Your favorite hits by the Carpenters that did not make the Top 40?

My favorite non-top 40 Carpenters tunes (In chronological order):

Saturday (from CARPENTERS, 1971)
Let Me Be The One (from CARPENTERS, 1971)
Jambalaya (from NOW & THEN, 1973)
I Can't Make Music (from NOW & THEN, 1973)
Happy (from HORIZON, 1975)
(I'm Caught Between) Goodbye and I Love You (from HORIZON, 1975)
Love Me For What I Am (from HORIZON, 1975)
You (from A KIND OF HUSH, 1976)
Boat To Sail (from A KIND OF HUSH, 1976)

B'wana She No Home (from PASSAGE, 1977)
Sweet, Sweet Smile (from PASSAGE, 1977)
Two Sides (from PASSAGE, 1977)
(Want You) Back in My Life Again (from MADE IN AMERICA, 1981)
Sailing On The Tide (from VOICE OF THE HEART, 1983)
Who Do You Love (from TIME, 1987)
When Time Was All We Had (from TIME, 1987)
Time (from TIME, 1987)
Calling Your Name Again (from Richard Carpenter: TIME, 1987)
I'm Still Not Over You (from Richard Carpenter: TIME, 1987)
Making Love In The Afternoon (from KAREN CARPENTER, 1996)
Last One Singin' The Blues (from KAREN CARPENTER, 1996)
 
Being all of 2:25, Let Me Be The One might be a tad short for radio play ?
Also, the song wasn't even promoted via a "B" side from those singles off of the Tan album,
so, really, I doubt that the song was ever considered for any more than it was--a great album cut.
The version on From The Top (2:49) is my favorite (and, we did get a promo-cd with that song on it !).
Regards Goofus, not too many Carpenters' songs featured Wes Jacobs (tuba) and I love that arrangement.
Bless The Beasts and Children is an all-time favorite of mine (soundtrack version excels, imho).
As Karen said in a 1978 interview, Sweet Sweet Smile is so "catchy," and I concur wholeheartedly.
But, if country-tinged-pop isn't your thing, it probably doesn't fly.
2:25 was short for the times, but perfect for radio, which desperately wanted shorter songs.

And I'll make my every few years' point here that if it didn't make the Top 40, it's not a hit. Most of what made the Top 40 wasn't. Remember, these numbers aren't cumulative. A record that peaks at #20 means that, on its best week, there were 19 records that did better. And it's a sure bet that most people at the time couldn't name all 19.

Ask any artist who has cracked the Top 15 or higher, and you'll find that anything outside the Top 20 (and arguably, the Top 10) is a disappointment, not a hit.
 
^ Very true. But if you've struggled for years as an artist in a very difficult business to find to success and your song charts in the Top 100 and outside of the Top 40, I'm sure it would be a very happy moment even if it never materializes again. Having bragging rights for the rest of your life knowing that you achieved something that thousands of musicians and singers can only dream of would be very unique. I think I read that Richard was extremely proud when "Ticket To Ride" peaked at #54 while not knowing whether they would ever have another charted single.
 
I don't know if it was used in other countries, but 'Let Me Be the One' was the key promo song for Channel 9 in Australia for years and years, (re-recorded as 'Let Us Be the Ones' and, of course, not by by Carpenters) - so it must have been recognised as a catchy song. It was also included here on 1974's 'Great Hits of The Carpenters Vol 2, 1969 to 1973'.

Btw, '(A Place To) Hideaway' is also on 'Great Hits Vol 2'. (Great song!!)
Same in the U.S.! The ‘Let Us Be The One’ campaign was used on ABC Television.
 
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