reaching those low notes is something that few women can do and karen carpenter does it so effortlessly - her voice is rich like silk and really undescribable
Wow, your emotions touch me as much as the Carpenters do, because this is exactly how music is supposed to affect people, and why we love watching you react! If we cannot deeply feel a song, then it has not been executed as it should have been. This is the problem with a lot of the cookie-cutter variety of songs that are here today and gone tomorrow. Even songs that have topped the charts may have catchy music and be performed by vocally capable singers, the words of the song and the singing, due to bad implementation, are often just half-baked garbage. Truly good music is good in every aspect and can stand the test of time, like the Carpenters! February 4th, 2023 will mark 40 years since we lost this beautiful soul and the music of the woman, who truly was gifted and talented to play other instruments, and had the most beautiful voice to have ever graced human ears; the greatly missed, Karen Anne Carpenter.
Karen and Richard were both GENIUS in what they did. NOBODY will ever have a voice like Karen. NOBODY could touch her perfect vocals. Every song Karen sang was absolute perfection, every song magnificent. Karen was absolutely brilliant in that she knew how to sing every kind of song perfectly. And Richard's arrangements could not have been more perfect as well. Every Song, Every Album by the carpenters is a incredible listening experience. The only album that took a long time for me to appreciate because it was so much different was the Passage album, but now I love it.
For sure I just saw this and commented 17 minutes before you . I agree 200 percent. No one was like Karen and just stands all alone on her own. The best female singer period.
Karen's voice was incomparable, so pure and emotive. That, combined with the beautiful orchestrations merging pop with a classical sound made us to fall in love, even if there was not a special person woth whom to share it. Their music would break one's heart and heal it by the time the post-lyrical notes finished. It was a truly special to experience the simplicity and honesty with Katens and Richard's music and talent "back in the day." Thank you for introducing them to a new audience and exploring their body of work. Beautiful then. Beautiful now.
This song, Karen absolutely hated and didn't want to sing, but Richard wanted her to show her vocal range and felt this would be a chance to show that. And she nailed it.
The story goes that after Karen did her cut, her only cut, that everybody in the studio just sat there in stunned silence for several minutes trying to absorb what they had just heard. It was THAT good.
It's not that she hated the song itself. She hated most of the songs they recorded, because they were never able to perform them live the same way. She got angry with Richard for always writing 2 different scores for every song that did. Also, Karen was the real one take wonder. So, she sat around the studio bored out of her mind.
The Carpenters rendition of 'Solitaire' really is the only game in town. Karen gives the listener a vocal ending that stands among her best, while Richard's arrangement is stark rich and compelling. Potent stuff.
There is great depth to the story being told here in this song. And what Karen does with her vocals is once again beyond compare. No matter what you gave her, it was effortless, fluid, and so rich. She is missed! :(
I remember what I was doing when I glanced at the headlines of Karen Carpenters passing at 32. Being shocked would be an understatement. I miss her lovingness and beautiful voice.39 years later.She was so special while we had her with us and I think most of us knew that then.
A gifted Angel returned to heaven, when we lost Karen, but not a day goes by when she isn't thought about, listened to and appreciated for eternity. some flames just burn too brightly to last long. God bless her.
That rich, complex voice is addictive! It's been five decades, and still, every time I hear Karen Carpenter I get sucked in. And I'm lost in the sad beauty of her voice. Thank you for playing these wonderful songs from my youth.
Your reactions truly show a beautiful soul inside just as much as the outside.Keep on being yourself.As memorizing as Karen's voice was,one cannot overlook Richard's arrangements on each of their songs.He was very gifted of his craft and fitted Karen's vocal range perfectly.You can't have one without the other.
Can you imagine having a vocal talent at that level, and thinking all the while that you’re not good enough? That was Karen Carpenter. Having listened to all their music, as it was being released on radio, I’ve always loved them. No one sounds like them.
My god, what a haunting song, in a beautiful way, only sung by one of the greatest female singers ever. Just one of many, heart felt, emotional songs, of our time. RIP - KAREN. You are truly missed.
You are the BEST Carpenters reactor ever. You get it, and like me there isn't a time I don't tear up hearing her voice. This to me is her best recording and Richards also. I have listen to this song hundreds of times and analyzed it piece by piece and if you dissect her vocals you'll see how she uses cracks and tones to build the song as it goes along. A truly perfect performance at the highest level. True beauty touches your soul and that is why we tear up! Congrats and keep going!
You don't see how anyone could listen to her and not be moved? Neither do I. I usually have tears streaming down my face, and that's only when I'm not getting chills up my back from the sheer beauty of her voice. This is a great song by the great Neil Sedaka, who actually does a very moving version himself. He sings in about the same range as Karen, if not higher. Can't believe you did this song. No one ever does this, and it's one of the most moving ones. Thanks. I love watching you absorb and put yourself into the music.
