First Carpenters song you ever heard?

[beaner]

What was the very first Carpenters song you ever heard?

For me it was"For All We Know".

[enigma]

For me It was the oldies medley from Now and Then way back when it first came out on vinal. I remember it like it was yesterday.

[Rick Henry]

This is tough, because I was only ten years old in 1970, so I'm not sure of it.
It could have been "Close To You" - just because it was such a huge hit and you couldn't miss the song, or maybe it was "We've Only Just Begun" - which a friend of mine played during a camping trip.

I do know for sure in late 1971 a friend of mine played "Bless The Beasts And Children" (which was the b-side of "Superstar" at that time), that was the first time I really took note of the Carpenters and decided I wanted to buy some of their albums.

[dgfarnsworth]

"Close To You" I shan't ever forget it: I was at my first (one of my first?) Boy Scout camps for the summer. And EVERYONE in the troop was singing it! We all got so excited when it would come on the radio....and we even sang it around the campfire. I will never forget the good feeling that song added to my extra special summer camp that year.

[smoothie2]

;DI was also only 10 in 1970, so, I can't be completely sure, but it probably was "Close to You" or We on. Just Begun...the one that really sticks out in my mind though, was Rainy days and I don't think that came out until after Close to you, and my very first or perhaps second album I ever had of any kind was Close to You, and since that's the title of my first album, I'm thinking it was Close to you....but, hey, I'm still Young at heart....I try to be!.ha...

[Ming]

Yesterday Once More.

[Moe]

The Carpenters have been in my life as long as I can remember. I don't really know which song I heard first. My uncle had the first 2 albums and gave them to my sister in the early 70's. I remember we had to learn "Top of the World" for a school choir program back in elementary school, so that is my first song to sing...in public anyway!

[Benn]

The first Carpenter I heard was probably "Ticket to Ride" in 1969, (which did get some radio airplay), but the song that made me a fan was "Close to You" in 1970. Benn ;D

[Rob813]

Oh boy do I remember. I was riding in the car with my parents during the summer of 1970 ( I was 15 years old). Suddenly this "sound" came out of the radio speakers - wow - it was "Close To You". I thought what is that? Is it an oldie? That summer the airwaves were filled with the constant playing of CTY. What a wonderful contrast to all the incessant rock that ruled the airwaves back then. Anyway, a lifelong love affair with Karen and Richard began back then. What a lovely memory!

[steve]

"Close to you"-I was probably about 7 or 8 years old at the time and MOM and Dad played it on the old sterio system alot!! I fell in love with "Whoever" was singing that song, and felt like it was the most "Beautiful" love song ever..I still feel the same way now about 34 years later!!!

[Christian]

The first one must have been Rainy Days.. as this was the opening song of The Karen Carpenter Story. I cannot remember hearing any of their songs prior to that although I am sure I must have. Just don`t remember.

The first one that really caught me was Top Of The World, what a catchy and fantastic song!

[Peteruk]

Surprisingly given that in UK ...Close To You ...was huge hit :

We've Only Just Begun was the first great Carpenters
song I heard and a radio DJ fav 1970/1971 ....still sounds fab on radio and recently in Starsky & Hutch film

Peter

[davidroberson]

I will chance giving away how young I am and say "Touch Me When We're Dancing".

[Tracey]

This is a fun Topic! I have to be honest here -- I know I was six years old so it was 1972. I guess that makes me less of a fan than those of you who were Fans from the VERY beginning!

My older sister (she was 10) was a HUGE Carpenters fan at the time - but I was not allowed in her room, she kept the door closed against me at all times and I just never connected her "babble" about "carpenters" to be connected with the pretty muffled sounds coming from her room. I thought she was talking about woodworkers -like my uncle David.

Anyway, there was going to be a Tv Special that either was the Carpenters own show or they were guesting on it and she wanted to watch it -- I wanted to watch something else and we had a good argument, but as I was up past my bedtime and she threatened to tell - well - she won out. So I remember laying on my stomach in my PJs with my head propped in my hands thinking I was waiting to watch some big guys do stuff with wood. The Carpenters were introduced and started singing straight off and I cannot even remember what song it was or what Richard looked like! I only remember hearing the smoothest, friendliest voice attached to a very pretty girl with Big brown "doe eyes" ( I had always wanted Brown "doe" eyes ever since I saw "Clarice" sing "Theres Always Tomorrow" in RUDOLPH -- OK so her eyes were BLACK! I only knew they wern't blue like my own!) Anyway I simply cannot rememebr what song that was but that was the first time I heard the Carpenters and that was the first song. After that my Mom actually created "Carpenters Free Hours" which were periods in the day when my sister and I were NOt aloud to play "dueling Carpenters" with our little record players! (does anyone else remember those kiddie record players that opened like a suitcase??

Well thats my earliest song memory for wht its worth -- hope everyone has a great weekend!!

Big Hugs,
Tracey

[dgfarnsworth]

Tracey, that is a very heart-warming wonderful story. You seem to be a lovely person. (I wanted to respond to your other post [and don't understand WHY it is locked...and I can't]--but I think you should ALWAYS say what you think. That is what it is all about. You don't have to EVER be careful about what you say here (I've not been here so long myself). Obviously, I am a HIGHLY OPINIONATED Person. Personally, I like to see that in others.

Oh....my sister had one of those phonographs in a suitcase...I remember it was white and orange. (She is two years younger than you....and I got really tired of hearing Donny Osmand all the time [though honestly, now, Donny and Marie are my other favorite brother and sister team]--for real.)

As I said previously, the first Carpenters song I heard was Close to You....and because of that song, I was hooked as a Carpenters fan!



DG

[Rick Henry]

I really enjoyed reading your story Tracy. You put your words together really well.

[davidroberson]

Tracey...great story! My first record player was one where the speakers were hinged and opened like doors and the turntable was pulled down (like those beds in walls behind folding doors). Probably not like a suitcase, but a "timely" product.

I had mentioned that it was "Touch Me When We're Dancing" that I first heard by the Carpenters. I had seen "The Karen Carpenter Story" when it first aired on TV and recognized a bunch of Carpenters songs which led me to start collecting their music. So in that light, I really couldn't tell you which song it actually was. TMWWD just stands out as the first complete song. I do remember "Close To You" being used in a soap commercial (maybe "Dove"), but the Carpenters didn't sing it so I don't guess it counts.

[JOEY]

Hi all,

I'm new here. The first Carpenters song I can remember is We've Only Just Begun. In 1970 I turned 11 so I should remember Close to You, but I don't. To this day it's my favorite Carpenters song, second only to Ave Maria.

Anyway, the first song by the Carpenters I distinctly remember is WOJB. The Carpenters were on American Bandstand and performed it (probably late 1970).

There was an immediate connection with Karen's voice.

After that the Carpenters seemed to be everywhere. I once heard a DJ play the whole CTY album on the air. That just cemented my fanship.

It wasn't until 1972 when I was listening to WGNG AM (Providence, RI) that I realized CTY had been a huge hit.

Thanks for listening.
JD