Producing Karen Carpenter's solo album

[kc1950]

Okay - so i am the producer of Karen Carpenter's 1980 solo album - here is the songs i would have done and my chance to re-write the carpenters history -

After all, "I can dream can't i"....

Use your imagination for this one...

So with Linear notes by me - Here's my Imaginery take on Karen's solo album from 1980......


"Call Me"
Karen Carpenter
The first Solo album

Released : March 31, 1980
A&M records
Special guests: Richard Carpenter
Producers: Phil Ramone, George Martin, Giorgio Moroder



1) Comfortably Numb

Produced in the same way as "The Song for you" or "I need to be in love" - Phil Ramone remakes the Pink Floyd classic "Comfortably Numb". Karen puts all of her power and majesty into the vocals. In Karen's voice - this would be an instant classic. Herb alpert plays it over the phone to Bert Bacharach and he says "number one with a bullet" David Gilmour lays down a spendid Guitar solo. Roger Waters sobs as he hears Karen's splendid vocal. He mutters "We should have put it on the Wall".... Karen's vocal is recorded as she lays on the floor clutching a mickey mouse doll - Waters smiles with glee. Richard Carpenter and Roger Waters arrange the orchestra.


2) The Look of Love/Girl from Ipanema
Guest-producer Phil Ramone adds a soft samba side as Karen sweetly sings the Bacharach classic "Look of Love" and then delicately turns into the 1964 classic Girl from Ipanema featuring a sweet solo from Stan Getz and Herbie Alpert

3) Mother
Karen lets out her emotion in this deeply heartfelt cover of this primitive and raw cut from John Lennon's Plastic Ono Band. John Lennon comes out of his 5 year absense to produce this classic cut. Karen's Primal Scream at the end is a culmination of heartache and agony. Richard Carpenter wipes away tears - "Simply the greatest vocal she's ever done"...Agnes Carpenter walks out of the control room angry....Lennon returns to New York to start his solo career after working with KC - "That girl can sing"...Karen uses the song to deal with her inner-demons. "Its all out now", she says in the linear notes to the album -

4) The Rose
Why not steal another record from bette Midler - for all of the jokes and the cheap-shots - KC dominates this song as she covers Bette Midler's classic song. Richard artfully produces this classic gem. Midler stops the release of her single and says "I can't win"!!

5) Heroes duet with David Bowie
David Bowie joins Karen Carpenter in the recording studio with Robert Fripp. Phil Ramone dons the producer chair as the two create magic at A&M's old studio. Richard performs on piano - and eyes Bowie's sparking red shoes


6) And you and I
Karen rips this Classic yes song from 1972's Close to Edge. Tony Peluso unleashes amazing guitar touches a la Goodbye to Love. strings and arrangement done Carpenters style - Special duet with Yes' Jon Anderson - Progressive rock fans stop in their track. Jon Anderson offers Karen a spot in Yes but she declines.

7) The very thought of you
d**n good song from the Old Nat King Cole song-book - Produced 40s style by Nelson riddle

8) Human nature
Its a John Bettis song - i think - co-written with the guys from toto - Quincy Jones steps into the producers chair for this one. KC makes it her own.

9) Call me
Debbie Harry turns down this Giorgio Moroder classic. KC and Richard embrace new wave and turn into the soundtrack of the movie "American Gigolo" - A whole new set of fans embrace this classic hit - This becomes the number one hit of the Karen Carpenter solo album propelling it to number one - Richard plays all keyboard parts

10) Mothership Connection/Tear the Roof off the sucka Medley

George Clinton grabs the reigns in producer chair as Karen and Richard explore their sci-fi fantasy a la Occupants of Interplanetary craft in this funky remake of P-Funks classic - RIchard and Karen boogie down with George and his P-Funk masters - Perry Como on background vocals during the "We want the Funk" coda - Karen takes the drums on this classic

11) Good morning Heartache
Karen pays tribute to Billie Holiday with this ode to hearbreak and isolation. Her vocals are magical

12) Love don't live here anymore
Karen explores her R-b roots with a remake of Rose Royce's classic. She turns this funk classic into a torch song.

13) Ribbon in the Sky
Karen takes a Stevie Wonder track and makes it her own. Richard accompanies on piano and Herb Alpert adds a trumpet solo-


14) Waterfalls
Paul McCartney pens this ode to hearbreak and loneliness for Karen as George Martin sits in the producers chair.

15) I'll Close my eyes
The Dinah Washington classic done acapella ends the LP - Engineers and A&M executives applaud at the conclusion as one recording exec says "Simply the greatest vocal ever"

At the listening review of the album tracks - Herb Alpert pauses and exclaims "Number one with a bullet" - Richard Carpenter yelps "W e're back". All three embrace as Burt Bacharach says "Greatest record since Sgt. Pepper"....

Karen says to Phil Ramone and her brother "this f* record is great" as they both hug in triumph. Karen walks out of the A&M headquarters in triumph as she calls her new boyfriend Don Henley and says "My record is gonna kick ur a&&"...

