Post by YesterdayOnceMore on Sept 6, 2006 21:39:45 GMT -5
admin said:
Here are my choices. I know that it's all over the map - but I tried to keep in mind that Carpenters were more than just singers of love songs. I always try to keep this in mind as many people do not realize just how versatile Carpenters were in the styles of music they actually did.
"I'm Dreamin" by Jennifer Warnes - "Right Time Of The Night" was mentioned also which Carpenters could have done quite well. "I'm Dreamin" would have been one of those monumental ballads akin to "I JUst Fall In Love Again".
"The Look Of Love" - perfect for Karen's voice - it wasn't 70's - but still great anyway.
Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head
"New Kid In Town" by the Eagles. Carpenters did a chillingly outstanding job with the Eagles' "Desperado" that I'm certain they would have done a great job with "New Kid..."
"It Keeps You Runnin" and "You Belong To Me" - both songs originally recorded by Doobie Brothers and both later covered by Carly Simon. These songs would have been great on "Passage" or Karen's solo.
Whenever I Call You Friend by Kenny Loggins
Thinking Of You - Loggins and Messina
I'd Love You To Want Me - Lobo
Don't Stop - Fleetwood Mac
If You Could Read My Mind - Gordon Lightfoot - this would be outstanding if sung by Karen.
If I Could Reach You - Fifth Dimension
Time Passages - Al Stewart - could have been done for "Passage" with orchestration by the one and only Peter Knight.
If You Really Love Me - Stevie Wonder
Dim All The Lights - Donna Summer - great for Karen's solo
"So Far Away" and "Jazzman" by Carole King - I always felt Carpenters and Carole King were a perfect merger.
"Colour My World" and "Just You And Me" by Chicago - another perfect merger.
"Your Song" by Elton John
"Don't Go Breakin' My Heart" duet by Karen and Elton - WOW!
You've Got A Friend - written by Carole King and made a hit by James Taylor.
Can't Get It Out Of My Head by ELO - this is another for "Passage" and would be outstanding with orchestration by Peter Knight - can you just imagine this - it would be chllingly beautiful - so would ELO's "Telephone Line".
"Easy" by the Commodores - another one Carpenters could do beautifully.
Rick:
LOVE your choices - in fact, many of you had some wonderful choices - enjoyed your list too, Dreams, and Cam had some on his list I hadn't even THOUGHT about in a long time - I always loved Torn Between Two Lovers by Mary Macgregor - used to do it myself - and Karen singing alongside herself on that one would have been really beautiful....truly nice.
It's a song I should have thought of and glad you did, Rick - The Look of Love - it would have been a PERFECT vehicle for Karen's gorgeous basement voice. I think that's one reason I was SO incredibly attracted to Diana Krall - she definitely has a basement voice - though much more gravely than Karen's silky smooth voice. Nevertheless, I'm sure she was INFLUENCED by KAC, cause some of her inflections, and her vocal frys are KAC all the way. She did a nice job with this tune, The Look Of Love, and even titled one of her CD's by the name.
"Don't Go Breakin' My Heart" would be another fun listen with Karen and Elton, I must agree.
And, I've said it before and I'll say it again - Karen would be one vocalist that I think could really do justice to Billy Joel's "Just The Way You Are." THAT is on the same lines as Leon's "This Masquerade" in my estimation.
There are many, many Cole Porter, Gershwin, Sammy Fain (I Can Dream Can't I?) tunes that Karen could have done SO incredibly well, but that's going back WAY before the 70's.
Dr. Johnny, I'll have to say, this was a very good topic. Lots of good discussion. Thanks.
Tim