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Post by Rob813 on May 29, 2004 9:41:18 GMT -5
I thought this might be an interesting topic for our Carpenter "family" to consider. I often wonder what a certain song might have sounded like if Karen had recorded it. For me, I would have loved to have an album of standards much like When I Fall In Love. Some Nat King Cole songs like Unforgetable would have been great. Linda Ronstandt recorded an album of great standard songs.
I also would have loved more jazz songs like This Masqerade. I just love that song. Let me know what you think.
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Post by enigma on May 29, 2004 20:35:16 GMT -5
I always wanted them to do a country album. Songs like End Of The World, Two Sides, Reason To Believe, Top Of The World, Sweet Sweet Smile, Those Good Old Dreams etc. all had a country flavor to them and I count these amoung my favorite Carpenters tunes. Carpenters Go Country I'd buy that. As far as specific songs I would have liked Karen to record I think she would do a great job on any song she recorded or style she recorded in (alot of Ann Murray Songs come to mind like You Needed Me etc because both Ann and Karen sang in simular keys and styles)
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Post by smoothie2 on May 29, 2004 23:13:05 GMT -5
I am always thinking of songs in regard to how it would have sounded by R. and K. and seems there are not many that they wouldn't have sounded great with. They had such a wide range of songs they recorded. Anne Murray and Barry manilow seem to fit in with songs they could have done very well. Such as B. Manilow's "Even Now" and Weekend in New England. Anne Murray's "Let's Keep It That Way" from her original album of the same name. A Helen Reddy record I have has the song "You don't Have to Say You Love Me" on it which would be good too.
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Post by Rick Henry on May 30, 2004 1:19:10 GMT -5
I would have loved to hear K&R record more power pop songs similar to Karen's "Making Love In The Afternoon", with good guitar solos and strong percussion, this is a sound I think that would have brought the Carpenters back into the top 10.
I would have loved to hear the Carpenters remake Electric Light Orchestra's "Telephone Line", Karen could have sang this beautifully and Richard could have employeed Peter Knight to orchestrate it.
I also think "The Look Of Love" would have been a natural for the Carpenters.
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steve
NEW TO THE FAMILY
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Post by steve on May 30, 2004 13:55:08 GMT -5
From a purely selfish standpoint(Not neccesarily commercial) I would love to hear karens voice on "I dont know how to love him" by Helen Reddy,"Walk on by"Dionne Warwick,"Message to michael",Dionne warwick,"He aint heavy hes my brother",by the Hollies!!WOW would that last one be great?? Steve
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Post by dgfarnsworth on Jun 1, 2004 13:53:10 GMT -5
AT SEVENTEEN by Janis Ian
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Post by Will on Jun 1, 2004 21:56:37 GMT -5
Just about anything performed by Patsy Cline. Theres that Country Music connection again.
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Post by Moe on Jun 2, 2004 22:12:01 GMT -5
I would have loved the Carpenters to have gotten the chance to do several albums of standards from the big band era. Anne Murray did an album called "Croonin'" which was a tribute album to the singers of the pre-rock 50's. The Carpenters would have done a wonderful job with those songs. I also think doing more accoustic songs, less strings and horns, would have let Karen's voice soar.
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ThomB
CERTIFIED GOLD MEMBER
Posts: 110
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Post by ThomB on Jun 3, 2004 11:10:33 GMT -5
I always thought the Carpenters would sound great covering Carly Simon's Haven't Got Time For The Pain or Elton John's Your Song. Another song I can hear Karen singing is B.J. Thomas' Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head.
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Post by beaner on Jun 3, 2004 14:05:14 GMT -5
I can't really pin point a song but I would have loved to hear her do a duet with another female. A duet with a male is fine but she sang her songs with Richard so a female would have been a nice change.
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Post by Rick Henry on Jun 3, 2004 19:06:53 GMT -5
How about "Game of Love", with Carlos Santana? Good choice Dave. Michelle Branch does a pretty good job with the song - but Karen could have taken it to the next level. If Karen were still here today there's no telling who she may have collaborated with. I think she had the desire to break away from being known as the singer of easy listening ballads. This is so evident from the songs on her solo album. She may have sang with Madonna even (of course Karen would have left Madonna in the dust). Maybe a collaboration with Giorgio Moroder. Or how about a Middle Eastern influenced modern pop album similar to Sarah Brightman's "Harem" album. I really think Karen on her own would have experimented in many different musical directions. How about a collaboration of Karen Carpenter and Alicia Keys - could be interesting.
