I always cite her as an example of a great singer. Why, Because she doesn't reach for it - she does NOTHING overly fancy, and yet she's completely captivating. It's an honesty and warmth. All of this sounds so simple - but it's deceptively simple. Nothing with her is "put on" - she's kind of naked vocally. In the late 80s and 90s it became about how big you could sing, how many super high notes and acrobatics, but sometimes at the cost of real feeling. Singers had to launch into pyrotechnics - and there's nothing wrong with that but those things should come about naturally from the feeling inside and not because the audience expects it. I think people are drawn to the no frills honesty of Karen Carpenters beautiful voice. This element is what is essential before all the extra vocal acrobatics. That's why Freddie Mercury never turns me off with the extras he does with his voice- because he doesn't plan it, it's absolutely real - just coming out of him in the moment.
I must say , bin alive for a long time,65 YEARS and everytime I hear her I cry like a baby . Her death was so shocking I'm still not over it. R. I . P . Karen. We still love 💕 you.
@@DoIttMiaaaa 50 years later her performances still bring a combo of tears, shivers, and strong visceral feelings. We could tell , that you could tell.... :-)
I agree. There's never been another like her. And I don't think there ever will be. Truly she was one of a kind in every way. Just amazing! And to be a drummer who sang. Wow!
Karen Carpenter's voice was like being wrapped in a warm blanket. She was a drummer first and a singer second. I think a male vocalist that I have found makes me feel as good when listening to their music is Adam Lambert. If you haven't seen him sing Cher's song Believe to Cher at The Kennedy Center Honors than you really should... incredible! He has many songs that are beautiful like Underneath or his acoustic version of his song On the Moon, Closer to You or Feel Something.
And to think that she sang at that level (no autotune) live while also playing the drums. Karen Carpenter was considered one of the best drummers in the world during her time. A multi-talented artist whose voice will never be duplicated. R.I.P. Karen!!! We miss you!!!
Karen besides playing great time drumming her vocals are so superbly unbelievably amazing I don't think today so call artists double duty in their craft, Karen Carpenter did it so easy and that shows the kind of talent she was. the Hall Of Fame needs to induct her pronto!
I've been digging this song ever since it hit the charts in the 70s and dig it still today. 1950s to 1970s is the best collection of music ever produced in world history.
Karen Carpenter was the best female vocalist I ever heard. John Lennon and Paul McCartney of the Beatles were big admirers and thought her cover of Ticket to Ride was better than their version.
Richard did all arrangements, and Karen and Richard sang ALL of their own harmony background vocals. I could tell you were fighting the tears....to my generation who lived through this era, it was unbelievable and heartbreaking Karen died in early 1983.
Yes, angelic is the right way to describe her voice. Now, she teaches angels how to sing, or maybe they just sit around and listen to her. I would not blame them.
Bob Messenger. Mia also reacts to "A Song For You," but, unfortunately picked an edited video that leaves out Messenger's brilliant sax interlude in the middle of the song. If you want, look up the studio version and listen.
Whenever I make this statement I either get one of two reactions. Total agreement or the perfunctory "oh you can't say that...what about blah, blah, blah..." Karen had the best voice EVER!
Celine Dion is right with her. Ann Wilson is another. I think thet all have great voices and I can not personally pick one over the other. Basically 3 different styles but all 3 have tremendous voices.
Yes, another phenomenal voice that just rips me apart. What a great song. What an amazing voice. One guy that never gets enough cred, is her brother Richard on keyboards and arrangements.
I first heard Karen's voice 50 years ago, and I have yet to hear any other voice, female or male, that can touch the soul like Karen does. No one comes close.
I agree. I was 11 yrs old when "Close To You" hit the airwaves and I was absolutely mesmerized by her voice. I've never heard another like hers, or the way she can deliver a song. And then for her to be an excellent drummer, too? Holy cow! She was incredible! Truly one of a kind.
I agree, there are singers that can massage your ears, but Karen could massage your soul. Her voice can penetrate your spirit and calm the most troubled heart.
She is clearly # 1 of all time. Not to minimize other fine female singers, but the voice of Karen Carpenter seems like it's coming straight to us from Heaven itself. There's a reason why stores all across America play Carpenters songs at Christmas time. No mystery.
