Road Ode on YouTube

[wisejester7]

There were many long and lonely times for the Carpenters and their band mates. One of the most telling pieces to come out of the touring days was written by band mates and arranged by Richard ... Road Ode.

Here is a well presented link to Road Ode and life on the road as they knew it ... youtube.com/watch?v=iTKu0cn4gpM

Thanks smoothie2 for alerting me of it's existence.

[smoothie2]

glad you posted the link wisej....I just happened to come across it in browsing. I think it sums up life on the road for a musician and Karen truly sings it as always in a very heartfelt way.
God bless her.

[Ming]

Great find! Love it.

Ming

[YesterdayOnceMore]

Nice find, wj7. Rode Ode is definitely a fave of mine, depecting life on the road....a life I lived for a year. Of course, nothing close to the sort of venues that Karen/Richard saw, and we didn't travel nearly as often. We would be in one place for long enough to make a friend or two....at least one, usually two weeks at a time. So, with knowing the intensity of THAT sort of being on the road, I can't imagine what it would be like to pack up every night and hit the road again the next day.

I know that at least in the very early years, and as late as 1973, Richard actually preferred to "drive" he and Karen from one gig to another. I recall so fondly watching them drive into the parking lot of the Holiday Inn here in Springfield in 1973 for the concert they did...Rich was driving a Dodge Dart - the Dodge of the day! (ugh!)...Later, I suppose they did more travel by bus/plane, etc.

No matter HOW the travel took place, it was tough enough being away, then add to that not knowing what each town would bring, and couple that with not talking/interacting (really) with anyone except the same people you interacted with constantly, and never quite knowing when it would all be over for "this time."

I love the words - "...I remember the last time the signs pointed home a month ago - rented cars and empty motel rooms lead you everywhere but home - crowds of people shouting how they loved the show.....THEY DON'T KNOW...."

What a great song, and the video paid homage to it very nicely. Thanks for telling us about it.
Tim

[Dave]

I have some photos from my various trips that I'd love to send that fellow, but I'm too lazy to sign up on YouTube.
It's still a pretty montage.

Tim, what do you remember about that Dart? Was it a 340 powered version? It would have two hood scoops and a bumblebee stripe around the rear if it was. I can't see Richard buying a Slant Six econobox.

[YesterdayOnceMore]

dave said:

I have some photos from my various trips that I'd love to send that fellow, but I'm too lazy to sign up on YouTube.
It's still a pretty montage.

Tim, what do you remember about that Dart? Was it a 340 powered version? It would have two hood scoops and a bumblebee stripe around the rear if it was. I can't see Richard buying a Slant Six econobox.

Yeah, Dave - it was a plain old Dodge Dart.....RENTED CARS AND EMPTY MOTEL ROOMS.....I'm sure it was a rental. They had just played a gig in Columbia, MO, some 3 hours from Springfield, so I'm guessing he rented this dart, and drove to Springfield. No telling where they went to after they came here.

I laughed out loud at the thought that I might remember ANYTHING at all about the intracies of the automobile. Heck, I can't even remember what my beamer looked like, now - and I've only had this new guy some six weeks or so. So, when I read that about the scoops and stripes, well...I just gufawed! Not my forte, good sir - I remember songs, not cars. Sorry, dude.
tsp

[wisejester7]

yesterdayoncemore said:

Nice find, wj7. Rode Ode is definitely a fave of mine, depicting life on the road....a life I lived for a year. Of course, nothing close to the sort of venues that Karen/Richard saw, and we didn't travel nearly as often. We would be in one place for long enough to make a friend or two....at least one, usually two weeks at a time. So, with knowing the intensity of THAT sort of being on the road, I can't imagine what it would be like to pack up every night and hit the road again the next day.

I know that at least in the very early years, and as late as 1973, Richard actually preferred to "drive" he and Karen from one gig to another. I recall so fondly watching them drive into the parking lot of the Holiday Inn here in Springfield in 1973 for the concert they did...Rich was driving a Dodge Dart - the Dodge of the day! (ugh!)...Later, I suppose they did more travel by bus/plane, etc.

No matter HOW the travel took place, it was tough enough being away, then add to that not knowing what each town would bring, and couple that with not talking/interacting (really) with anyone except the same people you interacted with constantly, and never quite knowing when it would all be over for "this time."

I love the words - "...I remember the last time the signs pointed home a month ago - rented cars and empty motel rooms lead you everywhere but home - crowds of people shouting how they loved the show.....THEY DON'T KNOW...."

What a great song, and the video paid homage to it very nicely. Thanks for telling us about it.
Tim

Happy to help. I lucked into finding the YouTube link. I found the images to be a good match for the content and mood of the song. I HAD to share.

It seems surreal that you watched K & R arrive at a Holiday Inn ... and in a Dodge Dart no less. ; )