Post by Rick Henry on Nov 27, 2004 0:18:20 GMT -5
?* - ?*- ?*
What do you think is the strongest song and the weakest song from each Carpenters album released between 1969 to 1983. I also included Karen's solo as that one should have been released in 1980-81.
* keep in mind these aren't exactly your favorite or least favorite songs from each album but the songs you feel are actually the strongest and weakest musically, vocally and lyrically.
TICKET TO RIDE (OFFERING)
Strong: "All Of My Life"
Weak: "Get Together"
Notes: My favorite song from this album is "All I Can Do", but overall I feel "All Of My Life" is the strongest song as it really had potential to have been a hit single and this song really fits Karen's voice beautifully.
CLOSE TO YOU
Strong: tie - "Maybe It's You"/"close to you"
Weak: "Reason To Believe"
Notes: I know a lot of people like "Reason To believe" but the album has so many strong tracks and I this one I feel is probably the least exciting on the album - but it's still an excellent song.
CARPENTERS
Strong: "Superstar"
Weak: "Saturday"
Notes: "Superstar" is my favorite song on this album with "Rainy Days and Mondays" a very close second.
A SONG FOR YOU
Strong: "Road Ode"
Weak: "Piano Picker"
Notes: This was a tough choice many strong songs on this album. It was a toss up between "A Song For You", "Bless The Beasts And Children", "Goodbye To Love" and "Road Ode".
NOW AND THEN
Strong: "This Masquerade"
Weak: "Heather"
Notes: My favorite song on this album is a toss up between "I Can't Make Music" and "This Masquerade", though I feel overall "This Masquerade" is the stronger song. karen's reading is outstanding.
HORIZON
Strong: "Only Yesterday"
Weak: "Please Mr. Postman"
Notes: There is not one weak song on this album. But in having to choose one it ended up being "Please Mr. Postman" - which is actually a very strong song - but compared to others like "Love Me for What I Am", "Solitaire", "Happy", "Desperado" and so forth I had no other choice than to pick "Please Mr. Postman" as the weakest link.
A KIND OF HUSH
Strong: "Boat To Sail"
Weak: "I Have You"
Notes: I know several of you will disagree with my choice of "I Have You" as weakest song. I do love this song the lyrics are excellent and karen's voice (especially the double tracked parts) is marvelous. But overall for me this is the weakest song on this album. Others may choose "Goofus" or "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do", but I feel both are a bit stronger mainly because BUIHTD has such a good time feel to it, and "Goofus" has such an avant garde and artsy musical arrangement. "Boat To Sail" I feel is strong because of the excellent musical arrangement - very very well done.
PASSAGE
Strong: "B'wana She No Home"
Weak: "Man Smart Woman Smarter"
Notes: "B'wana" is a musical dynamo. There are several very strong songs on "Passage", but "B'wana" is truly a musical powerhouse and Karen's wry authorative vocal is perfect. This is a different sound for The Carpenters, it is agressive yet maintains musical quality - I wish they would have explored this type of sound further.
MADE IN AMERICA
Strong: "I Believe You"
Weak: "Beechwood 4-5789"
Notes: The best I can say about "Beechwood" is that it's a cute song. Richard says in retropect he wishes he would have recorded more serious works. "Beechwood" is one song I think Richard probably regrets recording. Regardless I still like this quaint upbeat song.
VOICE OF THE HEART
Strong: "Ordinary Fool"
Weak: "Now"
Notes: I know many of you will disagree with my choice of "Now" as the weakest link, most likely most will say "Now" is the strongest. I feel it's inferior for two reasons. 1) I don't care for the Okay chorale it lessens the song to a degree. 2) I don't think this is one of Karen's best vocals. that is most likely due to the fact that this is a scratch vocla. she sang this song laying down, she didn't put her all into it. This vocal was meant to be scratched and then rerecorded later with more attention to detail. Regardless Karen still did an amazing job with the song, but I still feel the vocal could have been much stronger.
KAREN CARPENTER
Strong: "Making Love In The Afternoon"
Weak: "Still Crazy After All These Years"
Notes: Usually my favorite from this album is a toss up between "Guess I Just Lost My Head" and "Making Love In the Afternoon". I feel MLITA is stronger as it really has major hit potential. I also like the blending of Karen's voice with Peter Cetera in the chorus. I like the guitar chords also. I chose "Still Crazy" as weakest as I feel this isn't exactly suited perfectly for Karen's voice.