Just noticed this as was listening to rainy days and Mondays since about 71/72. .yes showing my age but it's such a beautiful song nice to hear someone from your gen can appreciate it.. appreciate her
@Do Itt Miaaaa she was only 32 years old. She'd been in treatment for almost a year for it, but her heart had been too damaged. They thought she was going to be okay because she had gained the weight back and was holding her own from Nov 1982 to Feb 1983, but, sigh. As her sweet daddy had said, "Her heart just gave out." Saddest words ever for such a beautiful, dear, sweet soul. Thank you for thinking of the Carpenters and reacting to their music.
In terms of purity, clarity, and pitch, maybe the best voice ever. I have simply never been affected spiritually with a voice like Karen's voice. Thank you, God, for sending us this angel if only for a brief time. Heaven must be a more melodic place since Karen came home.
Wow I have to say I am from Canada.I'm 60 years old.This is when I was like 13 or 14 and then 1516 I was going to just leave this and then I saw your face and. I continued, I think you totally get it.Thank you god bless
The very first song I ever learned by heart when I was a little girl was the Carpenters “Close To You”… I was OBSESSED with it.🥰 Karen had such a NATURAL, IRREPLACEABLE talent… and was gone MUCH, MUCH too soon. I remember how SAD I felt for her brother when she passed, I can’t even imagine his heartbreak to lose her over something that one would hope could be dealt with/overcome. (She passed away from complications due to anorexia.)😞😭
Producers used to refer to her as ‘One Take Karen’. She had perfect pitch, and her tone was just unique. Other great Carpenters songs are ‘Goodbye to Love’, ‘Close to You’ and ‘For All We Know’. Actually, there’s loads of great ones. Great channel, BTW.
Thank you, Miaaaa - Karen was one-of-a-kind! She never knew how good she was, and she never found that ONE LOVE during her sad lifetime; and she thought that she was fat and overweight and sadly died at age of 32. :( If you will react to "Goodbye To Love" and listen to the lyrics - that song kind of matches her life.
Hi! Karen Carpenter March 2, 1950 - February 4, 1983. Was an American singer and drummer. Who with her older brother Richard performed as the duo The Carpenters. For me is Karen Carpenter. The greatest female singer ever! Karen´s voice is amazing! Some of the greatest songs: Please Mr. Postman, Close to you, Superstar, Top of the World, and Yesterday Once More and Olivia Newton-John & Karen Carpenter - Close to You. Thanks Mia! For reactions to: The Carpenters - Rainy Days And Mondays (Amazing song) 🙂
Love this ! The song failed to chart in the UK on its original release . One of the most beautiful voices . Never been a true fan , but always love hearing the songs . thank you !
Really ?! 🤯 That’s Unbelievable , It’s Such An Amazing Song . Wow !! Thank You For Sharing That Info Paul . I’m Glad You Caught Todays Reaction 🙂 Catch You In My Next One !!
I'm a 59 yr old man. I was 5 yrs old when I first heard Karen's angelic voice. There will never be another Karen Carpenter.. R.I.P Karen, we will always love you❤❤❤.... James Zrenjad Desjardins Desjardins
My parents loved the Carpenters so as a child I had most of their songs permanently imprinted on my brain lol ... only now that my mom has been lost to cancer they make me sad. Since this one seems to have touched you too I have a secret weapon to help fight any sadness songs sometimes bring. It's another song!! lol When the loss of my mom, my brother and even my son threaten my happiness I listen to Disturbed either 'The Light,' or 'Hold on to Memories' ... Mostly The Light if I'm being honest lol ... I think you reacted well to their cover of 'Sound of Silence' These songs are their own material but still emotional and powerful in different ways. My absolute go-tos if something makes me sad. Happy to see you smile after admitting that it got to you (like the rest of us lol) ... Disturbed suggestions are just to help the process lol
When you get a chance, listen to their song called Happy. It was a beautiful song but for some reason it wasn't as popular as all the others back then.
The Carpenters were internationally famous. However, Karen just played drums and other instruments. Her brother Richard Carpenter was the main vocalist and was supposed to be the star of the group -- until Karen started to sing. Richard and the family was not happy that Karen had the world-class star voice and became the lead singer. Karen did not want to be the lead singer, she was forced into it by the music producers who were making tons of money off her voice. In this song, she still resisted being a lead singer, so she sang while playing the drums. In her famous song "We've Only Just Begun," she was hiding so far in the back of the stage in a wood structure you would have difficulty seeing her. She did not want to be out front in the lead. So the producers zoom in the cameras so she looked like a lead singer. Karen was always looking for love, but her family (brother, mother, father) basically rejected her boyfriends. She was not permitted to find the love she was looking for. That is why she sang these painful love songs. Finally, due to stress and family pressures, she became sick with an illness that eventually led to her death. She basically stopped eating leading to organ failure and death. She was a beautiful girl inside and out, and world-class singer. The shocked world wept when she died.
