Your MIA

The other thing that I've noticed with the Carpenters pre-1974 albums and their post-1974 albums it that Richard really moved into the background, whereas on their early albums, like A Song For You, we still got a couple of Richard tracks (such as Flat Barouque, Piano Picker, Heather, Deadman's Curve, Nowaday's Clancy Can't even sing, Saturday, I Kept On Loving You) on each album, which is something that I think was missing on their later albums. Even with the singles we got Rainy Days And Mondays/Saturday, Close To You/I Kept On Loving You, It's Going To Take Sometime/Flat Barouque, Top Of The World/Heather, Sing/Druscilla Penny, Ticket To Ride/Your Wonderful Parade where side 1 was a Karen lead and the side 2 was a Richard vocal or instrumental lead. Even the single Goodbye To Love/Crystal Lullaby featured a song that could be called a duet with Crystal Lullaby. And I think that that is something that is missing from the later, less successful albums and singles. You had a true group effort during the early days, and then once 1974 hit, aside from a few tracks on Christmas Portrait, the other albums are basically Karen Carpenter solos with Richard just as a backing vocalist.

So in my list that's why I put You're Just In Love and Looking For Love/Something In Your Eyes, with Richard as lead, since I think the later albums are really missing that, and I think that something that Richard realized when he released As Time Goes By (even Lovelines I would've replaced You're The One & Little Girl Blue with either an older Richard lead, or had Richard record an all new song(s)), since ATGB has the most Richard leads since Now & Then in terms of the studio albums (he duets with Karen on Without A Song & You're Just In Love, and then he has solo lead on Dizzy Fingers, Close Encounters/Star Wars & Carpenters/Como Medley).
I respect Richard greatly as a producer, writer, arranger, musician, etc, but I think he was extremely wise to stop featuring himself as lead vocalist. Karen had a world-class voice. He had an average, singing-in-the-shower voice. But he did sound good when his vocals were blended with Karen's, in the background. They made good background vocals together - and Richard was smart enough to keep himself in the background vocal-wise from 1974 onwards.
 
My three wishes: I would have wanted a 1979 release if I had my wish and it would include Richard working with Phil Ramone. On the list would be all the Carpenters 1978 Music that was shelved and a lower key of Something’s Missing, and It’s Really You, and the other solo of Still Crazy After All These Years and Guess I’ve Just Lost My Head, If I Had You and If We Try as all of those are the most innocent of the solo selections. Then in 1980, I would wish for the Music Music Music soundtrack, including Somebody’s Been Lying and When I Fall in Love and a full version of Coming Through the Rye and Dance in the Old Fadhioned Way, then in 1981, I would wish for a new direction but would include Touch Me When Were Dancing and Something In Your Eyes, Love Makin Love To You, and Last One Singing The Blues from the solo work. And, of course through all of this I would include as a given that Karen would still be alive on earth and singing with her own family to share with Richard’s.
Not a bad idea - a blend of Phil Ramone and Richard. I still like the idea of Karen going with something completely different from Carpenters and the 'Karen Carpenter' LP, though.
 
Home For The Holidays, Little Altar Boy, Do You Hear What I Hear ? What Are You Doing New Year's Eve ? I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day - He Came Here For Me - And, some of those songs--as,above--are some of Karen's finest vocals ever !
I agree! Although Karen had about 100 other best vocals ever, as well! :)
 
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