Post by Rick Henry on Apr 20, 2004 22:18:26 GMT -5
"Carpenters" was released on May 14, 1971. At this point Karen and Richard already had three consecutive top 3 million aelling hits to their credit. and "Rainy Days And Mondays" just entered the charts. The Carpenters were well on their way to earning a lasting place in the history of popular music.
In the U.S. "Carpenters" logged six entire months in the top ten, was certified quadruple platinum and is the Carpenters second best selling album in the U.S. (behind Singles 1969 - 1973).
RAINY DAYS AND MONDAYS (Paul Williams / Roger Nichols): This was the second Williams / Nichols compostion the Carpenters took into the top 2 in less than a year. Released on April 23, 1971 "Rainy Days And Mondays" was certified gold for selling more than a million copies. All the classic Carpenters trademarks are present including Tony Morgan's harmonica and Bob Messenger's soulful sax work. Many Carpenters fans consider this to be Karen's finest and strongest vocal. On this song Karen's voice is rich, deep, and dark spiced with a graceful rhythm moving with a vibrancy of light and solemn joy.
SATURDAY (Richard Carpenter / John Bettis): A Richard lead vocal with Karen on harmony vocals. A pleasant upbeat song which has been used as the theme for many weekend radio and television programs. "Saturday" was chosen to be the b-side of the phenomenal "Rainy Days And Mondays".
LET ME BE THE ONE (Paul Williams / Roger Nichols): For over 30 years fans have been saying this song should have been a single. Richard had considered releasing it, but "Superstar" won out instead.
The Carpenters received "Let Me Be The One" in the same stack of demos as "Rainy Days And Mondays", both songs of course written by the winning team of Paul williams and Roger Nichols.
"Let Me Be The One" reinforces the fact that many of the Carpenters album tracks were equally as strong as the hit singles.
(A PLACE TO) HIDEAWAY (Randy Sparks): Written by Randy Sparks founder and leader of the popular 60's folk group The New Christy Minstrels. Barry McGuire, Kenny Rogers, and Kim Carnes all sang with the group at various times. Richard first heard the song performed by Randy Sparks in a nightclub (owned by Sparks) on the same night the pre-Carpenters group Spectrum was scheduled to perform.
FOR ALL WE KNOW (Fred Karlin / Robb Wilson / Arthur James): Yet another Carpenters song which has become a wedding favorite. Originally featured in the 1970 movie "Lover's and Other Strangers". Upon the suggestion of Carpenters manager, Sherwin Bash, K&R went to see the movie. Richard was immediately taken by "For All We Know".
The song became a #3 hit in the U.S. and sold over a million copies, thus becoming their 3rd consecutive Gold single. In the U.K. it reached #18 as the B-side of "Superstar".
Due to the popularity of the song by the carpenters it won an Oscar for Best Song in a movie. Although the recording in the movie was done by another artist.
Fred Karlin, the song's composer, has composed music for literally 100's of big screen movies and television movies and series. Including The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974), Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway (1976), Leave Yesterday Behind (1978), Jacqueline Susann's Valley of the Dolls (1981), and Labor of Love: The Arlette Schweitzer Story (1993). The lyricists; Robb Wilson and Arthur James are also known as Robb Royer and James Griffin, who were both guitarists with the 70's soft rock group Bread.
SUPERSTAR (Leon Russell / Bonnie Bramlett): This is the first of several Leon Russell songs the Carpenters have recorded. Co-writer Bonnie Bramlett was part of the husband and wife team Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, their biggest hit is 1971's "Never Ending Song Of Love".
"Superstar" was first recorded in 1970 by Rita Coolidge for Joe Cocker's A&M album "Mad Dogs And Englishmen".
Richard, though, first heard the song performed by Bette Midler on the "Tonight Show".
The Carpenters reached #2 for 2 weeks with the song in the U.S. and sold over a million copies for their 4th consecutive GOLD single. In the U.K. it reached #18 with "For All We Know" as it's B-side. In Japan the song was certified GOLD. Richard received a Grammy Award nomination for his musical arrangement of the song, but lost out to a worthy competitor, Paul McCartney's "Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey".
Many consider this dark tune to be the Carpenters' finest work. On this song Karen showcases her deep dark rich tones with a bold dynamics of range and soul.
DRUSCILLA PENNY (Richard Carpenter / John Bettis): Definitely a product of the 70's featuring Richard's lead vocal and Karen's ever infectious harmony vocals. While "supersatr" was about groupie missing her rock and roll boyfriend, "Druscilla Penny" is the other side of the story about a lonely rock star obsessed groupie. "superstar" is dark and foreboding and "Druscilla Penny" is brisk and done with a dry dark sense of humor.
ONE LOVE (Richard Carpenter / John Bettis): This song was written by Richard and John in 1967 when they worked at Dsineyland's Coke Corner. It was originally titled "Candy" after a waitress who worked at one of disneyland's restaurants. Later it was changed to "One Love" and was given that Carpenters stamp of quality musicianship.
BACHARACH / DAVID MEDLEY: This Burt Bacharach / Hal David medley includes the songs "Knowing When To Leave", "Make It Easy On Yourself", "(There's) Always Something There To Remind Me", "I'll Never Fall In Love Again", "Walk On By", and "Do You Know The Way To San Jose?". This is similar to the medley K&R performed Burt Bacharach's charity concert, minus "Any Day Now", "Baby It's You" and "Close To You".
The Carpenters have put together several medleys with all of them being refreshing and full of textured rhythms and beautiful harmonies. The Carpenters were the masters of the medley.
SOMETIMES (Henry Mancini / Felice Mancini): Composed by Henry Manicni who set a poem written by his daughter to music. This beuatiful ballad proves that less is more, featuring only Richard's piano and Karen's voice.
A highly decorated album "Carpenters" won a Grammy, contains an Academy Award winning song and reached #2 in the U.s., #12 U.K. and #47 in Japan. In 1971 this album proved that the Carpenters were more than just a fluke, but the real thing.