Carpenters • What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?

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".

Happy New Year!

Ring The Belles • Ladies Singing of Christmas

Clockwise: Rosemary Clooney, Nancey Wilson, Karen Carpenter, and Dinah Washington.

As we are two weeks away from Christmas, I thought it was time to let my Ladies sing a bit of the holidays. And while there are some obvious choices, I thought I would try to avoid those, and go for some artists and songs that you might not hear as much, and just enjoy their music and artistry. I will begin with a choice that might seem obvious, until you see the song. Rosemary Clooney might be closely associated with a star turn in the film 'White Christmas', but she was also an exceptional Jazz singer. I picked a recording she did later in her career, singing a song most closely associated with 'A Charlie Brown Christmas'. In 1965, Lee Mendelson and Vince Guaraldi wrote "Christmas Time Is Here" for the television special, where it was played over an ice skating scene. The song is beautiful, and in Rosemary's gifted hands, it is so very special. This is Rosemary Clooney singing "Christmas Time Is Here".

Earl E. Lawrence wrote the next song, "That's What I Want For Christmas", and it was soon recorded by many people. But I particularly love the recording by Nancy Wilson, a woman with a remarkable voice. Wilson began her career in the late 1950s, singing with a big band. She honed her skills, and by the early 1960s, Wilson went out on her own. It seemed like a great choice, with her rich voice and remarkable delivery. She was won three Grammy Awards, and has been a favorite of many. This is her recording of Lawrence's "That's What I Want For Christmas".

Dinah Washington is another great singer with a remarkable and recognizable voice, said to be the "biggest selling black female sings of the 1950s". While she is best known for her recording of "What A Diff'rence A Day Makes", she had countless hits during her career. Sadly, she passed away at just 39 years of age, after a tumultuous life that included seven marriages. But the lady could sing, that is sure. I love her interpretation of a wonderful song written by Clyde Otis, "Ole Santa". It is a beautiful and sweet ballad, just perfect for Washington, who paints a beautiful painting with the lyrics. So please enjoy Dinah Washington singing "Ole Santa".

My final song of the night is credited to the Carpenters, but at the heart of the recording, it is Karen Carpenter's voice that makes it special. In 1978, Karen and her brother Richard released their first holiday offering, and it was rather lovely. It combined classic songs with new, like the beautiful "Merry Christmas Darling", written by Richard and Frank Pooler. But I am particularly fond of their take on "Christmas Waltz", written by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn. The richness of Karen's voice, the silkiness of the tone, it all comes together on the song "Christmas Waltz".

Have a great weekend!

If I Were A Carpenter • A Tribute

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.

Carpenters • Yesterday Once More

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.

Carpenters • Superstar

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!

Ladies Take On The Beatles

Clockwise: Karen Carpenter; Marianne Faithfull; Emmylou Harris; and Judy Collins.

After listening once again to the first entry of this post, I was inspired to seek out other covers of Beatles songs, and found some incredible performances by many gorgeous voices. There are way more than the four that I post here, but picked these because of the purity of the voice, and the honesty they brought to the table that made them stand out. So I will start with Karen Carpenter's haunting version of Ticket To Ride. The song, written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon, was a hit for the Beatles in 1965. In 1969, it became the first song Richard and Karen Carpenter had on the Billboard charts.



You can find Ticket To Ride, both the single and the album, on iTunes and Amazon.

A stalwart on the folk scene for the last 50 years, playing in coffee houses since the early 1960s. In 1967, she released her first album, In My Life. It had songs from some of the top writers of the 20th century, from Bob Dylan, Bertolt Brecht, Kurt Weill, Leonard Cohen, Jacques Brel, Randy Newman, Donovan, and, of course, John Lennon and Paul McCartney. In fact, the stunning singer used the Beatles tune as the title track. Here is Judy Collins singing the great ballad, In My Life.



You can find In My Life, both the single and the album, on iTunes and Amazon.

The stunning Marianne Faithful sang a beautiful version of the Lennon-McCartney song Yesterday in 1965. This was before she was having affairs with The Rolling Stones, before she discovered the joys and pitfalls of the 60s drug culture. It was when she was a beautiful girl, with a lovely voice, singing an early cover of a song that is perhaps the most covered song in the history of recorded music.



You can find Yesterday, part of her Greatest Hits collection, on iTunes and Amazon.

