Favorite Backing Vocals by Karen and/or Richard

[JohnnyAngel]

Wow! that was hard! I've missed a lot of songs and it's still difficult to choose only one!.
I'll make my decision later.

Regards

Jorge

[YesterdayOnceMore]

Wow, this IS a difficult one. Technically, I think it has to be Only Yesterday for me. Harmonically, it would have to be I Can Dream, Can't I?, but of course, that didn't make this particular list.

I think Only Yesterday was a most difficult song for Karen and Richard to put together - it took many hours. It has some rather complicated vocals in it.

Insofar as Karen's solo work, the most wonderful backing harmonies to this ear are in the song If I Had You.

My thoughts for this one.
Tim

[Rick Henry]

I voted "Only Yesterday" also. The mix of vocals is outstanding, superbly done. "If I Had You" from Karen's solo album came in a close second. Rod Temperton did an excellent job crafting the vocal parts which Karen skillfully sang.

I also love the harmony vocals Karen does to her lead vocal on "Guess I Just Lost My Head" also from her solo album.

[enigma]

Really close between OY and Bacharach Medley but the latter edged out OY. Strictly harmony wise I chose the Bacharach Medley because I appreciated the layer and layers of harmonies that went into the song Karens really high part blended with her lower parts and Richard make it seem there are many more than two people singing here. Its simply briliantly put together and must have been a big labour of love for Richard and Karen to put this one together.

[smoothie2]

;D I also choose Only Yest....has all the right
ingredients ...Karen ( ) Richard ( )
all their time and efforts were very well spent to lead it into perfection....harmony ...!!!

[makapipi]

I choose "If I Had You", this one has a lot going on and I don't think I heard it all yet.
If Medley "We've Only Just Begun" 1980 was on the list, I would
pick that one. The harmonies creates a buzz effect.

[Prisoner_Walking]

For me the songs which immediately come to mind are "Get Together", "Saturday", "Only Yesterday" (the key-change WOW...."only YAS-ter-day...." GREAT), I also I love the intro/outro backing vocals on "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do"...."come-a come-a down doobey doo down down.."

[Prisoner_Walking]

.....oh and I forgot to add - I think the backing vocals on "Kiss Me The Way You Did Last Night" SAVE the song - great tune, but Karen's vocal lacks her usual presence. L

[JohnnyAngel]

Ok, here I go, This was REALLY tough!!!
I finally chose "Yesterday Once More (reprise)" I can't help myself "melting when I hear those vocals! I think was K.D. Lang that defined K&R vocals as an "Air & Acuarium" effect, and I totally agree with that specially in this tune, I used to play it again and again and again, and never get tired of listening to.
I must hightlight "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" I love "... for Godness Sake.. whoaaaahhhh!".
"Without a song" is definetely what beauty is. this great performance is the proof that the talents of K&R are beyond reality.
Also I never stop to feel amazed by the great work done in "Somebody's been lyin'", "Kiss me the way you didi last night" "Mr. Guder", "Johnny Angel", etc

Regards

Jorge

[beaner]

I recently watched the video again of "Without A Song" and I think it's great the way their voices are doing ALL the different parts in this song. It's great and the video is kinda neat too.

[neverbeenalone]

beaner said:

I recently watched the video again of "Without A Song" and I think it's great the way their voices are doing ALL the different parts in this song. It's great and the video is kinda neat too.

Part of the amazing irony with their sound, is that they both (and Karen especially) had the ability to double their vocals so perfectly, that it would actually "phase". By the time you get 8-12 Carpenters voices all doing that in harmonics, you get that warm center that you hear in their sound.

Up until right around late '73, each voice of every single backing vocal was "tripled". This was part of Richard's formula for the "sound". Richard said that later on, it didn't make the sound any better, so he and Karen just "doubled" all of the parts.

In the case of "Without A Song", that was recorded on a total of (16) tracks, 8 individual "parts", all double tracked (with the exception of her lead on the opening phrase). I think they pulled it off quite well myself. -Chris

[ThomB]

Only Yesterday first and Mr Guder second.

[wisejester7]

Invocation is rich with vocals and one that really shows K's and R's talents.

;-)wisejester7