Superstar... on another "greatest songs" list...

[Rick Henry]

A few months ago I posted a thread in which I mentioned that "Superstar" was featured in a book titled "1000 Greatest Songs Ever"... or something close to that. Today I found "Superstar" on Blender.com and they feature the song as one of the "Greatest Songs Ever"... It's great to see that Carpenters have a song that is constantly featured as an all-time great.

Here's the link to the article on "Superstar"
www.blender.com/guide/articles.aspx?id=826

[wisejester7]

That is an interesting article. I guess it just goes to show that Carpenters remained an eclectic band that was capable of many, many genres of music. The fans seem to know it ... it is just the critics and the more 'hard core' music types that seem to be the most surprised by lasting Carpenters success and praise.

[Rick Henry]

wisejester7 said:

That is an interesting article. I guess it just goes to show that Carpenters remained an eclectic band that was capable of many, many genres of music. The fans seem to know it ... it is just the critics and the more 'hard core' music types that seem to be the most surprised by lasting Carpenters success and praise.

Very interesting thought WJ7... Another thing I find interesting about Carpenters is that a good portion of those fans of the more "hard core" music types (who generally loathe anything remotely close to "easy listening" or "adult contemporary") will make an exception for Carpenters. James Taylor is another artist that has the same sort of appeal which crosses musical genres and even language and cultural barriers. I'm always amazed at the wide range of music listeners who will admit to liking Carpenters.

Carpenters (and more so Karen Carpenter) are a mysterious phenomenon.

[wisejester7]

Yes, Karen has a way of sneaking under the radar of many people. She had the rare and undefinable "it" that makes her unique and special. Karen slides through barriers, her appeal touches a wide and diversified range of different types of people.

[Rick Henry]

wisejester7 said:

Yes, Karen has a way of sneaking under the radar of many people. She had the rare and undefinable "it" that makes her unique and special. Karen slides through barriers, her appeal touches a wide and diversified range of different types of people.

I like the way you worded your comment here. She certainly has that undefinable something. I felt that way back when I was a kid. I could never figure out what it was about Karen (beyond her voice) that made me love her as much as I did (and still do). There were other singers out there (whom I have now come to tire of) but Karen had that something extra... and it seems as time goes on more and more people are realizing this. People I knew in the 70's who despised Karen Carpenter now say they really liked her all along.

[GoodOldDreams]

admin said:

wisejester7 said:

Yes, Karen has a way of sneaking under the radar of many people. She had the rare and undefinable "it" that makes her unique and special. Karen slides through barriers, her appeal touches a wide and diversified range of different types of people.

I like the way you worded your comment here. She certainly has that undefinable something. I felt that way back when I was a kid. I could never figure out what it was about Karen (beyond her voice) that made me love her as much as I did (and still do). There were other singers out there (whom I have now come to tire of) but Karen had that something extra... and it seems as time goes on more and more people are realizing this. People I knew in the 70's who despised Karen Carpenter now say they really liked her all along.

As Karen's personal friend and bridesmaid Elizabeth van Ness said of her, "People say [Karen] sang from the heart, but I feel it was from her soul, some sort of soul that she wasn't even in touch with. She was a very smart girl but not particularly intellectual. Yet when she sang there was an intelligence, a message that borders on profundity, so well thought out and expressive that it came from something beyond her."

[wisejester7]

goodolddreams said:

admin said:

I like the way you worded your comment here. She certainly has that undefinable something. I felt that way back when I was a kid. I could never figure out what it was about Karen (beyond her voice) that made me love her as much as I did (and still do). There were other singers out there (whom I have now come to tire of) but Karen had that something extra... and it seems as time goes on more and more people are realizing this. People I knew in the 70's who despised Karen Carpenter now say they really liked her all along.

