I couldn't let the holiday go without a little tribute to the brother-sister duo, Carpenters. I just love what they did with "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve", the great song written by Frank Loesser in 1947. While Loesser was known for his songs written for stage and screen, this song was written for neither, and was first sung by The Orioles. Thirty-seven years later, the song was recorded by Richard and Karen, and I just love it. This is the Carpenters singing "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve".
Clockwise, under cover: American Music Club; Dishwalla; 4 Non Blondes; Matthew Sweet; and Sonic Youth.
Since the New Year, I have run a couple of posts about the music of the Carpenters, the group fronted by Karen and Richard Carpenter, the siblings who set the music world on it's ear in the 1970s. Over the course of three posts, I brought you the chart-topping hits that made them a household name, and why I certainly bought soe of their albums for my own collection. You can find those posts here, here, and here. But now I think I will bring you another look at their music, with a distinctly different sound. I also have the CD If I Were A Carpenter in my collection, a tribute album by some of the top alternative rock bands of the early 1990s. The album, released in 1994, was a great way to be introduced to some incredible bands just making a name for themselves. Like, for instance, American Music Club. I first mentioned American Music Club back in 2010, the band fronted by Mark Eitzel. The band was making music since the mid 1980s, and really were garnering attention for their highly praised album, Everclear. On the compilation, they took on Goodbye To Love, composed by Richard Carpenter and John Bettis.
Next up there was the much-heralded New York City band, Sonic Youth. They were formed in 1981, and worked their way through the ranks to release a studio album in 1990. They never succumbed to life on a label, still making hard-rocking music with a hard edge. And they certainly delivered the edge to Superstar, an iconic ballad written by Bonnie Bramlett and Leon Russell in 1969.
In the early 1990s, a band was emerging out of Santa Barbara, California, with a polish that didn't take the sheen off their rock music. Dishwalla combined the brash music with the clear vocals of J.R. Richards. They were a perfect match for the song written by Carole King and Toni Stern for King's 1971 album. Dishwalla took on the Carpenter's 1972 hit, It's Going To Take Some Time. And it was the way I came to know the band, and become a big fan of their original music.
Throughout the 1980s and 90s, Matthew Sweet had quite the following. Although his time with record labels didn't wok out, his music was appreciated by a college-oriented fan base. He also had the attention of the critics, and helped bring attention to this compilation with his cover of Let Me Be The One, written in 1971 by Roger Nichols and Paul Williams.
In 1989, a rock band made it's way out of San Fransisco and on to a larger stage. Fronted by Linda Perry, 4 Non Blondes was best known for their 1993 hit, What's Up. They brought their own particular brand of rock, which utilized alternative grunge rock along with a dash of punk to make them distinctive. Shortly after the tribute album was released, the band broke up, and Linda Perry pursued a solo career, and was writing hit songs for some of the top names in the music business. But for If I Were A Carpenter, they delivered this amazing performance of Bless The Beasts and The Children, written by Barry De Vorzon and Perry Botkin, Jr.
You can find If I Were A Carpenter on iTunes and Amazon.
Well, I have finally reached the end of my series of posts focusing on the brother/sister duo known to many as the Carpenters. You can find the first installment here, and the second here. Richard and Karen Carpenter came out of Downey, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. I really remember them so very well, and their music was most certainly a part of my life. I heard their first albums from my sister's collection, and soon I was buying my own. The creamy richness of Karen's voice was a perfect match with the full-bodied goodness of Richard's orchestrations and production. Together, they could make dreams come true when they sing, or give you a place to share Karen's melancholia on rainy days...
In 1973, the duo released a new album, Now & Then. I remember it well, for I bought it for my collection. While Barbra might have been the first I bought, I think Carpenters might have been number two. And it was this album. I might have been 13 years old, but I was wanting music, and this fit the bill. I was in love with the first single, and the beauty of Karen's voice on it. I look back on it now, and know I didn't see it all there, but the aching reflection, the desire to step away from her now, to look back to then, well, spoke volumes of Karen's issues. It was written by Richard and his buddy, John Bettis. But check out the tenderness in the song that reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, Yesterday Once More.
