Karen Carpenter Thread: Calling Occupants From Interplanetary Craft

[Justice]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 5:37am

awhile back, i started a thread about Ms. Carpenter that quickly died down. So, I am now starting a new thread in honor of the late great Karen. No one's voice was so pure and beautiful. No one else could sing as genuinly (sp?) kind and sincere as her. When she sang about love, you felt it, and no one else does "Don't Cry For Me, Argentina" beter. And no one else could have been more high when singing "Calling occupants from Interplanetary Craft". (Kidding about the high part, but SOMEONE behind the scenes had to have been to have had that song recorded)

Updated On: 7/18/05 at 05:37 AM

[Beergoggles]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 6:04am

When did she do "don't cry for me Argentina?" Is it true that the eating disorder started because of a review in a paper... i remember seeing the life story years ago but i don't know too much about her death!

[Glebb]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 7:08am

Make Believe It's Your First Time and I'll Make Believe It's Mine....

[cturtle]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 7:14am

i couldn't agree with you more, justice. karen's is my favorite singing voice of all time. i'll never forget listening to the radio and hearing about her death. they played GOODBYE TO LOVE. i just sat in the car and cried like a baby.

[baddadnpa]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 7:32am

One of the best singers ever, that that occupants song was definitely the low in a career full of highs.

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 8:33am

She was my first favorite singer. I remember as a kid, in the early/mid 70's, they used to show these music videos of them, and my favorite was "Mr. Postman" that was filmed in Disneyland.

[mominator]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 8:48am

Have always loved the Carpenters. She was a talented lady that was taken from us too early.

[ConvinceMe2]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 9:11am

As it says in my fan photos, Karen Carpenter is my favorite singer. Her voice is peerless. Hearing her sing, I get a feeling I do not get from any other singer I have ever heard. It's as if her voice cuts straight to my heart and soul. The Carpenters made real music, pure, simple and beautiful.

[ConvinceMe2]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 9:31am

Beer, Karen's eating disorder did not start from a review in the paper. In fact, the quote used in that film was written about Richard, not Karen. Eating disorders are far very complex, and often nobody knows why they begin. They used the review device in the film, for dramatic effect.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 10:17am

Don't you remember you told me you loved me baby...

[Elphaba]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 10:46am

an amazing singer......saw them in San Jose in high school, took my then girlfriend to their concert. I remember afterwards she signed autographs on stage, and Janet was in line.....when Janet got up to her they talked for a minute, and Karen looked down at me and asked If I'd like an autograph too.......I must have looked like a fish-out-of-water as I tried to speak....so I just shook my head no. I wish I had gotten it.......

We've only just Begun.......was a great song to have in high school

[baddadnpa]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 10:47am

Great avatar Elph!

[Elphaba]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 10:56am

baddad last year we were waiting under the Eiffel Tower to get in........and Reichen walked by with some boy.......both Steve and I freaked, as at first we had that thought when you see someone you recognize like we knew him.....I was just about to scream REICHEN, when I remembered I did NOT know him, and it was just from the Amazing Race.........he looks even better in person. He's also out here in the desert a lot for functions.......

[OnTheAisle]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 10:57am

The first Carpenter's Christmas album was fantastic - she had such a smooth, velvet voice - Merry Christmas, darling - we're apart that's true... *sigh*

[Elphaba]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 10:59am

still one of my fav Xmas cd's.........and I probably have a good 75 of them

Posted: 7/18/05 at 12:16pm

"Calling Occupants" has an interesting history; The Carpenters "covered" the song which was originally written & performed by the group Klaatu. Klaatu released their first record on Capitol Records right around the time the Beatles broke up, and the album listen no personnel, featured no pictures or writing credits. Word spread that it was THe Beatles, recording under an assummed name-- and what a perfect name! In the movie "The Day the Earth Stood Still" Klaatu was the all-powerful faceless robot who did the bidding for his powerful alien masters. Had to be John, Paul George & Ringo, no?

It wasn't them. "Calling Occupants" was the second big publicity campaign-- Klaatu wrote the song as the theme for an effort to contact alien intelligences and invite them to visit earth. The song was supposed to be beamed out into space and tell them that Earth was a friendly place. Richard & Karen liked the song and wanted to help get the message out. As far as I know, no occupants of interplanetary crafts responded.

[ConvinceMe2]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 12:45pm

CALLING OCCUPANTS... peaked at No. 22, I believe in the states, but went to No. 7 in the UK and No. 1 in Japan. Worlwide, it was a major hit. Richard was nominated for a Grammy for his arrangement of the song. The Carpenters are the biggest selling recording artists of all time, in Japan (the world's second-biggest record market). They are the biggest selling American recording act of the 1970's, in the United States.

[Justice]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 4:06pm

I didn't know that about Calling Occupants...Very Interesting.

Beer - Don't Cry For Me is on that same album (with Calling occupants)...wish i knew the title of the album, but it's in the other room...Other songs on that album are Sweet Sweet Smile (written by the great Juice Newton), B'wanna She No, Jumbilaya...my mind is drawing a blank...I believe it might have been the last album they recorded...I could be wrong here...but putting the purity of her voice to Don't Cry is far better than Patti, Elaine, June Covington, and all other Evita's combined (This includes Helen Reddy, Sinead o'Conner, and Petula Clark)

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 4:11pm

Wow, you learn something every day. I had no idea of the story behind Calling Occupants. I loved that song.

[Justice]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 4:15pm

"We are your friends...."

(Thank God I never heard this as a young child - it would have scared the living crap out of me, much like "Boys of Summer" by Don Henley when he sang about a Dead Head sticker on a cadillac - not knowing he was singing about the Greatful Dead, I thought it was a decapitated head on the hood of a car.)

[ConvinceMe2]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 4:18pm

CALLING OCCUPANTS... is on the PASSAGE LP from 1977. It was not their last.

[pattifan2]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 4:21pm

Just spotted this thread....thanks, Justice for this. Karen's voice was sublime. I especially love 'This Masquerade' and 'Rainy Days And Mondays'. I used to have a Carpenters album which I think was called 'A Song For You'??? Karen sang 'Bless The Beasts And The Children' (anyone help with that?) which I always thought was beautiful. And Christmas never officially starts in my house until Karen has sung 'Frosted window panes...Candles gleaming inside'....

[Justice]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 4:23pm

Thank you CM2...

Anyonehave Karen's solo album??? Her "Love Lines" is to die for!!! Karen singing Disco: It's the only time I like that Genre.

[Justice]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 4:25pm

Patti,

Yes, the album is "A Song For You".
And yes, she does "Bless the Beasts and Children" (probably one of my least favorites)
And, I hated Christmas music, until I bought both Carpenters Christmas albums. Now, I still hate Christmas music...but LOVE it when they do it...considering they make huge Productions out of them.

[pattifan2]

Posted: 7/18/05 at 4:33pm

Thanks, Justice....those albums I had were on vinyl and have been lost over the years. Was the one with the car on the sleeve called 'Now And Then' where they did the radio show?? 'The Night Has A Thousand Eyes' etc??? OMG - I really need to see about getting these on CD - are they available??