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Post by cam83 on Jul 24, 2004 22:05:18 GMT -5
Hi Everyone,
I was just sitting here thinking why I am not a fan of A SONG FOR YOU album.
1) When I became a fan of theirs back in Spring-Summer-Fall 1988, I had already listened to VOICE OF THE HEART, A KIND OF HUSH, MADE IN AMERICA, SINGLES 1969-1973, SINGLES 1974-1978, CLOSE TO YOU. A Song For You was not one of those, and I did not have that album until 1990.
2) I feel that the album was way too patchy and the song selection wasn't the greatest, although it did boast hits, but to me, that doesn't mean too much, although the music is GREAT..as the Carpenters were awesome!! I do like HURTING EACH OTHER and I WON'T LAST A DAY WITHOUT YOU and IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME, but they are not my fave songs. I am not a fan of PIANO PICKER or FLAT BAROQUE. INTERMISSION is just too short. I LOVE TOP OF THE WORLD, but don't like THIS version! I do love BLESS THE BEASTS AND THE CHILDREN! A SONG FOR YOU -Reprise is out of this world. GOODBYE TO LOVE is an innovative song but not in my fave TOP 40 CARPENTERS songs. I would, however put it in TOP 10 INNOVATIVE CARPENTERS songs...
1-GOODBYE TO LOVE
2-ANOTHER SONG
3-TICKET TO RIDE
4-I CAN DREAM CAN'T I
5-BOAT TO SAIL
6-TWO SIDES
7-CALLING OCCUPANTS
8-KISS ME THE WAY YOU DID LAST NIGHT
9-TRYIN TO GET THAT FEELING AGAIN
10-CALIFORNIA DREAMING
I do however, love that photo of Karen and Richard Carpenter on the inside of the A SONG FOR YOU album cover. I just love that fall, she is wearing. And she looks so cute.
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Post by Rob813 on Jul 24, 2004 22:11:20 GMT -5
Well Cam you have to admit that it is unheard of for half the songs on an album to be released as singles and be all top 10 hits. Everyone thought Richard was crazy for releasing so many singles from that album, but he was right about all of them. In fact, Top Of The World wasn't released until a year later because he and Karen thought it wasn't strong enough for a single! Boy were they wrong. That's why they re-recorded it and punched up the arrangement and vocals. All in all, it was an enormous success from every stand point.
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ThomB
CERTIFIED GOLD MEMBER
Posts: 110
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Post by ThomB on Jul 25, 2004 0:34:41 GMT -5
Cam - I have to say you need to reevaluate your opinion on this album. A Song For You is one of the Carpenters strongest albums. who cares about the fact that it has all those hits. Each song on it - minus the Richard songs - is a gem. There is not one loser. And there are several songs amongst the very best of the Carpenters. I think you are way off on this one. sorry to say that. But way off.
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Post by cam83 on Jul 25, 2004 0:35:22 GMT -5
Yes, I will gladly admit it was a big success. But, I WON'T LAST A DAY was not a top ten hit, neither was BLESS THE BEASTS which peaked at #67, nor IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME, which failed to hit the top 10 as well. HURTING EACH OTHER hit #2, TOP OF THE WORLD hit #1 and GOODBYE TO LOVE hit outside the TOP 5 at #7.
My thoughts,
Cameron
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ThomB
CERTIFIED GOLD MEMBER
Posts: 110
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Post by ThomB on Jul 25, 2004 0:47:37 GMT -5
:)You can't judge an album by the peak position of it's singles. :)If that were the case than Made In America and Voice Of the Heart would be the weakest albums by far.  :)Bless The Beasts making the charts was a big deal as it was a b-side not an a-side. :)If it were an a-side it probably would have topped the charts. :)It's indesputable A Song For You is in all ways is a very strong album. :)maybe not your favorite - but still a strong and solid album. Nothing patchy about it - well with the exception of Richard's songs - but even that does not take away from the strength of the album over all. :)Road Ode and A Song for You alone are great enough songs to carry the album. |
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Post by cam83 on Jul 25, 2004 1:59:27 GMT -5
Hi Thom!
I know that A SONG FOR YOU boasted 6 hits...It could have boasted 8 hits, for all I care, and it's still not my favorite. You have to understand, that the other albums I first listened to, CLOSE TO YOU, VOICE OF THE HEART, MADE IN AMERICA, CARPENTERS are the ones, that made an impression on me. So it is understandable why those albums mean much more to me than A SONG FOR YOU, which I first listened to in August 1990, 2 and a half years after my introduction to the Carpenters. Do you know what I mean? For me, it's not the fact that this album had all these hits...I much prefer Karen's best vocal works, and some of those came later in her career...hence MADE IN AMERICA, VOICE OF THE HEART and A KIND OF HUSH albums. That was when her premiere vocals hit my heart the best and impressionable way.
My thoughts,
Cameron
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Post by Moe on Jul 25, 2004 8:05:40 GMT -5
Listening to the albums in order of their release, I think you can really tell there was a big improvement in "A Song for You." Richard's production was much improved as well as Karen's vocal skills. It really seems she grew leaps and bounds from the "Carpenters" album. Not that she wasn't great on the previous releases, it just seems she had a lot of growth and maturity to her voice. Everyone's got their own opinion and taste. "A song for you" is one of my favorites and I think, one of the Carpenters' best.  |
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Post by Federico Cruz on Jul 25, 2004 9:39:40 GMT -5
I understand you, Cam!.
You were exposed to the light last Carpenters albums(MIA, AKOH,VOTH), so, your taste is no the same.
I consider the songs in the ASFY album so strongs and profounds, like Road Ode, Goodbye To Love, A song For You, Bless The Beasts and Children.
Please, Cam, listen it more!
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Post by Rob813 on Jul 25, 2004 9:56:29 GMT -5
That's why this website is so wonderful - because we can disagree but do so with respect. Everybody has there own opinion. I have my favorites and other people have theirs. There's no right and wrong choices. I believe that each album has it's own strengths and weaknesses. Creating something from scratch is never an easy process. Karen and Richard were under enormous pressure during their careers to constantly top themselves. The music business is very competitive. Great artists eventually become immune to the whims of the public and the critique of their peers. Clearly Karen and Richard reached that point and had Karen lived they would have gone on to even higher levels of fame. So Cam, although I don't agree with you on this one, you are intitled to express whatever you feel.
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Post by enigma on Jul 25, 2004 10:20:27 GMT -5
Hi Cam
I guess you have listened to this record enough to have a fairly firm opinion on it.
I however do not agree; it is not about the amount of hit singles on this record or its sales it is simply a great effort with the exception of Richards contributions outside of his producing. I can see how songs like PIANO PICKER, FLAT BAROQUE and INTERMISSION tend to take away from the quality of this album and make it sound eratic but the rest of the material is first rate and the hidden gems on this record are as good as some of the single releases. I really love this record and it has remained one of my favorite album releases.
You are certainly entitled to your opinion and I am not taking away from thier later releases they were interesting and the new directions Karens voice was taking was great.
I really like ALL Carpenters albums but I like some better than others and this is one of those albums.
Just One Mans Opinion
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Post by Federico Cruz on Jul 25, 2004 11:08:25 GMT -5
One thing must be clear:
We really love ALL and ANY Carpenters recordings, but these different polls are only this: a game.
Some songs were favorites in other time, and now we have another favorites. But, all in all, we like ALL OF THEM.
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