That wasn't their only hit in 1973. The next single made it to the top, all the way to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. In fact, I don't think there was a place on this planet you could go to escape the enormity of Top Of The World. The song was also written by Richard and college friend, John Bettis. Oddly, the single was off the 1972 album A Song For You, but made a statement in 1973. Here they are playing the song live at a command performance at the White House.
Off the strength of those two singles, Now & Then went double-Platinum in sales. In 1974, they released the single Please Mr. Postman, a remake of the old Tamla favorite, recorded by The Marvelettes, and later covered by Richard's heroes, The Beatles. They had their own spin on it, more like Paul McCartney meets Jan & Dean. There was a late 1950s, early 1960s surf music feel. Check out the next #1 song on the Billboard Pop charts for the duo.
There was just so much velvety richness in Karen's vocal on the 1975 hit, Only Yesterday. The strong song was written by Richard and Bettis, and it appeared on the 1975 Platinum album, Horizon. There is a joyous feel to the song, and the strong Pop is mized with a strong electric guitar and the calypso beat defined with castanets. Only Yesterday made it to #4 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Although it barely made it into the Top 40, I have always had a real soft-spot for the 1977 single, Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft (The Recognized Anthem of World Contact Day). It has an odd sci-fi feel, some kind of homage to Klaatu, the alien from the classic The Day The Earth Stood Still. The song was written by and originally performed by the band named Klaatu. It was off the Carpenters 1977 album, Passage, the second album in a row to go Gold, but not Platinum, in sales.
The album also included On the Balcony of the Casa Rosada/Don't Cry for Me Argentina, from the Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice musical, Evita, which just started previews on Broadway with Ricky Martin playing Ché. Later, we would learn that while she was making this great music, Karen and Richard were suffering on their own. Richard had to deal with a dependence on Quaaludes, and Karen with her long battle with eating disorders. Karen was rumored to be down to 83 lbs, and was suffering from Anorexia Nervosa.
In 1982, she sought treatment for the disease, and was starting to have some success. Karen had gained back 30 lbs, and was sorting her life out, including seeking a divorce. She was working on a solo project with producer Phil Ramone, and talking with Richard about some group projects. It was stunning news that on February 4, 1983, just shy of her 33rd birthday, Karen passed away in the home of her parents, a direct effect of the disease which destroyed her health. Not only was her loss mourned, it also brought much needed attention of the world on eating disorders. For more about Richard and Karen Carpenter, visit the official website here. You can find the music of the Carpenters anywhere fine music is sold. You can purchase Carpenters Gold, a 35th anniversary collection of their greatest hits, on iTunes and Amazon.
A couple of weeks ago, I had a first post about Richard and Karen Carpenter, and it seemed like time to run a second, with the next four hit songs the brother-sister duo. They practically owned the airwaves in the early 70s, with Richard's lofty music paired with the deep and sonorous voice Karen put to great use.
In 1971, they released their third studio album, a self-titled album featuring 10 tracks, with one of those being a medley of great songs by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. The first two singles off the album were very successful, and covered in the first post. The next single was quite different, and brought them to a new place. When Leon Russell and Bonnie Bramlett wrote Superstar, I doubt they had the duo in mind to record it, but after listening, they should have. Richard's lush production wrapped perfectly around Karen's vocals, and the song went to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Soon it was time to start promoting their next album, for the last had gone quadruple-Platinum in sales. In anticipation of A Song For You coming out in 1972, they released Hurting Each Other in tie for Christmas of 1971, and it seemed like quite the present to their fans. The song was written by Gary Geld and Peter Udell in 1965, and covered by many, but none had the same success as the Carpenters, as they song went to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The next single out of the gate was Goodbye To Love, a song composed by Richard Carpenter and John Bettis. This was the second hit written by Richard, the first being the season Merry Christmas, Darling in 1970. It was written with Bettis, a college friend of Richard's. The song went to #7 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 1973, they released what might be their most infectious song ever. They heard the song, written by Joe Roposo to be sung on the children's program Sesame Street, and knew immediately they had to record it. So the first single off their new album, Now & Then, was Sing. They took the song to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100, and into the hearts of everyone.
