Richard's thoughts on tracks

[ullalume]

Hello guys,

It occurred to me recently that we all have access to a hell of a lot of Richard's notes on a lot of tracks, significantly from Lovelines, As Time Goes By, From The Top, Essential Collection, 35th Anniversary Collection, Box Sets, Interpretations etc. etc.

But certain track commentary only occur very rarely. For instance the Japanese ANTHOLOGY from '88 has notes on a few tracks that appear nowhere else.

In effect I thought it'd be nice to put up transcripts of these rare notes for those of us that are lucky enough to own the rarer collections.

I'll start.

From the MFSL AS4U (notes from '89)

Flat Baroque - "Credit must be given to Norm Herzberg for his performance on bassoon and for his comment in the studio following completion of his part. . ."This isn't exactly what I had in mind when I left the house!"
Piano Picker - "Randy's experience in growing up and studying piano fairly closely parallels mine (save for banging his knees against the piano!) It's a clever song and one we wanted to include.
Crystal Lullaby - "I'd like to mention Earle Dumler's fine performance on English Horn and Oboe as well as Joe Osborn's flawless execution of a most difficult bass line.

From ANTHOLOGY (notes from '88)

Those Good Old Dreams - "It is one of Karen's and my favourites (and one of the most difficult mix)
Back in My Life Again - "This tune came in on a demo and appealed to us immediately. It is a little bit different than what we would ordinarily record, but to me has a good catchy "bubblegum" sound. I love a good "bubblegum" record. Some things never change".
Help - "originally slated to be the follow-up to "Ticket To Ride".
Beechwood - "A tune that Karen and I had wanted to do for years".
Goodbye and I love you - "One of Karen's finest performances"
Two Lives - "A work lead by Karen and again, flawless, to me one of her best readings"
Sometimes -"Karen and I wanted to keep it simple, just piano and vocal".
Bacharach Medley live 1974 - "I admire her more with every passing day".

OK gang, your turn.

Neil. . . . .resisting the urge to play Portrait just yet.

 

[GaryAlan]

Richard Carpenter Liner Notes from Anthology (PCCY-10023 Red Japan Compilation):
"Around the time Karen was 13, I asked her to try singing, being curious as to how she would sound.."
"Karen had learned to read music during her brief experience with the accordion."
"..during the many months of Trio rehearsal--early 1996-that Karen's great voice made itself known."
"A&M was everything we had heard it had been.We Were given Carte Blanche in making our album...it, and the single, did
not sell well enough initially for the company to recoup its investment."
" 'Close To You' Album has sold approximately four-million units as of this date.

Jambalaya: "..Karen and I always loved the song and felt it would be a good selection for us. Gold record in Japan."
Desperado: "I felt it would work well for Karen and it was included in 'Horizon' ."
Touch Me When We're Dancing: "Karen and I felt it would make an ideal single. One of our favorite recordings."
Please Mr. Postman:"We thought it was a fun record and definitely single material. An enormous hit. Simple, but fun to listen to."

 

[BarryT60]

Thanks you so much! I love these snippets!

The Goodbye and I Love You comment is spot on... Beautiful vocal there.....
Plus - the Bacharach Medley comment got me... :*(

 

[Guitarmutt]

I do not have Bacharach '74, but I have '72 in Australia, and it makes me feel the same way. That she could sing like that! That she could drum like that! At the same time! I mean! Really! Really? Just listen again. Again!

I know I'm ranting a bit, but really! I play guitar as you might guess from my handle, and playing; singing is a challenge. Add in your feet, you're the time keeper, and the so very expressive lead singer? At the same time? Just wow!

Ok I'll stop now. Sorry.

Beauty! OK!

 

[byline]

Goodbye and I love you - "One of Karen's finest performances"

I was struggling to remember this song ... so much so that I had to Google it. As soon as the video link popped up, I realized it was the shortened title that threw me. The full title is "(I'm Caught Between) Goodbye and I Love You ... aaaahhhhh! Now, of course, I recognize it.

Oh, and amen to Guitarmutt about your rant. Spot on!

 

[Guitarmutt]

Well, I just might get the Bacharach '74 now as there are several Readers Digest sets on Amazon for ridiculously low $. And it has the 60's medley without the DJ bits. Interesting.

 

[A&M Retro]

Guitarmutt....if you haven't heard the '74 Riviera 'Bacharach/David Medley', prepare for a JOLT. It's unreal.

