Every time Karen's wretched "mother" opened her mouth to talk about Karen, it was a disparaging remark. For instance, here she talks about Karen's search in discovering her talents and interests, as if she was flighty and how dreadful that she couldn't pick something and stick with it. She WAS only a teenager at the time. 🙄🤨 It sickens me to hear her talk about Karen at all...my blood starts boiling. 😡 I can't imagine how Karen endured years with her--they even lived with their parents during their fame!!!! 😳 It makes me so aggravated, that during a Good Morning America interview shortly after Karen passed, her mon put Karen down, even after her death--explaining how she had so much to eat the night before...acting like maybe she even ordered to much. And, like she couldn't imagine how she could die when she ate so very much the night before. Like that was all that was needed to "fix" things. And, these are things she said in interview. I can't imagine what she said to her in private. It sickens me that her mother was able to reap the benefits from Karen's voice-- both before and after her death.5
This was the most moronic death I've ever heard about! Young, rich, famous..... then decides to torture herself to death for absolutely NOTHING. At least with a suicide, the person knows what they want to do; there's at least a reason! How can anyone feel sorry for someone who "doesn't wanna eat"..?? There are people who work their asses off and can't even pay the GD rent!!
So very true indeed Agnes was a controlling mother towards Karen's life as a singer and off stage .... If one listens to a song rainy days and Mondays ........how Karen sings the song reflects how she felt about her private life .... Of which she felt unhappy
*So MANY favorites from her, but I think Bless the Beast and the Children and Superstar were by far my favorites!! I can still remember when passed.* 😢
They were both so gifted musically. With his great keyboard playing, arrangements,choices of instrumentation, compositions and production he created the perfect setting for Karen’s diamond of a voice.
I, being a singer myself feel sorry for people who THINK they are going to do a Karen Carpenter tribute band, I’m sorry, it’s just not going to happen. Do something fun anyway✌️
I remember when she died! I thought it was so very very sad 😢!!! She was a beautiful 😍 soul, and a very very lovely voice!!!! God Bless Her,And Her Family Members!!!! RIP KAREN!!!! Amen 🙏
When that guy mentioned that one of the producers told Karen that she had to lose weight because she looks 30 pounds heavier on camera. I knew that's probably what triggered Karen's eating disorder. People have got to be careful about what they say because some people are very sensitive about their weight, their looks, etc.
The fat neighbor, who is actually FAT, kept saying how 13 yr old Karen was chubby. Karen is still fat shamed, even in death. Like that neighbor could talk. She looked 50 lbs over weight to me.
At my age I was fortunate enough to see them many times but never live. They made a big impression on me as a vocalist And percussionist and just loving music in general!!! Thank you so much with videos like this you could be introducing a new generation To the Carpenters sound!!!!
Her story is so heartbreaking. It seems like she was used and treated as a resource and not as a human being by everyone around her, including a predatory music industry and even her own family. She never got to live her own life without someone exercising control over her.
So, while I agree, Karen had a once in a millennium voice. Would you really want it go unheard. I mean, it's easy enough to say it now after the fact, but back then the body positivity movement was unknown. Times were just different. You're not using historical perspective
TY4 sharing the real brother & sister story, sad but happy at the same time! Their 1st hit in 69, i was 2 yrs old, but of course i wasn't even listening to music & dont remember doing so until the mid 70's. I was more into disco & the Bee Gees, when i was a kid! But when I started singing on the karaoke Smule app 3 yrs ago i fell in❤with them! I love so many other songs I think she has the most beautiful voice I ever heard & Linda Ronstadt who was my all-time favorite, but the Carpenters are so very popular on the music app! She's my favorite now! 🕯🤍🕯
I did Google it, but they didn't say he was passed away, so I guess he's not. That's awesome to hear you don't have to have such a smirk face, but I forgive bc Jesus would
It took the both of them, Richard and Karen, to produce the magic. There will never again be anybody else that comes remotely close to possessing the talent and gift that they had..
This is still my favorite doc on the Carpenters, if I had to pick one. Carpenters are my favorite so I'm picky but this seemed to be the most revealing, comprehensive, etc. In many ways they were the zenith of American pop music, and for me, a true audiophile with tastes all over the place- they remain ALL.
I like the documentary Karen Carpenter Goodbye to Love the best, primarily for its re-enactments of things that happened. That helps me to “see” what actually happened, instead of just somebody talking about it.
