What songs do you wish had a remix?

[Charlie D]

We know that Richard is most likely never going to do anymore remixes from their catalogue, but if you knew he was going to do it, which songs would you pick that would benefit from it?

Some for me would be:

"You" - The piano sounds so tired and dull and could be re-recorded so much better. Karen's vocals are rather uninspired but it may sound better if some things were changed around it.

"I Just Fall In Love Again" - This is one of my favorites and has one of Karen's most passionate performances, but like most of the original mixes on Passage it sounds muddled. Does anyone know why Passage sounds a bit muddy overall? The clarity on this track could be improved so much and sound even more fresh. It's a song that deserves to sparkle. I love it as is, but a remix would be even better.

"Boat To Sail" - I think the song is basically perfect but it would be interesting to see what Richard could on this updated one.

"Help" - Again, I love what they did with this song and I love the organ and it sounds so dark and experimental, however, I wish Karen's lead was a bit more clear in the mix. Maybe on a remix it could have somehow been pushed up or something.

"Bwana She No Home" - I know that on some Japansese edition(s) the track is a bit brighter but I wish that the brightness track would have made it onto some US compilations at some point.

 

[Harry]

"Bwana She No Home" - I know that on some Japansese edition(s) the track is a bit brighter but I wish that the brightness track would have made it onto some US compilations at some point.

It's never appeared on a US compilation, but has been on two main editions of PASSAGE. If my ears are any judge, the old A&M CD of PASSAGE is the brighter of those two, about even with the appearances on the Japan Single Box and the SWEET MEMORY set.

Harry

 

[Charlie D]

It's never appeared on a US compilation, but has been on two main editions of PASSAGE. If my ears are any judge, the old A&M CD of PASSAGE is the brighter of those two, about even with the appearances on the Japan Single Box and the SWEET MEMORY set.

Harry

You mean the CD before the remaster ones in the late 90s?

 

[ullalume]

You. . .which I think could be one of their best with an overhaul.

Want You Back. . .Bring her vocal WAY more upfront and I think it would anchor what to me is a very catchy song

And if remix could mean re-moval. . .can the choir in Now, Make Believe, You're Enough and At The End of a Song.

 

[Harry]

You mean the CD before the remaster ones in the late 90s?

Yes. The original A&M CD issued in the '80s. (CD 3199)

Harry

 

[GaryAlan]

I finished listening to disc two of Christmas With the Carpenters, which ends with
Ave Maria--the mix with Choir.
It is my fervent wish that the choir be removed from this song, and the original 1978 mix
be the only mix extant. A remixed remix, I suppose.
There are a few other remix wishes--however, this is my primary request.

 

[Charlie D]

You. . .which I think could be one of their best with an overhaul.

Want You Back. . .Bring her vocal WAY more upfront and I think it would anchor what to me is a very catchy song

And if remix could mean re-moval. . .can the choir in Now, Make Believe, You're Enough and At The End of a Song.

Ah, yes, Want You Back! How could
I forget! It really is a fun, catchy song but she sounds so muffled and in back. You're right, that with an up close lead could make it come alive.

 

[ullalume]

I finished listening to disc two of Christmas With the Carpenters, which ends with
Ave Maria--the mix with Choir.
It is my fervent wish that the choir be removed from this song, and the original 1978 mix
be the only mix extant. A remixed remix, I suppose.
There are a few other remix wishes--however, this is my primary request.

My first experience of Ave Maria was with the choir, on the special edition. Maybe that's the reason I prefer this version.

 

[BarryT60]

Now - No choir.
At The End Of A Song - No choir or girl back-up
possibly YOU. I love that song... but the tin sounding guitar solo never thrilled me. I'd like for Richard to take that one from the ground up and re--work it... The melody and Karen's vocals are lovely though.
and just for fun, I Just Fall In Love Again with more of a bombastic back beat, a la Barry Manilow style reverb and heavier snare blast on the choruses... just to see how that works... I love the original as is though... Really one of my all-time favorites...

 

[BarryT60]

You. . .which I think could be one of their best with an overhaul.

Want You Back. . .Bring her vocal WAY more upfront and I think it would anchor what to me is a very catchy song

And if remix could mean re-moval. . .can the choir in Now, Make Believe, You're Enough and At The End of a Song.