 

[ullalume]

Guitarmutt. . .it's great, but just so you know it's Cubby on drums in '74, not Kaz.

 

[Dutch]

I loved 'Goodbye & I love you' when the album came out in 75, but now the song sounds dated. And the song was left off 'Carpenters perform Carpenter' album, so Richard must have changed his mind about the song. I think that 'Love me for what i am' was the hidden gem on the Horizon album. But both songs are perfect for Karen's style and were obviously fashioned for her.

I was surprised on the work lead on 'Two sides'. How many Carpenters songs were work leads!, unheard of by most artists. Infact, alot of singers can't get the actual lead right without pitch alteration these days. It says alot about Karen, not only how good she was singing that way...and it's very difficult, but also why she didn't record the vocal again. Was that her or Richard? It also answers the question on why there were so many albums after her death.

The other song I never really got was 'Sometimes'. I personally think a wrong choice for them, she wasn't old enough and experienced enough to sing the lyrics. It wasn't until I heard Peggy Lee's verison a couple of years ago that I really liked the song, a much better version...sorry guys!

 

[Randy M]

The other song I never really got was 'Sometimes'. I personally think a wrong choice for them, she wasn't old enough and experienced enough to sing the lyrics. It wasn't until I heard Peggy Lee's verison a couple of years ago that I really liked the song, a much better version...sorry guys!

'Sometimes' was overlooked by me for many years. I found it to be a difficult song to place on a compilation; it is an odd song on it's own because the intro is incredibly long before the vocal begins. It only works as an album closer due to it's construction, and because of our 20/20 hindsight it also becomes a downer. That didn't stop me from using it on a collection, but then I question my selection every time I play it. I will have to check out the Peggy Lee version. Thanks for the heads up on that. Maybe my perspective will change for the better.

Randy

 

[MissK]

The other song I never really got was 'Sometimes'. I personally think a wrong choice for them, she wasn't old enough and experienced enough to sing the lyrics. It wasn't until I heard Peggy Lee's verison a couple of years ago that I really liked the song, a much better version...sorry guys!

They didn't really "choose" to record it. There were requested to record it by Henry Mancini, and you don't say "no" to a man of his stature. They were flattered. Mancini was a big fan of theirs.

 

[arthowson]

I thought Sometimes was appropriate for the Carpenters. They chose to include it in the live shows as well. I think it was paying homage to Agnes and Harold. Whatever we might feel about the the parents, we have to give them credit for positioning Richard (and by default, Karen) for stardom.

 

[GaryAlan]

40th Anniversary Box Set
Christmas Portrait
Richard Carpenter:
"Karen and I had always been fond of Christmas music and in interviews as early as 1971 , were stating that we would soon be working on one.
In hindsight, of course, we can see that that wasn't about to happen.With the schedule that presented itself after the success of Close to You and
We've Only Just Begun, we were fortunate to complete a regular album each year.(As stated previously, even that didn't happen in 1974).
On December 8,1976 ABC aired our first television special, "The Carpenters Very First Television Special" which place #6 in the Nielsen ratings for
that week.This led to our being offered more television specials, the second of which was "The Carpenters at Christmas", airing December 9, 1977.
It was while selecting and recording music for this special that Karen and I decided that the time had come to record a Christmas album. To a degree,
our project was patterned after a favorite of ours, Spike Jones' 1956 "Xmas Spectacular", in that it features more than the average album's number of songs,
both sacred and secular, along with top-notch chorale singing. Selecting Christmas music is, indeed, an 'embarrassment of riches' , and I ultimately chose,
and we recorded , more than enough for even "Christmas Portrait", which stretched the limit of how much music could fit on an LP.
What was saddening to me then, and even more so now, is that I was at my nadir dealing with the sleeping pill problem. If I were at my best, I could have,
and would have, contributed more in both creativity and spirit to "Hush" and "Passage", and the first four television specials. By the time Karen and I began
recording on the Christmas album, I was not interested in more than production work and an occasional lead and some minor piano work.
Arranging (something I truly enjoy doing, especially with Christmas songs) was turned over , by me, to veterans Peter Knight and Billy May.
With Karen's marvelous leads, combined with an oversize studio orchestra and chorus, terrific arrangements and timeless music, "Christmas Portrait", was, and
is an almost incomparable Christmas album. It was a hit in 1978, and every year succeeding. I receive compliments on it every holiday season.
What I should have realized then, although I don't know if A&M would have gone for it, is that "Christmas Portrait" is Karen's album, and should have
been titled accordingly, not Carpenters.
The listener will notice that this one album is not as originally released, as the rest in this set are.
"Ave Maria" was arranged from the start for chorus, as well as orchestra. With so much music, not to mention people, around the studio while the album was
being made, the chorale parts were misplaced, only to be discovered after the album was 'in the can'. The multi-track was retrieved, and the chorus
recorded in 1984, during the 'Old Fashioned Christmas' sessions. To all of us involved, it was a great addition. The song was later remixed (and an error
in the lead vocal fixed) in 1990. Some others were remixed at the same time for inclusion in 'From The Top', and, ultimately all, except "Merry Christmas,
Darling" were remixed for the "Carpenters Christmas Collection" two-CD set for Japan (1996). At that time, we discovered, after obtaining both the
two track Master and the tape copy Master of "Christmas Portrait", that both were on an 'improved' series of tape that turned out not to have much of
a shelf life, they were now defective."