The Carpenter saga completely changes as the album debuts at number one and the critics swoon......

[kc1950]

The point i make here is that i love KC's voice - and Like Elvis - with the right producer and the right songs - she could have just been so much bigger -

Lol!! God - i would have loved to her done "Mother", "Comfortably Numb", Waterfalls so many songs-

[Rick Henry]

A few things to add here...

First off the solo album Karen actually did is excellent so I wouldn't change anything about it. I love the song selections and the producers and arrangers (Phil Ramone, Bob James, Rod Temperton) who worked on the album captured Karen's essence perfectly.

Although kc1950 in your incarnation a few things I would do differently Richard Carpenter would not appear as a special guest. I'd have a special guest like Paul McCartney. On the actual album it was Peter Cetera.

Although you made some great song choices I would not choose so many well known songs. By doing that the album goes from being an original work to a covers album. Generally a covers album is not received to well by the critics. On Karen's actual solo album the majority of the songs recorded were written expressly for the album by the people who worked on it. Rod Temperton, Russell javors, Rob Mounsey and Peter Cetera wrote songs for the album. Only one song on the album was a well known song, that being "Still Crazy After All These Years".

Good idea kc1950 maybe for a third or fourth solo album... but a first solo album would have to be a little more original than that if it were to be taken seriously.

In your notes on Comfortably Numb" you mention KC laying on the floor clutching a mickey mouse doll sounds a bit trite. Also the idea of doing "Comfortably Numb" in the same vein as "I Need To Be In Love" seems almost wrong. "I Need To Be In Love" is such a highly confectioned sugary song with a far too high pitched vocal by Karen it would be such a disservice to "Comfortably Numb" to do that to the song. The song would have to remain one that is done in a dark tone such as "I Can't Make Music", "Desperado" or "Road Ode". But really I wouldn't put such a song on a KC solo... anyway not the first one.

I do think the David Bowie duet is an interesting idea and I love the song "Heroes"... I could hear that easily.

I never cared for Bette Midler... but always felt Karen could do "The Rose" much better... but still would not include it on a KC solo... that would be way too many remakes.

[kc1950]

Yep - i hear you on the feedback - Believe me in the spirit of full disclosure - My tongue is firmly in cheek when i talk about the solo album - I guess my point is that her voice was incredible and if she tackled some of these songs without the high pitched voice and when into the basement - God, the possibilities are endless -

You guys are unreal in terms of your committment and your love for Karen's spirit and music. I am lucky to be a small part of your passion for her legacy

I think this board is unreal and you guys know so much inside baseball on her career, his life, and her instrument -

When i hear stuff like Crescent Noon or even the "Its Impossible coda to the Perry Como" medley - I get mad and angry for what we lost -

I just think it would have been unreal if she and Richard truly tested themselves and broke down the barriers and went past "beachwood " in the 1980 and 1981 period -

[kc1950]

I could have seen KC doing the Blondie route in the 1980's - if she had Terry Ellis (former boyfriend and head of Crysalis records) managing her career - she could have done the following :

Call me
The tide is high
rapture
Upside down (taking the song from Miss Ross)


man, that would have been the bomb - especially lower register

Like i said - She could have been crazy huge hitting the new wave bit - and then weaving in a few years later and grabbing Natalie's cole nostaglia trip with a covers album of 40s 50s stuff -

Karen and Richard could have done funky things like "Mothership Connection" or even some Bowie or Nile Rodgers stuff a la Bowie or Diana Ross would have been perfect

[Rick Henry]

Feb 1, 2009 9:52:50 GMT -5 kc1950 said:

I could have seen KC doing the Blondie route in the 1980's - if she had Terry Ellis (former boyfriend and head of Crysalis records) managing her career - she could have done the following :

Call me
The tide is high
rapture
Upside down (taking the song from Miss Ross)


man, that would have been the bomb - especially lower register

Like i said - She could have been crazy huge hitting the new wave bit - and then weaving in a few years later and grabbing Natalie's cole nostaglia trip with a covers album of 40s 50s stuff -

Karen and Richard could have done funky things like "Mothership Connection" or even some Bowie or Nile Rodgers stuff a la Bowie or Diana Ross would have been perfect

I have to agree with you on most you say here.

Also Karen had a huge love for jazz as her album was predominently jazz influenced. "Guess I Just Lost My Head" (my favorite solo tune) is a great easy jazz/funk ballad a sound I wish Karen had more time to delve into.

She seemed to be heavily influenced by soul-jazz (jazz-funk). I would have loved to hear her cover the Crusader's "Street Life" or George Benson's "Give Me The Night".

Both Bob James and Rod Temperton are highly regarded in the world of jazz (and funk) music and both were the two prime players on KC's solo.