Unfortunately I have never heard of her. This video was recommended to me and I had to google her. She died seven years before I was born. But I am now going to listen to her songs.
didn't help her at all, they just made the problem worse because they favored her brother that only aggravated her and made her self esteem plummet some more
Desiree Boone anorexia is all about control, I’m 57 years old and still have major issues with food , as soon as I have no control over the way my life is been decided for me I return to controlling the only thing I have control of and that’s food.
It still makes no sense to me that she would still be alive if only she had eaten. She had gained weight but it was too late. Karen's heart gave out on her due to years of crash diets and starvation
She was passive -aggressive because she was continuing the family dynamics. Her mother is passive aggressive and controlled every aspect of Karen’s life. The only thing she could control was her food all other decisions were made for her. Even when she was severely suffering the disease of anorexia the family did not play along to get her well. Healthy dynamics from the beginning would’ve made a difference. It’s most likely why Karen Carpenter song perfect pitch with so much emotion in her songs because her family could not hear her. A very dysfunctional family, the eyes of the parents were only for fame and fortune at all costs. Her mother pushed her children to be absolutely perfect. Nothing was ever good enough and she always criticize they could do more. It’s what a toxic family does the constant backs laugh or passive aggressive comments even after somethings successful.
I totally agree about the dysfunctional family dynamics agnes could not give up controlling her children which is why she wanted them still living with her she couldn’t let go among other things
If only older brother Richard let Karen stay behind the drums until SHE felt comfortable stepping out from behind them. Sadly, of course, we will never know. Then there is the punishing plight of the perfectionist. I could see this when I saw them in concert from my fortunate front row seat. I could see how their every self scrutinized facet of their performance became burdens to them. An eternal reality is that all good things eventually come to an end. But despite Karen's imminent demise, future generations will forever embrace their music that I define as magical.
"Close To You" is the only song (as far I can remember) that ever appeared in my dreams. My musical taste is very broad. Literally spanning from ABBA to Zappa and anything in between, but non of them can make me feel warm and protected like the songs of The Carpenters. The slogan "The Voice Of The Heart" sums it up quite nicely.
I loved Karen Carpenter . That music was a huge part of my life . Just the other day before I watched this show , I ordered Carpenter s greatest hits on master vinal . Can't wait to get it . I don't even have a turntable yet . Might order one more and just keep it in the package .
Her funeral was on my 18th birthday. I don't remember my own reaction at hearing the news, other than being shocked, but I do remember my mother's: "She was so pretty, and had such a beautiful voice."
As a four year old I was in love with the voice of Karen Carpenter when I heard on top of the world played constantly on the radio . Her voice was magic to even a developing brain of a child. I remember when I heard the song I would stop what I was doing and just mentally love the voice. Weird but true.
Me too I was just a little kid when mom used to play The Carpenters songs and I heard them sometimes on the radio. I have always loved classic rock and pop music of the 70s. But Karen's voice is above all others in my lifetime.
Richard's closing comment about not knowing what causes anorexia nervosa is naive. Did he say that just to save his reputation or is he genuinely that ignorant?Anorexia nervosa was the next in line condition to the root cause of Karen's ďeath, which was lack of unconditional love and support from her mother and family. Her starving herself condition grew out of that emotional baggage, along with the comment some producer made about her weight. The actual physical cause of death was Karen's weakened heart, which resulted from years of taking a medication which causes one to vomit, along with her overindulgence in thyroid medication. Synthroid causes loss of weight. But taking excessive amounts damages the heart. Truly a tragedy. A gorgeous voice like no other. RIP Karen ❤
We All Have A Responsibility To Never Be A Part To Protect Those Who Are Given Too. Karen Was Beautiful In Everyway As She Was We Can't Put So Much Pressure On Anyone. Karen & Richard Thank You Karen I Love You 😢 Richard Peace
I was a young girl when she was coming into prominence and was in my early 20's when she passed away. I used to watch her on TV and I remember not seeing her for a while then seeing her again after she had lost so much weight and I was shocked. I didn't even recognize her. Back then we didn't really talk about eating disorders so I had no idea what anorexia was or even understood it. If there is any silver lining to her passing it is that anorexia finally had a face and we could start to understand what it really is and because of Karen many lives were probably saved. Now she's an angel in heaven. RIP Karen.