 

[newvillefan]

Ave Maria" was arranged from the start for chorus, as well as orchestra. With so much music, not to mention people, around the studio while the album was being made, the chorale parts were misplaced, only to be discovered after the album was 'in the can'. The multi-track was retrieved, and the chorus recorded in 1984, during the 'Old Fashioned Christmas' sessions.

I think this was covered elsewhere on the forum but maybe I missed the answer (if there was one). If the choral parts were discovered after Christmas Portrait was in the can, why were they re-recorded in 1984 if they'd already been re-discovered? Why doesn't the above read "The multi-track was retrieved, and the chorus re-instated"? Also, why was the chorus re-recorded in 1984, when 'Ave Maria' wasn't even on 'An Old Fashioned Christmas' and wouldn't be tinkered with again until the 1990s?

 

[GaryAlan]

Stephen, that is a question I have asked, also.
No answer has been located, to my knowledge.
Just never made sense to me.

 

[Harry]

It could be that when Richard says "choral parts", he's referring to the actual sheet music score that the chorus would use to record it. Apparently things were hectic enough that those "choral parts" (read scores) were misplaced. Since the album was then "in the can", the choral parts scores were filed and then used and recorded during the 1984 sessions for the Special Edition.

To me, that makes the version of "Ave Maria" with chorus even less special, since its really just one of the early, modern remixes.

Harry

 

[GaryAlan]

I adore Ave Maria, as on vinyl, sans chorus. Richard:"To all of us involved, it (chorus) was a great addition." Why don't I get that?
I also adore Silent Night, and in that instance, it complements the song ,beautifully.

 

[Harry]

I adore Ave Maria, as on vinyl, sans chorus. Richard:"To all of us involved, it (chorus) was a great addition." Why don't I get that?
I also adore Silent Night, and in that instance, it complements the song ,beautifully.

Because you never got to hear "Silent Night" without the chorus like you did "Ave Maria".

Harry

 

[GaryAlan]

The Essential Collection,2003 ,
Richard Carpenter:
---Make Believe It's Your First Time---
"Believing this song to be one of the better selections in Karen's solo project and now knowing that project
was not going to be released, I set out to arrange the song for the album on which we were starting production.
In the process, I contacted the writers asking them to write a 'bridge', which it originally did not have.
The revision was made and a track recorded with Karen's 'work lead'. It was then set aside as one of the many
Made In America Outtakes.
Sometime after February 4,1983,I returned to work on what would become the Voice of the Heart album.
This was, with the exception of "Now"(1982), a collection of other outtakes from various years.
"Make Believe It's Your First Time" was chosen as the debut single, even though I didn't believe there was a hit in
that album. I still feel it's a pretty song and showcases Karen's resonant alto very well."

 

[Dutch]

It's odd that Richard thinks that Christmas Portrait was Karen's album when there is more of Richard on that album than any other album they recorded except for the first one! Infact I remember reading an article on the internet, I think it was on the allmusic site that stated that it was Richard who was at the forefront on that album not Karen.