I forgot Make Believe It's Your First Time (from VOTH) without the choir.... Good call!!!

 

[newvillefan]

Definitely 'You'. Imagine it all spruced up along the lines of the 'Road Ode' remix....new bass, piano, drums and re-EQ'd to lift the backing vocals and make the whole thing sound crystal clear and sharper.

 

[LondonRobert]

It's never appeared on a US compilation, but has been on two main editions of PASSAGE. If my ears are any judge, the old A&M CD of PASSAGE is the brighter of those two, about even with the appearances on the Japan Single Box and the SWEET MEMORY set.

Harry

Yes, the cd i have as part of the carpenters collection British box set is much brighter than the remastered classics version. Especially on Bwana.
I much prefer the brighter sound. I remember someone saying that Richard wanted to have a sort of 'mono' sound and therefore made it quite dark, but to me it sounds muffled.

 

[Harry]

Correct. That British COLLECTION version *should* be the same as the old A&M, but since "Calling Occupants..." was updated on that disc, I wasn't sure without giving it a listen.

Harry

 

[LondonRobert]

You are right Harry, I did my own disc and included all the tracks from that box set cd, except i used the non intro version of argentina from UK treasures - except i forgot it is the remix of occupants on it. I don't mind too much, although I keep meaning to do a new disc and use the non remix version.
Occupants was played on bbc radio 2 the other morning and it was the remix - that reverb can just be a bit too much sometimes!

 

[theninjarabbit]

Their entire catalog is fantastic the way it stands, from album versions to remakes in the 80s-90s. That much I know.

If there's any song I'd have to pick for a remix, it's "California Dreamin'". I like the demo-with-added-strings version for what it is (and Karen at 17 ), but I can picture the Carpenters' overdubbed harmonies working perfectly for the selection had they redone it.

 

[ScottyB]

When the Love album by The Beatles came out, it was a truly magical mix of lots of their songs, from all points in their career,
and it sounded new. Something like this should be done with the Carpenters music. I'll bet that would be magic!

 

[motownboy]

Not so much a remix, but I would love it if Richard would use Karen's solo vocals and record more intimate arrangements with just piano or guitars or a string quartet. Perhaps if there were alternate vocal takes...That I would love!!

 

[WYBIMLA]

I feel like more artists from decades ago with the technology that they had at the time received a "remastered" edition later, but not remixed instruments that are doing the same thing as the original. Is this type of remix unique to Carpenters?

Off the top of my head I can't think of someone else who's had that done... they might just do an upgraded version with a new vocal too, but not upgrade the quality of accompaniment in the manner we're referring to.

Remix can also mean really switching up the instrumentation and possibly the style too, but definitely not in the case of Carpenters.
Carpenters remixes are like a watered down way of describing what a remix is, but categorically I guess that's what it is.

Richard's later remixes are interesting in that audibly you can hear the difference and improvement of quality better fitting for current times, but musically it's not doing anything remarkably different.
Just better quality is all RC was ever after and I'm not complaining....
Overall, fans got a pretty good deal for the remixes that we do have.
I like it, but also recognize that it doesn't always add very much new.
I guess that's not exactly it's purpose.

These days I say to myself "Yea, remix would be great for some of the ones Richard didn't do, but it's still going to end up being pretty well the exact same thing." So, I might turn up the volume a bit and listen more carefully next time. I don't play with EQ very much, but I suppose I could do that too.

Is it safe to say fans don't care too much for a remix on Richard's lead vocals?
I guess that's why "Get together" wasn't considered... which would be interesting to hear it without that wavy effect on it.

Imagine a remix for "Sometimes"... well that one would be pretty pointless... Lol
That's what I'm talking about though... It would be basically the same. For the most part it's all the same.
Idk maybe with an e-piano "Sometimes" would sound a bit different, but probably that would be weird at this point.

Out of curiosity does anyone know what Richard's remix process entails?
I only assume for the most part Richard and other musicians are replicating the original.
As for the vocals what is he doing there to make it sound better? I wonder if he improves all the stacked vocals individually?
Must take time. It's effective. Like on "Guder" and "Road ode". Love that more completed ending for "Road ode" on the remix.

