Please remind everyone that Anorexia ( which is what she died of) and All eating disorders are very treatable.... Too many die from these conditions...... She was lost too soon!!...
Karen felt she was a drummer who could sing. She was one of the great female vocalists. A beautiful contralto voice with an exceptional range. Her voice was melodic, textured and mellow.. A real angel when she sang. Her singing always brought out emotions in me.
Karen was very talented AND gifted. Her brother is equally so in his way. Of course, her voice is THE key to their exposure and success. His instrumental skills are top tier, as is his arrangement gift. People overlook him, but it's in no way his fault. Imagine yourself being a world class talent, and over shadowed by your little sister, just as talented and born with the epic gifts of her voice and control of it. He's forever in her shadow, but that's nothing to the loss of his sister, friend, bandmate, and inspiration.
Karen suffered from Anorexia Nervosa. A serious eating disorder that results from a complex lack of self worth. Hard to believe that Karen would have this challenge given her amazing talents. Unfortunately... Anorexia invades through levels beyond artistic mastery. R. I. P. Karen ❤️❤️❤️
You make me smile it’s lovely to see a young woman who is genuine and interested and open to all genres. Karen was an incredible artist I’m so glad you found her art. I wish more young people were like YOU. Love you!
Pehaps the greatest and best female singer, of all time......she just used to love beatin the drums and not doing too much singing! Wow, what a beautiful girl?
She unfortunately never had any confidence in herself. She was an incredible talent and a beautiful person. I wish she had had the opportunity to know how special she actually was.
I feel bad... and, this is a bit of a different topic; but, the need to be perfect[and, who the hell is?!] is really just a form of superficial narcissism. it seems to "afflict" white American women, much more than anyone else. I believe, it's an unintentional smoke screen, for other, much more serious issues. ie in this case... Anorexia Nervosa; which, is mostly found in white American women.... how surprising.....[not]
@@cheffashaba THAT makes no sense, her voice was lovely; but, reeked of insecurity. many great artists are, incredibly insecure. read a book, and learn a bit about human nature, my dear.
No Maria she was one of the most confident people ever.. however she always thought of herself as a drummer first and the singer 2nd. however the record company said we want you out in front singing We do not want you drumming..Richard said it's for the best if we want to be big we have to do what the record company says show out from the kit came Karen and if you watch the times when she was behind the drums and singing she was as happy as could be.. so she agreed with the record company and she came out in the front and became a singer on front of the stage. the world loved her the music did.. the records went through the roof.. then came that write-up in the paper after somebody said one simple comment and called her the heavyset singer of the band... that one comment from that ignorant fucking asshole send Karen on a spiral out of control that ultimately ended her life.. if you look carefully you can see how rail-thin she was getting because she always thought she was fat.. that was the sad part about the whole thing..the an erection of Rosa which was known as the supermodel's disease back in the day no one knew the actual effects that it had.. but if you look towards live performances on RU-vid of the carpenter specials about 1980-1981 she looks skeleton thin and it's fucking scary what she ended up doing to herself people said you're not fat you weighed 96 pounds.. but because of what that one asshole writer said caused the downfall of Karen Carpenter.. has she been allowed to do like she wanted to be a drummer first the singer second she would have been like a Eagles Don Henley she would have been like a Grand Funk Railroad Don Brewer and been a singing drummer and happy as could be and she would probably still be here to this day..
Karen Carpenter was an amazing singer and performer. She was awesome on the drums and did not get to play as often as she would have liked, at least that is what is written about her. She left us too soon
Why do I keep crying watching these reaction videos to Karen Carpenter?! I just love that she is making a resurgence here on YT. She has been my life long fav, since I was a child. It makes me genuinely happy that she hasn’t been forgotten
Isnt it amazing how people in so much pain can be seen outwardly so happy expressing themselves musically yet while dieing inside? Something about that cosmic connection expression of the human soul that releases us from this earthbound prison cell...
she was called 'over-weight' when she hit the eye of the public when she first stepped out into the light of success... she became obsessed to be what she thought others demanded... An absolute perfectionist in every way... Loved and missed in every way
Thanks. Love your reaction to the video as with all your videos. The Carpenters were my favorite group and still are to this date. I thought Karen Carpenter was the most beautiful women in the world when I was a teenager and I still think she was a beautiful and gifted person.
long time ago I saw a documentary and she really loved being behind the drum set playing and singing, the record label that signed them insisted she get up front and center. Soon after they were telling her fix your hair lose a bit of weight change your look etc etc.. she became very insecure started taking diet pills then got addicted to uppers and downers ended up being diagnosed with anorexia and then she died. So sad. such a beautiful talent.
I know Karen considered herself a drummer first, but for me, it's her pure, angelic voice that I, and many others remember her for. If you haven't reacted to her singing, I highly recommend it.