 

[GaryAlan]

40th Anniversary Box,
An Old-Fashioned Christmas,
Richard Carpenter:
"As mentioned earlier, Karen and I had gotten a bit overenthusiastic about all of the terrific Christmas songs from which to choose, and
ultimately recorded too many (five, to be exact) to fit on Christmas Portrait. In mid-1984, I was informed by our attorney of many years,
Werner Wolfen, that A&M was interested in releasing an album that would contain these tracks. I let them know that several would have to
be completed, and quite a bit of additional recording done to make the project complete. After getting the nod, I went to work; composing the
title song (to which, John Bettis added the lyrics), selecting additional pieces for the new overture, as well as others for the album and arranging
the a cappella "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear". Once again I designed the set from beginning to end, knowing at the start what song would follow
the next and arranging them to suit. I sent my notes to Peter Knight to be orchestrated. After recording "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear", in Studio
D, at A&M Studios, I , along with my wife Mary, flew to London where we met Peter and his wife, Babs. Peter and I then got to work with a 70-piece
orchestra and a Bosendorfer Imperial Grand in studio A at EMI's Abbey Road Complex. I brought the tapes back with me to A&M Studios, where we
recorded the 48-voice choir. This album also contains Karen's and my "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town", originally released in 1974. It was my
mistake not to include this track in Christmas Portrait, and we received much mail bemoaning this omission. I did a little alteration on it, though.
The vocals in the Intro never sounded right to me: it turned out a third harmony had never been recorded. I also added Rhodes EP, and asked John
Phillips to record a new sax solo. The remix definitely opens the recording up more than the original, and is more in keeping sonically with the rest
of the album. After I turned in the Master, I got the unwelcome news that the album would be released as a mid-line product, and even though
pressed on audiophile vinyl, would not get an inner sleeve with notes and lyrics. As if that weren't troubling enough, no promotion at all was planned.
It turns out that this was A&M's plan all along. If I had known this, the album would not have been made. Additionally, it was my ill-conceived
idea to ask the artist Robert Tannebaum, who did such a clver job with the Christmas Portrait cover, to have a go at the new cover, not remembering
that 'lightening doesn't strike twice in the same place'. The resulting cover doesn't come close to the original, in no small part due to the fact that, for
some reason unknown to me, he decided to position Karen as tall as I! This looks a bit odd to my eye,I'm 6' and Karen was 5'4".
Oh well, out it came in fall of 1984, underwhelming most people who bought it, primarily because, of course, there are only six songs that feature
Karen's Lead. Nevertheless, I still feel that An old-Fashioned Christmas is a helluva holiday offering; it is chock full of great music. beautifully
arranged and performed, and is certainly the most expensive, lavishly produced mid-line album ever released."

 

[MissK]

It's odd that Richard thinks that Christmas Portrait was Karen's album when there is more of Richard on that album than any other album they recorded except for the first one! Infact I remember reading an article on the internet, I think it was on the allmusic site that stated that it was Richard who was at the forefront on that album not Karen.

The Carpenters were not a vocal duo but an arranger/vocalist duo. Richard did very little arranging for this album. His arrangements appear only on two tracks,” Oh Come Oh Come. Emmanuel” and “Merry Christmas, Darling”. All other tracks were arranged by Billy May and Peter Knight. That is why he thought that this was Karen’s album, not the both of theirs. He was right.

 

[arthowson]

i talked to "Mr J" about that once. He said that the sheet music had been misplaced and the choir never actually got to sing in the 1978 recording. It was meant to be on the record. The proof in the pudding is that Karen sang with the choir for the last Long Beach concert in Dec 1978. (They must have found the sheet music then?)

 

[A&M Retro]

I really like both versions. You can't go wrong with Karen's voice solo or with a men's choir backing her up.

 

[newvillefan]

The vocals in the Intro never sounded right to me: it turned out a third harmony had never been recorded.

This is an interesting tidbit and something I'd never noticed about the original version compared to the remix but they are different.

Oh well, out it came in fall of 1984, underwhelming most people who bought it, primarily because, of course, there are only six songs that feature Karen's Lead. Nevertheless, I still feel that An old-Fashioned Christmas is a helluva holiday offering; it is chock full of great music. beautifully arranged and performed, and is certainly the most expensive, lavishly produced mid-line album ever released."

He can't have been surprised when there was so little of Karen and such a long wait to hear her perform the first lead vocal. I remember an anecdote (was it from Richard himself?!) that there were a lot of records returned to the store because fans were either so disappointed with it or they thought they'd bought the wrong album.

Whilst he's obviously proud of the end result, if probably somewhat frustrated he had so little of Karen's leads left to play with, the "beautifully arranged and performed" comment smacks of "if I do say so myself".