⭐ Official Review [Video]: "YESTERDAY ONCE MORE"

WHICH CARPENTERS MUSIC VIDEO IS YOUR FAVORITE?

  • 1.) We've Only Just Begun 4:09 (Williams/Nichols)

    Votes: 2 3.1%
  • 2.) Those Good Old Dreams 4:21 (Carpenter/Bettis

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 3.) Superstar 3:31 (Russell/Bramlett)

    Votes: 8 12.5%
  • 4.) Rainy Days and Mondays 3:40 (Williams/Nichols)

    Votes: 6 9.4%
  • 5.) All You Get From Love Is A Love Song 3:46 (Eaton)

    Votes: 13 20.3%
  • 6.) Top Of The World 2:58 (Carpenter/Bettis)

    Votes: 3 4.7%
  • 7.) Ticket To Ride 4:09 (Lennon/McCartney)

    Votes: 6 9.4%
  • 8.) Only Yesterday 3:46 (Carpenter/Bettis)

    Votes: 15 23.4%
  • 9.) Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft 7:07 (Klatuu)

    Votes: 1 1.6%
  • 10.) Beechwood 4-5789 3:06 (Stevenson/Gaye/Gordy)

    Votes: 1 1.6%
  • 11.) Touch Me When We're Dancing 3:19 (Skinner/Wallace/Bell)

    Votes: 1 1.6%
  • 12.) I Need To Be In Love [DVD Release Only] 3:47 (Carpenter/Bettis/Hammond)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 13.) Hurting Each Other 2:48 (Udell/Geld)

    Votes: 3 4.7%
  • 14.) Please Mr. Postman 2:50 (Garrett/Holland/Gorman/Dobbins/Bateman)

    Votes: 4 6.3%
  • 15.) There's A Kind Of Hush 2:57 (Reed/Stephens)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 16.) (They Long To Be) Close To You 3:42 (Bacharach/David)

    Votes: 1 1.6%

  • Total voters
    64

Chris May

Resident ‘Carpenterologist’
Staff member
Moderator
“YESTERDAY ONCE MORE”

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Year of Release: 1985
Medium: VHS/Laser Disc/DVD

Track Listing:

1.) We've Only Just Begun 4:09 (Williams/Nichols)
2.) Those Good Old Dreams 4:21 (Carpenter/Bettis)
3.) Superstar 3:31 (Russell/Bramlett)
4.) Rainy Days and Mondays 3:40 (Williams/Nichols)
5.) All You Get From Love Is A Love Song 3:46 (Eaton)
6.) Top Of The World 2:58 (Carpenter/Bettis)
7.) Ticket To Ride 4:09 (Lennon/McCartney)
8.) Only Yesterday 3:46 (Carpenter/Bettis)
9.) Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft 7:07 (Klatuu)
10.) Beechwood 4-5789 3:06 (Stevenson/Gaye/Gordy)
11.) Touch Me When We're Dancing 3:19 (Skinner/Wallace/Bell)
12.) I Need To Be In Love [DVD Release Only] 3:47 (Carpenter/Bettis/Hammond)
13.) Hurting Each Other 2:48 (Udell/Geld)
14.) Please Mr. Postman 2:50 (Garrett/Holland/Gorman/Dobbins/Bateman)
15.) There's A Kind Of Hush 2:57 (Reed/Stephens)
16.) (They Long To Be) Close To You 3:42 (Bacharach/David)


Produced by Paul Surratt and Fred Paskiewicz
 
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Although these are GREAT to have, so many are just cheesy. Rainy Days is wonderful, however.
 
The moment I saw YESTERDAY ONCE MORE as a VHS video, I bought it. I remember spotting it in a Wall To Wall Sound store and enjoyed every minute of it. It was like a miracle to me that all of these familiar songs had videos made for them, particularly the early ones like "Ticket To Ride". MTV was just taking off at that time, and to see that my favorite duo had done videos was just amazing.

