Post by Rob813 on Oct 19, 2004 19:24:25 GMT -5
The Carpenters second album titled "Close To You" was released on Aug. 19, 1970 and reached #2 on the U.S. charts (on top 200 for 87 weeks) and certified double platinum.
"(They Long To Be) Close To You, the single, was released on May 20, 1970 and had already hit #1 by the time the album was released. The Carpenter "sound" had swept the nation and the world and was described as trendsetting. When you consider that Ticket To Ride, released less than a year earlier, had only a modicum of success, Karen and Richard's rise to the top was truly stratospheric!
The other single released off the Close To You album was of course "We've Only Just Begun". It debuted on the airwaves on Aug 21, 1970.
Here's a quick breakdown of the songs from the album:
1. We've Only Just Begun (Paul Williams/Roger Nichols) Originally penned as a commercial for Crocker Bank, Richard heard the song while watching a TV commercial and was instantly smitten with the song and it's potential to be a hit. Richard contacted Paul Williams, who was a songwriter on the A&M lot, and inquired about the rest of the lyric not heard in the commerical. Paul provided the song in its entirety to Richard and We've Only Just Begun became the follow up smash to Close To You. It zoomed to #2 on the U.S. charts and became an instant gold single selling over a million copies. This song quickly became their signature song and has been a favorite of newlyweds for decades.
2. Love is Surrender (Ralph Carmichael) Originally written as a contemporary Christian song, Richard reworked the lyric, "Love is surrender, you must surrender to His Will" to "you must surrender if you care" to fit the pop theme of the album. This energetic and fun song was a favorite at Carpenter concerts.
3. Maybe It's You (Carpenter/Bettis) Written in 1968 while K & R were performing with their group Spectrum, this song was considered a possible single, but instead was the b-side of "Hurting Each Other". Maybe It's You is a beautiful song in which Karen exuded confidence while singing and harmonizing with herself. This was definitely an indicator of the Carpenter sound that was to come.
4. Reason To Believe (Tim Hardin) This song with its country feel was considered one of Karen's favorite songs. K & R considered releasing this song as a single, but opted for "For All We Know" from their upcoming album "Carpenters". Many people, including Richard now say it should have been a single.
5. Help (Lennon/McCartney) Always self-described as Beatles fans K & R had considered releasing this song as a follow-up to Ticket To Ride until Close To You came along. The Carpenter version of Help is definitely different from the Beatles version. Richard was a genius at hearing a song in his head and then with some chord changes and other minor tweaking, he was able to completely change a song which he did with Help.
6. (They Long To Be) Close To You (Burt Bacharach/Hal David) Originally written in the early 60's and recorded by a number of artists including Dionne Warwick which went nowhere on the charts. Burt Bacharach gave it to Herb Albert to record. He felt it wasn't right for himself, so he gave it to Richard to record. K & R intially balked at the idea, thinking there were many other Bacharach/David songs that were stronger. At the strong urging of Herb Albert, K & R went back to the studio for three grueling recordings of this song until they got it just right. Richard said it would either bomb or go straight to #1....and straight to #1 it did!
This is definitely a magical song that perfectly fits a summer day. Close To You helped the Carpenters win Grammy awards for "Best Contemporary Vocal Performance By a Duo" and "Best New Artist". Close To You put the Carpenters on the musical map and forever changed the musical climate of the early 1970's.
7. Baby It's You (Mack David, Burt Bacharach and Barney Williams) With its nice piano intro followed by Karen's quiet yet delightful vocal, the song progresses and reveals a stronger, more insightful Karen. The song is laced with Carpenter overdubs which perfectly compliment the solo vocals. Overall this is a dark, soulful song which perfectly fits Karen's impassioned vocals.
8. I'll Never Fall In Love Again (Bacharach/David) This song is the embodiment of the Carpenter's overdubbing style with an opening with a 39 voice chord overdub of their 2 voices! Amazing and a perfect example of the investment of K & R' talent and committment to excellence. Karen and Richard's involvement at the Long Beach chorale/choir is evident throughout this song.
9. Crescent Noon (Carpenter/Bettis) Perhaps one of the Carpenter's most expressive lyrics, this song speaks of contrasting seasons. Karen's vocal performance displays her full range from the deep down low and dark notes to the uppermost angelic tones. In the chorus K & R's voices blend to produce an almost eerie yet delightful sound.
10. Mr. Guder (Carpenter/Bettis) Written out of anger at having been fired by their boss Vic Guder at Disneyland, Richard and John Bettis created such a scathing yet delightful song. With its jazz and classical influences, Mr. Guder ends with a overlay of complex harmonies and a fabulous flute solo fadeout. This song always amazes and delights me.
11. I Kept On Loving You (Williams/Nichols) Considered by many fans to be Richard's very best lead vocal work. This was the first Williams/Nichols song they recorded as was the b-side to Close To You.
12. Another Song (Carpenter/Bettis) This intriquing song is full of passion and mystery in its arrangement, lyrics and vocals. Filled with Carpenter harmonies and then followed by a jam style intrumental solo which closes the song and brings the album to a fascinating conclusion.
So, there we have it twelve superb gems known collectively as the Close To You Album. My impression of this album is and has always been one of awe and wonder. It amazes me that Karen and Richard as two individuals were capable of producing a work of art of this caliber. No matter how many times I listen to each song, I come away with something fresh and new. Critics have said it had a thrown together quality to it and I must admit, I just don't find that to be the case. In fact, each song stands on it's own worthy of examination and praise. I personally believe this is one of the greatest albums Carpenters ever released!
