The Carpenters filmed their portion for these shows in a matter of eight days, (the same amount of episodes that were compiled) and there was no time to go into the studio to do these small segments live, therefore, they were recorded live on set. So, unfortunately there were no master studio tapes made. Had Karen lived it would have been nice if her and Richard could have recorded an entire version of "A House is Not a Home." Perfect for her voice...
Her 45 seconds singing that song is nothing less than sublime! Burt and Luther Vandross would be proud. Vandross was actually a big fan of Karen, and not many people knew that.
I wish they had made a recording of "A House is not a Home" -- this Burt Bacharach classic was a perfect fit for Karen's velvety contralto. Would have been a hit.
i know right.. no offense to dusty springfield and her fans, but comparing the 2 versions of karen and dusty, karen wins hands down... she truly felt and told the story of the lyrics with that voice of hers and sang it TO YOU NOT AT YOU..
Just Richard and his piano, and Karen and her beautiful voice (oh,,and her pinafore too) -- all they needed to make really great music. No pyrotechnics, no gyrating, no burlesque, just the pure musical goods. They were the best.
OTHERWORLDLY BEAUTIFUL! the greatest most beautiful pure female voice i will ever hear.. and to think she was only 21 years old here?that's UNBELIEVEABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Karen to me is fascinating to watch. Just innate beauty there. Call it what you will; charisma, sensuality, melancholy, innocence, channeling heaven, etc.
While songs from their albums were indeed "lip-synced" for MYOKM, these short song blips were performed live. Just goes to show that Karen's voice was so magical that nothing more than piano accompaniment was really all that was needed..
What a shame this medley goes by so fast. It’s almost unfair for the listeners. “A House is Not a Home” and “ Trains and Boats and Planes” seem written for her. I want to hear her complete versions!
I often regret that there is no complete version of "Trains, and Boats, and Planes" by Karen, and now there never will be, sad..It would have been great to hear the whole version by her.
Listening and watching in 2022. Gorgeous vocals from a 21 year old Karen. Makes you wish Karen and Richard sang the whole versions of each song in the medley.
The incomparable and tonally unique and colorful voice of one (and only) Karen Carpenter. One of a few things about being older is that I remember her voice on the airwaves very well. Richard's piano performance is also outstanding.
MY GOD UNREAL BEAUTIFUL HER SINGING OF THE DIONNE WARWICK CLASSIC A HOUSE IS NOT A HOME, SORRY DIONNE I LOVE YOU TOO, BUT NO ONE TOUCHES KAREN SINGING EVEN IF THIS SONG IS SYNONOMOUS WITH WARWICK! brings me to tears it's so beautiful!
For those who can't comprehend the THUMBS DOWN, looks like they are for the crumby tape. I would look through a peephole to see Karen perform different songs. Brother Richard describes Karen as singing a lot of their recordings in one take. Beautiful.
"Good Day Sunshine" Good day sunshine, good day sunshine, good day sunshine I need to laugh and when the sun is out I've got something I can laugh about I feel good in a special way I'm in love and it's a sunny day Good day sunshine, good day sunshine, good day sunshine "Wishin' And Hopin'" Wishin' and hopin' and thinkin' and prayin' Plannin' and dreamin' each night of his charms That won't get you into his arms So if you're lookin' to find love you can share All you gotta do is Hold him and kiss him and love him Yeah, just do it and after you do, you will be his "A House Is Not A Home" A chair is still a chair Even when there's no one sittin' there But a chair is not a house And a house is not a home When there's no one there to hold you tight And no one there you can kiss goodnight "Trains And Boats And Planes" Trains and boats and planes are passing by They mean a trip to Paris or Rome For someone else, but not for me The trains and the boats and planes Took you away, away from me "I Wanna Be Free" I wanna be free Like the bluebirds flying by me Like the waves out on the blue sea If your love has to tie me, don't try me Say good-bye I wanna be free I wanna be free I wanna be free New World Coming There's a new world commin' And its just around the bend There's a new world commin' That's one coming to an end There's a new world commin' The one we've had vision of And itys commin in peace Commin' in peace Commin' in joy Commin' in love
I Wanna Be Free strikes me as a song that They could have taken somewhere.. Some of Bacharach older songs here. More their old style. Better Bacharach came later. I will say that New World Coming is a song I will always identify with wonderful Cass Elliot. A different voice to Karen's and I would not compare merits. Both great musicians and skilled at putting any song across.
