Karen Carpenter appreciation thread

Not only does this woman have the MOst Purest voice, I am listening to her solo album right now, and love her different styles of music. She was one extremely talented individual. Besides that, her rendition of Don't Cry for Me, Argentina was the best version ever recorded. Would she still be singing today if she were still alive?

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Updated On: 1/6/05 at 09:16 AM

I LOVED and miss her and her angelic voice very much.
She would still be singing today without a doubt.

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Updated On: 1/6/05 at 09:18 AM

Add me to the list - and 'pure' is the word that came to my mind when thinking of her voice.

PS - Richard was/is pretty talented, too

Their Christmas album is still my favorite.

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I totally agree. Interesting that she was a joke for much of her career, while she was alive. I still count a very early Carpenters vocal among my favorites -- "Going to take some time this time..." It always lifts my spirits.

Yet her voice is now touted by some very interesting singers. K. D. Lang, for example, has often talked about Karen as a major influence on her own style, the legato phrasing, the easy vibrato, the clarity and simplicity and unpretentious way wth a lyric. Yet you wouldn't think of K. D. and Karen as "sister" performers. Were she alive, she might've become her generation's Rosemary Clooney -- a girl singer whose pure vocals were a songwriter's answered prayer.

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I would be interested in finding out what the real story was behind her solo effort. My partner's brother works as a music producer, and his understanding was that Karen did the project with Phil Ramone, but when she brought it to A&M they balked completely - too far from her norm, apparently. So the project was shelved, and then brought out after her death.

And let's not forget to mention that they really knew how to make a Christmas album. IMO, they are both the best Christmas albums ever!

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Add me to the list of admirers. That voice was from the heavens. So pure, so perfect.

I love her solo album. Karen Carpenter singing Rodgers & Hart's "Little Girl Blue" from Jumbo is such a wonderful blend of lyric, voice and orchestration. It was a glimpse at where her career/ recordings could have ventured. (edit: I believe this was on her solo album.)

A cherished voice silenced too young. But thankfully she left behind numerous recordings so that we can remember (and enjoy) just how perfect her voice was.

*edit* re: Xmas Album: I dislike anyone singing "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" except Judy Garland. Karen Carpenter is the exception. That says alot about where she rates! :)

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Updated On: 1/6/05 at 10:26 AM

DGrant, your understanding is correct. Karen recorded the solo album while Richard was recovering from an addition to Quaaludes, which he got hooked on while doing so much touring. When Richard and Herb Alpert heard it, they felt that her voice was placed too high in many of the songs, and that it was a an underwhelming effort. Of course, when your voice is a good as Karen's was, an underwhelming effort is better than most. I knew Karen and Richard and they were two of the nicest people I've ever known. Karen, along with Julie Andrews, had the greatest voice (IMO) ever recorded!

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I LOVE her.
I was actually named after her!

But she does live forever...in our cd players...and our hearts

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buddha - I know you do that on purpose, but I'll just go on record as saying tastelessness is neither charming nor appreciated by me - don't know about anyone else.

It would be impossible for me to pick a favorite by Karen; but there are a few that stand out:

Looking For Love (which she did in a garage at age 15)

Superstar (which was a great big hit, and covered by many - even Karen's was a cover of a Bette Midler recording; but NOBODY does it anywhere near as good as Karen and Richard's great arrangement)

Solitare - Another definitive performance. Well, almost all of their tunes are definitive recordings when you think about it.

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