I'm not sure if Karen would have caught on with the new wave sound but the jazz/funk thing really seemed to be her niche. I do however agree that she would have made a nice Standards album (as Natalie Cole)... but I think Karen was too progressive in wanting to create new sounds that I don't think she would have spent too much time in recording Standards... although I do think she would have at least recorded one album full of standards and it would have been fantastic.

[Rick Henry]

Feb 1, 2009 9:42:23 GMT -5 kc1950 said:

You guys are unreal in terms of your committment and your love for Karen's spirit and music. I am lucky to be a small part of your passion for her legacy

I think this board is unreal and you guys know so much inside baseball on her career, his life, and her instrument -

I just think it would have been unreal if she and Richard truly tested themselves and broke down the barriers and went past "beachwood " in the 1980 and 1981 period -

Thank you kc1950. A lot of work has went into this forum. It is definitely great to have you here. I enjoy your inquisitiveness and your thoughts on the KC.

Thank you for being a new friend!

I agree with you on the 1980-81 period. Instead of songs like "Beechwood" and others on MIA, Karen and Richard should have really taken the time to put together a truly excellent album. MIA was a good album but not much more than that. The best songs on MIA are only average Carpenters fare. Richard should have given more room for Karen to express her thoughts and add some of her influence. She had some good ideas as to what the public wanted in music in 1980-81.

I think Richard Carpenter (and the powers that be at A&M) played it way too safe with MIA and the result was an album lacking in verve or excitement. They shelved Karen's solo album which was exciting and full of a new sound which was hot at the time and opted for MIA which went on to be the Carpenters' worst selling studio album. The powers that be got it wrong here. About half the Carpenters fans who normally bought their albums skipped out on MIA.

[kc1950]

The solo album was shelved in early May 1980 - and the special music, music, music was filmed and put in the can around april 1980

So the acrimony over the LP did not carry over into the TV special

I believed the TV Special aired in late May 1980 -

I think i heard Phil Ramone say he was disappointed that Karen didn't break free a bit more of her role in carpenters - after seeing parts of the special - i can honestly say she looked sickly and not her self.

I think what she did between May and August of 1980 was plan the fairy tale marriage - so, the workaholic she is - she put it all together and put that stuff in the basement and set her wedding -


I agree with Rick that there was something missing in her passion for singing songs after 79 or 80 - the voice was there but there wasn't the passion and the energy -

Honestly - she was a broken person after the fall of 81

They loved following charts and there was nothing to celebrate with mid-teens and top 30 album and singles -

[Rick Henry]

Hi kc1950... just wanted to say I enjoy conversing with you. You're pretty good at sharing thoughts and ideas. You're a good conversationalist.



Earlier you mentioned the Terry Ellis connection. I do agree in that if Terry were to have managed Carpenters and/or Karen's career the direction would have been different and possibly some edgier songs such as "Call Me" or "Rapture" would have been recorded. maybe not those songs themselves... but original (or lesser known tunes) in that sort of fashion.

That's what Carpenters needed as the late 70's and early 80's approached... a little more edge and a little more rhythm and guitar. They began doing that with "Passage" and they should have continued in that direction as that new sound and outlook would have caught on for them. But, I think they were afraid (being Richard and A&M) because the album at that point was their lowest charting (in the U.S.). When the next album was recorded (MIA) they decided to play it safe and the result was even less sales than "Passage". They needed to have faith in what they started in 1977 with "Passage" and should have kept in that direction. That's why I keep saying that Karen had the right idea with her solo album. People wanted upbeat in 1980/81.

[enigma]

As far as MIA my feeling for that record are clear I did enjoy it it was pretty good but yes a little out dated but still good. I am not sure that Richard can produce any other record than what you hear on Carpenters record I do not feel he could or would go outside his comfort zone and produce something different. Karen and Richard would have to accept a different producer with fresh ideas to progress.

Karens solo record was great it was a step in the right direction so I would not cvhange a thing on that but moving forward had Karen lived both therr Carpenters and Karen would have to move in a more progressive direction to keep thier music fresh and good. Building on Passage is a good start but they would nedd a little more than that they should have built on the solo project as well.

Karen did not have to go the direction of Blondie or anyone else the Carpenters always had a sound unlike any of their peers and they could still have done this in the eighties and turned some heads they needed to start over from scratch and reinvent themselves.

I also agree that the key to a good second solo record is original material remakes would not go over well at this point and as rick said maybe at a later date when they reestablished themselves could this happened tackling floyd material would be a mistake.

[cinscorp]

I have watched the "Heartache Tonight" video on YouTube of Karen with Olivia, Tina, Toni & Peaches over and over. I love seeing Karen looking so happy, sexy, "sassy", and fun. And watching her petite little self dancing in those huge heels. I think she should have gone the solo route for a while in the early 80s especially. There is no doubt in my mind that she had all of these directions she wanted to branch out in and try. I actually had a dream once where she was singing this dreamy rock song called "20/20 Vision"...I woke up the next morning and wrote down what I could remember. I loved reading Certified Silver Member's thoughts above, especially the reactions by peers and family.