Karen is confuse because millions adored and appreciated her and bought records because of her voice yet her family never saw that it was her who is the special one
In the 70s us young girls were not expected to eat our fill as we may become the size of a house and no man would want to marry us. For me the remarks came from male family members. It seemed that the worst thing a young girl could do is to get fat. If you did then your life would be over. So we starved ourselves. It was frowned upon to eat too much. Are you going to eat all that? If you can eat it all? I would raid the fridge when everyone was asleep. It is good to see that these days we have healthy, developed young girls who are confident with their bodies as they are. I think it is because women now have more empowerment in society, not feeling second rate to men and needing to please or impress a more male influenced society
Musically it was perfect timing.They had the perfect soothing relaxing songs for that era.Awesome music.She should have been allowed to play drums and sing.It seems like they were being used by the record company as a commodity..
D. Horne Karen was a beautiful life. Her talent was truly God given. Her music brought a lot of joy to my childhood, because it helped me get in touch with my feelings. It is tragic that she was not in touched with her own.
Been reading and watching some stuff on Karen. Appears that all she needed was some love from her parents(especially her mom) and then someone to make her not only get the help she needed but to continue working on this. Sounds like her Dr. wanted her to stay in the program for up to 3 years. I have also read that Karen overdosed on Ipecac which overtime of high usage is cardiotoxic(breaks down heart tissue). We know so much more about different types of addictions that we did in 1983 and how to treat them but a little freakin compassion and love would have gone a long way.
She died from a lethal combo of ipecac, laxatives and thyroid tablets, according to a medical examiner who reviewed her records in recent years...it can be viewed on You Tube.
When a person has no control over the big things in life they attempt to control whatever tiny detail they can, be it food intake, drugs or OCD rituals. My situation is much like Karen's: my mom is controlling, narcissistic & critical of me while favoring my brother. Bro & I have severe OCD & I've struggled w/ body image issues my whole life. She even wants us to move into a house up the street like Richard & Karen! We're in our 30's. Be kind to your children.
I see her story somehow similar to the Wilson brothers. Both just burst on the scene with instant success and similarly put out hit record after hit record than the pressure to put out more and tour more to promote more just burned out Brian and later Karen. The trade off of instant fame and millions of dollars was public scrutiny from the record companies, the press, and fans. Trying to stay mainstream and on top in a business constantly evolving with new talent must have been emotionally taxing with little time to actually enjoy the fruits of their labor. How could anyone not have crashed?
Absolutely but I came across an album that came out this year which made me come back to all Carpenters songs. I think you'll love Titanic Rising by Weyes Blood if you love Karen. Natalie Mering's voice is why I'm coming back to learn all about this tragic life 😓 I hope you'll listen and enjoy. Let me know what you think!
that bit about her mother polishing the very locks on the windows sends shivers down my spine.....that level of clean freak tends to raise children who will never, ever be good enough, if they are daughters.
I always found that Richard Carpenter is very odd. Something’s off. I just hope nothing “funny” went on that fueled Karen’s eating disorder. I saw a documentary once where he was directing a TV movie about him and Karen and he had very weird demands. So odd he was.
Her mom acted like her brother was everything but if it wasn’t for karen voice they wouldn’t have been the fame her mom didn’t give her enough Credit that what it seems from all the info
You're a woman, so you know what it is to be irrational and to have favorites. Don't be so hard on her, probably 90% of the mothers in the world are overly critical. And dads too for that matter.
TheLarryBrown that a sexiest thing to say ..but what I do know is that when you feel like you don’t have any control in your life you fine something you can control that sometime we’re eating disorder come from an other things
@@auti34 Maybe so, but if any small percentage of the people of the world with overly critical parents starved themselves, we'd have a whoooooole lot of skinny people.
So you're a woman and you want to be critical of Agnes. Do you have children? What's your relationship like with them? Have you been a perfect mother? Even a good one? If we took a few of your shortcomings and blew them up world size and villianize you and put it in a movie, would you come out looking any better?
If Karen were alive today and still doing concerts , you better believe that all the concert seats would be filled up. Karen was soo... Amazing!!! Richard as well!! I truly loved both of them!!❤❤❤
Anaroxia is a control issue. They feel no control in their life their body is the only thing they can control. As i watch this people controlled her so much real or not she felt that way. Its so sad she had a glorious voice.
It was a magazine article that it was written that Karen Carpenter was "fat" (she wasn't) after she read that her eating disorder was born.Who ever first said that "sticks and stones break the bones but words will never hurt you" was clearly wrong..That comment killed her.
