Karen Carpenter Would Have Turned 73 Today - What is Your Favorite Carpenters Song?

Twitter ^ | March 2nd, 2023 | ASKdes

[shadowlands1960]

#KarenCarpenter Karen Carpenter’s birthday today. The most beautiful singing voice of all time. Born 2 March 1950 died 4 February 1983 age 32. Got her music to remember how great she was as a singer. R.I.P. Karen Carpenter.

[shadowlands1960]

Great video... loved seeing the instrumentation...

[Scarpetta]

We’ve Only Just Begun was written by Paul Williams. I think it was used in a TV commercial for a bank.

[shadowlands1960]

Yes, it was a Crocker Bank commercial. I remember it well. Richard saw it and thought the melody line would be perfect for his sister so he got permission to use it and the rest is history.

[Montana_Sam]

Karen was an amazing talent.
Had a sister (since died of cancer) who was a devoted fan of the Carpenter’s. My sister even looked quite a bit like Karen but with shorter hair. Every time I hear a Carpenter’s song, I think of my sister. Good vibes.

[Cowgirl of Justice]

Nice way to knock the mental illness of a woman who died.

You should be ashamed of yourself but I know you are not. You are sickening and I would spit in your face if I could. Someone posts something about a woman who contributed so much joy and succumbed to mental anguish and died and you think this is funny.

[cweese]

My favorite Karen Carpenter song is “Mama Cass, please share that ham sammich with me”.

[Vaquero]

Too soon? In that day and age the Carpenters was considered lame. It is still lame. Sorry if I offended you.

[PerConPat]

Absolutely it’s ‘Superstar’.

Her brother reportedly stated she recorded the vocal in one take. I believe him. Her stunning contralto earned her the highest compliment a singer to large audiences can receive...It seemed she was singing to me alone.

[Vaquero]

Ha!

[7thson]

They Long To Be Close To You.

[7thson]

(They Long To Be) Close To You.

[Vaquero]

Leon Russell was a genius. Listen to his version and BB Kings versions of Hummingbird. He played piano on both.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Wow, that’s astonishing. Then she SINGS while she is drumming and is not out of breath. Amazing. I had no idea.

[LS]

I know, right? For some reason, I don’t think she would have been good in harmonies with other people. Her voice was so different. But Richard kept all the harmonies in house.

[Dan in Wichita]

For just one day I wish it was 1970 again.

[Joe Brower]

For All We Know

Seconded!

[shadowlands1960]

This music blogger wrote an article attempting to explain Karen's voice, here's his main take:

Karen normally sang as a contralto, but she had the rare ability to transition from that more typical female register to a much lower range—something she called her “basement.” Thanks to Richard’s songwriting and song selection, her basement voice was used masterfully on music that tended toward the melancholy, the “rainy days and Mondays always get me down” type of song.

[dfwgator]

We’ve Only Just Begun was written by Paul Williams.

Little Enos.

[fidelis]

Thirded!

[dfwgator]

I always lump The Carpenters and Bread together.