What do you think is the strongest song and the weakest song from each Carpenters album released between 1969 to 1983. I also included Karen's solo as that one should have been released in 1980-81.
* keep in mind these aren't exactly your favorite or least favorite songs from each album but the songs you feel are actually the strongest and weakest musically, vocally and lyrically.
TICKET TO RIDE (OFFERING)
Strong: "All Of My Life"
Weak: "Get Together"
Notes: My favorite song from this album is "All I Can Do", but overall I feel "All Of My Life" is the strongest song as it really had potential to have been a hit single and this song really fits Karen's voice beautifully.
CLOSE TO YOU
Strong: tie - "Maybe It's You"/"close to you"
Weak: "Reason To Believe"
Notes: I know a lot of people like "Reason To believe" but the album has so many strong tracks and I this one I feel is probably the least exciting on the album - but it's still an excellent song.
CARPENTERS
Strong: "Superstar"
Weak: "Saturday"
Notes: "Superstar" is my favorite song on this album with "Rainy Days and Mondays" a very close second.
A SONG FOR YOU
Strong: "Road Ode"
Weak: "Piano Picker"
Notes: This was a tough choice many strong songs on this album. It was a toss up between "A Song For You", "Bless The Beasts And Children", "Goodbye To Love" and "Road Ode".
NOW AND THEN
Strong: "This Masquerade"
Weak: "Heather"
Notes: My favorite song on this album is a toss up between "I Can't Make Music" and "This Masquerade", though I feel overall "This Masquerade" is the stronger song. karen's reading is outstanding.
HORIZON
Strong: "Only Yesterday"
Weak: "Please Mr. Postman"
Notes: There is not one weak song on this album. But in having to choose one it ended up being "Please Mr. Postman" - which is actually a very strong song - but compared to others like "Love Me for What I Am", "Solitaire", "Happy", "Desperado" and so forth I had no other choice than to pick "Please Mr. Postman" as the weakest link.
A KIND OF HUSH
Strong: "Boat To Sail"
Weak: "I Have You"
Notes: I know several of you will disagree with my choice of "I Have You" as weakest song. I do love this song the lyrics are excellent and karen's voice (especially the double tracked parts) is marvelous. But overall for me this is the weakest song on this album. Others may choose "Goofus" or "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do", but I feel both are a bit stronger mainly because BUIHTD has such a good time feel to it, and "Goofus" has such an avant garde and artsy musical arrangement. "Boat To Sail" I feel is strong because of the excellent musical arrangement - very very well done.
PASSAGE
Strong: "B'wana She No Home"
Weak: "Man Smart Woman Smarter"
Notes: "B'wana" is a musical dynamo. There are several very strong songs on "Passage", but "B'wana" is truly a musical powerhouse and Karen's wry authorative vocal is perfect. This is a different sound for The Carpenters, it is agressive yet maintains musical quality - I wish they would have explored this type of sound further.
MADE IN AMERICA
Strong: "I Believe You"
Weak: "Beechwood 4-5789"
Notes: The best I can say about "Beechwood" is that it's a cute song. Richard says in retropect he wishes he would have recorded more serious works. "Beechwood" is one song I think Richard probably regrets recording. Regardless I still like this quaint upbeat song.
VOICE OF THE HEART
Strong: "Ordinary Fool"
Weak: "Now"
Notes: I know many of you will disagree with my choice of "Now" as the weakest link, most likely most will say "Now" is the strongest. I feel it's inferior for two reasons. 1) I don't care for the Okay chorale it lessens the song to a degree. 2) I don't think this is one of Karen's best vocals. that is most likely due to the fact that this is a scratch vocla. she sang this song laying down, she didn't put her all into it. This vocal was meant to be scratched and then rerecorded later with more attention to detail. Regardless Karen still did an amazing job with the song, but I still feel the vocal could have been much stronger.
KAREN CARPENTER
Strong: "Making Love In The Afternoon"
Weak: "Still Crazy After All These Years"
Notes: Usually my favorite from this album is a toss up between "Guess I Just Lost My Head" and "Making Love In the Afternoon". I feel MLITA is stronger as it really has major hit potential. I also like the blending of Karen's voice with Peter Cetera in the chorus. I like the guitar chords also. I chose "Still Crazy" as weakest as I feel this isn't exactly suited perfectly for Karen's voice.
*$ 