Such a beautiful voice it's sad that weight plays a part of destroying people u cant win if u to skinny it's bad to big it's bad if ur medium they find something to say and all these health issues God help
So very true Karen's voice was very unique and very smooth and beautiful to listen to ..... especially superstar and rainy days and Monday's and my fav song by the carpenter's is we've only just begun
I personally hated Karen's mum Agnes a very selfish person who was controlling towards Karen and why Karen felt unloved by her mother the one thing Karen could control was what she ate and how she would eat .....and when.... sadly it was a dangerous game Karen was playing which in the end would cost Karen her life in the early 1980s due to complications from Karen's eating disorder.....
It's sad Karen never had children she would have a beautiful mum ..... To her children in this video Karen looked very beautiful n lovely legs indeed 👍😻
Whatever you wanna say both Richard and Agnes worked Karen to the bone. She also had a serious disease which when combined with the work schedule was disastrous. Add to it a gold Digging husband who called her a bag of bones and you have her demise. Not to mention the solo reject. It was great. If I were her I would have quit right there and called Softly.They had her do it only to get rid of her while Rich was sick. By the way Agnes demanded that she go through with the wedding even though he had a vasectomy. He forgot to mention until 2 wk before.
She wasn't even fat, not even a little bit. Stupid people say such hurtful things sometimes, not realizing the detriment they're causing. Sometimes people should keep their big mouths shut.
Karen and Richard's mother is like The Jackson's Father Joe Jackson. He didn't want any of the children to date. He got mad when Rebbie Jackson decided to get married and Jermaine Jackson too. I mean you suppose to be happpy for your children and let them live their own life.
Karen lived more in her 32 years than many people live in 60 years. Let's not mourn her death but celebrate her life. She gave us her beautiful voice, musical talent & presence. The fact that Carpenters music still has thousands of fans worldwide proves she gave us and left us with a fabulous gift that we appreciate with joy & gratitude.
The vibrations in her singing reeked the desire to be loved for what was inside her she had to offer..not for her fame popularity others greed and selfish gain..after the show..i can imagine her laying down in her hotel room looking up at the ceiling alone thinking.."my fans are falling in love and in relationships with my voice..but i dont have no one to love and truley love me for me"..i love you karen💕
As the story unfolds, it's clear her family had the most say over Karen's life and most of the songs she sang (Richard). The only thing she could control: her body. Classic preconditions for anorexia to develop. Backstory on the siblings: Richard was the golden boy, Karen felt like the *also ran* that didn't have her parents love the way Richard did. Somehow this bad beginning only got worse.
Dear Karen, Thank you for sharing your beautiful voice with us. Your happiest songs brought us joy, your saddest, a river of tears. When you smiled, your smile became our smile, when your health was failing, your pain became our pain. You were always there for us during dark times. When you died a part of us died too. You struggled with finding love & happiness, you were not alone. You left us to join the Angels. Through your songs you will remain in our hearts forever.❤️ My Eulogy To The Late Karen Carpenter. ( Carpenters)
When Karen died in 1983, I was graduating from high school that year. I knew then that her melodic voice would be sorely missed. I wanted us to graduate to the song, "We've Only Just Begun." That song was so fitting for graduations and weddings. I loved the Carpenters. The Christmas album was incredible; it is still a favorite to listen to during the holidays. "I'll be home for Christmas, and of course, "Merry Christmas Darling" has to be played to get me in the spirit.
I just finished reading 'Little Girl Blue'. While Karen had a weight problem from 1975 onwards, it appears that the real damage was done between getting married in 1980 and her untimely death. She appears to have gotten little support from family. She wanted children more than anything in life and her husband to be told her days before the wedding that he'd had a vasectomy! After she told her mother, she was told she made her bed, now lay in it! What mother, if she really loved her daughter would say this? It's not like they could not afford the cancellation of the wedding. If only Karen had the strength to call a halt to the wedding. Unforgivable! She was urged to do so by her friends Frenda and Ichi. Ichi (and Phil) Ramone was such a good friend to Karen from 1979 until her death. She pleaded with Karen to call the wedding off up to the night before. Karen really did not deserve such a horrible crook for a husband. After the breakdown of her marriage, she really seemed to spiral. Ichi moved in with her during her therapy in New York and really went over an above as a true friend. Karen's family did not call or visit once during her stay there, except for when her 'doctor' asked them to come to a therapy session to express verbally how much they loved her. Karen's mother could not do this and it had a devastating effect on her - she had laid herself bare, only to be snubbed by her mother. Richard did not believe she was getting the right help. WTF was Richard doing for that year that he could not take it upon himself to go and attempt to get her better help, if for no other reason than his career was over without her? He felt she should have been in residential treatment, which sounds like the right thing but he and his family did little to ensure this would happen. Had Karen gotten the support from her family that she needed while in New York, they would have seen her deteriorate physically while in therapy and could even have tried to have her committed (for her own good) to a facility to help her beat her anorexia. Unfortunately, having gained back some weight, Karen was still not ready to beat the psychological side of Anorexia. I have no doubt she accepted there was a problem and wanted to get better, but she could not shake off the anorexic practices. My heart mourns for this beautiful soul who only wanted to be shown unconditional love by her family and be allowed to be her own person and not be controlled by her family or music bosses.
