Can someone explain to me please, I wasn't around when these guys were big, but they were talking about them on the telly and showing some of their songs.... abit boring if you ask me!:rolleyes:

The woman looks like she could do with a good meal and the guys looked like the Jesus Army who used to live at the end of our road!

The woman looks like she could do with a good meal ........

How to make friends and influence people?

How to make friends and influence people?

Wasn't that Terrorvision...or Pearl Jam?

When I was young I'd listen to the radio,waiting for my favourite songs when they played I'd sing along, it made me smile.......


Long ago and oh so very far away, I fell in love with you, before the second show....

I'll say goodbye to love
No one ever cared if I should live or die
Time and time again the chance for love has passed me by
And all I know of love is how to live without it
I just can't seem to find it

We've only just begun to live
White lace and promises
A kiss for luck and were on our way
We've only just begun

Oh yes, wait a minuteMister postman
Wait mister postman


Hangin' around, nothing to do but frown
Rainy days and Mondays always get me down

These are all fantastic songs... noone has ever sung them as well as Karen Carpenter, she had such a rich velvet voice, that's why they never get covered. Although any day now, Girls Aloud will be blurting out 'They long to beeee close to uuuuuuu'

Ah, those were the songs. When you could HEAR what they were singing.! :D

Can someone explain to me please, I wasn't around when these guys were big, but they were talking about them on the telly and showing some of their songs.... abit boring if you ask me!:rolleyes:

The woman looks like she could do with a good meal and the guys looked like the Jesus Army who used to live at the end of our road!

I agree with you on one point anyway, I cannot stand long down-tempo maudlin songs. I like up-tempo lively ones that lift your mood - perhaps I am not romantic enough but if I ever have an "our" song it's got to be happy

Carpenters are supposed to be very good at building & repairing wooden structures which is another reason why there so special.

I really liked Karen Carpenter's voice, it was rich, and mellow, she hit every note "true". Richard's arrangements of the music were fabulous.

Yes, some of the songs were a bit on the "maudlin" side, but they were lovely, poignant songs, sung beautifully.

It was so sad she didn't get the help she needed with her anorexia, the world of music became lessened by her death. I cannot believe she has been gone 23 years, now (Feb 83!) Her music has not aged.

It was so sad she didn't get the help she needed with her anorexia.

oh...... oop's. I see what you mean now cgksheff. :blush:

sorry.

The sound of the Carpenters always takes me back to the mid-1970s. I loved them then and I still do.

Karen's voice was so unique. Her diction was incredibly clear, her pitch perfect and her delivery beautiful. Her voice had an inherent sadness, a yearning (I'll say goodbye to love, no-one ever cared if I should live or die). To me, the voice was one belonging to a child who knew in her own way, she wouldn't see much adulthood.

Richard's arrangements simply turned a pretty song into a gorgeous one. The choice of instrumentation (example, the intro to Superstar), the harmonies (the cycle at the end of Goodbye To Love predates the harmonic loops of 10cc's I'm Not In Love) and production (admittedly, 1970s 'lush').

Is there a better cover version than the Carpenters' take on Burt Bacharach's (They Long To Be) Close To You, with its suspended fourths intro? Karen's voice was so pure - listen to Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft yet like the sun on a beautiful landscape it changed. Listen to the tonal change in (such a trivial tune such as) On Top Of The World.

Three Number One albums (totalling over 600 weeks on the UK Album charts) and if Karen had not been taken away so early, they would have gone on to have so much more success.

It might be music for a lazy Sunday evening, it may be 'safe' MOR, but to me it's achingly beautiful and sincere.

In a world devoid of real talent, there aren't many singers who could get near to Karen's voice, delivery and genuine sentiment. Most decent singers claim that Karen was one of their inspirations and rightly so.

What she achieved in her 33 years was astonishing and rarely has her talent been matched since.

much more eloquently put than my comment, ousetunes, you summed it up perfectly.

Now I love my music in all its Punk, Industrial and Metal forms but nothing puts a smile on my face like the Carpenters (well maybe ELO). They were fantastic and their "Best Of" album still comes out for the occasional spin.

