about the Interpretations release in 1994.


Richard and Judy! Not seen that before. Thanks. I'll always have a soft spot for Interpretations as it was my first Carpenters album. Trying To Get The Feeling Again was the first Carpenters song I'd ever heard (although quite why I wasn't familiar with their earlier hits is a bit of a mystery).
 
Favorite has to be the opener, "Without A Song". It's taken from the MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC special and cleverly populates the screen with lots of "Carpenters" to mirror the lush overdubs. Good stuff!

Harry

Undeniable proof of Richard’s vocal arranging chops. While he arranged mostly in a choral style, he didn’t fear jazz. I wish they’d have done more stuff like this. Can you imagine a totally Acapella album from Carpenters? It’d be a thing of beauty.

Ed
 
Undeniable proof of Richard’s vocal arranging chops. While he arranged mostly in a choral style, he didn’t fear jazz. I wish they’d have done more stuff like this.

For me this is one of the most outstanding pieces he devised and produced during the latter years of their career. They should definitely have done a jazz inflected album with more vocal arrangements like this.
 
Undeniable proof of Richard’s vocal arranging chops. While he arranged mostly in a choral style, he didn’t fear jazz. I wish they’d have done more stuff like this. Can you imagine a totally Acapella album from Carpenters? It’d be a thing of beauty.

Ed
Me too! In my imaginings about what might have been had Karen lived longer, I've thought many times an a capella album would've been perfect for them.
 
Invocation on Ticket To Ride/Offering has always been a featured favorite for me. It’s vocally stylistic to the period and excellent harmony placement!
 
Invocation on Ticket To Ride/Offering has always been a featured favorite for me. It’s vocally stylistic to the period and excellent harmony placement!

Hmm. Something about it always sounded off to me. I don’t know whether it’s Karen’s operatic “church-like” voice which never sounded natural to me, or that horrible harmony clash on the word “for all those seeking pe-e-ace”. That has always sounded awful to my ears. Benediction on the other hand, while still in that mould, is lovely - despite the audible distortion when the bells and orchestra come in.
 
Hmm. Something about it always sounded off to me. I don’t know whether it’s Karen’s operatic “church-like” voice which never sounded natural to me, or that horrible harmony clash on the word “for all those seeking pe-e-ace”. That has always sounded awful to my ears. Benediction on the other hand, while still in that mould, is lovely - despite the audible distortion when the bells and orchestra come in.

For me, it's the second one that sounds bad for the reasons you mentioned. The distortion is there throughout and it falls victim to the tech at that point. The first one is far more livable and while I get what they were doing with the "bookend thing", we really only needed one of these, IMHO.

Ed
 
Gotta disagree with that. The close, moving harmony there is what MAKES that recording.

Those two individual notes sung together at 0:18 in overdub in the very first second of the word “peace” don’t complement each other as parts of a natura chord, there’s a clash there that doesn’t sound natural. That’s all I meant. The rest of the recording sounds fine in terms of technical proficiency and vocal chords. Who am I to complain. It’s just always bugged me :)
 
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Regarding the song, Benediction, and the lyric
"peace," it seems to me that that word is sung in a higher key
than nearly every other note in that song. (?)
Love the song, and the bookends in general.

That reminds me of something I have felt regarding
1980's Without A Song--higher notes at beginning of the song.
That is, higher than Karen normally sings, in general, on Carpenters' recordings.
 
I could post a copy of the piano/vocal version but that would probably violate copyright © so I can’t. Just to mention that the period of music it represents and the melody borrowed from is from a time in music history where those “clashes” were normal.
 
I must say, after listening to my newly acquired promo-cd, USA version,
Interpretations,
the 'new' piano/keyboard performance for
From This Moment On
is truly exceptional !
I must reiterate,
Trying To Get The Feeling Again
is truly an experience to listen to !
 
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