Karen Carpenter was absolute magic! God given untrained talent, performed on first Take. Note her amazing phrasing, breath control & that Tone. This cannot be taught & she was incredible. Best singer I've ever heard in last 50 years & counting!
I heard someone in the recording industry being interviewed about Karen. He said he had worked with Richard and Karen when they first began recording and Karen was only 16 years old. The interviewer asked him if Karen's magnificent voice was something she developed over time. He said emphatically....NO, it wasn't something she learned....she was born with it.
The Carpenters- what more needs to be said. There I was in my early 20s, a cowboy, on horseback, when I heard about Karen's passing, and I cried. Not ashamed to say that.
i remember exactly where i was, who was in the room, when i heard of her passing.. then and now it brings me to tears and then and now she is my favorite singer bar none, even though i love many singers, groups and different music and eras..
from Phil Cody(lyricist w composer Neil Sedaka)interview w Songfacts: when I heard Karen Carpenter, I had chills down my spine. As a lyricist, you want that thing where an artist owns your lyric. You can measure success by the amount of money you make off a song, but I measure the success of that song by that particular moment, when she made it totally her own. And it's still great. I sat down one day and I listened to all 90 versions of "Solitaire" that people have done, and of all the ones that are out there, Karen Carpenter's is still the one that is the benchmark for all the covers on that song.
Don't feel bad DAY ONE, I could hardly keep a dry eye when I first listened to Solitaire several times, but the more I listened and even sang along Karens voice and the BEAUTIFUL arrangement and melody of the song seemed to overpower the message and story!!! Now I can play my guitar along in harmony with her voice especially the chorus and it has become one of my FAVORITES😄
We were all VERY moved by Karen Carpenter! I, personally, started listening to the Carpenters when I was around 11 or 12 and was absolutely DEVASTATED when she died just before I turned 21. Her songs, yes EVEN the sad songs got me through my teens. What you feel is absolutely normal you beautiful young lady. THAT'S THE POINT with their music; it makes you feel. Look beyond the lyrics sometimes to her 3 octave contralto voice range, the masterful arrangements. Ok, here's your fun fact for the day: there's only TWO voices in their songs. They are THEIR OWN back up singers! Listen carefully. 😸😎❤ Keep those Carpenters songs comin, you're doing a wonderful job! "A song for you" "Bless the Beasts and the Children" "For all we Know" A few great feel good songs I'd LOVE to see you react to.
Only two female vocalists in history cause me to literally pause, stop what I'm doing, and listen. I almost hold my breath at times. Those two singers are Karen Carpenter and Whitney Houston.
First heard this in the mid 80's and loved it for the range and depth of Karen's voice. Now in my late 50's as a single parent of 3 kids, it's the lyrics that get me every time.
i just happen to stumble upon your channel reacting to the Carpenters' songs. Your reactions so far have been on point. I grew up listening to this kind of music. So far, your common comment has been, "that voice". Yes, I wholeheartedly agree with you. To this day, there is no comparable voice. They have so many songs to choose from, many still unknown like "Sometimes", a very short, simple song. Take a listen. I also suggest, "You", a song you may like. Take care!
Written by singer/songwriter extraordinaire Neil Sedaka. Sung hauntingly and beautiful by the late great Karen Carpenter. One of most beautiful melodies and lyrics I have ever heard. A mans perspective of love and lost, and its eventual outcome 'loneliness.'
Karen was as great as any singer ever has been at telling a story and pulling you right into the middle of it with her. She sings like she is singing directly to YOU!
This song has been covered by various artists including that haunting voice of Andy Williams, …but this version is second to none. I’m sure Neil Sedaka would have been proud of Karen’s expressive and heart felt version of his masterpiece
Your authenticity just adds to the realness of your reactions, far beyond words. I'm glad to have found your reaction videos to the wonderful Karen Carpenter, and RICHARD Carpenter, songs. They were amazing then, and now, and losing Karen was a true loss felt around the world.
Seeing your expression as you were reading at the end about Karen.'s passing says it all. THe whole world mourned and was shocked. Her passing made men and women cry because we all loved her so and knew we would never again here a voice like hers in our lifetime. Continue your pursuit of listening to Karen. THere are many more wonderful songs . I love your reactions.
You have a gentle, sensitive, compassionate spirit. I appreciate your thoughtful manner of listening then reacting, no, responding to a song. How one is affected is hard to put into words, yet you certainly convey your affections well. Your warmth comes through.