Now I love my music in all its Punk, Industrial and Metal forms but nothing puts a smile on my face like the Carpenters (well maybe ELO). They were fantastic and their "Best Of" album still comes out for the occasional spin.


ELO are one of my faves 2 i challange anyone to play any of there cds and not to sing along to at least one song

i really like the carpenters got most cds by them , now where is my carpenters greatest hits:)

Great stuff, I listen to them whilst walking to work.

I love the Carpenters....Supermarket music at it's best!!

:thumbsup:

Karen Carpenter's voice truly was wonderful. As others have stated, her pitch was perfect, and the tone very mellow.

As for her being rather thin, as Plain Talker points out it was due to her having anorexia nervosa, the extremes of which finally hastened her death at a young age.

There was a Carpenter's biopic on TV some years ago. According to that programme, the Carpenter brother and sister duo (both teenagers at the time) were doing small concerts in their local area.

One of the officials at one concert in particular remarked that whilst they were good, Richard was fine as an act, but Karen was overweight and would never "make the grade in the business". Karen unfortunately overheard these remarks. Thus began a routine of starving herself, and a life of struggling with anorexia leading to her untimely and early death.

She wasn't fat, of course but the remark devastated her.

She was a wonderful singer, and I love the Carpenter Songs and Music personally.

The moral of this story should surely be, take care not to call an impressionable youngster "Fat" or "Fattie", even as a joke.

Every sha-la,la,la, every woa, woa,oa, still shines

Every ting a ling ,a ling, a ling, ...............................Im going Ive got too much to do today. :D

Every shing-a-ling-a-ling that they're starting to sing
So fine

When they get to the part where he's breakin her heart
It can really make me cry
Just like before
It's yesterday once more

I've been singing bits of Carpenters all day today- the kids think I'm madder than usual. :loopy:
(Along with a random bit of 'Search for a hero' and 'I am the resurrection' when we were talking about the Manchester passion play!)

Every shing-a-ling-a-ling that they're starting to sing
So fine

When they get to the part where he's breakin her heart
It can really make me cry
Just like before
It's yesterday once more

I've been singing bits of Carpenters all day today- the kids think I'm madder than usual. :loopy:
(Along with a random bit of 'Search for a hero' and 'I am the resurrection' when we were talking about the Manchester passion play!)

Oh, thats lovely, Edna, how can you remember all the words ? :)

A slightly cheesy image but she had a fantastic voice. :thumbsup:

A slightly cheesy image but she had a fantastic voice. :thumbsup:

What Edna or Karen Carpenter ? :D

She had a magnificent voice AND was a drummer!

I remember them being on the radio when I was in my teens.

She had a magnificent voice AND was a drummer!

I remember them being on the radio when I was in my teens.

yes, can you imagine Madonna playing the drums while she sings ?

Oh, thats lovely, Edna, how can you remember all the words ? :)


I'd like to say Smash Hits but lyrics365.com is your friend and saves you typing..:thumbsup:

To be fair, I do know bits of Carpenters songs very well, just don't ever ask me to get to the second verse... :hihi:
As I do the singing lessons in school for lower KS2 and help do choir, the children are used to me singing around school. I do playground duty straight after it and they all come up and tell me how much they love singing with me - lol! It's one point in my week where I can say I actually do enjoy my job. :)
Shall I teach them a Carpenters one this week? ... mmm... Top of the World... I remember doing that one at school. I've been going a bit heavy on the God squad ones and seeing as I'm an atheist, I always feel a bit of a hypocrite.

I was brought up with the Carpenters songs as my parents loved them so I was very interested to watch last weeks programme about them.

I loved them and still do, and yes I agree with someone's post - you could hear the words they were singing. Unlike a lot of the tin pot bands around these days.

Funny how when I was a kid I used to sing along to the songs because I liked how they sound, now the lyrics mean so much more.

Karen's voice was fantastic.

yes, can you imagine Madonna playing the drums while she sings ?

Scarey thought! Karen carpenter was incredibly talented - I think that the success of The Carpenters always caused a great deal of confusion for the critics. :)

I was brought up with the Carpenters songs as my parents loved them so I was very interested to watch last weeks programme about them.

