The Carpenters

[rootabaga]

I was coming of age when "Close to You" took the charts by storm, and though I didn't follow them religiously or buy all of their albums, I was definitely a fan. Largely because of Karen's amazing voice, which remains one of the best ever, but Richard's arrangements were also very well crafted and usually designed to showcase Karen.

Her untimely death was such a waste of talent.

And for some reason every time the special hits the PBS beg-a-thon ("Close to You - Remembering the Carpenters") I manage to stumble across it and watch some, most or all of it. And I relive some of my best memories of those times in my life.

I've always loved music and had varied tastes throughout the years, but there's something about the way their music endured, and still plays well today, so long after her death.

Anyway, the PBS thing is on again, and that got me to thinking back...hence, the post.

Sorry if it was boring or maudlin...

 

[dontpanicbobby]

Not at all. That was a great documentary and a great group.

 

[mikedt]

The Carpenters are still very popular in China, and have been so for a very long time. Always gets me the number of people who try to sing Yesterday Once More in a karaoke room(KTV). Even if someone doesn't know much western music at all, they nearly always know The Carpenters!


...and guess what I'm watching this evening..

...it's not on PBS of course, it's on my USB hard drive plugged into the TV.

 

[Deleted User]

^-- Noooooooooo!

I didn't see the warning! Now I *need* to listen to the Karen Carpenter version.

 

[mikedt]

Did William Shatner or Leonard Nimoy ever sing Close To You?

 

[Deleted User]

Did William Shatner or Leonard Nimoy ever sing Close To You?

If they did, that's a link I never want to click on

 

[mikedt]

So the singing career of "Dr Kildare" was quite brief.

 

[Deleted User]

This is not terribly impressive, but then I am not a fan of Harry Connick, Jr. Listen closely and see how many times he's not on the note or on the beat...not just in this song, but any of them. Musically this is kind of interesting, but otherwise...bleh.

It's swing style. He does it to the max. Not everyone's cup of tea, but at least he has a decent quality voice, with expression.

And how about Isaac Hayes (yes, *that* Isaac Hayes...):

I lost the will to live waiting for the intro to end!

And from Soul Train, Brenda Lee Eager and Jerry Butler...

Too much messing around with the melody. Richard would not approve.

 

[Deleted User]

but whatever style it is, when you're supposed to be singing a note, you have to sing it, not miss it by a half-step

It's called Rubato, but he's overdoing it.