Hi everyone! Here's an experience from someone who was born long after 1983 and who has just "discovered" Carpenters in 2020. I apologize for my English as it's not my first language.
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Growing with parents who were not into music, the only Carpenters songs I knew were Yesterday Once More and Close To You. I had listened to them so many times and loved them. But I never knew anything about the duo. Like almost everyone else, I had vaguely heard that Karen suffered from anorexia. And that's as far as I know about Carpenters.
Then, on November 27, 2020, I was shopping for groceries in Safeway. They were playing some Christmas songs in the background. I didn't pay much attention to them... until they played this song. At the end of the first verse, I was taken by the voice. I just realized that I was listening to something truly great. I pulled out my phone, trying to record it, so afraid that I was going to miss it. Then I went home and tried to identify the song.
I found that it's Christmas Waltz from Christmas Portrait. So I looked up Carpenters, read Karen's biography. Then I went down the rabbit hole... I spent hours on YouTube, watching anything I could find about Carpenters. Then I stumbled upon this forum, which increased my obsession to the next level. I bought "Little Girl Blue", listened to Carpenter songs, bought a record (even though I don't yet own a turntable), read old threads on this forum, read the fan club newsletters, and so on.
In a way, I just "discovered" Carpenters in 2020. I usually listen to contemporary music. But there's something special about Karen's voice that transcends time and deeply resonates with me. Thank you the grocery store for playing Christmas Waltz that day and making me a new fan.
As someone who was born too late, I truly appreciate every experience, every anecdote, every memory on this forum. It's the closest connection to Carpenters that I can get. I still feel surreal every time I read someone sharing their experience of having attended a Carpenters concert or growing up with their music. Thank you so much for sharing Carpenters with the world.
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Growing with parents who were not into music, the only Carpenters songs I knew were Yesterday Once More and Close To You. I had listened to them so many times and loved them. But I never knew anything about the duo. Like almost everyone else, I had vaguely heard that Karen suffered from anorexia. And that's as far as I know about Carpenters.
Then, on November 27, 2020, I was shopping for groceries in Safeway. They were playing some Christmas songs in the background. I didn't pay much attention to them... until they played this song. At the end of the first verse, I was taken by the voice. I just realized that I was listening to something truly great. I pulled out my phone, trying to record it, so afraid that I was going to miss it. Then I went home and tried to identify the song.
I found that it's Christmas Waltz from Christmas Portrait. So I looked up Carpenters, read Karen's biography. Then I went down the rabbit hole... I spent hours on YouTube, watching anything I could find about Carpenters. Then I stumbled upon this forum, which increased my obsession to the next level. I bought "Little Girl Blue", listened to Carpenter songs, bought a record (even though I don't yet own a turntable), read old threads on this forum, read the fan club newsletters, and so on.
In a way, I just "discovered" Carpenters in 2020. I usually listen to contemporary music. But there's something special about Karen's voice that transcends time and deeply resonates with me. Thank you the grocery store for playing Christmas Waltz that day and making me a new fan.
As someone who was born too late, I truly appreciate every experience, every anecdote, every memory on this forum. It's the closest connection to Carpenters that I can get. I still feel surreal every time I read someone sharing their experience of having attended a Carpenters concert or growing up with their music. Thank you so much for sharing Carpenters with the world.