Posted on 02/20/2021 2:46:30 PM PST by simpson96
"Superstar" is a 1969 song written by Bonnie Bramlett and Leon Russell. It became most popular after its treatment by the Carpenters in 1971.
Produced by Richard Carpenter with Jack Daugherty, it was recorded with members of "The Wrecking Crew," a famed collection of Los Angeles area session musicians.
As the song's storyline was originally more risqué than what was typical for the Carpenters, Richard changed a lyric in the second verse from "And I can hardly wait/To sleep with you again" to the somewhat less suggestive "And I can hardly wait/To be with you again."
The track was finished in one take.
The Carpenters - Superstar (1971)
(Excerpt) Read more at youtube.com ...
Leon’s version is the best.
My favorite Carpenter’s song.
No one had a voice like Karen’s.
I only hear her songs when I am shopping & they always make me feel melancholy. I also think they are sad because we now know what a tortured soul she was. She had the voice of an angel.
Beautiful voice. Sad she died so young.
I guess Bonnie picked up a writing credit but Bobby Whitlock who was there at the time said it was Delaney and Leon who actually wrote it (supposedly based off a dream that Rita Coolidge had).
A great song, and one of the best popular singing voices of the 20th century.
That's half of Mad Dogs and Englishmen right there.
Leon Russell was a true underappreciated genius in my opinion..saw him in a New Orleans concerts in about 73 with a couple of friends one was so impressed he named his boy after him.....
Incredible talent. Tragic early death. R.I.P.
Great voice. Also miss the backing brass from that era.
She was pretty messed up and didn’t want anyone to help her - pretty stubborn gal.
Oh, man, agree 1000%. Leon Russell was and is totally underrated, an absolute ace pianist who’s all over the classic hits of the ‘60s and ‘70s. Brian Wilson composed California Girls on a piano at his house, but who’s playing piano on the record? Leon Russell.
I really liked that song, when it came out. Loved singing it, when it played on car radio. Best compliment I ever got was when I was singing along to Bohemian Rhapsody, and my dad asked, “How do you know that song?”. He thought it was opera.
Born: March 2, 1950, New Haven, CT
Birthday next week
I tell you seeing him bang those ivories in person was incredible...
Still can’t figure why he was not much more known and appreciated... thinking maybe he just was not chasing fame as so many are/were..
I never understood how he managed to avoid major star status. It sure wasn't for lack of talent.
Karen C had a truly magical voice - certainly one of a kind. I have their “hits” on a double CD and also on a 24-bit High resolution download - always great engineering on their sessions!
Somewhere I read the “Superstar guitarist” in the song was Eric Clapton.
Leon did get a lot of radio play because I remember hearing his songs on the radio growing up. Back to the Island, A Song For You, This Masquerade, Tight Rope, Lady Blue. I remember all of those from FM radio.
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