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Hi Everyone,

I've needed Karen's lovely voice more than usual lately since I had a near-fatal accident a week ago when some yo-yo cut me off the road and I went spinning out of control head on into a guardrail. Car was crushed and I was a little worse for wear but I am recuperating and letting the neck and back heal.

While laying and trying to relax, I'm listening to some albums and some songs are standing out to me lately that I feel I have overlooked or didn't pay as much attention to becausse I tend to play my favorite songs and albums over and over. For instance, like "Only Yesterday"--my second favorite song (behind Superstar) is one I play a dozen times in a row.

But I have been intrigued by several songs lately that I am "rediscovering" and really really appreciating more.

They are:

Eve

I Believe You

Trying to Get That Feeling Again

I was wondering what my fellow Carpenterphiles feel about these: lyrics, arrangements and of course Karen's lovely voice (as well as anything else).


Eve has really surprised me. I hadn't heard it a while and I think its a really strong song and I love Karen's voice in it. I guess it could be said the lyrics seem a bit odd for Karen to sing but its is similar to Chitaquita by ABBA I guess. I know Ticket to Ride was the single off the first album and it's tie to the Beatles surely helped that but Eve could have been a single in my opinion. I bet it falls in the category of often overlooked in the Carpenters collection.

I Believe You grows more and more on me. My first reaction was that it was a nice, average song but I think Karen's great work on this was something I missed because, in my opinion, there seems to be a lot of musical background or something with the mixing that overwhelms her voice.

Trying to Get That Feeling Again has LEAPED into my top ten! I have played this so much lately. I really really like her singing on this and cannot believe this was a one-take, simple lead and nothing more. Karen's voice is like the tides in this one..ebbs and flows...where she can be powerful and then almost hushing the lyrics. Bravo to Richard for an absolutely fantastic arrangement done on the one take she recorded!

Would love to hear your thoughts.

Gene

Eve is a very nice song. I don't like I Believe You that much because of the lyrics, I just can't "accept" them. Tryin' To Get The Feeling again really has a thing about it, it's so interesting that Richard could put together a fresh elegant arrangement to this song and heavy unnecessary ones to other outtakes like Where Do I Go From Here, You're The One, and even real Carpenters songs like those in Made In America.

NJGENE, Blimey, sorry to hear about the accident and fingers crossed (you ought to try typing like that) for a speedy, trouble free recovery.

Three wonderful tracks are mentioned there, love them all...

Tryin' to Get the Feeling sends chills up my spine. I can't believe they FORGOT that this song was even recorded. Again, Karen's vocal control and phrasing is just beyond description. Especially knowing that she cut the song only as a work lead, not as the intended recording. In fact, everything that I've ever heard from 1975 is just phenomenal. The arrangement is superb, Richard orchestrated it beautifully.

I love "I Believe You", particularly because of the context of the song. I really have grown to appreciate the "made in america" sound as an indication of the potential future of the Carpenters music. It reminds me that they spanned more than a decade in the recording studio. And, in fact, for some reason this song reminds me of being a kid, even though the lyrics have nothing to do with it. Must be the sound, since my formative years were the early-mid 1980's. Also, I love how the song kicks in with an additional verse at the end, just when you think it's done.

Eve. Well, "Ticket To Ride" is my favourite Carpenters album. I think this song is perfect for Karen's voice, as she had a way of bringing such melancholy into a lyric. Besides being a song that's worth ACTIVELY listening to, I just love how it brings us back to the earlier years, with Karen's voice still sounding so young. Again, for me, the context has made an impression on me, aside from the quality of the song.

And if we're talking about songs that need full attention and repeated playing , I would include
"Honolulu City Lights" - from the Lovelines album
"You" from A Kind of Hush
"You're the One" - from Lovelines
"Let Me Be the One" - from the Tan album
"Two Sides" - from Passage


Thanks for posting.

Linda

Personally I like Superstar,Only Yesterday,If I had You,Lovelines...and so many more.

Hope you get better soon...

I usually try to connect with each song both lyrically, vocally, and instrumentally. I'll listen to the harmonies several times to hear the resonance/dissonace in the vocal parts. It's amazing to hear and a great way to train your ear for more complex compositions.

Ughh. Yeah, I always try to hear the meter in the songs, because I'm terrible figuring out time signatures. I haven't moved on to further analysis outside of my music class though.

Have you listened to the 'original master karaoke' yet, Laura? That gives you the chance to hear everything without the lead vocal, which is interesting. You also appreciate Karen's skill even more, as you realise that in most cases there was no melody line anywhere in the accompaniment for her to follow - she provided that all by herself!

Carrie

Eve - It's alright, too much of a slow song really

I Believe You - Not the best decision to have that recorded to be honest

Trying to Get That Feeling Again - GREAT! - esp. the part of the rustling paper

Carrie!!!!! HI!!!
No, I haven't listened to the kareoke songs... our nearest music store got demolished I think it would be awesome to hear the instumental by itself. It takes true skill to be able to come in with no note in the bass/treble line to guide her...

hey, i've been wondering.....where can i get this? and will it work in a regular cd player, not just a karaoke machine? i don't really know much about karaoke, so....yeah.

Eve - I think Karen's voice is really strong and deep in this song, but I don't like the song all that much myself.

I Believe You- It's cool, but not one of my favorites.

Trying to Get That Feeling Again - AWESOME!!! I adore this song, and Karen's voice is so gorgeous in it. The page turning is cool, too.


I hope you're doing okay.
Edited by polarbear, 11 September 2006 - 12:51 PM.

HA! When I first listened to this song I was like thinking my CD was going bad... but I was wrong



I was wondering the same thing Beasty... I don't know where to go for CDs anymore Any suggestions?

I'd be surprised if you could get this version in a local music store, Laura, though it is supposed to be being re-released. The karaoke CD I'm referring to was produced by Richard, so it is the original versions of the songs, just minus Karen's lead. This means you get an instrumental version with Karen and Richard doing the backing vocals!


I got mine from someone on ebay, Jamie - I forget who, but I will look up in my ebay file and PM you. I think the seller just burned a copy from the original, but till the new official version appears it's the best option! (It says on Richard's site that it is being re-released, but I've seen no sign of it - yet - anyone know what's happening?)

Carrie

Just realised I forgot to answer the other part of your question, Jamie! I haven't got a karaoke player, so don't know what would happen if I put this copy in one, but it plays fine on my CD player. Hope that helps

Carrie