THE B-SIDES

[Rick Henry]

Hi all, below is a list of the b-sides of the singles from 1969 to 1984. Most were great and just as strong as the a-sides.

Let's discuss this. Which were your favorites? Which ones do you like? which don't you like? Which should have been an a-side? Which ones do you consider to be CLASSIC?

Your Wonderful Parade
I Kept On Loving You
All Of My Life
Mr. Guder
Don't Be Afraid
Saturday
Bless The Beasts And Children
Maybe It's You
Flat Baroque
Crystal Lullaby
Druscilla Penny
Road Ode
Heather
One Love
This Masquerade
Happy
Love Me For What I Am
Goodbye And I Love You
Sandy
Boat To Sail
I Have You
Can't Smile Without You
B'wana She No Home
Because We Are In Love
Somebody's Been Lyin'
When It's Gone (It's Just Gone)
Two Sides
Look To Your Dreams
Sailing On The Tide

It's late now - so I will add my thoughts tomorrow. R.

[cam83]

Hi Rick!
Great topic! Hmmmm...

ROAD ODE...a strong song with more of a harder edge. Could have been a TOP 5 hit.

THIS MASQUERADE...another Top 5 hit...

HAPPY...A Number One hit...too bad they never released it as a A side...

BOAT TO SAIL...could have hit TOP 20 or TOP 15...different style of Karen and Carpenters.

TWO SIDES...should have been released on Country market...would have hit TOP 5 or better...


My thoughts,
Cameron

[Moe]

I think several of these songs could have been hits. My favorites are:

1. Two sides- great pop/country song and could have done well in both markets

2. Happy- great upbeat song and strong single

3. Goodbye and I love you- one of my favorites, but not sure is strong enough to be a major hit

4. I have you- great song! almost like a lullabye. so wonderful the sentiment of love and trust

5. One Love- I was just playing the tan album this week and kept repeating this song and Hideaway. At this time in the Carpenters' career, it would have been a hit, but not quite as strong as the other releases at the time

6. This Masquerade- The strongest of all the b sides. This is a classic and could have been one of the Carpenters' biggest singles.

Don't like and best left as b-sides:

1. Druscilla Penny
2. Your Wonderful Parade
3. B'wana She No Home

[enigma]

Wow this is quite a large list lets see here...
Happy, Two Sides, Maybe Its You, Crystal Lullaby, Road Ode, All of My Life, This Masquerade, Bless The Beasts and the Children Love Me For What I Am, (I'm Caught Between) Goodbye And I Love You, When It's Gone (It's Just Gone) and Sailing on The Tide could have been A sides and hits All are great and beautiful songs. I am not sure what all these songs were B sides to (singles) but to place these as B sides shows the wealth of great material the Carpenters had in their posession even the B sides are good.

Heather, Druscilla Penny, Flat Baroque, Your Wonderful Parade are the least liked songs and the rest fall in between the least and most liked selections...fitting B sides.

[Federico Cruz]

I consider it is not an obstacle for a B-side song to chart.
Some Beatles records charted the two sides!.
By the way, here in my country , got and still get airplay some b- sides songs, like This Masquerade and Happy.
It's a better business for a record company to sell the album, not the single.
The single is the bait for marketing the whole album.

[Rob813]

My favorite b side songs are as follows:

This Masquerade - a wonderful jazz infused song that would have shown another side to Carpenters talent.

One Love - a beautiful love song that clearly displays Karen crystalline voice. Carpenters (tan album) could have sustained another hit.

Love Me For What I Am - Horizon is a breakthrough album in terms of the material, Karen's vocal prowess and Richard's extraordinary arrangement abilities. I disagree with Richard. This album does not drag at all. LMFWIA is a powerful song and conveys the strength of a woman who recognizes the limitation of her lover and is strong enough to end the relationship if necessary. Karen was viewed as too dependent on her brother and this song would have shown her in a new light.

Look To Your Dreams - Classic Carpenters in terms of an optimism that the world needs. Viewed in the light of Karen's death this song would have done well as a single. I believe it conveys a sense of Karen speaking to us from heaven and encouraging us to keep hope alive in our hearts. It's a bitter/sweet song that the world could benefit from hearing.

Happy - Carpenters were viewed as artists who sang sad songs. This one would have done well - not top 10 but perhaps top 20.

I don't care for Saturday, Flat Baroque, Druscilla Penny, or B'wana She No Home. Considering the material that was released after Karen's death, they could have included much stronger songs on MIA. But, it was a "comeback" album so it would have been a "warm up" for the next level of creativity and talent that Karen and Richard would have demonstrated on future albums.

[cam83]

Howdy,
I have always loved LOOK TO YOUR DREAMS. What a beautiful song!! When the fadeout begins and you hear Richard alone at the piano...it's very moving...to know Karen is not with us to sing some more. I always will say, That girl could have sung anything...that voice!!

My thoughts,
Cameron

[Rick Henry]

Of all the b-sides I'd have to say my favorites are "Road Ode", "This Masquerade" "Goodbye And I Love You" and "Happy". All four of these songs I feel were strong enough to have been a-sides, as well as being top 3 hits.

"Road Ode" is my favorite song from "A Song For You" - I like it because of the story the lyrics tell, and the music is very bold and Karen's voice is awesome. CILL FACTOR definitely.

"This Masquerade" - Although George Benson is the one who put this on the charts, it's still the Carpenters who continue to impress the world with this song. This is one of their greatest missed singles. Really should have been released regarless of the length, it would have been #1 for weeks.

"Goodbye And I Love You" and "Happy" - From the sublime album "Horizon", both songs could have been top ten a-sides. But than again everything on "Horizon" had hit potential.