Which version of "MBIYFT" do you prefer?

Which version of "Make Believe It's Your First Time" do you prefer

  • Richard's VOICE OF THE HEART version

    Votes: 9 25.0%
  • Phil's Solo album version

    Votes: 27 75.0%

  • Total voters
    36
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Charlie D

Active Member
I know the majority favors Karen's version more with the simple, haunting piano and her more vulnerable performance. But I'm curious to see if anyone prefers Richard's overall treatment with the song. Some think it's too sweet and the choir ruins the intimacy, but then I've also heard that they like Karen's vocals here more and the new bridge adds much to it.

I love the original more because of that haunting intimacy but I do like her second performance and the added bridge on the newer one.
 
The Voice Of The Heart version is superior: Karen's vocals are richer & deeper,and the electric piano & flute combination creates a more intimate opening to the song.

The spare arrangement on the solo version works better in theory-and the VOTH version would've been much more appealing without the steel guitar and chorale embellishments.

But,Richard's production wins hands-down.I think the solo version was Karen's attempt at doing an Olivia Newton-John impersonation.
 
Solo version. I'd equate this to comparing Carpenters' and Anne Murray's "I Just Fall In Love Again". The songs are about intimate, private moments. All the extra embellishments, like the chorale and the overly loud flute in the VOTH arrangement of MB, distract from that. Karen's voice probably is "richer", as in more technically polished with more bottom-end, on VOTH, but that isn't necessarily an improvement to my ears...the vocals feel a bit distant from the lyrics, less emotionally connected, and that's needed to make the listener care. All just one person's opinion.

I tend to feel like something's missing on the solo track because I grew so accustomed to the bridge, but overall, I think Karen/Phil better fully realized the moment imagined in the song. It may be that Richard's arrangement is different primarily because he didn't want to copy what they did.
 
[I've added a poll to the thread. If you've already responded, go back and vote.]
 
Solo version. I'd equate this to comparing Carpenters' and Anne Murray's "I Just Fall In Love Again". The songs are about intimate, private moments. All the extra embellishments, like the chorale and the overly loud flute in the VOTH arrangement of MB, distract from that. Karen's voice probably is "richer", as in more technically polished with more bottom-end, on VOTH, but that isn't necessarily an improvement to my ears...the vocals feel a bit distant from the lyrics, less emotionally connected, and that's needed to make the listener care. All just one person's opinion.

I tend to feel like something's missing on the solo track because I grew so accustomed to the bridge, but overall, I think Karen/Phil better fully realized the moment imagined in the song. It may be that Richard's arrangement is different primarily because he didn't want to copy what they did.

Interestingly, I love what Richard did with "I Just Fall In Love Again". It makes the song feel sweeping and epic, almost. It matches the joy that Karen is singing about in this heightened state of euphoria, and her passionate vocals match it perfectly.

I love the solo version of Make Believe and have a fondness for the Carpenters one, and it's interesting to compare her vocal performances on both. I think if the chorale wasn't there then a lot more people would like it.
 
It's impossible to choose, same song, but the outcome is so different, it's like having two original songs. Karen is recorded in a far superior and technical level when working with Richard. But the recording with Phil has a magic that is somehow missing from her work with Richard. I love both of the recordings for different reasons. If Richard were to release his version without the choir, that would win my vote.
 
I love Karen's Solo version the best. I love the Carpenters version, and parts of it better. The lower key and the bridge are pluses for the Carpenters, but the Choir ruins the song. Karen's solo with the piano is so intimate and you feel like you are alone with her. And considering what the song is about I'd prefer to be alone with one other than have a choir barge in. My opinion only and I do listen to both versions. I agree with Chris Mills. If Richard's version didn't have the choir it would win my vote. But it did so Karen's solo version wins.
 
Interestingly, I love what Richard did with "I Just Fall In Love Again". It makes the song feel sweeping and epic, almost. It matches the joy that Karen is singing about in this heightened state of euphoria, and her passionate vocals match it perfectly.

I can definitely see that (and I am a fan of production...love Phil Spector, love Abba). I'd love what the C's did with "I Just Fall" if they'd stopped before the choir comes in at the last chorus. For me, that's just one step too far. But hey, I'm glad it's there for you to enjoy.
 
The solo version is superior. As many others have said, the VOTH choir ruined it for me, and I thought the arrangement was a bit overblown - especially when hearing Ordinary Fool on the same album; less was called for on this song - I love the arrangement and simplicity of the solo version.
 
Thought it over and decided it's a tie. Both are beautiful - the solo for it's simplicity and Karen's amazingly intimate reading. The other is wonderful for Richard's production and vision of what it could be. I'm also not a fan of the chorale sound and would have preferred Richard's backing vocals. All in all, it's a beautiful song and both productions are amazing.

I think it's a rare privilege to pick between two versions of one song sung by Karen. There were two versions of Top of the World. What else?
 
I'm in the minority here as well but I prefer the Richard-produced version. Whichever version you go for, it's just not that strong a song and definitely not single material. Nice enough melody and Karen turns in a great performance on both versions but as I've said before, Karen seems to be ahead of herself (and the piano) towards the end of the solo version, as if she's in a hurry to finish the song. Some people have said it would have made a good single had the solo album been released. I disagree - it's so quiet with the sparse backing and Karen's whispered lead that it would have had people reaching to turn the volume up or the station over.

The strings on the Richard-produced version are just sublime but the choir turns it into elevator music. What does it for me is Karen's vocal - it's just that bit richer.
 
