What does the music of the Carpenters mean to you ?

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phoenixfan4

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Hi all - just me again.

I thought it might be nice to start a new subject that really personalizes what having the music of the Carpenter's in your life has meant to all of you. I don't know if this has been discussed in this forum before, and if it has - I appologize for revisiting the subject again.

So - what is it that keeps us all coming back for more other than Richard's magnificent arranging and Karen's vocals and drumming?

For me, their music struck a chord deep inside of me when I was 10 years old.

Yep - 1970

Even then, I KNEW that I was hearing something great. Something unique in music that nobody else had ever done before. I still feel and believe that to this day. Remarkable.

Please: I would love to hear your own stories here.

Peace kids. :cool:
 
I was also ten in 1970, and I heard the Carpenters then also. But it wasn't until the tale end of '71 that I really took notice and by the end of '72 I finally bought my first Carpenters record.
 
I first heard the Carpenters' "Ticket To Ride" on the radio back in the fall of 1969. The song caught my ear, and though I knew it was just a remake of a Beatles' tune (quite popular to do back then), I thought it had that special something that drew me in. Back then, the DJs would just give the name of the group and the title - little else seemed to be known about them. My big hobby then was taping songs off of the radio, but by the time I was sure I wanted this one, it seemed to disappear from rotation. It came and went quickly.

In 1970, of course, Carpenters came back with a vengeance with their huge hit of "Close To You." It became clear to me that I needed to seek out the album that contained these two songs. Little did I know that the earlier song was on a first unknown album, and the second song was on a yet-to-be-issued LP. I was not a frequenter of record stores back then, so I had no way of knowing. I just knew I liked what I heard on the radio. That summer, as I was travelling down to the Jersey shore with my parents, I found the "Close To You" single 45 in a discount store that we stopped at along the highway. I remember being delighted to find that this most excellent 'group' was recording on Herb Alpert's label. It was an immediate purchase.

By this time, information about Karen & Richard Carpenter being a duo, brother and sister, and she being a drummer began to filter out. It made the whole concept all that more amazing to me, as I just loved the idea of overdubbing all of those vocals to produce the lush harmonies I was hearing.

Later that year, I remember hearing a whole bunch of different Carpenters tracks on this radio station that I listened to. They had an 'album-of-the-week' feature where they'd play a different track from a particular album just about every hour, so I knew right away that I needed to go out and buy this CLOSE TO YOU album. I figured that the old "Ticket To Ride" song would be on there somewhere, but was amazed to find that it was not.

It wasn't until that Christmas that would finally hear the earlier album as my sister presented me with a copy of OFFERING. That album delighted me even further, having by now heard the more refined tunes on CLOSE TO YOU. The rawer tracks on OFFERING gave me a better glimpse as to what this 'group' was about, with more Richard vocals sprinkled in, and containing virtually all self-composed songs.

So, from those early impressions to this very day, I've dutifully kept up with as many of the releases of Carpenters as I can. Those early heady years were wonderful, as each album brought new delights and near-constant spins on the turntable. As the late '70s wore on, the albums had a little less appeal for me, but always underlying it all was Karen's sumptuous vocals, and the trademark overdubbing sounds were still there. I remember being overwhelmed by "Calling Occupants..." when I first heard it, as it blended by love for Carpenters music with my affection for science fiction.

These days, each time a new compilation is released, I eagerly run out to buy it on release day and listen through it for a new mix or something to grab onto, and I'm rarely disappointed.

But enough about me - let's hear all the details from the rest of you!

Harry
...unabashed Carpenters fan, online...
 
To put it simply, their music means more to me than I could ever put into words.

It's been there through all the good times and bad, always encouraging me, soothing me, or making me happy.

From another unabashed Carpenters fan,
Marilyn ...
who has to run this morning!
 
The first time I heard the Carpenters was back in August of 2001. My class and I were taking a test and my teacher put the Carpenters on. Instantly when I heard We've Only Just Begun from the singles 1969-1973 I was hooked. I knew I just had to have that CD. I went all over the mall and looked every where and could not find it. So I bought the CD the Singles 1969-1981. I listened to it over and over. For my birthday I received the Essential Collection. I thought that was enough but it wasn't. I learned about the rematered collections that had the original mixes and versions. I now am trying to buy the whole catalog so I can complete my collection with every song out there. I have bought some original released lps at an antique mall that are nice to have but they don't play very well.

I tried not to get to obsessive about the Carpenters and try different artists. After hearing Karen's voice and the arrangements of Richard I cannot do without the Carpenters. Their music relaxes me and makes me feel good. I hope that Universal never takes their music away because I would be lost.

...Andrew remembering the Carpenters online...
 
Hi All,
WHat does the music of the Carpenters mean to me? It means a lot to me. I find such joy and peace at listening to their music. I never tire of it. How could I tire of THAT voice! Those wonderful arrangements! The overdubbed harmonies! The heavenly sound! It was pure magic...
Her voice seems to touch my soul. Songs like A PLACE TO HIDEAWAY, ONE LOVE, MAYBE IT'S YOU, ANOTHER SONG, CRESCENT NOON, SOMEDAY, I CAN'T MAKE MUSIC, ONLY YESTERDAY, SOLITAIRE, YOU, TWO SIDES, NOW, LOOK TO YOUR DREAMS, THOSE GOOD OLD DREAMS seem to touch me. I can relate to these songs. It's something that becomes a part of my life and my healing process. She just had that extra something that made her one in a trillion. No one has ever replaced her! And probably no one ever will.

My thoughts,
Cameron

www.carponline.bravepages.com
 
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