Later on I found the LaserDisc of the title, which was a step up, and then the DVD - but the DVD in the US was titled GOLD, to go along with the 35th anniversary release of GOLD on CD. I've never encountered the title YESTERDAY ONCE MORE as a DVD. Ones I do have are:

GOLD - single disc DVD 069 493 258-9
GOLD - triple disc set - 2 CDs and one DVD - nice fold-out digipak with matching disc labels.
GOLD - DVD+CD. This one's in a 2-disc jewel-case, with a DVD of GOLD and a CD of 20th Century Masters
CARPENTERS SUPER HITS - Brazilian release, essentially GOLD with the songs in chronological order, so they don't flow as well.
GOLD - contained in the Japanese 40th anniversary set - this is the only one that contains "I Need To Be In Love" (and Richard's scathing commentary along with it).
ONLY YESTERDAY - VIDEO CD - This is an early digital format that became popular in Asia. It's actually CD media with a video program on them. Resolution's low, but they were quite the thing in Asia for awhile. Some DVD players can play Video CD's, some can't. Computers mostly can.

Now that we've reached the age of high definition, this video could use some kind of improvement. Since it was all composited in standard definition, a Blu-ray is rather unlikely. Some of the filmed videos could be rescanned at higher definition if they still have the original film elements, but the video stuff (like the MAKE YOUR OWN KIND OF MUSIC segments) are as good as they'll ever be.

Harry
 
Hurting Each Other. Karen looks great, natural and just a beltin' away. I like Rainy Days too except for the band standing in for backgrounds-n-dubs. Only Yesterday's viddy is my closest realism to Karen in person. Mr .Postman garners same likeness. Looked good '75...Hush in 76 not so much...Passage '77 anybody's guess...then back to Horizon's beauty for winter 78's ensemble. The HUSH viddy, Those Good Old Dreams, Beechwood OUCH!!! Hurts too much for repeat viewings. Honorable mention goes to TICKET's video. Raw, cool, edgy even.

Jeff
 
My vote was for Hurting Each Other for a similar feeling that Jeff cast his vote. I think they look at their best and the song is one of my favorites. I think that there are elements of each that are appealing. The most that stand out to me is the backdrop used in We've Only Just Begun and the appearance of Karen's intimate portrial of the song, and Cubby's plaid leisure suit as he plays the drums is reminiscent of the era, Superstar for all you need in for a good song is to stand still and just sing, Karen's facial expressions on Close To You, her freedom in A Kind of Hush, parts of Please Mr. Postman are cute and just looks like fun, and one of my favorites is the opening of Only Yesterday in the recording studio for which I almost used to cast my vote.
 
I'm with Harry on this one - "Ticket to Ride" is mesmerizing and so imaginative, considering the time period in which it was made. I bought the original VHS tape as well and watched it over and over again, wearing it out.
 
I went for Only yesterday.
I love it starting in the studio then as the songs theme spreads into happiness, so does the scene. The beautiful gardens and flowers and waterfalls etc. Karen looks great, albeit a little on the slim side. Something about the combination of video and song really work for me.
 
I remember finding out about this video a few months before it was released. It was painful waiting for the big day. In 1985, I possessed zero video (other than a random E.T. segment from 1983 taped by a friend of mine).

The wait was worth it! Great compilation of clips, and the then-new remixes were a welcome enhancement. My favorite is 'All You Get From Love Is A Love Song'. Karen just looks so cool, relaxed and confident. And beautiful! Very little make-up and still quite the looker. Even Richard is letting loose on that one.

My second favorite is 'Hurting Each Other'. Karen and Richard both look great, and they were at the height of their powers. I also love the 'Ticket To Ride' video. As Harry said, that was a wonderful surprise. They were just babies.
 
Oh wow a video thread!!!