There were two versions of

Merry Christmas Darling
Ticket To Ride
 
Fascinating to read all of these interesting perspectives on this song and its two incarnations.
Here, a 'work lead', an outtake from 1980--embellished--completed-- in 1983 for inclusion on Voice of The Heart.
Interesting how this vocal (out)take from the Made In America sessions sounds so much more 'up-front' than the other
vocal offerings on that June 1981 Vinyl . (Compare the Vinyl. How can that be? Same sessions--different mixing technique ?).
The original vocal from the solo album, who knows what has been 'done' (or not) to that mix, as of 1996 or , even 1980 ?
(How would it have sounded on Vinyl--the original solo version ?)
Production-wise, I thus offer no assessment of the mixing, or technical aspects of each version--as, I have no earthly idea what was done,
or not done, to enhance either vocal. One may sound better (clearer/louder) than the other merely by virtue of 'who did what' in the mixing, etc.
The solo offering is an intimate song with an intimate arrangement.
Piano accompaniment and Karen Carpenter--that's all one ever needs.
The 1983 offering is an over-the-top production. The choir destroys it. The flute lessens the gravity of the situation expressed in the lyric.
I remember vividly the single being played on radio, as a vinyl 45, in 1983. I also remember the disappointment expressed (by DJ's)
as to Why the song was chosen as the (lead) single for Voice of The Heart.
( Too easy-listening, WDBO in Orlando played Ordinary Fool first !).
If you need a great lullaby, then the 1983 version is superior.
If you need an intimate song between lovers, then the solo version is superior.
I find it odd--in any event--that the song was chosen by Richard Carpenter to re-record during the Made In America sessions.
(NB. Apologies, a bit difficult to discuss the song without referencing the solo album.)
 
Only thing to add: the choir, here, for whatever reason, as I listen today, doesn't bother me so much. It made me think of the sublime Anita Kerr / "Living Voices" albums my parents used to play around the house.
 
I love Karen's Solo version the best. I love the Carpenters version, and parts of it better. The lower key and the bridge are pluses for the Carpenters, but the Choir ruins the song. Karen's solo with the piano is so intimate and you feel like you are alone with her. And considering what the song is about I'd prefer to be alone with one other than have a choir barge in. My opinion only and I do listen to both versions. I agree with Chris Mills. If Richard's version didn't have the choir it would win my vote. But it did so Karen's solo version wins.

Patrick, I'm in total agreement with you on all points! I love both versions for different reasons, but the solo gets the slight edge because it doesn't have the choir.

I'm also not a fan of the chorale sound and would have preferred Richard's backing vocals.

The only thing worse than the choir barging in on Karen's moment of intimacy with her lover, would have been her brother! (As Jimmy Fallon would say, Ew!) :laugh: I think the song works so much better with NO backing vocals.
 
I remember vividly the single being played on radio, as a vinyl 45, in 1983. I also remember the disappointment expressed (by DJ's)
as to Why the song was chosen as the (lead) single for Voice of The Heart.
( Too easy-listening, WDBO in Orlando played Ordinary Fool first !).

That's a really interesting anecdote GaryAlan. I agree with them - A&M would have been better to pull either 'Now' or 'Your Baby Doesn't Love You Anymore' as the first single from the album.
 
Bobby Vinton recorded a version, charting#78 in January 1980.
More background:
(from producer Jack Bielan)
"....wonderful song is all about tenderness and intimacy. I would call radio program directors throughout the country
to make sure they had gotten the record and listened to it. I also offered to send a personalized taped promo to each
station that put the record into heavy rotation. We received some wonderful responses and got Bobby back on the charts again."


Source:
Book: Flashbacks to Happiness, Randolph Michaels, 2005.
 
Pulling this song as a single at all from the VOTH album always seems to me like adding insult to injury where Karen was concerned. Shame we never got to hear her thoughts on Richard asking her to re-record it as a Carpenters song. I imagine the backing track was very sparse until it was resurrected for the 1983 album, so in its incomplete state (i.e. as she would have last heard it), it probably sounded very similar to the solo version.
 
Book: A&M Records First Twenty-Five Years, page 50,
Richard Carpenter
..." The first thing that was done was to complete the album that Karen and I
had started prior to her passing. So we just went ahead with that. Jerry (Moss) selected what he felt was
the proper artwork for it (
Voice of The Heart) and oversaw the advertising campaign.
Karen would've wanted that album out
."
 
Karen would've wanted that album out."

I always found it strange that he referred to it like that. They were only in the initial stages of working on the album. He makes it sound like it was nearly finished when she passed, when in fact he had to trawl through outtakes to find 80% of the tracks that eventually went on it.
 
Stephen, all salient points !
Exactly how much needed to be worked on with Voice of The Heart, to bring those songs to completion ? (The Choir parts ?).
Re-recording Make Believe It's Your First Time during the MIA Sessions always struck me as odd, given that there are
a number of higher notes on the tune and its lackluster chart-listing for the Bobby Vinton version--perhaps these
are reasons for its being shelved the second time around.
Richard's arrangement is reminiscent of the Vinton recording; as the solo effort, I feel, is much more independent in its arrangement.
(Had Richard also heard the Vinton release?).
It is hard to ascertain exactly how Richard Carpenter felt (feels) about the song:
(1) he had already heard the solo version,
and
(2) it registered enough to him to want to re-cut the song for MIA Sessions,
but
(3) it was then withheld from release on the 1981 album,
only to reappear
(4) in 1983, and as the lead single for the Voice of The Heart album.
But,
(5)
feels only the song 'Now' would have made a bona fide follow up to Made In America.
 
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