Her voice is exquisite but the low register shows off the greatest female contralto OF ALL TIME. Thank you Lord for the gift of Karen and Richard and their musical gifts. Now I know what your angels sound like. God bless.
Karen was beautiful inside and out, I just wished she could have realized that. Undoubtedly one of, if not the best female voices ever to perform. R.I.P. Karen, you are truly missed.
She has such a beautiful voice, almost Angelic in it's quality...and she always seems to be singing directly to me when she performs. She sing's with such compassion and emotion and a sense of yearning that she presents, it's like she wants you to listen longer, and like it pleases her to be able to spread such overwhelming joy to all her listeners. She definitely has one of, if not the most beautiful voices I've ever heard.
The Carpenters XMas album is fantastic! A must for the holidays. There are only two other artists that I love singing this song besides Karen. They are Nat King Cole and the songwriter himself Mel Torme'. All of them have that smooth soothing tone to their voices.
Beyond that voice, this was a stunningly beautiful woman, yet, she didn't see, in the mirror, what we all saw. I have asked myself over the years, how can this be?? How????? It is one of those unanswerable questions, yet it breaks my heart over and over again. Dearest Karen, how is it you didn't see what we all saw???
Chuck, so many of us feel as you do. As I understand it, Karen's illness, anorexia nervosa, distorts a person's perception of themselves. She kept believing that she was fat. Also, by many accounts, she had an unloving manipulative mother who dismissed Karen's talents and favored her brother Richard. That could not have helped Karen's self-esteem.
A warm blanket, candles shimmering against a backdrop of sparling tinsel and lights. A cracklin' fire, a glass of velvety Burgundy wine, maybe a chasagne-montrachet, outside it is spitting gentle, feathery snowflakes. Inside, you feel peace, joy and comfort. Your mind drifts to things spiritual. I just encapsulated Karen Carpenter's voice.
Dani, your insight and sensitivity are always appreciated. Thank you for preserving and sharing the incomparable artistry of the Carpenters. Anytime I hear Karen sing, I feel a mixture of sadness and gratitude for the beauty of her soul and the uniqueness of her voice. She was here all too briefly.
Thats the best indicting comment of modern music...you said it all. Singers today over sing evetything. She doesn't try to oversing it. Just let the song, the melody, the notes speak for themselves. Goodness gracious but I miss this talented lady.
You are so spot on, Dani, as far as this being a classic, non-customized version of A Christmas Song, sung only as Karen can. It is so warm and heartfelt. Guarantee most of us react to it the same way you do. Thanks for kicking off the Season this way!
Karen could touched your soul so deeply by a simple hand jester or the tilt of her head. Her interaction with the teddy bear brings a smile to me every time! Merry Christmas Karen!
totally! the warmth, the intimacy, clarity, rich singing TO YOU NOT AT YOU, her phrasing, perfect diction and storytelling ability is unmatched in regards to the female voice for christmas songs...
There's not a lot that needs to be said about Karen Carpenter. She was simply the greatest female vocalist I've ever heard, no matter what she was singing.
It ain't Xmas and I m here to hear you rate some of the CARPENTERS CLASSIC holiday songs which I will always love and appreciate. I don't particularly like this one but damn if I didn't cry a tear at the end. I have to walk away or keep playing carpenters tracks until I'm ready to play something that isn't this beautiful.
Susan, it us such a good feeling knowing many of you feel that about her and your comments are spot on. I am someone, who, like Karen, has struggled with a self image issue for much of my life. I made it out and to the other side, but I feel so deeply for this woman--for all the reasons you list and for that voice that confirms that angels really do exist.
Karen Carpenter died at the age of 33, from the eating disorder, Anorexia. Truly a gift that left us WAY too early!!! What could have been in her future?
@@DaniAtkinson as i was saying! (lol).. so many in fact MOST singers (who are NOT vocalists!) do not understand that they are SUPPOSED to be storytellers and that it's about the song and us the listener, NOT about THEM and quote "what they can do"... Karen Carpenter understood this and that is why she was/is/always will be the ultimate vocalist who sang TO YOU NOT AT YOU... her phrasing, intonation, and the most perfect diction and enunciation i might add of any singer/vocalist I have ever heard male or female adds to her abilities....
dani my sisters putting up my christmas tree for me as im listening to karen.you cant get more christmassy than being with your family and listening to karen. more karen reactions please dani
Written by Mel Thorne 60 years ago Mel does a fine job on his song as well this is from their Christmas album. In my opinion the best Christmas album ever made.
Back in the mid 70's my wife and I were lucky enough to see the Carpenters live twice up at Lake Tahoe CA. Karen"s voice was just as good live as it was on her records.
Yes hello it's me again hey there how are you so what's up with the rock and roll I got some Christmas rock and roll okay that's the way she goes yeah I like the Carpenters they go away back you know it's only just begun so sure my darling some Christmas music for you and rest of the world from Canada Toronto Scarborough Ontario Carl Supertramp Garnett
Dani, I know in the beginning you said you might sing along with Karen but that became impossible because you were overrun with emotion. Not only is her voice so beautiful but it's hard for all of us to shake the feeling of sorrow in our hearts because of her leaving us so soon. Let me wish you a very Merry Christmas and keep up the good work. I will now play the Merry Christmas, Darling song you suggested also sung by Karen. I'll get my Kleenex!
Her voice was designed by God to be especially poignant for the celebration of his son's birth. Karen's voice is the voice of Christmas. Thanks be to God for this woman's voice, a gift for all time.
And then theres Chuck Berry's Run, Run Rudolph and Vince Vance & The Valiants All I Want for Christmas Is You and Charles Brown's Please Come Home for Christmas and Celtic Women's Wexford Carol (don't want to run out of songs). Some of these have been covered more recently but I still prefer the older ones.
Hadn't heard this in forever. Great reaction Dani! By the way, saw you're brief post for reacting to an AC/DC song. Not surprised you pulled it down after it was blocked. FYI AC/DC and the Eagles' publishing companies are notorious for blocking reactors.
I totally agree, Grael. I never thought another singer would be able to project the kind of talent into this song like he did, (especially the duet with daughter, Natalie) but I've got to say, Karen Carpenter really gives this melody an excellent performance....
Hi Dani! You made a great point about just singing the song. Have you ever heard the country singer k d lang? Lang loved Karen respecting the song, as written. I think Lang's exact quote was "...just delivered the song...no tricks..." or something like that. Lang may have been before your time, you being pretty young. A more recent singer I really like, who has come out and said she wants to respect the composer's writing, is Mandy Harvey. Even more than a singer, Mandy writes her own music, but has to practice with tuning apps on her phone because she's deaf. I used to like to watch talent shows, but I got tired of all the screaming, overembellishing belters doing what you said, trying to outdo everyone else. Oftentimes, I can't hear the original melody anymore.
