the official KAREN CARPENTER thread :)

[yvrpalms]

Re: February 4, 2007 - 24th Anniversary of the Death of Karen Carpenter...

she was an amazing singer. puts these youngens of today's music to shame.
... and I am uninamious in this

 

[NedNickerson]

Re: February 4, 2007 - 24th Anniversary of the Death of Karen Carpenter...

This is a live recording of "And When He Smiles," a song that was never recorded by the Carpenters on any album. The vocal was ripped from the video and remastered for the album "As Time Goes By." The video is from a BBC television special from September 1971. Karen is just 21 years old in this clip. She plays the drums and sings the song with as much feeling and professionalism as if it had been a studio recording.

And When He Smiles


And when he smiles he makes the sun shine
He wouldn't think to make it rain
Happiness runs in the family
And he's a boy from the good old earth and the high tree forest
And he's just about the happiest boy that I ever knew

And when he smiles he makes me sigh
He doesn't have a point of view
Happiness runs in the family
And he's a boy from the good old earth and the high tree forest
And he's just about the happiest boy that I ever knew

And when he smiles he makes the sun shine
And warms the day with morning dew
Happiness runs in the family
And he's a boy from the good old earth and the high tree forest
And he's just about the happiest boy that I ever knew
And he's just about the happiest boy that I ever knew

 

[NedNickerson]

Re: February 4, 2007 - 24th Anniversary of the Death of Karen Carpenter...

Copy of the program for Karen Carpenter's funeral

Ave Maria (Bach-Gounod)

 

[Riverrick]

Re: February 4, 2007 - 24th Anniversary of the Death of Karen Carpenter...

I wonder what ever happened to the tracks from her unreleased solo album?

 

[NedNickerson]

Re: February 4, 2007 - 24th Anniversary of the Death of Karen Carpenter...

I wonder what ever happened to the tracks from her unreleased solo album?

Several tracks were remixed and appear on a two Carpenters' albums released after Karen's death - "From The Top" and "Lovelines."

In 1996 Richard finally agreed to release the solo album. It features 12 songs out of 22 songs that Karen recorded for her solo album in 1979-80.

More information:
http://pachome1.pacific.net.sg/~hungster/solo.htm

There are still 10 unreleased tracks from the album: eight of them are work-leads, while the remaining two are considered outtakes: "Love Makin' Love to You," and "Truly You." When A&M Records folded in 2000, eight of the 10 songs began surfacing on the Internet. I've managed to download them all and listen to them. Some of them actually sound better than what was released on the album...

 

[NedNickerson]

Re: February 4, 2007 - 24th Anniversary of the Death of Karen Carpenter...

More information about the solo recording:

http://www.grantguerrero.com/carpenters/karen.html

http://www.vex.net/~paulmac/carpenter/albums/karen_carpenter_lp.html

http://web.singnet.com.sg/~tonytay/carp/album/kc.htm

 

[Riverrick]

Re: February 4, 2007 - 24th Anniversary of the Death of Karen Carpenter...

More information about the solo recording:

http://www.grantguerrero.com/carpenters/karen.html

http://www.vex.net/~paulmac/carpenter/albums/karen_carpenter_lp.html

http://web.singnet.com.sg/~tonytay/carp/album/kc.htm

I didn't realize that the album had been released. Looks like I'm behind on this stuff. Probably because I didn't have JUB to give me all of this wonderful information. Thanks Ned!

 

[reinventedboy]

Re: February 4, 2007 - 24th Anniversary of the Death of Karen Carpenter...

I really wish the Karen Carpenter Story would be released on dvd. I saw it on tv about 4 years ago and it moved me..

 

[Christopherb36]

Re: February 4, 2007 - 24th Anniversary of the Death of Karen Carpenter...

I love the Carpenters. I forgot that it was the anniversary of her death. I just pulled their greatest hits out this past week to listen to in the car! Thanks for the reminder!

 

[Raybee]

Re: February 4, 2007 - 24th Anniversary of the Death of Karen Carpenter...

Thanks for this lovely thread - she had such grace as a performer. If only.....

 

[wundersteve]

Re: February 4, 2007 - 24th Anniversary of the Death of Karen Carpenter...

