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Post by YesterdayOnceMore on Jul 13, 2006 1:36:38 GMT -5
 Do you recall where you were when you heard a particular Carpenter's song for the FIRST time? I'll give you an example: The first time I heard Close To You, I was in my best friend's car, on the way to work. I turned the volume up way loud as I heard that VOICE (Karen) for the first time. I recall that I phoned the radio station as soon as I got to work to find out who WAS that group who sang that song with the birds in it? OR.... The first time I ever heard the song Lovelines, I was shopping at the local mall. I recognized Karen's voice immediately, but...how could this be, as Karen was no longer with us? I knew I'd never heard this song before.....this music was piped in, so I didn't have a DJ to call, but I did make a bee-line to the closest record store, never dreaming I would find an album entitled Lovelines. Where were you when you heard a Carpenters song for the first time? What was the song, and where were you when you heard it? Tim 
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Post by Rick Henry on Jul 13, 2006 2:00:39 GMT -5
I don't recall the actual first time I heard the Carpenters. I'm certain it was the song "Close To You". But my earliest recollection of hearing the Carpenters was in July 1971. It wasn't just one song but the entire "Close To You" album. I will elaborate at a later time as it's past midnight and I must get to bed soon.
I have a few other songs I want to talk about - such as one of the first times listening to "Boat To Sail" and the first time I heard "Please Mr. Postman".  |
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Post by beaner on Jul 13, 2006 14:29:42 GMT -5
I know for a fact that the first time I ever heard the Carpenters was in my sister-in-law's car (she was not my sister-in-law then). She had the "Close To You" 8-Track and I would take trips to Corning, NY with her every so often to visit her family and one of 8-Tracks she would always play was that one.
I cannot remember the first song I ever heard but I guess I'd have to say "We've Only Just Begun" since it is the first song of the track list. I was hooked almost immediately!!!
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Post by ps11932 on Jul 15, 2006 14:12:04 GMT -5
In 2004 I bought the C.D. Singles 1969-1981 because I recognized them as my favorite group, though I wasn't really too much into it then. That night I decided to listen for a little while before going to sleep and heard 5 songs (including Those Good Old Dreams) for the first time. The combo of the new songs and the memories of the power of the past favorites turned me into an active Carpenters fanatic right away and I haven't looked back. (more detail some other time.) O.E.
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Post by cam83 on Jul 15, 2006 18:54:03 GMT -5
For me, it was Winnipeg and there was a commercial on tv called CLIFFORD's which was a fancy fur store, where they sold beautiful furs...and they had these models on modelling the fur, and to the tune of "Every sha la la la, every wowowo still shines..." And it was the Carpenters version. I just remember always liking that song.
Cameron
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Post by smoothie2 on Jul 15, 2006 22:22:26 GMT -5
For me, it was Winnipeg and there was a commercial on tv called CLIFFORD's which was a fancy fur store, where they sold beautiful furs...and they had these models on modelling the fur, and to the tune of "Every sha la la la, every wowowo still shines..." And it was the Carpenters version. I just remember always liking that song. Cameron :(good to hear from you Cam....and what a great song to have for such a commercial.....wow! |
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Post by Rick Henry on Jul 15, 2006 22:40:50 GMT -5
First time hearing certain Carpenters songs...
I remember the second day after I had purchased the "A Kind Of Hush" album (1976), I was so taken with the song "Boat To Sail". It was a brand new sound for the Carpenters. It was dreamy. It was hip. I just loved it so much that I remember I played it for the rest of my family. They were all downstairs in the family room. So, I asked them to listen as I blasted the song loudly from my bedroom upstairs. This always left an impression with me. |
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Post by smoothie2 on Jul 15, 2006 22:44:07 GMT -5
 It's been 2 many moons ago, for me to recall the time I first heard the Carpenters, but it probably was the song Close to You....and I must have really liked it a lot and perhaps asked for the Cl. to You album....but anyway, that was my first C's record of any kind and just about one of the first records I ever had....perhaps THE first since I know I got it for Christmas along with my first record player ... Anyway, I do believe that I first heard "Rainy Days and Mon." on my little portable radio back when I was about 10 or 11. I was outside in the back yard of the farm where I was raised. I guess I enjoyed swinging still, cuz I was standing at the swing set and had been swinging.s Then I tuned in and heard Karen.... of course her voice would stop anyone in their tracks... This memory is so vivid, and the feeling was... WOW!!!!!!!! gee, this is a sad song, but it's unlike any group or person of the time that I had heard, I was stricken....this song fit me exactly.... ......... and so that goes.... ......................................................................... One of the very first times I ever heard "Only Yesterday" I think I was about 15 and a friend of mine had her little radio as we were on the school bus going home. There were only about 3 of us left on the bus, so we could hear it very plainly....my friend laughed and said something like oh I really love this one! and we all sang along............. ..........good topic.. I think I'll have to add more to this later on also...