"(They Long To Be) Close To You, the single, was released on May 20, 1970 and had already hit #1 by the time the album was released. The Carpenter "sound" had swept the nation and the world and was described as trendsetting. When you consider that Ticket To Ride, released less than a year earlier, had only a modicum of success, Karen and Richard's rise to the top was truly stratospheric!
The other single released off the Close To You album was of course "We've Only Just Begun". It debuted on the airwaves on Aug 21, 1970.
Here's a quick breakdown of the songs from the album:
1. We've Only Just Begun (Paul Williams/Roger Nichols) Originally penned as a commercial for Crocker Bank, Richard heard the song while watching a TV commercial and was instantly smitten with the song and it's potential to be a hit. Richard contacted Paul Williams, who was a songwriter on the A&M lot, and inquired about the rest of the lyric not heard in the commerical. Paul provided the song in its entirety to Richard and We've Only Just Begun became the follow up smash to Close To You. It zoomed to #2 on the U.S. charts and became an instant gold single selling over a million copies. This song quickly became their signature song and has been a favorite of newlyweds for decades.
2. Love is Surrender (Ralph Carmichael) Originally written as a contemporary Christian song, Richard reworked the lyric, "Love is surrender, you must surrender to His Will" to "you must surrender if you care" to fit the pop theme of the album. This energetic and fun song was a favorite at Carpenter concerts.
3. Maybe It's You (Carpenter/Bettis) Written in 1968 while K & R were performing with their group Spectrum, this song was considered a possible single, but instead was the b-side of "Hurting Each Other". Maybe It's You is a beautiful song in which Karen exuded confidence while singing and harmonizing with herself. This was definitely an indicator of the Carpenter sound that was to come.
4. Reason To Believe (Tim Hardin) This song with its country feel was considered one of Karen's favorite songs. K & R considered releasing this song as a single, but opted for "For All We Know" from their upcoming album "Carpenters". Many people, including Richard now say it should have been a single.
5. Help (Lennon/McCartney) Always self-described as Beatles fans K & R had considered releasing this song as a follow-up to Ticket To Ride until Close To You came along. The Carpenter version of Help is definitely different from the Beatles version. Richard was a genius at hearing a song in his head and then with some chord changes and other minor tweaking, he was able to completely change a song which he did with Help.
6. (They Long To Be) Close To You (Burt Bacharach/Hal David) Originally written in the early 60's and recorded by a number of artists including Dionne Warwick which went nowhere on the charts. Burt Bacharach gave it to Herb Albert to record. He felt it wasn't right for himself, so he gave it to Richard to record. K & R intially balked at the idea, thinking there were many other Bacharach/David songs that were stronger. At the strong urging of Herb Albert, K & R went back to the studio for three grueling recordings of this song until they got it just right. Richard said it would either bomb or go straight to #1....and straight to #1 it did!
This is definitely a magical song that perfectly fits a summer day. Close To You helped the Carpenters win Grammy awards for "Best Contemporary Vocal Performance By a Duo" and "Best New Artist". Close To You put the Carpenters on the musical map and forever changed the musical climate of the early 1970's.
7. Baby It's You (Mack David, Burt Bacharach and Barney Williams) With its nice piano intro followed by Karen's quiet yet delightful vocal, the song progresses and reveals a stronger, more insightful Karen. The song is laced with Carpenter overdubs which perfectly compliment the solo vocals. Overall this is a dark, soulful song which perfectly fits Karen's impassioned vocals.
8. I'll Never Fall In Love Again (Bacharach/David) This song is the embodiment of the Carpenter's overdubbing style with an opening with a 39 voice chord overdub of their 2 voices! Amazing and a perfect example of the investment of K & R' talent and committment to excellence. Karen and Richard's involvement at the Long Beach chorale/choir is evident throughout this song.
9. Crescent Noon (Carpenter/Bettis) Perhaps one of the Carpenter's most expressive lyrics, this song speaks of contrasting seasons. Karen's vocal performance displays her full range from the deep down low and dark notes to the uppermost angelic tones. In the chorus K & R's voices blend to produce an almost eerie yet delightful sound.
10. Mr. Guder (Carpenter/Bettis) Written out of anger at having been fired by their boss Vic Guder at Disneyland, Richard and John Bettis created such a scathing yet delightful song. With its jazz and classical influences, Mr. Guder ends with a overlay of complex harmonies and a fabulous flute solo fadeout. This song always amazes and delights me.
11. I Kept On Loving You (Williams/Nichols) Considered by many fans to be Richard's very best lead vocal work. This was the first Williams/Nichols song they recorded as was the b-side to Close To You.
12. Another Song (Carpenter/Bettis) This intriquing song is full of passion and mystery in its arrangement, lyrics and vocals. Filled with Carpenter harmonies and then followed by a jam style intrumental solo which closes the song and brings the album to a fascinating conclusion.
So, there we have it twelve superb gems known collectively as the Close To You Album. My impression of this album is and has always been one of awe and wonder. It amazes me that Karen and Richard as two individuals were capable of producing a work of art of this caliber. No matter how many times I listen to each song, I come away with something fresh and new. Critics have said it had a thrown together quality to it and I must admit, I just don't find that to be the case. In fact, each song stands on it's own worthy of examination and praise. I personally believe this is one of the greatest albums Carpenters ever released!