I loved them and still do, and yes I agree with someone's post - you could hear the words they were singing. Unlike a lot of the tin pot bands around these days.

Funny how when I was a kid I used to sing along to the songs because I liked how they sound, now the lyrics mean so much more.

Karen's voice was fantastic.

Yes, the lyrics do mean much more.And sound even better.

What Edna or Karen Carpenter ? :D

The Carpenters together re the image and Karen re the voice. :)

The Carpenters together re the image and Karen re the voice. :)

Yes, I know what you mean angle. :)

Karen had a beautiful voice. Like honey on the tongue. .........and they wrote some of those hits too.

Did anyone record this on DVD or capture it to their HDD ? Only saw the last 20 minutes and wouldn't mind a copy for trade or whatever.

Cheers.

I'd like to say Smash Hits but lyrics365.com is your friend and saves you typing..:thumbsup:

To be fair, I do know bits of Carpenters songs very well, just don't ever ask me to get to the second verse... :hihi:
As I do the singing lessons in school for lower KS2 and help do choir, the children are used to me singing around school. I do playground duty straight after it and they all come up and tell me how much they love singing with me - lol! It's one point in my week where I can say I actually do enjoy my job. :)
Shall I teach them a Carpenters one this week? ... mmm... Top of the World... I remember doing that one at school. I've been going a bit heavy on the God squad ones and seeing as I'm an atheist, I always feel a bit of a hypocrite.

Are you a teacher Edna ?

Are you a teacher Edna ?
Edna Krabappel - Bart's teacher from The Simpsons.:nod:

yes, can you imagine Madonna playing the drums while she sings ?

Even though I think Madonna is an incredibly energetic and talented artist (these days), contrasting her and Karen Carpenter is a bit like comparing a bottle of Blue Nun and a vintage Champagne! :hihi:

I really enjoy listening to The Carpenters. She had an amazing voice and delivered the often quite poignant lyrics in a way that few others ever could, or perhaps will.

In fact, I might just have them on in the car this morning :)

I was a teenager in the 90's and I loved the Carpenters then and still do..
My friends thought I was a bit :loopy: for liking them and my mum wasn't to chuffed when I pinched her Carpenters album when I moved out..:hihi:

The songs that they sang had meaning to them and touched on feelings that most folk had felt at some point..
VERY unlike what they were singing in the 90's..:D

Was I a strange teenager ?? :hihi: :hihi:

I recently watched a programme about The Carpenters and thought how odd Richard seemed.
He appeared to be one of those manic, toothy grinned scary preacher type people.
Listening to what he said gave the impression that he was jealous of his sister's abilty. Very much demonstrated when he reminisced about when Karen planned to bring out a solo album whilst Richard was going through rehab.
The intensity, almost religious like fervour in his voice whilst he was explaining how he had talked her out of the project was frightening.

Every shing-a-ling-a-ling that they're starting to sing
So fine

When they get to the part where he's breakin her heart
It can really make me cry
Just like before
It's yesterday once more

I've been singing bits of Carpenters all day today- the kids think I'm madder than usual. :loopy:
(Along with a random bit of 'Search for a hero' and 'I am the resurrection' when we were talking about the Manchester passion play!)

Thats my favourite also, "Yesterday Once More", it stops me dead in my tracks, the harmonies and melodies; you just do not get them in todays' music.

I actually cried when it was announced that she had passed away in 1983, that voice, perfect pitch bell-like quality was gone. Sad but her legacy is the music that she and her brother created and still remain timeless classics.

It was 1983 wasn't it?

It was 1983, the year I was born. I always felt sad that I never got to enjoy tham "live" because I was brought up on The Carpenters. I've got their Gold album and often listen to it in the car. I'm actually after a CD version of the album celebrating 25 years of something or another- it had a blue cover, and had a wonderful song on it called "Tryin' to Get the Feeling Again". It's a studio version because it was recorded shortly before her death I think, and you can actually hear Karen take a breath between verses, it's very poignant.

I wish I had their album on my mp3 player now so I could listen to it.

It was 1983 wasn't it?

it was February, 1983.

It was the 4th of February 1983.

It was at 9:51 AM on 4th of February 1983.

It was 09.51 and 26 seconds on 4th of February 1983.