Greetings,
Someone once said that you'd have to dislike music to dislike The Carpenters. Agree! Okay, fine. I know that they weren't everyone's cup of tea, perhaps, due to their being a tad lightweight, according to some people. But they were a much loved act in their day. And why not? They were, and still are, a soothing escape from the craziness of the world.
I've been a fan of theirs for a huge part of my life, and their music had a wonderful effect on me. So did their story. Richard and Karen Carpenter created something very unique together. While there has always been a nice, massive bunch of the easy-listening type of pop music available to us, they were able to add a spark to it that no one else could. Yet to this day, as remembered as they are, I think that, at times, they are quite underrated. And that's a shame.
So, I thought I would do my part, to spread the word to a new generation, and tell them about The Carpenters. What better way for me to do it than through sharing my favorite of their songs. Okay, let's do this.
#10. "Yesterday Once More" - Yes, I know that the chorus of this one may be considered lyrically cringe-inducing by certain people. I get it, okay? It's hard not to make a face when you hear the words "Shing-a-ling"! But I happen to like the way it talks about music, and how all of it can affect you and bring back memories. Perhaps, almost to the point where it's all the same. Like sad songs are all the same to a broken heart.
#9. "Top of the World" - The Carpenters go country! How many groups go through that phase? Well, that's what happens when you visit Nashville, which is apparently where this song was inspired. This gets put on the list because of that great vocal arrangement near the end of the song. It's my favorite part!
#8. "(They Long To Be) Close To You" - This is probably the first song I ever heard from The Carpenters. It might be that for quite a few people, since I'd say it's one of their signature songs. It's just a sweet, almost sappy, love song, but in the best way. And let's be honest. We need songs like that. We knew songs that remind us of the sweet side of being in love with someone.
#7. "We've Only Just Begun" - As an artist, I can confirm 100% that we can get inspired by anything. Richard Carpenter heard this song on a commercial of all things, and he loved it so much that he wanted to record a full version. Turns out, he was able to get in touch with the writers, one of whom was the legendary Paul Williams, and got a full version. The rest is history and all that.
#6. "For All We Know" - Well, this would make a good wedding song...for an arranged marriage. No, for real. Listen to those lyrics! Either way, though, this is a beautifully written song, and maybe it's actually about how, when you make a full on commitment to someone, you get to know them in a whole new way.
#5. "Rainy Days and Mondays" - So...I may or may not have sung this song in the talent show back in my high school days. I may have. Look, I'm ashamed of myself for thinking that I could dare to sing anything that Karen sang first. I mean, as a singer, I'm not bad, but I'm not her. What a fool I was! Still, I do love this song. Strange, because I also love rainy days, so they never get me down. Mondays? It depends.
#4. "Goodbye To Love" - And here we have another interesting story of inspiration. There's a movie called Rhythm on the River, and in it, they keep talking about this masterpiece song called "Goodbye to Love", but the song is never in the movie. So, Richard decided to write that unheard song. Best writing prompt ever. And it is often said of writers that we need to write the story we want to read. Same goes for songs, it would seem. We write the ones we want to hear.
#3. "A Song For You" - So, this one was never released as a single for the group, but it was actually the title track for an album. Why they didn't release this, I'll never know. I mean, Karen's vocal is amazing on this song. How unusual, right? But it is kind of a testament to how incredible this song is when both the writer, Leon Russell, with his gravelly voice, and Karen with her smooth as silk voice, can both make the song sound like magic.
#2. "Superstar" - And yet another song that has Leon Russell's fingerprints on it. Of course. Anyway, I heard that the original title of this was..."Groupie". Oh, my, indeed. I mean, let's be honest. With or without that title, we all know what this song is about. I guess it just sounds more innocent with this newer title. And that certainly fit the persona of The Carpenters better. Also, I don't care that they say the word "Baby" like 100 times. I still love this song.
#1. "Hurting Each Other" - I didn't know this little fact until I started researching for this list, but, apparently, one of my other favorite singers did a version of this song - Rosemary Clooney! What I wouldn't give to have been able to hear her and Karen sing this song together. Can you even imagine the spectacularness of such a thing? Anyway, there's just something about this one that makes me love it the best. Everything just came together so perfectly. The music, the arrangement, the vocals, of course. Seriously, I always get chills when Karen hits that "Tearing each other apart" line. Just unbelievably wonderful. All of that makes it my absolute favorite song by The Carpenters.
As I said at the start of this post, I know that The Carpenters may not be for everyone, stylistically. But I don't think anyone can deny that they had something special. Richard was a master arranger, and what more can I say about Karen's voice. Even though, we have tons of new music acts coming out all the time, not all of them have a spark that could make them classic and memorable and very much loved for a very long time. The Carpenters were exactly that kind of artists. And while we sadly lost Karen far too soon, I know that Richard has always does his best to preserve their legacy. I think it's our job, as admirers of their work, to do the same.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