Karen was an adult. Richard could not force anything upon her. My mother is dying from a poor diet, but she will not listen to my suggestions. I am powerless to help her.
They even need autotune to be a screamer ffs. Todays mainstream artists are kin awful. Back in the day the carpenters were looked on as cheesy and to goody goody but boy could they sing and play.
That's the thing, ... these days I can't seperate who is who, maybe because of autotune, maybe because they want to sound alike, maybe because the recordslabels want it that way. However there is a difference is hearing a song and listen to a song. The Carpenters made you listen, they put their heart and soul in these songs and that's what you feel. I can't think of many singers who are (or were) able to do that. Eva Cassidy had her moments, but also some songs were she was belting a lot, which ruined it for me. The sad part is, that a phenomenon like The Carpenters could not happen in times like these. A genius like Richard would never get "carte blance" today.
@@meagancobb1417 She knew, she was told by the great John Lennon and he wasn't a very compliment giving soul. Paul McCartney only got one compliment during their time together for "Here, There Amd Everywhere". Karen didn't believe John. All the accolades in the world would not heal the insecurity Karen had. Lucky for us, she was able to put her hurt and struggle in her songs.
Same. I was one when she died but I found her on my own when I was 14-16. Since then, she has been the fabric of many memories as I still play her very often. That voice. Those deep notes she sustained. I’m a singer too. And every pet I’ve had I sing her songs to them and they immediately sleep or calm down. One was a young and rowdy pit bull. He’d lay his head down and start snoring in no time.
Karen's voice always had a soothing effect on me even as a little boy in the 1970s. Mom (who was killed in 1977 at age 29) used to play The Carpenters records on our vinyl record player, or 8-Track, I can't recall which. I loved rock also, but even at a young age listening to Karen sing was like hearing a solo in heaven's choir and I knew she was iconic. When she died in 1983, I remember how saddened many people were at the news. The music scene had shifted away from The Carpenters by then, but I am sure they would have continued making songs if it weren't for those issues. However, in a relatively short life, Karen made a grand impression on the world, one that hopefully will never be forgotten. Best voice of my lifetime, bar none.
Music producer: "oh she's responsible for all the pressure she feels". Well, producers would say that wouldn't they. Move along, nothing to see here etc
I agree. The lesson here is, do what YOU love and have a passion for. Other people can give advice, but God gives each one of us a gift and when we don't use it, emotional turmoil can result. I'm sure Richard mean't well by putting her out front but her true love was the drums. Your passion and talent may be unconventional, but you have it for a reason. Don't let anyone, even your family, discourage you
I have thought something along those lines as well. While there were many other, additional complicated issues that contributed to her bulimia and anorexia--being put front and center on the stage before thousands and then millions of fans and critics majorly heightened the pressure 100x to be perfect. My heart breaks for her. 💔 She didn't deserve the scrutiny.
What Karen should have had, was more love. A life. Some personal space. The poor thing was locked in a golden cage.Business in all respect, but you can not just work. Chill, sometime. It's not like the record sales drop immediately if you don't keep touring.
Karen was an awesome drum player. She picked it up naturally. That was her comfort and they took it away from her. What would Richard do if he had his piano taken away. He would flip out.
Richard is a very talented person, but he was, and still is, a big part of the problem. He has never acknowledged Karen's issues, nor his part in her trauma.
He wouldn’t be able because of a lot of guilt which keeps him in denial when you’re the favored golden child you have to remain in denial otherwise you have to actually acknowledge the truth - that you sibling was abused while you were loved and affirmed- it takes a lot of strength and honesty to do that- i was the abused scapegoat in my family and my sister was the golden child and she has a lot of guilt over it but has to remain in denial - the truth would be too shattering for her to admit - therapy and the love of God is what healed me and helped me move on in life