This would cover the middle part of their ride on top of the charts. There is more to come, before the ride comes to an end. Till then, sing a song!
When I was a youngster, I used to get an allowance for taking care of certain chores. What did I use that money for? I'd buy music, of course. While I am pretty sure my first album purchase was Barbra, I do remember another of those early buys was the Carpenter's Now & Then, released in May of 1973. Their music was hard to escape during that time, as they had hit after hit song, and dominated many of the radio stations.
The Carpenters were both born in New Haven, Connecticut, Richard in 1946 and Karen in 1950. It was said Richard was a bit of an introvert, and spent much of his time in his room, listening to music. Karen, on the other hand, was quite outgoing, and would often be found outside with the neighborhood kids, playing softball. In 1963, the family moved to Downey, California.
Soon Richard was enrolling in college at Long Beach State, now known as California State University, Long Beach. At the same time, Karen was started high school, and discovered she not only was good at playing the drums, she also enjoyed it. In college, Richard was meeting people who felt about music the way he did, including future songwriting partner John Bettis, as well as many of the guys who would later be a part of Richard's band. In 1966, the Richard Carpenter Trio came into being, and in 1967, Richard joined Karen and others in a band called Spectrum. Richard kept busy doing session work and the like, and sometimes Karen would tag along. Once she was asked to sing on a demo, and her vocal talents were discovered. In 1969, they were signed to A&M Records, the brother-sister duo billed as Carpenters. They had moderate success with their first single, a cover of the Beatles Ticket To Ride. They were quickly back in the studio and in 1970 released a second album, called Close To You. The first single was released, and immediately caught the attention of the public. It was written by the great songwriting team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David. (They Long To Be) Close To You entered the charts at #56, and was soon at #1, where it stayed for four weeks.
That song was followed by We've Only Just Begun, written by the team of Roger Nichols and Paul Williams. The song peaked at #2 on the Pop charts, and seemed to signal that the Carpenters had something for the music-buying public. This song was huge, and became the 'theme' for many high school proms for the next decade.
While that success was going on, Richard and Karen want back into the studio to work on a third album. In 1971, they released Carpenters, and the first single was a song Richard first heard in a movie, Lovers And Other Strangers. The song was written by Fred Karlin, Arthur James and Robb Wilson, and just perfect for Karen's voice. For All We Know went to #3 on the Pop charts.
The second single off the album was another hit that became a trademark song for the duo. Like We've Only Just Begun, the song was written by Roger Nichols and Paul Williams. The brooding melancholy of Rainy Days And Mondays went to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
This is just the beginning of the journey for the siblings who owned the music charts in the 1970s. I look forward to bringing you more of their music next week, when I will bring you songs like Superstar, written by Bonnie Bramlett & Leon Russell. For more about the Carpenters, check out their official website here. You can purchase Carpenter's Gold, a colelction of their greatest hits on iTunes and Amazon, and the third album Carpenters.
A very long time ago, my mother gave the speech that Santa Claus lived in all our hearts, and it is the joy, love, and giving that keeps his spirit alive. I might have scoffed a bit at the time, but now have to think it is true. I think it is fairly evident that there is plenty of Christmas Spirit in Rosemary Clooney when she sings Let It Snow.
And there is such joy and beauty when The Carpenters sing a Christmas Medley, it is hard to think otherwise. After all, the gorgeous sound made by Karen Carpenter whenever she sang had to have some affect on your spirit and mood.
If having Bing Crosby sing White Christmas wasn't special enough, when he is joined by Frank Sinatra to sing it could make it something that certainly shifts your spirits into an accelerated Christmas spirit, right?
And if Maggie, Terre and Suzzy Roche can't bring you to a new level in your Christmas spirit, I would have to think you need a check up from your doctor immediately. The sisters are a big part of my holiday soundtrack, so check out their Christmas Medley.
I will do a more complete post about Richard and Karen Carpenter, the brother/sister team who ruled the radio waves in the 70s. But since I was moving a little slow this Monday morning, this seemed most appropriate, so here is Rainy Days & Mondays.