At times, there is just a very fine line between Country and Folk, a line that has often been blurred. You could easily say that an artist like Emmylou Harris has not only crossed that line, but made it useless. The brilliance of her tone, the amazing phrasing she has, all makes her an amazing artist. And in 1975, she released an album that included Here, There and Everywhere, a song written by Paul McCartney, but credited to the Lennon-McCartney catalog. Elite Hotel was an amazing album, and the cover was just beautiful.



You can find Elite Hotel or the single Here, There & Everywhere, on iTunes and Amazon.

Carpenters • We've Only Just Begun

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.

Christmas Spirit

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.



Merry Christmas Eve!

Visit Jake Walden for the Holidays

The final stop on the Holiday Visit schedule is in California, although we won't be spending time on the beach, enjoying the sound of the surf and the warmth of the sun. You see, we are visiting with Jake Walden, who is spending 12+ hours a day in the studio working on his new album. I first met Jake when he was playing with Tom Goss. Twice, as a matter of fact. I saw him touring with Tom and Stewart Lewis as part of the Rock The Folk Out tour, which I caught in Philadelphia. I also saw him playing with Goss in Washington, DC, at the beautiful Artists Inn Residence.


Jake with Tom Goss in Washington, DC.

I quickly discovered Jake's music to be a combination of silky smooth thoughts on love and smoke-tinged pleas of hope, hurt, and life. Jake slides with ease up and down the range of his voice, bringing the emotional baggage of joy, love, fear and melancholy with each phrase. But speaking from the heart is exactly what Jake does best. Here is a video of Jake's single, For Someone.



Since Jake was busy with in the studio, I thought it best to get straight to the questions. What is Jake's favorite holiday music? "This is easy," he told me. "In my family the only album that plays during Christmas is The Carpenters album. Nothing compares to it. And for as long as I live it will make me think of my Mom. In fact, when I imagine what next week will be like at home, I hear the songs..." Well, as Jake will soon be making his way to his family, I might as well get him ready with a clip of The Carpenter's Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.

Does Jake have a Christmas song he likes to perform? "As far as songs to perform, I don't know yet. I dabbled in Christmas music recording and releasing I'll Be Home For Christmas this year and believe I will do a full album for next year (which we record in the summer...very bizarre). Anyhow, ask me next year. I can tell you it will be a longing melancholic ballad though!" Now, of course I will not be able to resist showing a clip of Jake's Christmas song recorded earlier this year.



When I asked about what are his hopes for the coming year, Jake answered, "If I say it out loud it won't come true!!!!" I would have to think the fates would have a hard time saying no to this handsome and charming man, But I'll let him have his way. To just add a bit more holiday flavor for Jake, I thought it would be nice to bring back Karen Carpenter, singing White Christmas.



Again, I need to find out what music might me on Jake's iPod. Only seems fair, since I admit his music is on mine. So what did he think was some of the great music from 2010? "Favorites are, among others," he said thoughtfully, "Audra Mae's The Happiest Lamb; a few choice Glee songs; Brandi Carlile Give Up The Ghost; Christopher Dallman Never Was, especially the songs Ghosts and Subterranean; and Garrison Starr Sit with me tonight (live). A lot of mainstream pop and even some country too, but these are singer/songwriters doing incredible work from inception to record."

Since being in the studio seems to put Jake into the contemplative mood, I asked about what his goals musically in 2011. "I am looking forward to traveling the country and world with a full band'" he replied. "I am looking forward to creating a highly dynamic show that still makes you cry but also makes you smile and soft rock out! Musically, I'm excited to put out on the stage what I spent 2010 learning to do. I have never been as excited as I am about a new year." Well, with the new album, and a support tour, there is certainly much to get excited about. I will be looking to seeing him when he makes his way East, and expect to do lots of cheering, and getting a big hug.

Before ending the interview, Jake was kind enough to offer a few kind words in my direction. "Thanks Howard for all you do," he said,"for all your support and words and most of all for being you." Well, that certainly made me feel warm all over. And he most definitely wanted to wish a big "Happy Holidays" to the readers of the blog. As this is the last installment of the series, I wouldn't mind taking the opportunity to say my own thank you to Jake and all the rest of the artists who make the music that keeps me blogging, and take the time to answer my questions, and deliver the music that entertains us all. And I will end with one more song from Jake, another of my favorites. It is We Are, with a little help from Stewart Lewis.



For more information about Jake Walden, be sure to check out his official website here. If you go there, you can find all kinds of fun stuff, including shots of Jake getting a tattoo!

Worth Another Listen - Rainy Days & Mondays

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.