I called my grandma on the phone and made her listen to this. I think she thought I was totally crazy, but I had never heard a voice like this before. Karen Carpenter was the defining voice of the 70's.
The two components that make The Carpenter's music unique...Richard's ability to tailor the arrangements to the emotion of the song. And Karen's unique voice that caresses and kills at the same time. Hauntingly, she evokes a bittersweet response to the lyric and her charisma is undeniable!
Growing up in the 70s, I believe we were lucky to have experienced the GREATEST decade of music! We all had our favorites...but, when Karen's voice came on the radio everyone stopped talking and just listened!
This song showcases the amazing velvety deep rich silky tone of Karen's voice . I am a 42 year old male and just discovered the Carpenters music and I am absolutely hooked and each song that I hear makes me stop in my tracks and just appreciate that voice and also the harmonies and the layered arrangements. I read that Karen was also a drummer but died very young and its so sad that the world lost the opportunity to gain more songs from this group who can bring me to tears but brings joy to my ears. I appreciate good music and appreciate even more a voice like Karen's that is flawless. Unfortunately there have been only few female vocalists who fit into a category that I call superstars and Karen Carpenter is definitely in that elite group.
THEE most pure, rich, intimate, warm, movingly beautiful voice ever! the ULTIMATE crooner who sang TO YOU NOT AT YOU!.... luther vandross did a homage recording of this, luther and the writer of this song both stated that NO ONE's version could compete with the carpenters version, karen's voice.. the song reached #2 on the charts in 1971! Little tidbit, karen recorded this song in ONE TAKE! Reading the lyrics off a napkin! and ONLY 21 years old at the time! OTHERWORLDLY incredible... the carpenters, karen and richard, were the top U.S. hitmakers of the 1970's with 12 top 10 all time pop classics and more in the top 40 and top 100. Then and now Karen carpenter was/is considered one of it not thee greatest female voices of the 20th century of love and romance songs.
I adore the Carpenters. Karen’s voice is beautiful, like pure silk. Grew up on the Carpenters. Still have all my vinyl. And, I still listen to them daily. It’s my happy place. Love your reaction.
Karen’s life story is heartbreaking. The pain is always right there in her gorgeous voice. “Bless the Beasts and the Children” is another one to listen to☀️
I played the hell out of this 8-track. She had a fluid, yet deeper voice...that resonated with me, because I had a deeper voice starting younger. I was able to sing with her...knew every word to most of her greatest hits.
Karen's voice will haunt you once you listen to it. And its where the problem starts because you don't want to stop, and it will keep resonates in your mind forever. Her voice cuts deeply in your hearts that it will take the soul out of your body. That's how her voice affects me the first time i heard her. And since then my life was never the same again till now, and the funny thing is.... im a guy... and i can't get her out of my mind...she's stuck there forever...💖❤💜
Hi Pat! I really enjoy how you pick up everything. You wiggled your fingers to her vibrato at the end of one phrase. One thing Karen did better than almost any other singer was to hold an extended vibrato...no trailing off and no fluttering...just a beautiful wavering. And you also noted, by cupping your ear, to the echoing when they added her voice in the background to her in the foreground. Yeah, you pick up everything. Nice to see someone who's listening and letting it in.
Also, please review her 1971 TV performance at 21yo, A Place To Hideaway. Amazing, I promise. 7 Grammy nominations with 3 awards. Also, 1975 rock drummer of the year according to Playboy. Multiple gold/platinum albums. Many artists thought she had an outstanding voice (including her friend Dionne Warwick). Alot of us believe she is the best female vocalist-ever. Never found love. Sick for many years, but continued singing, putting out albums, and died at 32.
This is one of my favorite songs of the Carpenters takes me back to the 70s wow thank you for reacting to this song Richard Carpenter fantastic arranger and producer and of course Karen Carpenter fantastic vocals rest in peace Karen Carpenter
Love your reaction to my favorite song by The Carpenters! Richard Carpenter heard the song for the first time when Bette Midler performed it on The Tonight Show. Richard knew it could be a hit for the Carpenters, so he reworked the song in their style and recorded it, resulting in the most successful version. Richard Carpenter received a Grammy award nomination for Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist for this song. It was the second of five nominations Carpenter received for his arrangements. He didn't win any, although this is an impressive accomplishment. In the early 1980s, American R&B/soul singer-songwriter Luther Vandross had "Superstar" in his stage act, sometimes in a rendition that stretched to 12 minutes. He did a cover version. I love me some Luther but........no one can perform Karen's hits and come close! Just as The Carpenters couldn't come close to his 'Here and Now'! Some things are timeless & without flaw!
fyi on their studio recordings the background vocals are richard and karen's voices which are "overdubbed." they went back and harmonized with themselves multiple times. in later years richard used other background vocalists for a different effect.
This is just a little information they did not have backup singers they did what they call overlaying which is basically Karen and Richard's voice doing the vocals and then they overlaid it to make it sound like it was two three people or four people or whatever but it was just them too and I did that with all of their songs and I guess they recorded the music and then they kind of added that in there but I know this from seeing their documentary and reading the book and stuff but yes her voice is just absolutely beautiful demands attention stay safe God bless thanks for the reaction bye
Hey Pres. Good ear for great talent ! I believe you will definitely love her singing "I Can Dream, Can't I ?" - written in 1937. A Superstar voice in a pre-WWII song. I read somewhere that she was 19 and recorded it in one take (of course). She wanted to redo it since she had a cold. Her brother said it couldnt be better. BTW, I believe you will like her 1971 "Merry Christmas Darling" video better that the 1977 version you reviewed. Thanks
You must listen to & react to - Hurting Each Other, Rainy Days & Mondays and For All We Know just to get started - there's a ton of other great songs by them out there!!!!
Let me clear up why they are officially called Carpenters If you call them The Carpenters it refers to everyone on stage. if you call them Carpenters it refers to only Richard and Karen, which is what they preferred because the rest of them are interchangeable, only Richard and Karen are not
Haa. You love Karen and you reacted to my favourite Carpenters song and one of my top songs of all time ever - how could I not hit the subscribe button ...
Karen could read music as she had tried out the accordion as a child. I always wondered if she had memorized the melody or sang to the music as she sang the lyrics. That would take an incredible amount of stamina.
Here are three Karen Carpenter songs you should react to: One More Time, Leave Yesterday Behind and Sometimes. All are beyond amazing!!! You should also look up I need to be in Love and Make believe it's your first time videos by Billy Rees. They are just Karen singing with a piano background. Both will blow you away.
Luther Vandross did a remake of Karen’s 1971 or 1973 version Pure Rich Meaningful and effortless Music 🎶 we no longer hear - sad 😔 RIP Karen 🕊 Thank you Richard 🙏🏼