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Post by YesterdayOnceMore on Mar 14, 2006 15:06:03 GMT -5
Hello out there all you Carpenters Fans!!! Today, while running a few errands, attempting to get everything done before I begin working again next week (How cool IS that???) sorry....get carried away. Anyway, I was listening to the beautiful compilation of Love Songs. I really love this CD - I truly enjoy listening to each and every selection, and it just kills me emotionally when it gets almost to the very end, where we hear Karen singing "A Song For You." Oh, to me, that song speaks volumes about the very essence of the life Karen lead while here. She was, seemingly, always doing for others - singing - playing - mending arguments within the family - keeping the peace between she and Rich - always for others...not for herself. How incredibly sad. When Karen sings A Song For You, there is so much absolute raw emotion involved, it just grabs my guts every time. I think they call it "gut-wrenching." You get my gist, I think. Here's a quote from Paul Lester's notes in the lining.... "Karen was the finest female singer of her generation, possessed of perfect pitch, able to soar between octaves in a single verse. But that rare ability to share moments of incredible intimacy with the listener, to sound as though she was singing just for you, was more than mere technque. She wasn't acting, she was aching! Nor was it any accident that her astonishingly clear, pure voice was usually tinged wth regret and sorrow. If we underestimated the conviction of the woman at the time, if we missed the misery beneath the harmony, it was our problem, not hers. "Nobody knew the pain I was going through." she sang on Only Yesterday. No, we didn't." What do you all think of this CD? Do you like the order? I think careful consideration was given to the order of the songs. The very first one, I need to be in Love.....to the last....Goodbye To Love. Yup, I do believe there was lots of thought in that line-up. It's a beautiful compliation from start to finish in my opinion. 10 stars. (at least!)...... Best, Tim
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Post by enigma on Mar 15, 2006 0:22:24 GMT -5
Interesting analogy that was quoted funny I got was Karen was singing or communicating not long after I started listening to her (at least when I got older as I was very young when I started listeneing to Karen) and the analogy is pretty accurate and almost matches what I hear when I listen to Karen. I do not own Love Songs for the simple reason that I own all the tracks on the compilation however I did play the songs in the order that is on Love Songs off the various albums and I know what you're saying Tim. The compilation is pretty good as far as track selection and order I think Richard knew what he was doing when he put the compilation together in that order nothing seems to be done by accident as far as Richard is concerned. I like the compilation but for me I need some upbeat numbers to offset the heavier slower numbers Karen does. I am a tad sensitive and its just emotional overload if I only listen to Karens ballads/love songs or heavier songs. Thats just my take on the collection.
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Post by smoothie2 on Mar 15, 2006 1:18:36 GMT -5
???Yes Tim,I agree the Love Songs is a great compilation. I bought a cassette of it yrs. ago. I was especially glad to get it because it had "It's a dirty old shame when all u get from love is a love song" which I didn't have up til then, and then I had never heard "Make Believe It's Your First Time" and "You're the One". "a Song For You" is hauntingly beautiful, hard to have a dry eye on that one.. But "Make Believe.." and "You're the One" those ReaLLy HIt HOmE with me as well. ..."every line of your face ..." .... What a remarkable song...and such perfection in its' delivery...intimate.. Oooh....I wish I could have had Karen sing that You're the One at my wedding! I surely would have had some tears for sure... God Bless You with extra SuperSize Blessings the lady .. Karen. And I absolutely agree that she sings from the heart in that yearning way and wistful way as an outlet to express the hurt and loneliness she had inside.
ON A HAPPIER NOTE...GLAD YOU HAVE A JOB NOW tIM!
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Post by Ming on Mar 15, 2006 4:11:42 GMT -5
'Love songs' is great. Although I don't have it, I love the cover. Ming
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Post by Moe on Mar 22, 2006 4:00:14 GMT -5
I love this collection. I love the hits and especially like that "You're the One" and "Where do I go from here" are included. I encouraged a co-worker who used to like the Carpenters to listen to them again and try this CD. He did and has thanked me since. He was not familiar with the above mentioned songs, but he truly loves them now.
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Post by Rob813 on Apr 5, 2006 22:32:27 GMT -5
Yes Tim I agree with you that Love Songs is a tremendous compilation. I've given this CD to family and friends as gifts and they all just love it. The choice of songs, the order in which they are presented and of course those lush arrangements and THAT VOICE. It's all there. It's why I fell head over heels in love with them all those many years ago. Yeah the summer of 1970 was the beginning of my life long love affair with all things Carpenter.
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Post by Rick Henry on Apr 6, 2006 1:28:04 GMT -5
I've given this CD to family and friends as gifts and they all just love it. I gave this CD as a gift for a friend of mine back in 1999 when her boyfriend took the disc and threw it away. Hmmm.
I agree this is a well thought out compilation. It's a strong effort. It's a also a recent Gold certoification for the Carpenters. It was certified Gold in 2000.
***sidenote: "Gold: 35th Anniversary Edition" was certified Gold in 2004.
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Post by ps11932 on Apr 15, 2006 15:19:46 GMT -5
Hello Tim, I was just listening to "Love Songs" while walking to and from the grocery store to buy some peanut butter, bananas and other stuff- so it is fresh in my mind. Your analysis of "A Song For You" was very sharp- you can just hear the autobiographical element to it. I was, like you, also moved by the liner notes. You make an interesting point regarding the order of the selections- since I usually shuffle the songs (I like surprises sometimes) I never payed much attention. But, there are always so many angles to explore. Two of the included selections were ones that I had not heard before- "Your're the One" & "Where Do I Go From Here?", and as the other fans have noted, they are great! Thanks- O.E.
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