Like on "Baby it's you" the lead vocal seems really cleaned up from the Treasures remixes.
I like the Treasures remix of "Maybe it's you" too, but that's the only place it appeared like that... I think.
"Crystal lullaby" is quite nicely re-mixed too. He centres the vocals. Just like he did with "One love" remix from "By request" compilation.
I'm very curious about why this decisions was made to centre it.
Interesting...

Also, I'm weary of the fact that some re-mixes actually haven't worked as well.

On the Treasures CD Richard remixed "I can't make music" too... but it sounds like Karen's singing down a vacant hallway. So, much reverb, and everything else sounds the exact same.

I also prefer the original "I need to be in love".
Perhaps "Hurting" falls into the same thing too ever so slightly.
The remix overtook from Karen's delivery somehow.

For the most part the remixes of the hits/singles were done very well. Which is important that they got done for legacy preservation. I don't have anything bad to say about that. The rest are definitely more enticing for the fans of course.

I'd say the "Bacharach medley" would be interesting if it was a bit cleaned up, but they at least got a chance to re-record some of that for "Music, music, music" and also there's a wonderful live recording of that from the "Readers digest" CDs.

It's safe to say... by the time of Horizon... those songs were produced so well in '75 that they don't require a remix...
That's funny to me how great that album sounds, but then the following album doesn't compare in quality.
How did that work out that way??

I heard the remix for "Hush" on the 35th anniversary compilation and it doesn't sound that different at all from the original to me. Idk the difference is very faint.

I agree "You" would sound fantastic with a remix treatment. There remains some early synth I think buried in there. Something in there is dated. Is it just me? The piano could sound so much better than it does.

"Sandy" too could be improved (mostly that creaky guitar in the intro), but the '98 version is nice too I guess.

"Boat to sail" really peaks my interest as a remix. So underrated and one of Karen's most uniquely interpreted readings of her career. It's a fascinating listen in my opinion. I still have no idea what she says during the fade out. "teh shadows by" or "to shallows bay" ... shallowsbi... Idk Lol

"B'Wana" would interest me too... but like "Masquerade" and "Kind of hush" and "Postman"... I don't think this one would offer very much difference.
If I got to hear "B'Wana" with ONE Karen vocal track that would be very interesting to me!
I listened to it the other day and I couldn't figure out why it had to be doubled... but I'm also blown away with Karen's precision in doubling her lead! THAT is not easy to do by any stretch. She nails it, but doesn't necessarily need to be doubled for that song.

One of my big ones for remix would be "(Want you) Back in my life again". Hands down.
Possibly lose the doubled lead. Oscillate between them if you must, but keep it as one vocal and bring it on up! Bring it up!

More intimate accompaniment for "Somebody's been lyin" would be extremely pleasant as well.

Does anyone else hear the "Chirppy" sound in "Now"? Otherwise I wouldn't touch it at all.
Minor details for some of these.

I wouldn't mind hearing "Honolulu city lights" in a more intimate way, and that's probably only because I heard the "unsweetened" version.
I wonder how it would have sounded if it were finished during it's time. We'll never know.

"Rainbow connection" although I'm used to how it sounds now... maybe with a bit lowered volume on the backing vocals would be the only thing to change.

I like "Without a song", but I like the interpretations mix better than the additional reverb and centering on "As time goes by". I guess it makes sense to centre it, but nothing quite beats feeling more surrounded by those wonderful harmonies.

The only other thing I would critique about any of it is the use of choral voices used on the posthumous albums, but that's not a whole remix issue that's just quite simply leaving a few things out is all. Yet, at times (maybe cause I'm used to it) it works. For example, I think the choir on "Two lives" works quite nicely. It must be the way it's mixed. Almost ambient, and you can really make out Karen's voice through it. One of those let's light a candle and sway it back and fourth songs. Could have done well in a live setting with an audience joining in.

Oh, and if anyone knows where to find the remix for "Another song" I'd be interested in hearing it once more. That's a real rarity.

 

[WYBIMLA]

Btw, I was just looking at the Alphabetical song listing from this site to reference more info about the remixing.
All I can say is it's interesting, and clearly much more has been done that what I initially expected!
I still don't know how the backing vocals were processed. If it was in bulk or one at a time. And also why some songs vocals were all centred.

