...ev'ry time you are neeeaaarrr.....

I've always liked "Close to You," but seeing as I've been singing it for the past 48 hours (thank you, Simpsons Movie,) I wanted to make a thread about it.
The mellow sounds of the Carpenters may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I really dig them, and I appreciate their innovative use of multi-track recording. Karen was such a great talent, though I always find it eerie how she can make the most innocuous lyrics sound so haunting (thank you 1408, lol.)

For your listening pleasure:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=QUDshT19j8Q

They make me think of RipHer2Shreds.

jillybean said:

I love this song. It's one of my favorites of theirs. I won't go crazy on this thread, but I will use it as an opportunity to show a side of The Carpenters most aren't familiar with...or maybe don't care to know.

They actually started out as a jazz trio, and Karen was always more comfortable behind the drums instead of behind the mic. She was a fantastic drummer and Richard, of course, was a wiz on the keys. A good clip of the song All I Can Do from their first album.

http://www.youtube.com/wa...8D5TL_6MYw

SefraNSue said:

A better quality upload of that clip:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=oaOyoVS-IAI

RipHer2Shreds said:

Awesome!

RipHer2Shreds said:

WOW! I just love songs in 5/4!! That was awesome!

OK, the Carpenters suffer TKO around here when it comes to any love but I AM A HUGE FAN!

First of all, Karen Carpenter had one of the purest voices in all of music history. It exudes truth, finality, strength, warmth, richness and light. A lot of people feel a song like Top of the World has a childlike juvenille feel to it but man, the joy that is evident when she sings about love is just astonishing.

She sings the chorus of Superstar and it's really pain she's singing about but you can hear the joy in her voice anyway. It remembers the happiness of the past, only to end on the bluest note. I don't know, I can see why people simply would not be into this group but everthing about this woman's voice makes me just want to weep with gratitude to a God that ever thought to touch her with such a gift

Her passing is one of the most depressing musical moments in my life. Just when she was starting on her path to healing, she was taken away. It's just such a shame but thank God her gift was memorialized for the world to share.

.
[Edited 7/31/07 9:52am]
[Edited 7/31/07 9:53am]

And wow! I had no idea she knew how to play the drums

there just a classic band, and you gotta love them!

all i can do reminds me of the doors, minus jims voice, anyone get what i mean or am i just going crazy
[Edited 7/30/07 19:45pm]

I have a soft spot for The Carpenters. Karen's voice was incredible - and in that era they were absolutely top at the kind of mellow pop that was popular in their day.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Karen and her brother wrote beautiful songs together.

Didn't "Close To You" begin as the backdrop for a car commercial? (And does it remind anyone else of the film "Parenthood"?)

I enjoy so many of The Carpenters' songs.
Their Christmas album is nice.
[Edited 7/31/07 5:28am]

jillybean said:

I believe you're thinking of We've Only Just Begun which was first a commercial for a bank.

Their Christmas album is exquisite! It wasn't until about five years ago that I gave it a listen. I held off for many years, because a lot of their music is so melodramatic and sad. I like that, but don't want it in Christmas music. To my surprise it was joyous! Really lovely album.

RipHer2Shreds said:

Darn it, I'm mixing my metaphores again (and we aren't even talking about metaphores so I'm clearly mixing more than that!)

"Something" by The Beatles, that was in a car commercial, right? Good grief. In any event, I KNOW "Close To You" is in "Parenthood."

Thanks for the info.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Other than the song 'Close To You', for some reason it is VERY difficult for me to listen to her sing posthumously...I think it's the pain you speak about...i detect it in pitch and color and makes it VERY uncomfortble for me to listen to her ...for some reason I get get freaked out...

Richard's arrangements and great playing and vocals and Karen's haunting vocals and great drumming are unbeatable.

http://www.youtube.com/wa...ipHjBhfg90

http://www.youtube.com/wa...00z3wAA9LI

Undisputed fact.

RipHer2Shreds said:

That was cool.

http://www.youtube.com/wa...ed&search=

SefraNSue said:

I dig the Carpenters, I was so tickled back in the day when Gwen Guthrie covered that song. Love both versions equally

reminds me of the John Carpenter's movie "in the mouth of madness" the private's joke scene when Sam Neil is in jail and heard The Carpenters..

minneapolisgenius said:

I love that! Some kind stranger was generous enough to stick that on your myspace.

Here's Karen swingin' away at the drums again. They were still the Dick Carpenter Trio at this point. Their win at this event - Your All American College Show - got them a lot of public recognition in the early part of their career. It's not the greatest quality clip, but it's the only one I've been able to find of that full performance.

http://www.youtube.com/wa...NGVPxbFENM

Even I like this one.