My vote must go to "Only Yesterday" I never tire of seeing this video, from the opening scene, Karen in her element, close up in studio, looking so natural, down to earth, then the outside scene really complements the video, artistic flair. Some of their videos tended to be a little dated but this one is great and matches to the timeless lyrics. I absolutely love the part in the video "I've found my home here in your arms, no where else on earth I'd really rather be" AHH when she gives that look to the camera....gets me every time, the flowers, Karen's Horizon look, the sunshine....I could go on and on, perfection as is her voice. :love:
 
Great thread, great comments. I voted for “Only Yesterday” for the same reasons listed above. Question: do we have information on filming location(s) of the individual videos? I seem to remember seeing it somewhere, but couldn’t find it in the search function when I checked awhile back. Thanks for any information...
 
"All You Get From Love Is A Love Song".......got my vote. Really like the studio setting for this video, Karen looks cool wearing a hoodie, and Richard appears to be enjoying the moment. If I had to play a video to someone who had never seen or heard Carpenters before, this is the video and song I would choose, it makes them look cool for a change.
 
Yeah, ditto what Chris said above. Similarly if I play Carpenters when friends are around, and I do, I always select Superstar and A Song 4 U.
 
"All You Get From Love Is A Love Song".......got my vote. Really like the studio setting for this video, Karen looks cool wearing a hoodie, and Richard appears to be enjoying the moment. If I had to play a video to someone who had never seen or heard Carpenters before, this is the video and song I would choose, it makes them look cool for a change.
Only Yesterday is my favorite video. It captures their individual contributions. Karen's delivery of Richard's song is joy to behold.
 
I haven't seen this vid in years... May have only watched it one time all the way through when it was released in DVD format. Elated when it was released, and a basket case when I was finished watching...

My pick, as I recall even now, is not listed above.

It is the closing credits - with the raw concert footage and shots we now know to be from the Budokan, Japan '74 concert. The first I saw any of that footage - and it was so moving and so heartbreaking to listen to that Close to You arrangement as that piano was fading... seeing Karen absolutely glowing with the Japanese children's choir, Harold proudly taking pictures, watching them fight the crowds at the airport and the limo to the concert..... with that haunting and wistful piano fading... I wept while watching it....
 
My vote goes to Only Yesterday. Love the studio opening. It was shot at Huntington Library Gardens, San Marino, CA. There are lots of photos if you Google it; looks a lovely place to visit :)
 
It is the closing credits - with the raw concert footage and shots we now know to be from the Budokan, Japan '74 concert. The first I saw any of that footage - and it was so moving and so heartbreaking to listen to that Close to You arrangement as that piano was fading... seeing Karen absolutely glowing with the Japanese children's choir, Harold proudly taking pictures, watching them fight the crowds at the airport and the limo to the concert..... with that haunting and wistful piano fading... I wept while watching it....


Just an FYI, Barry, you're not the first to be moved by the ending of this video package, and we've had more than one person inquire about just whose instrumental performance of "(They Long To Be) Close To You" is. It's from label-mate Burt Bacharach's self-titled album: http://www.amazon.com/Burt-Bacharach/dp/B008861SYK/

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Harry
 
Just an FYI, Barry, you're not the first to be moved by the ending of this video package, and we've had more than one person inquire about just whose instrumental performance of "(They Long To Be) Close To You" is. It's from label-mate Burt Bacharach's self-titled album

It's so beautiful!
 
The difference between this version and the Carpenters is amazing. I've never heard this full track before. Burt's version is so regimented, the emphasis on the letters in bold:

"So they sprinkled moondust in your hair/Of golden starlight in your eyes of blue".

The Carpenters' version shimmies along like nobody's business, much more loose. I hear now what Burt said when he explained that Richard really nailed the arrangement. The dotted eight rhythm behind Karen's lead, her vocal sometimes just pushing ahead of the beat (in your hair!). Amazing testament to Richard that he 'heard' what no one else did.

The closing piano/strings on this clip still tugs at my heart. It was the last thing I heard after seeing the video collection for the first time, with Karen in Japan waving to audiences. So sad :sad:
 
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Lyrics:

Isn't it
"So they sprinkled moondust in your hair of gold
And starlight in your eyes of blue"?
 
Weren't the backing music and vocals from this used in a Carpenters documentary or video somewhere? Very familiar to me.
 
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