Also, there were some songs that were listed as having alterations that I didn't even know existed. I didn't know there was a time "Kiss me" had a thumping sound. I find that rather hilarious for some reason.

Every song has it's story. Fascinating reading from what I did look at.

SACD looks like it would be a great experience. I've nvr gotten the chance.

Some of it seems like very minute differences from slight altering of phrases, breathe, and mouth sounds.
That's more interesting to me. The altered vocals. Idk what that says about me, but it's true.
I think most notably "Maybe it's you", "Goodbye to love" and "I believe you" (for the replacement of alternate takes) from my recollection of the reading.

You're typical difference is the reverb. Big deal. Lol

I remember I ordered "Carpenters collected" and this compilation contained all the original recordings...
I thought for a recent compilation from 2013... that takes away from all that remixing work does it not?
Why switch back and fourth? Make up your mind.

Some of these songs have like five different remixes. I guess if you wanted now you can pick and choose any stage these songs were in.
It's kind of looney. All with reason at the time, but unintentionally leaving behind useless variation.

Idk, I'm sure a lot of people don't know what they're listening to at this point. Unless you've researched it.
If there was an experiment conducted to play various remixes and see if the person could guess what year its from...
After a while, honestly, I wouldn't have a clue. XD If it's not that blatant then what's the point?
That would be an interesting game to play!
I don't know how great my ears are to distinguish all the different qualities of the remixes. And who's to say what's better or the definitive version? It's just very interesting.

 

[newvillefan]

On the Treasures CD Richard remixed "I can't make music" too... but it sounds like Karen's singing down a vacant hallway. So, much reverb, and everything else sounds the exact same.

I've always thought that too...drenched in reverb!

"Boat to sail" really peaks my interest as a remix. So underrated and one of Karen's most uniquely interpreted readings of her career. It's a fascinating listen in my opinion. I still have no idea what she says during the fade out. "teh shadows by" or "to shallows bay" ... shallowsbi... Idk Lol

The line she's singing is "DeShannon's back" in reference to Jackie DeShannon's version of the song recorded in 1975

 

[WYBIMLA]

The line she's singing is "DeShannon's back" in reference to Jackie DeShannon's version of the song recorded in 1975

Oh, wow thank you for that tid bit! That makes more sense. DeShannon's back from what though? XD I've wondered for years what that doubled part was... I think it is doubled anyway. Lol It could have been something played backwards for all I knew. My "To shallows bay" must have been rather amusing.

 

[Chris May]

It's never appeared on a US compilation, but has been on two main editions of PASSAGE. If my ears are any judge, the old A&M CD of PASSAGE is the brighter of those two, about even with the appearances on the Japan Single Box and the SWEET MEMORY set.

The entire Passage album was recorded and mixed extremely sub-par in my opinion. Technology was continuing to evolve, which meant there was a lot of experimentation going on during that time. But the upper end of the EQ spectrum basically doesn't exist on the album. It's my least favorite to listen to. Now, All You Get From Love Is A Love Song I think was mixed well, but it had to be because it was being released as a single for FM radio. As for the rest of the album, most of the instrumentation got sub-grouped on the master multi-track and most of the album sounds like it was mixed in mono, with an occasional pass or musical figured popping out of the left or right channel. I've just never been impressed with that one and to this day don't know why Richard never remixed much of it. I guess AYGFLIALS already had a good mix, and Calling Occupants got a remix or two, so I supposed it's a closed book at this point.

 

[Mark-T]

I would love to hear Bwana remixed. My absolute favorite from the album!

 

[Chris May]

I would love to hear Bwana remixed. My absolute favorite from the album!

Agreed - especially given my recent critique of the overall sonic value of the album on he whole. I thought it was mixed horribly.

 

[Harry]

I agree about PASSAGE being rather "dull" sounding, but have found (and I think I mentioned this in regard to "B'wana...") that the older A&M CD of PASSAGE sounds to me just a bit crisper in the highs. Of course that CD was one of the earliest to go out of print, so it could be tricky to find.

It's CD 3199/DX 787, and has the AM+ logo on it. I would imagine that an early Japanese pressing might also have this brighter EQ.

Harry