As Karen's personal friend and bridesmaid Elizabeth van Ness said of her, "People say [Karen] sang from the heart, but I feel it was from her soul, some sort of soul that she wasn't even in touch with. She was a very smart girl but not particularly intellectual. Yet when she sang there was an intelligence, a message that borders on profundity, so well thought out and expressive that it came from something beyond her."

This 'soul' quote provokes much thought. I find it intriguing.

Can we control our soul?

Is Elizabeth van Ness implying Karen had a soul ... a 'special' soul that only revealed itself in Karen's vocal interpretations of the songs she sang?

The distinction is being made between intelligence and being smart.
Is the soul comment another distinction? One bordering on that special place Karen tapped into when she closed her eyes to sing? Karen seemed to go to another place, or realm, if you will, when she sang with such emotion.

[Rick Henry]

We may not all agree on which Carpenters songs we like (and/or dislike) as with the albums... but one thing I think we all agree on here is that Karen's voice certainly came from a special place and delivers the listener to that same place when we hear her voice.

As Karen's personal friend and bridesmaid Elizabeth van Ness said of her, "People say [Karen] sang from the heart, but I feel it was from her soul, some sort of soul that she wasn't even in touch with.

WJ7 asked if you can control our soul... I don't think we can... we can control many parts of our lives... including our emotions... but that deeper inner being is the most natural of forces beyond our control. I feel Elizabeth Van Ness says she feels Karen wasn't aware of this "soul" she possessed... which could be true as Karen was in much denial over many parts of her life... including the fact that she was this major superstar... and that she was also one of the greatest singers at the time (and of all-time).


She was a very smart girl but not particularly intellectual. Yet when she sang there was an intelligence

This is the part of Karen I feel I relate to the most. It's also a trait of hers I like the most. She was smart... but at the same point she was quite humble in her ways.

a message that borders on profundity, so well thought out and expressive that it came from something beyond her."

Definitely her voice is ethereal. It does come from beyond earthly realms. Some say her voice is a gift from God (which I agree with) others say her voice is Heavenly (I also agree with this) and still yet many call her the "Voice of an Angel" (and this I wholeheartedly agree with).

A note on the "Voice of an Angel" tag. I've heard several other female vocalists called the "Voice of an Angel"... but truly nobody deserves and has earned this title more so than Karen Carpenter and for many reasons. In her life she was no angel and she was far from perfect... but I really feel something inside her did truly drive her to be sincere and pure in soul... but she too much caught up in the disillusionment of being the superstar that she was. Her voice reflected her struggles and her joys... her voice often times contained both emotions at the same time. Karen Carpenter was never a one-dimensional singer... there were always layers of emotions, rhythms and textures. I would have to say Karen possessed one of the most amazing voices of all time... pure, crystal clear, beautiful beyond all reality... I could go on and on... so I'll stop here... end result Karen Carpenter is the true "Voice of an Angel".

[GoodOldDreams]

Early on, Karen's voice projected a profound wisdom and maturity well beyond her years and life experiences, effectively conveying the complexities and subtleties of the emotions underlying the lyrics she was asked to sing.

Longtime family friend Alana Voller said, "People were touched by the way a song seemed almost biographical when there is no way Karen could have lived it."

[Rick Henry]

goodolddreams said:

Longtime family friend Alana Voller said, "People were touched by the way a song seemed almost biographical when there is no way Karen could have lived it."

I think Karen was able to convey her emotions so well because she did live the songs she was singing through the emotions she had pent up inside her. She may not have experienced what she was singing about in her life... but she certainly experienced the emotions and Karen was a conveyor of emotions.

Though looking on the many rocky relationships Karen experienced and the life on the road she truly did experience what she sang about. She knew about the loneliness and the pain of a break up or the longing of wanting the find that perfect significant other.

Songs like "(I'm Caught Between) Goodbye And I Love You" and "Road Ode" are topics she lived out and felt all too many times. "Love Me For What I Am" is something I feel Karen really felt. She always only wanted to someone to love her for who she was and not because she was a "rock star".