I grew up listening to Karen and Richard Carpenter. I was so heartbroken for her, for the pain she was going through. All because some thoughtless person said she sat behind the drums because she was fat. Are you kidding me? She was always thin and got even thinner. The world lost an incredibly talented woman when Karen died. Thank you for reacting to this, India!
Karen Carpenters Drum kit is on display at The Carpenters Center for the Preforming Arts on the Campus of California State Long Beach University. In Long Beach Ca.
she's so happy here because drumming was her passion. She never wanted to be the front lady singing. They pushed her into it. I'm so glad people are aware of what anorexia is now and the signs to look for. Poor sweet lady :(
Karen is the most wholesome performer I have ever watched & listened to and I have been listened to her for as long as I can remember. Truly talented in the highest degree and because of her shyness & overthinking she didn't even realize how much talent she had in her own right since she always looked for the approval of her brother who she did have a good relationship with. But insecurity was definitely a thing with her. I notice shy people always have the most emotion to convey which showed when Karen performed. Another great example of a shy person with so much emotion to give was James Dean who also died young.
Hi India. I greatly enjoy your reactions! The Carpenters were awesome! You truly picked up on Karen's insecurity. They kind of took her away from the drums and put her out front. She was sick for a long time. She did get married but the marriage only lasted a short time. She was under a doctor's care and was actually gaining some weight back but her heart gave out one morning at her parents house. I (as many), felt like I had lost a dear friend. She was good friends with Petula Clark and Olivia Newton John. What an amazing voice Karen had!! Truly my favorite! Many hit songs! Thank you for checking her out. You are adorable as well! Big hug my music friend! xo
I grew up with the Carpenter's, one of my all-time favorites! I know I'm going to get some hate, but, instead of trying no meat to lose weight, try more red meat, less veg, more fat. No grains, sugar, fruit,or vegetable oils. You will go through withdrawals, but it's worth it!!
I agree with most of your points except, I say less red meat, grass fed is best tho, more healthy type fish like sardines, salmon, etc. High quality eggs, whole fat Greek yogurt, plenty of vegetables and some fruits like bananas, wild blueberries and dates. I also eat walnuts. Eating all this everyday keeps me within a couple pounds of my optimum weight whether I exercise or not. I do hiit type exercise to keep my heart and lungs strong and increase stamina. Not for weight loss.
Gone too soon!🙏🏻 Her true passion was the drums 🥁 and didn't want front stage. Her voice and talent remain Liquid Gold in "old clips" like this one! Thanks for sharing this with us!! Eileen
Ode to KC. Big Carpenters fan since the good ol days and never saw this before. In fact, didn't even know she played the drums until a few years ago. And even then it was just some pitter patter I saw. But this is different than I thought. She really was a drummer!
I’m 58?years old, and in the early 70s I HATED them, my parents loved them. Now, Karen’s voice makes me weep. Just other-worldly. Beautiful. From the gods.
Karen's musical goal early on was to be a drummer and backup singer in Richard's band. Becoming a lead singer was not part of her plan. Her happiest moments came from playing the drums. Look up the video called, Karen Carpenter - kickass drummer.
There’s a song by Kasey Chambers that people say sorta describes what people like Karen Carpenter was going through. It’s called “Am I Not Pretty Enough?”
Thanks for another great video 👍. I love your beautiful smile and how you look at people for who they are. You look past the clothes, hair, politics and all the stuff that plagues an entertainer in their own day and time to see how talented they are. That is a rare quality.
She was 84 pounds when she passed away. John Carpenter is the drummer and her brother. He selected songs for them to record that would highlight the depth or deep ness in her voice.. they struggled in their relationship... she bolted for a while.. recorded an album in “ too high of a voice” then her and John reunited. She needed Johns protective strength... she was at her Mamas house... they were trying to figure out how to help her... they knew she was fading away... there was a lot less known About the disease and it’s root causes at that time… I was a kid and I remember people being very sad… She seems so charming and mellow and calm and her voice but on the inside she was just chaos
Ha I was lucky to her her live in seventies wow! People say I use to sound like her js but cool you pick a lot of different varieties good going! She’s great back then was the bomb ! For sure talented!
It takes a true understanding of music evolution. The Carpenters rode a wave and Karen had her demons. Society needs to evolve, and we need to .....be kind....like.... do something to make those who feel desperate feel at ease.
Miss India - Just a little bit of trivia for you: The fellow playing the drums is Cubby O'Brien, one of the original Disney Mickey Mouse Club Mouseketeers (1955-1958). He toured with the Carpenters for nine years, until Karen passed away. He's got quite a resumè - take a few minutes and look him up.
There was an early TV appearance where the Carpenters performed a cover of the Beatles “Ticket To Ride” (yes it is on RU-vid) and Karen sang the lead vocals while playing the drums. Check out this amazing video.
