Posted on 08/07/2013 4:58:52 PM PDT by beaversmom
I'm a little late to the game, but late than never. I'm just realizing the beauty and talent of the Carpenters:
She was a treasure.
My wife, from South America, tells me that part of her English education there was required listening to the Carpenters....clear and crisp....perfect pronunciation.
And you probably have some tattoos, too :-)
I was fortunate to see America twice, once in the ‘70s and once in the ‘80s.
Great, great music.
A few notes:
1) The tune was written by Neil Sedaka.
2) The song was not about the homeless. It was about a man so romantically dysfunctional that he couldn’t find a love relationship, probably terminally shy.
3) I consider Karen Carpenter the top female pop vocalist of all time. Just try hitting some of the low notes on this vocal. I can’t. Incidentally, I think Nat King Cole had the best voice of any male pop singer.
4) The Carpenters were a fledgling group in the late 1960s who had been signed by A&M Records (the A of A&M was trumpeter Herb Alpert of the Tijuana Brass). Burt Bacharach had penned a smash hit for Alpert called “This Guy’s In Love With You” and followed it up with a song so syrupy that Alpert refused to record it. He pushed it off on the Carpenters and it became their most successful single - “Close To You”.
“America’s greatest hits is probably THE greatest hits album IMO”
That’s interesting. Maybe I will get if for hubby. He has a CSNY greatest hits album that’s very good too. Sometimes they are just so slapped together.
They were great, a couple of their tunes just can’t be topped.
They are IMO one of the few groups that gets it all right. Melody, harmony, catchy hooks and a distinctive sound. You KNOW when it’s America.
To me, there’s nothing they do ‘exceptional’. It’s just a total package coming together thing. There are far better players, singers etc. But they do it all at a level that just fits so well together.
For the genre, I don’t think Sister Golden Hair CAN be topped. And as a piece of music alongside the rest, it holds up well.
My favorites (in order) are:
Ventura Highway
Daisy Jane
Sister Golden Hair
A Horse With No Name
Today’s The Day
Lonely People
I Need You
You Can Do Magic
Tin Man
I believe ‘You Can Do Magic’ was not written by America, but they definitely made the song a hit with their style. I remember being floored upon hearing their first hit, ‘A Horse With No Name’, as a freshman in my dorm room at Penn State. I knew then this was a special band. Then it was hit after hit, all through the ‘70s, all through college. I just loved that band. ‘Tin Man’ was also very easy to play on guitar, so I had to throw that one into my top 9. I think the only “hit” they had that I didn’t care for was ‘Sandman’.
By the way, I think I read that Dan Peek died recently.
Can you explain “the pocket “ to us unschooled music lovers? I wonder what became of her brother, since she was positioned as the Star?
I'm the same way. I don't have one mood or one taste in food either. Variety is good. America is nice. A dear friend reminded me of them a few months back...love Lonely People. Need to get that on my FR page. America - Lonely People http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRDnEqW1vAc So much wonderful music out there to be discovered and rediscovered.
I guess we all have a hard and soft side.
I'm the same way. I don't have one mood or one taste in food either. Variety is good. America is nice. A dear friend reminded me of them a few months back...love Lonely People. Need to get that on my FR page.
America - Lonely People
Link
So much wonderful music out there to be discovered and rediscovered.
Wonderful story. Thank you for sharing.
She can definitely touch deep into people.
I know some of the music. I've heard it, but never really listened to it and appreciated it until now.
I heard that one last night. I know that one, but "heard" it for the first time last night. Makes me sing along and so happy.
In the pocket is a right on rythym .. having that toe tapping, just perfect timing.
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