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I was the high bidder today on the Karen Carpenter solo CD HOORAY! .... Not that I am excited about getting it or anything . I will now have 4 Carpenters CD's (after starting to buy their CD's all my Carpenters music was all on Vinyl) I now have the double CD Carpenters Gold, Christmas Portrait, Horizon (when it gets here, I ordered it from Amazon.com over a week ago) & now Karen's solo CD. I am really anxious to hear this, as all of Karen I have heard was with Richard.

It's an album which isn't as catchy as a usual Carpenters album. It take some time to get used to the songs. Once you let go of the fact that you still miss the fancy layerd harmonies so now and then, it's okay

I prefer Lovelines over her solo album. Lovelines is a nice mix, some solo some carpenters stuff.

That's true in some ways. For example, I remember loving the remix of 'My Body Keeps Changing My Mind' that came out before the original solo album version, and then when I heard Phil's mix, I didn't like that so much at all. The only thing that was more interesting about the solo version was that Phil's mix allowed us to hear the line 'when it comes to dancing', where Karen sings in the airy fairy high key, just before the middle section. Richard's remix overdubbed it with her take from the first chorus, so we didnt' really hear it.

The remixes Richard did of 'Lovelines' and 'If I Had You' were also better IMHO.

Where can you find the "My Body Keeps Changing My Mind" mix that was release before the one on the album, because i think the only that i have heard is the one on the album? Also i must be going crazy but i listened to a little tidbit of Lovelines (i did this also with If I Had You) both on her solo album and the one on the "Lovelines" album and they seem the same...unless i didn't listen to enough of each one....i just checked
Edited by KC#1fan, 16 July 2008 - 05:03 PM.

My Body Keeps Changing My Mind - remix of a previously unreleased solo song: From The Top Box Set (1990)
My Body Keeps Changing My Mind - original mix released: 'Karen Carpenter' (1996)

Lovelines - remix of a previously unreleased solo song: 'Lovelines' (4m30s - released 1989)
Lovelines - original mix released: 'Karen Carpenter' (1996)

Listen to the two versions of each song back to back. The opening is chopped down on the remix, and the vocals are completely remixed. On the original version, Karen's lead is almost buried in the mix behind the backing vocals.

And don't even get me started on the remix of 'If I Had You'

Ooh... I didn't even realise that the From The Top version of 'My Body Keeps Changing My Mind' was different, I'll have to go listen! I agree about 'If I Had You', the remix is amazing. It's an amazing song, so both versions sound brilliant, but I love what Richard did with it. How come he used parts of different takes though? Karen's voice sounds stronger on some of the bits he used so I wonder why they didn't use those to begin with for the solo album? Off to listen again cos I've forgotten and don't really know what I'm talking about
But I do prefer the original solo 'Make Believe It's Your First Time' to the Carpenters version..

It's only the beginning of 'If I Had You' that's a different take, isn't it? I love this song so much!

Sara x
Edited by Sara x, 16 July 2008 - 07:05 PM.

I don't know if Richard used different vocal takes for the remix but the fact is that the vocals on the solo mix and on his remix are completely different (at least the lead vocal, can't remember the backing vocals).



No, as far as I remember without listening to them, the remixed version feature an ALTERNATIVE vocal take (or takes) for the whole song. The original mix is sung by Karen in a higher key than the remix.

I Take the second one, seeing my sister dancing and singing along that song is pretty nice and funny

Karen's solo album can be a shock to peple used to the old "Carpenters" sound....especially the words and the sexual content of some of the songs. But at the same time...Karen was a grown woman and why shouldn't she have had these kind of thoughts?? The songs are all a window into her psyche.....she picked the songs she wanted to record. No one forced her to sing the songs. She was trying to break out of that image of being a "goody-goody". She sang every song very well.....every song different and unique....as Karen could only do!!!!

Cheryl

Yeah. From the very opening drums, they are much 'wetter' than the original dry mix.




Oh . No, there's another alternate vocal take used after the sax solo, 'if you'd take my hand I'd show you just how love could be so right'...Karen holds the last word longer on Richard's version. Add to that the deleted bass, replaced by Joe Osborne



See above

That's why I love her album so much, she was able to do lots of things and very well!!!!.......The first time I heard it as I should have done it....I just loved it!!!!!!.....And My body keeps changing my mind rocks!!!!......I adore it

I had no idea there were so many versions of their songs. And although the solo CD I have coming may be different from the Carpenters style, I had always thought that with a rich a voice as Karen had she could have sang anything. And as much as I loved all the Carpenters songs with Richard's arrangements, it was Karen's voice that kept me coming back.

And I'm really sure, u will enjoy it!!!!!.....It's such a good an amazing cd!!!...And yeah!!! Richard does an excellent job in his area but Karen has a special magic that's able to transform anything ......

She sings mainly in a higher key than usual, so on some tracks, her voice doesn't sound as rich.. but it's still beautiful.
OMG, he replaced the bass with Joe Osbourne? I need to listen to it again!
The whole song, the remix, does sound very different to the original.. it's more noticable than the remix of the song 'Lovelines', or 'My Body Keeps Changing My Mind'.

Sara x

What do you mean "see above"?? The track If I had you from the solo cd and the track If I had you from Lovelines feature DIFFERENT LEAD TAKES. And I'm not saying in some parts of the song, I'm saying in the WHOLE SONG.