India wonderful reaction............I believe she's still playing her hearty out as we speak, and she's smiling! Thank you, India OLD PETER U S A Confidence is not an issue now.
She died Feb 4, 1983, and was doing better in some ways. She had managed to gain 31 lbs and pumped her weight from a size 0 at 77 lbs to a near normal 108 lbs....and she was excited to get back into music and was planning a concert tour for that year...she had so much more to sing....but part of her problem was the family dynamics where she wasn't regarded as special or that gifted of a singer, from her mother's eyes which is terribly sad. Not saying the mother did not love her, but the success was only for Richard and everything was planned for him to succeed and when she came around with THAT voice, it changed the dynamics and Karen's mother was not pleased to see that Richard, the brother did not get the recognition that the mother thought he should get. After taping their 1980 Music Music Music special, Agnes met up with the director Bob Henry, and said, wasn't Richard great? And Bob thought....yeah but it was Karen's voice that will be remembered but he did not say it because Agnes was known I think as the "Dragon Lady," and he knew better than to cross her....and to this date, as gifted as Richard was for all the music he produced and arranged etc....it will always. be HER voice that will live on in people's minds....there is so much interest not only in her voice and drumming but how she died....
She had bulimia she used to go in the bathroom and stick her fingers down there throat till they threw up it was a disorder she had coupled with severe depression, I loved her as a young teen in the 70's I studied voice from age eleven till I was 21 used to sing along with all of her records from the time for practice I was a boy soprano in middle school choir her voice was truly phenomenal and crystal clear and could play her ass off on those drums too.that was her brother Richard Carpenter was on the keyboards.
Karen died far too soon. She is a phenomenon. Richard's songs and arrangements are stellar and this is why lots of us are still listening all these many years later.
Never seen Karen happier - she really did not want to "front" the band - and despite her beautiful voice, she always just wanted to be "the drummer" - she was obviously great at both....
Karen was happiest playing drums. Like Scot S., I wish they wouldn't have forced her out front. She sang (and could be seen despite what the powers that be said) behind the drums. I just have to point out how unusual it was in the 1970s for a woman to play drums. In 1970, when the Carpenters had their first hit, "Close to You," I was 10 and I thought it was so cool that this girl was playing drums and doing it brilliantly. She had a one-in-a million voice but she was so much more than her voice!
Richard may have been talented in his own right, but for me, The Carpenters were always Karen. She was such a remarkable talent, the better voice of the two by light years, but sadly, didn’t seem to think so herself. You could tell how much she loved the drums, but when she sang, she had this very shy look about her. Felt like a complete contrast to see in videos like this, where she’s energetic and happy, because she’s behind the drums. And she was one of the most iconic voices of the 20th century, and to this day. Gone way too soon. Still remember the day she died, and I was just a kid, and I cried my eyes out. Even at a young age, I kept hoping that she would be able to overcome whatever was causing her to waste away(I didn’t understand anorexia nervosa at the time, I was really young), rather than it overcoming her. Very sad day, and the world was robbed of an angelic voice. 😢
She wanted to be a drummer but her voice was so good, they wanted her out front one of their first reviews was the chubby sister and that perpetuated a lifelong obsession with her weight which eventually killed her, my. 1st celeb crush I was 12 and in 💙 with Karen
She didn't see herself as skinny and even skeletal though she knew she was sick. She had the disease Anorexia Nervosa. They found her dead in her bedroom closet on the floor. She lived in Downey California and I lived in Norwalk which is the neighboring City. I'll always remember that story in the news. Back then nobody talked about this type of eating disorder or really had answers to this terrible thing. She didn't really get the help that she would get if she was getting help today.
I grew up listening to them. And I believe when her manager wanted her to just sing and not play the drums. Playing the drums made her the happiest. And I believe she would have lived longer if she could have played the drums more. But I loved her voice.
She loooved to drum. And she had one of the greatest voices on the planet - though she never believed it. And sadly, she had anorexia, at a time when no-one really understood what it was or how to treat it. Such a sad loss.
She died because the one thing she craved was the one thing she could never have... her mother's love. That all belonged to brother Richard. Read her biography, it's heartbreaking.
if you check out some more Karen check out the video that accompanies the movie title that they did call bless the beasts and the children.. it's another one of those magical Karen performances where her voice will just take you away when you least expect it.
Yes Karen Carpenter was one of the best singers and drum player back then you should listen to Engelbert Humperdinck he’s one of the best male singers back then. I love his music a lot. I like his songs (Only love) and (After the loving).
A beautiful and extremely talented person on earth who is now a beautiful soul in heaven. I believe that her death enlightened the medical field to the seriousness and gravity of anorexia. Her passing has saved a lot of lives because doctors now became more aware of anorexia and worked at better treatment regiments. Karen will always be missed by me.
