LeadSister.com Forums

All of my heroes and heroines died so young,
So much still to say, so many songs remaining unsung,
An awful twist of fate, it appears to be,
That to be a genius, a full, happy life, you will not see.

After all of these years, Karen, I will never forget you,
Hearing your wonderful music again, I feel the grief of your loss anew.
Your beautiful, rich, perfect voice - it's not surprising you are still so mourned.
From being a child, you are the only singer I have ever truly adored.

Andy Fleming
Stockton-on-Tees
County Durham
UK

Neat! (

You should introduce yourself to us . .don't be shy

Nice poem, Andy

Thanks so much for that - I'm not often moved to poetry - but all the memories of enjoying listening to the Carpenters for 33 years came flooding back after watching the BBC1 documentary. I'm just so pleased that this forum continues to promote such a classy sound. I've continued my memories here:

http://www.leadsister.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=7899

They're great memories and you should be proud

and other karen??..

mmm...

never.

Karen spirit

well...mm..her spirit yes..is close close of the people.

Shalom peeps!

Many thanks for all the replies. Only re-visiting after 1 YEAR!!! Must call back more often but moved and was off web for 6 months.

Great news - now got a CD player in my works van, so I've been listening to my Carpenters CDs, instead of the radio. The music is just so class - there isn't one of their songs I will skip through.

The really great news is that my young son (David, aged 12) LOVES the Carpenters - amazing how history repeats itself - although these days kids don't seem to be embarrassed about broadcasting the fact they like great music. In my schooldays (70s) you had to say you liked heavy metal or you were despised - it wasn't cool to be a Carpenters fan!!!

It sort of got me thinking - I've been driving round for the past few weeks listening to only two artists/composers on CD. Everything else I listen to is on Smooth Radio North East 97.5/107.7FM (plays alot of Carpenters!). They're the only two artists I'd bother messing with CDs for.... Mozart and the Carpenters. Now that tells me/you something about the quality of the Carpenters music.

It's not surprising why I like the Carpenters really. Along with "pop", I love classical music and this is probably where the Carpenters stand out when it comes to pop bands. Obviously the purity and multi-octave reach of Karen's multi-tracked voice, but also the sheer variety of classical instruments such as clarinets, oboes, saxophones etc. in their music. These were all skillfully juxtaposed with electric guitars and synthesisers to create a magical, unique sound - not in a heavy way (as in classical rock), but in a most harmonious fashion. Infact my son and I have had great fun identifying classical instruments in their tracks - a bit like Benjamin Britten's Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra!

For instance, I absolutely adore the sound of the clarinet - an instrument that features heavily in the Carpenters instrumental backing. To hear such heavy use of the instrument elsewhere in the pop genre, you'd have great difficulty. That's why one minute I could be listening to the Carpenters and the next minute listening to Sabine Meyer playing the instrument in Mozart's Clarinet Concerto.

But of course most of all - it is Karen's absolutely adorable, effortless and totally unique voice....

Kind regards all
Andy

http://www.fotolog.com/the_carpenters60

The Original Karen´s Carpenters tribute

everybody are guest!!

Karen Spirit

Forever!!!!!!!!!

did you visit my web site??

A very

nice

poem for

Karen!!!

i love it