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Post by YesterdayOnceMore on Jul 15, 2006 23:10:21 GMT -5
I remember I was on the road when "Yesterday Once More" hit the radio. As I've mentioned before, the vocalist who led the band didn't do a lot of Carpenters songs till I started working with her....and Yesterday Once More was the first song we started doing as a group. At the time, we were playing at a Holiday Inn in Billings, Montana. What beautiful country it was there. Course, my drummer, Rex, and our bass player, Paul and I were a trio BEFORE we began backing up Lee, and had already learned a lot of Carpenter tunes. So, we just had to teach HER... I had plenty of time to learn some more after we started playing this one.....as the story turns out, because it was here I learned I had a huge kidney stone, and I had to leave the band for a while.... We were on our way to Wyoming to go back to Yellowstone National Park, where we'd gone over the weekend, because the Holiday Inn (which turned out to be a fisticuffs, redneck joint that DIDN'T especially like having a "soft, jazz trio" and chick singer playing in the bar. They were a bit tougher crowd than that....so our options didn't get picked up for the following week of a 5 week stint)...I remember heading out to Yellowstone, but then, well, I sort of crumpled over in the front seat of the car about 15 miles outside of Billings, and Rex had to get me back to the ER ASAP. I spent the rest of the week in the hospital, and they were going to do "exploratory" surgery on me on Friday...my mother hadn't arrived yet, so the hospital decided they didn't want the liability of operating on a 17 year old without the signature of a parent....so even though I underwent all the anesthesia, and had to go through the recovery room to come out from under it.......... no surgery. I flew back home and had surgery within two days, and was back on the road in two weeks. During my hospital stay (it was also during July, and my birthday came and went) one of my friends brought me a tape of the new LP they'd bought me for my b'day - Now and Then. I listened night and day to this compilation. It was wonderful....I learned This Masquerade, and I Can't Make Music....some wonderful tunes. I didn't even mind being in the hospital (well...past the first couple of days after a surgery like that....about a 10 inch incision, ya know).....but I healed quickly listening to Carpenters, and was back on the road performing This Masquerade with in the next few weeks. Ah, what memories, what memories..... Tim |
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Post by wisejester7 on Jul 20, 2006 7:32:23 GMT -5
You know, it's odd, but I don't remember a certain moment or place for any of the Carpenters songs. When they burst on the national scene I was just developing my musical tastes and independence. I think I was 14 at the time. I was used to some of the MoTown groups and some of the British groups...and Elvis, Judy Garland, Andy Williams, Perry Como, Herb Alpert and some latin recordings my parents owned.
When 'Close To You' came out I was instantly attracted to the C's. That attraction has NEVER left me. I followed their career like most fans (from afar). I never got to go to any of their concerts or shows.
I was (and still am) baffled by 'fans' who say they like the C's, but are afraid to admit it to anyone, because it embarasses them.
I am happy to have found this website where I know there are other people who love the C's as much as I do. Thank you to ALL of you who share your stories, pictures and knowledge of Karen and Richard and their wonderful career!
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Post by Rick Henry on Jul 20, 2006 9:17:41 GMT -5
The first time I heard "Please Mr. Postman" was in early December 1975. I was in gym class. We were sitting outside on the bleachers. The coach was talking when this kid came walking by with a ghetto blaster (boom box) at full volume with screaming guitar and Karen Carpenter singing "Please Mr. Postman". Right when I heard her voice I knew immediately it was Karen and my ears perked up. I just loved it. And I knew the song too - because I knew the original by the Marvelettes. After that I heard the song another half dozen times that day. At that moment I knew the song was destined to reach #1.
I'll come back with my recollections on the first time I heard "Bless The Beasts And Children". |
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Post by ps11932 on Jul 24, 2006 15:12:51 GMT -5
Before I listened to "Little Girl Blue" I read in the notes that it was a Broadway tune- one of my favorite genres, so the first time I heard the song (it was in my living room, not long ago actually), the style ,and the depth of emotion in Karen's lovely interpretation of the lyrics, really stood out. Another impression I got right away was that is rather reminded me of a song I haven't heard for about 7 months now- "Christmas Waltz."
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Dave
Ultra Emissary 
"sleeping in the arms of the cosmos..."
Posts: 1,515
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Post by Dave on Jul 26, 2006 19:36:14 GMT -5
There is one which stands out, and I will remember it for the rest of my life...
The Date: December 4, 2004
The Time: 12:10 PM
The Place: a small seafood restaurant near Pine Island, Florida.
The Song: "I Believe You"
This was the day after our special guided tour of Kennedy Space Center, and we'd stayed at my sister's place in Spring Hill. We had just gone over to the Gulf, to show my wife and son the neat place my sister lived near. We were eating lunch, and as soon as I recognized the song I "bumped" my sister under the table. At that moment, my wife and son went to the restrooms, and I said to my sister "See what I live with?" She was amazed, and my hands were shaking as I tried to maintain some measure of composure. Why?
"I Believe You" is a very direct, powerful song.
That was the only time I've ever heard it played on the radio. Ever.
It was one of a series of "wonderful coincidences" that made the year of 2004 one of the best in my life.
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Post by Rick Henry on Aug 1, 2006 19:13:09 GMT -5
Here's my account of when I first heard "Honolulu City Lights".
It was in 1989 I was shopping at Dress For Less (of all places). On came a song which for some reason the music sounded vaguely familiar - eventhough I had never heard it before. Then the voice came on and right away I knew it was Karen. I was floored. A new song by Karen. I was so excited. I left the store quickly and zoomed to my local music store where I found a 7" vinyl single record of the song with "I Just Fall In Love Again" on the b-side. Of course I bought it immediately. I was so happy to finally have some new Carpenters music. This was the first new release since 1984's "An Old Fashioned Christmas". |
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Post by Prisoner_Walking on Aug 4, 2006 5:50:26 GMT -5
I can remember where I was and what I felt each time I first heard most of the Carpenters songs. The experience was powerful on every occasion.
But the one that comes to mind immediately is "Superstar" - the first time I consciously listened to a Carpenters song after I found my Mum's dusty tan LP in a box - I was 15.
I knelt down by a broken down old record player in the diningroom and played "Superstar" all afternoon - I was immediately taken by the beautifully arranged introduction, the simplicity of it - and then BAM that VOICE! I just loved (and still love) Karen's reading of that tune, especially the way she sings "your GUITAAAAR" right after those lone tom-tom fills....from then on I was hooked! L
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