I find it hard to listen to the Carpenters, despite her beautiful voice. It's because her songs were often so sad and knowing what would happen to her just makes it too heartrending for me to listen. I also remember how We've Only Just Begun would get a lot of play at graduations, ideal for putting a lump in one's throat.

There are some exceptions though, catchy, fun songs like All You Get From Love is a Love Song.

 

[irish1]

Re: February 4, 2007 - 24th Anniversary of the Death of Karen Carpenter...

I, too, loved the Carpenters, and Karen particularly.

Theirs was the first album I ever bought. I still remember where I was when I was listening to the radio and heard about her death.

Sadly, her anorexia nervosa was caused by a journalist making a glib comment about her weight.

Sticks and stones make break our bones, but names really, really hurt us.

I still have my records, and love her Christmas carol, Merry Christmas, Darling.

 

[saebuffyboy]

Re: February 4, 2007 - 24th Anniversary of the Death of Karen Carpenter...

and love her Christmas carol, Merry Christmas, Darling.

I maintain that it is not offically the Christmas season untill i put on their Christmas album.

 

[NedNickerson]

Re: February 4, 2007 - 24th Anniversary of the Death of Karen Carpenter...

"NOW" was the last song Karen ever recorded...
It was a "first take" work lead completed after her death
and released on the album VOICE OF THE HEART

NOW


Now
Now when it rains, I don't feel cold
Now that I have your hand to hold
The winds might blow through me
But I don't care
There's no harm in thunder if you are there

And now
Now when we touch, my feelings fly
Now when I'm smiling, I know why
You light up my world like the morning sun
You're so deep within me we're almost one

And now
All the fears that I had start to fade
I was always afraid love might forget me
Love might let me down
Then look who I found

The winds might blow through me
But I don't care
There's no harm in thunder if you are there

And now, now
Now when I wake, there's someone home
I'll never face the nights alone
You gave me the courage I need to win
To open my heart and to let you in
And I never really knew how until now
Until now

No, I never really knew how
Until now

 

[ozguy]

Re: Karen Carpenter

I was in my late teens - 20's when the Carpenters were huge in the charts and I adored Karen .... still do. I was devastated when she died so tragically and so young. "Close to You", "Top of the World", "Rainy Days and Mondays" and "A Song For You" are probably my favourite songs, though I loved absolutely everything she did.

Close to You ...



Top of the World ...



Rainy Days and Mondays ...



A Song For You ...

 

[januaryguy]

Re: Karen Carpenter

I remember my 'Carpenters - The Singles" cassette broke down the day she died. I didnt know until I read the papers the next day. Believe it or not.

Anyway my best 2 songs are : This Masquerade and Only Yesterday. Only Yesterday was the first song I heard from the Carpenters and it really stuck on me. This Masquerade has a very good melody no other artist can beat the Carpenters' version of This Masquerade.

 

[ozguy]

Re: Karen Carpenter

..... This Masquerade has a very good melody no other artist can beat the Carpenters' version of This Masquerade.

OMG yeah .... LOVED that one, too! *memories come flooding back*

 

[PER4MER]

Re: Karen Carpenter

Richard Carpenter is coming out with a new CD. It's called "She Ain't Heavy, She's My Sister."

Karen's picture will be on the side.

If Mama Cass had shared her sandwich with Karen Carpenter, they'd both be alive today.

Do you have any jokes from this century?

 

[Riverrick]

Re: Karen Carpenter

There are quite a few Karen fans around here, DarkEmoBoi. Thanks for the thread. Her voice is incredible.

 

[PER4MER]

Re: Karen Carpenter

^Indeed there are quite a few fans around here. Can you imagine what that glorious voice would sound like today, if she had lived? That luscious warmth, further burnished by the passing years...it's almost too much to comprehend.

I was lucky enough to meet Karen and Richard in 1977 (at a Barry Manilow concert, of all places!), and they were both so gracious, so friendly...

Class acts all the way. And the legacy she left will never die.

Here's an amazing website with tons of rare material:

http://www.rolandchayer.com/TheVanKarenLife/index.php/