Can I thank you for not pausing this great piece of music 😢 The lady just wanted to play the drums,and she was dam good at it But she was convinced to sing and wow are we lucky🙏
Karen died at the tender age of 32 of heart failure from chronic Anorexia Nervosa. She developed Anorexia after being called her brother, Richard's, cute, chubby sister. She never recovered from that quip. It led to life-long depression and horrible body image issues. At the end of her life, she got down to about 80 lbs. She was hospitalized more than once and finally on the road to recovery, but, alas, her poor body was too stressed and exhausted and she suffered a fatal heart attack while at her parents home just shy of her 33rd birthday (March 2nd). Her sudden death was a shattering loss to the world. There hasn't been - nor will there ever be a singer that rivals her. She was also an incredible drummer. She preferred to be known as a drummer that sings. Richard was one of the most brilliant keyboardist, pianist and arrangers of all time who used the layering of their vocals (ONLY Karen and Richard's vocals) to create the wall of sound harmonies. He also brought in an electric guitar to one of their ballads (Goodbye to Love). They took major heat for that - but it turned out to be absolutely fantastic and replicated from then on. They NEVER used - or needed - Autotune. She had perfect pitch. Her voice, combined with Richard's arrangements, were transportive. Her voice, though, should have been dubbed the eighth wonder of the world. It is absolutely impossible to pick a greatest Carpenter's song (BTW, they were the CARPENTERS - not THE Carpenters). They were ALL just amazing.
Karen Carpenter was “the female voice of my generation”. We can argue who was the male voice or band of my generation. But no one can touch Karen’s talent, voice, or ability to draw every listener in emotionally. When she sang , we who listened felt every emotion that she felt singing & expressing in that song. Even today, 50 years after her death when one of the Carpenters songs comes on the radio…after just one or two notes from her vocal you immediately know whose singing. Her death was so sad & so many of us that grew up listening to her singing felt heartbroken at the loss of someone so talented, beautiful, & so young. I have always felt she had more music to give but I thank God for the gift of music she gave us.
Im in my 60s now and have loved the carpenters for all those years, you need to listen to all their songs and you will see she had the most beautiful unique voice of any female singer, she was and always be the best female singer of all time!!
Good reaction. Herb Alpert heard Karen's voice on a demo in 1969 and signed her brother, Richard, and her to A&M records. Karen received 4 Grammys in the 70s and sold over 80 million records by 1982. She was 1975 rock drummer of the year according to Playboy. Perhaps THE best female vocalist-ever, because she commands you to listen as she sings in perfect pitch TO you, not at you, with emotion and enunciation. No auto-tune or gimmicks. No professional voice or drum instruction. She was known by the studios as 'one take'. She rarely, if ever, did more than one take of any song. She was also the ONLY female harmony/background voice in all her songs. She was truly born with an incredible singing talent. Documentaries point out the accolades to her voice, such as, Paul McCartney said she had the most angelic voice after hearing her sing 'Ticket To Ride'. John Lennon ran into her at an LA restaurant and told her "you have a fabulous voice, luv". Supposedly Frank Sinatra stated that Karen was the only singer he'd pay to hear. I recommend songs such as, Yesterday Once More, Solitaire, This Masquerade, Need To Be In Love, Hurting Each Other, Only Yesterday, I Can Dream Cant I, Crescent Noon, Ordinary Fool, Superstar, Rainy Days and Mondays, etc. KC never knew true love. One of her few friends included Dionne Warwick. 5'3" KC really lost weight, due to anorexia, in earnest beginning in 1975. She died in Feb 1983 at age 32 due to heart complications from anorexia.
I love her voice and this song brings back so many memories . Kinda letting everyone in on my age when I say that . But music just gets better with age and a lot of times you really hear things in these songs that you didn't realize when you were younger . And I absolutely Love your channel 💖 You'll go a long ways with it especially the way you reply to a lot of your subs .
Karen Carpenter's voice is so haunting to me. I wish she didn't die the way she did. Anorexia sucks and young lady. Don't say you're stuck on stupid and you stay on stupid cuz you seem like a bright young lady to me