My tears flow because I grew up with Karen always in my ears at crucial times in my life ! Karen has special powers with her pain loneliness and frustration all comes through in that magical voice
Thanks for the reaction of this song. It really does touch me how she sings with emotion and such a voice. Your reaction to this is so sweet. You must have us such a caring heart. 👍 I'll share just a little bit what happened to me. I was once married, but my wife was just using me to get away from her mother. She really didn't care or love me. She only used me. And one day she left me and my heart was broken. I tried to get her back but she wanted nothing to do with me. I've been alone now for many many years. So I know how it feels to be lonely. I love you reactions to heartbreaking songs and also to love songs. You do such a fine job I enjoy it thank you. 😊
No shame in hiding your emotions, this song made me cry when I first heard it in @75 I wasn’t even a teenager yet…..Karen’s Low and mid-range vocal tones are heavenly…
Learned not too long ago, from hearing Richard, that Karen didn't want to record this song, and never liked the song. But Richard always felt that this would be a great song for Karen to showcase her voice. Finally, he told Karen, "Let's just do it once, and then we'll see where it goes." So Karen did 1 take only, and sang it as only she could. She sings it from her heart, with all the emotion, and when she hits those low notes, I feel it in my chest. I personally think she didn't like this song, was because she was feeling what the Solitaire player was feeling in the song. RIP, Karen.
Whenever I hear her sing THIS song, I always think about her personal life and wish I could have been the person to be in her life and love her, maybe I could have been the difference between her life and death.
I loved when you looked at the camera and said "I hate you guys". I discovered the song recently (spoiler I was researching an upcoming Carpenters review for the CRB). And yeah, it's hard to listen to without shedding a tear.
I was a teen ager in High School when this was released….Her vocal tone and mid-range are so beautiful….I cried back then and cry even more today because Karen Carpenter is gone ✝
Karen Carpenter most likely has perfect pitch I’ve heard she could do a song in one take in the studio versions you can hear her doing background vocals. Anorexia nervosa it’s not about being sad it’s a body mind dysphoria. It’s where she thinks she’s fat so she won’t eat and she’s as skinny as a rail. It may be a reaction when a person doesn’t feel they have control so they do this to give them selves control of something. There are really good interviews with her brother and I highly recommend listening to them.
Thank you for the commentary and emotion, DayOne. This is my favorite Carpenters' song ever, in part, because I feel it was Karen's best vocal performance (including her incredible range). This comes from a fan of Carpenters since their release of "Close to You" in 1970.
Maybe true love isn't out there for me, but I can sublimate my loneliness with the notion that true love is out there for someone. Another great song by the Carpenters.
Solitaire is a great song written by Neil Sedaka and Phil Cody. Neil worked with two great lyricists. Howard Greenfield was the other. With them, Neil wrote lots of hits for himself and others like Connie Francis and The Captain and Tennille. There is A LOT in his catalogue to check out. You could start with Laughter in the Rain. I think you'll like it.
I heard Richard say in one of his videos, that Karen didn't want to sing this song, and hated it. But Richard told her, "Let's just do this song one time, and see what happens." So, as usual, Karen sang this song in the one and only take, perfectly. I suspect that Karen hated it, because I think she saw herself in the song. Other big time singers also recorded this song, but not with the voice and emotion that Karen added to the song.
@@timm3381 I know they fired Neil for introducing Tom Jones, who had come to listen to the Carpenters. I hadn't heard that Karen couldn't stand Neil. Of a further note, Niel Sedaka and Philip Cody wrote the song, but it was Philip Cody that wrote the lyrics. Philip Cody said that when he wrote it, he imagined a female voice singing it. Said Phil: "When I heard Karen Carpenter, I had chills down my spine. As a lyricist, you want that thing where an artist owns your lyric, and she made it totally her own. And it's still great. I sat down one day and I listened to all 90 versions of 'Solitaire' that people have done, and of all the ones that are out there, Karen Carpenter's is still the one that is the benchmark for all the covers on that song."
This song gives me ABBA vibes. You have to start reacting to ABBA songs. You won't regret it. Their music is epic and spanned from the late 60s to mid 80s.
I thought of a band and a song you might like, time traveling back to the 1960eez, the band is BLOOD, SWEAT, and TEARS, the song you might like is "you made me so(very) happy". Lead singer, whose voice might appeal to you, is David Clayton Thomas. Check it out girl! You are doing a good job, enjoying watching your reactions!
Thank you soooo much for helping to keep her music and voice relevant ro a young generation. Now they can UNDERSTAND what one of God's angels sounds like. Peace and Hugs. Love love love your reaction videos. Chuck IN NC
Karen passed away the year I graduated from Highschool. I never got to see her in concert. I did get to see Laura Nyro in concert in the late 80s. Laura passed away in the late 90s from the same form of cancer as her mother, at the exact same age. The losses of both Karen and Laura were massive to the world of music. They were two of the greatest women musicians of all time. Carly Simon, Carol King, Karla Bonoff, Sade, Marilyn McCoo, and Lilly Frost are other great women musicians.