Karen Carpenter and Anne Murray are the only lady singers I can think of who sang every song as written, no stylizing of any kind or bending of notes (not that i am criticizing or discounting styling or bending of notes; some of our greatest artists did it and do it magnificently). Anyone who sings popular music knows this is the most difficult way to do it and the most demanding technically. Anne Murray has spoken on this matter; she always felt allegiance to every composer and lyricist to sing the song as created. Both ladies recorded "I Just Fall in Love Again" with total fidelity to the song, letting the words and the music and their own emotion tell the story. As a singer myself I have tried to do that song straight and never can; from me it sounds flat as a pancake. Singing straight is tough!
Couldn't agree with you more Wayne. Many singers, present and past, focus on the power of the voice, whereas Karen's style is that of unpretentious, empowerment of the voice through words.
karen was THEE ultimate crooner.. THEE ultimate singer who sang TO YOU NOT AT YOU... thee ultimate storyteller and in my opinion, the greatest female singer of love and romance songs... including looking for love, finding love and losing love...
(saying this slowly) Thanks you so much for posting these. ) Listening to this medley answered a question I had for years, "what if Karen were around to sing again" I know these were recorded long ago, but were never released. Hearing them, was such a treat for the heart, I was floored !! Thanks you !!!!! And U posted them on my birthday, which was pretty cool..
Thanks for posting this - I've never heard this medley before. Amazing as always. There are not enough superlatives to describe Karen's voice. I wish they'd recorded the whole song of Bacharach's Trains & Boats & Planes.
Enjoyed this rare clip of Karen & Richard performing these '60's medley, not sure if they're songs of a popular singer or songwriter? What a treat to just hear Karen's great singing and Richard's fanstastic piano playing, with no drums, oboes, bass, bongo drums, clarinet, wurlie, electric guitars, etc. Just KC & RC doing what they do best!
Matancredi, thank you for posting this. We lost Karen way too soon, but I am so thankful that much of the Carpenter's work is recorded, both sound and video versions, so we can still hear this Angel sing.
@yandrsupreme Thank you so much for providing the titles & names of the original singers of these very 60's songs. I'm a Carpenters "fan"atic and enjoy listening to them sing some non-Carpenters songs, as well as their own. They recorded some Beatles songs (Help, Nowhere Man, Ticket to Ride), many Dionne Warwick/Bacharach songs/medlies and California Dreamin' (Mamas & Papas). Not sure which Dusty Springfield songs they recorded, but she was on Richard's solo CD "Time" after Karen's passing.
God Bless & thank-you for posting! The classic "Zodiac" medley from MYOKOM. Whether live, or pre-recorded (live) & lip synched, this is pure music talent. Richard with his undeniable keyboard mastery, and Karen's rich, deep emoting vocal perfection. Can anyone please take me back (as well as my age) to 1971?
Her face shows she is lieing to herself, that's when the switch flickered and started singing broken hearted sad songs. And her genuine self showed through
I want to know who gives A thumbs down to a voice like that, I want you to compare her voice with just the piano with no special effects singing live, to anyone that exist ever. You have no musical taste, you're obviously Tone death
+Markinpuff of course their tone death! karen carpenter during her lifetime and since has ALWAYS Been recognized and praised by countless other singers, music critics and historians as one of (if not THEE) greatest singers of the 20th/21st century.. surely in my opinion the greatest female singer of love and romance.. her and a piano?simply the most beautiful, pure, rich, natural, intimate, touching, haunting, perfect diction and enunciation voice i have ever heard! and i suspect will EVER hear... the epitome of a singer who sang TO YOU NOT AT YOU and a fantastic teller of the story of any song she ever sang as well!....
I read somewhere that although these performances look Live, they were actually pre-recorded in the studio and lip-synched for TV. If that is true, then the tapes are in the vault somewhere, and Richard could remix them into an extended medley for CD. Does anyone have any more information about this?
Oh interesting: KC doing Dusty Springfield. Dusty later did Jaren, sort of, with Something In Your Eyes in 1987...a song intended for Karen that Karen didn't live to record...