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Post by JIM on Jun 3, 2004 20:47:25 GMT -5
Hey Rick I could not agree with you more! Richard instead of shelving Karens solo album Richard should have followed Karens lead for a change. As much as I love MIA Richard should have picked up on the need to go out there and work with a drastic departure from the style that was becoming dated by 81 I know I have read where A&M execs were conserned about preserving the Carpenters image but in my opinion the new styles Karen had been working with would have made a huge impact at that point in there career and I beleive the public would have taken more notice in an edgier comeback album. I also love Love Makin Love To You and I have a feeling it would have charted much higher then Touch Me. This would have allowed them to gauge where to go next with future releases. I am also a huge ElO fan and there are ton of balads that would have been great covers. ElO use of stacked vocals would have been great with the Carpenters doing them. As much as I would have loved the C's to go more urban, each album could have a few original Carpenter style that made them famous and one song I would have loved them to have recorded is Girl From Impanema I play this song on my keyboard all the time and always think how RC could have made a true gem out of it. Also The Look Of Love. Karen would have really shined over Dionne vocally. I don't know how many of you remember Helen Ready's tune You And Me Against The World but I think it would have been a hit. OK just one more and I will shut up! Disney Girls, I know its been covered by just about every adult contemporary group but it would have been a great cover for the C's I always think it was made for them and should have been a track on Kind Of Hush. I have been piecing together a home recording system and hope to some day have my own tribute album and recoord all the songs that I wish they had done. From so many years of listening to them, my harmonies are very close to there's but when I finish a few all let you guys rate the quality. My keyboard instructor is giving me a bunch of software for aranging music. I feel like its cheating but man does it make putting music together easy! JIM
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Post by cam83 on Jun 6, 2004 18:24:34 GMT -5
Hey All, There are some lovely songs Karen could have done...Here are just some of my thoughts.
The Prayer Ave Maria(the one Ginette Reno and Charlotte Church did) Scarborough Fair The Sounds of Silence You(the one from Rita Coolidge) Wind Beneath My Wings Foolish Games They Can't Take That Away From Me(by Mariah) Killing Me Softly Evergreen(by Babs aka Barbra Streisand) It's My Turn Remember Me Theme From MAHOGANY Candle on the Water The Woman In Me The Star Spangled Banner(imagine KC singing that!!)
These are just a few of the songs she could have done
Cameron
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Post by Rick Henry on Jun 7, 2004 1:49:08 GMT -5
and one song I would have loved them to have recorded is Girl From Impanema I play this song on my keyboard all the time and always think how RC could have made a true gem out of it. Also The Look Of Love. Karen would have really shined over Dionne vocally. I don't know how many of you remember Helen Ready's tune You And Me Against The World but I think it would have been a hit. JIM The C's did an instrumental version of "Girl from Ipanema" for RCA in the mid/late sixties. A vocal version would have been absolutely phenomenal. Karen would have taken that one over the top. "You and Me Against The World" is also a natural for Carpenters and was written by none other than Paul Williams.
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Post by Rick Henry on Jun 7, 2004 1:55:14 GMT -5
Hey All, There are some lovely songs Karen could have done...Here are just some of my thoughts. The Prayer Ave Maria(the one Ginette Reno and Charlotte Church did) Scarborough Fair The Sounds of Silence You(the one from Rita Coolidge) Wind Beneath My Wings Foolish Games They Can't Take That Away From Me(by Mariah) Killing Me Softly Evergreen(by Babs aka Barbra Streisand) It's My Turn Remember Me Theme From MAHOGANY Candle on the Water The Woman In Me The Star Spangled Banner(imagine KC singing that!!) These are just a few of the songs she could have done Cameron "You" by Rita Coolidge is a great song. I love it. I always categorize tyhat song with the C's "All you Get From Love Is a Love Song", because both songs are rhythmic. coolidge did an excellent job with the song, but Karen would have taken it a notch higher. You've named many wonderful classics that Karen should have recorded. I don't think "Wind Beneath My Wings" was around while Karen was alive, but she would have done the song beautifully. And "The Sounds Of Silence" we can only imagine...
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Post by dgfarnsworth on Jun 7, 2004 12:36:45 GMT -5
MORE .....more than the greatest love the world has DG
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Post by dgfarnsworth on Jun 7, 2004 12:40:16 GMT -5
....known. This is the love I give to you, alone....
Also, I recall an old song my parents had by the Ray Coniff Singers called AL-DI-LA....that would have been a beautiful choice for Karen....
DG
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Post by smoothie2 on Jun 7, 2004 23:51:44 GMT -5
Great story Dave... everyone's surely come up with some great ideas for songs for Karen. She was the kind of person to like to meet up with new challenges and styles. I think the C's together may have come up with a record or more singing together if she had not died...they would have branched out of their traditional easy listening styles to some extent...this is evident with their music recorded such as on her solo album. I'm not that up to date on many of the recent sounds of today, so I'm not sure who Karen would have chosen to sing with. The song "Kiss Me" by Sixpence None the Richer...reminds me of Karen, Of older songs...the Carps. would have done good with Eric Carmen's "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again"...(that may have been a hoot on a record..first "I Know I Need to be in Love" and then "Never Gonna Fall in love again"..ha...) Anyway, and "How do You Mend a Broken Heart" by the Bee Gees.
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