Does anyone like The Carpenters?

[Golgo_13]

I thought Karen Carpenter had the most beautiful singing voice in the world.

I only brought it up because the Carpenters were very very popular in Japan. When I was about 11, still living in Japan, I had a classmate whose older brother had all the Carpenters' albums. That was around 1972.

I recently chatted with a Japanese fella in his 30s who told me Carpenters' song lyrics were used in English textbooks in Japanese middle school.

 

[Eve]

they are old man

 

[Gaki]

Were they the ones who sang "Why do birds suddenly appear" ?

 

[neko_girl22]

Originally posted by Gaki
Were they the ones who sang "Why do birds suddenly appear" ?

yup

and for the guy who just said "they are old man" - you will miss out on some great music by dimissing anything that is over a year old!!!

I, too, think she has a beautiful voice. I don't have any of their CD's at the moment, but one day I might pick up a Greatest Hits CD.

 

[Gaki]

Ah i thought so, i think maybe that's the only song i know of theirs. (because it was in Simpsons )
It's a classic and timeless song.

Not too sure but did the woman from Carpenters do a song with Elton John also ?
I think it was "Dont go breaking my heart" ?

 

[Golgo_13]

Originally posted by Gaki
Were they the ones who sang "Why do birds suddenly appear" ?

I'm not sure which songs were used but I'm sure they used the most popular ones like "Close to You", which you mentioned or "Sing a Song" or "Top of the World." This was in the late '70s or early '80s in Japan.

Were they popular in UK as well?

 

[Gaki]

I'm not too sure whether they were popular in the UK or not because i was born in the 80s =P

Since i've heard of them and a few songs i'm guessing they musta been pretty popular in UK.

 

[Old School]

Originally posted by nzueda
and for the guy who just said "they are old man" - you will miss out on some great music by dimissing anything that is over a year old!!!

Thank you!! (those dang kids...)

Originally posted by Gaki
Not too sure but did the woman from Carpenters do a song with Elton John also ?
I think it was "Dont go breaking my heart" ?

Nope, that was Kiki doing the duet with Elton.

The Carpenters are a karaoke favourite in Japan.

<start tasteless joke>Now, if there was only a way to go back in time and take that tuna sandwich away from Mama Cass and given it to Karen Carpenter - we could've saved two lives!!<end tasteless joke>

Only the older people will get this one.

 

[Golgo_13]

Originally posted by nzueda
yup

and for the guy who just said "they are old man" - you will miss out on some great music by dimissing anything that is over a year old!!!

I, too, think she has a beautiful voice. I don't have any of their CD's at the moment, but one day I might pick up a Greatest Hits CD.

Ueda-san no Okusan,

That guy who said that is named "Eve".

I recommend their "Love Songs" CD. It's like a greatest hits CD but better selection of songs IMO.

 

[Golgo_13]

Originally posted by Old School
Thank you!! (those dang kids...)

Nope, that was Kiki doing the duet with Elton.
The Carpenters are a karaoke favourite in Japan.

<start tasteless joke>Now, if there was only a way to go back in time and take that tuna sandwich away from Mama Cass and given it to Karen Carpenter - we could've saved two lives!!<end tasteless joke>

Only the older people will get this one.

That's awful but funny. Karen, we're sorry!

Was it Kiki Dee?

Carpenter tunes are sometimes used as background music in Japanese doramas. Recently, however, I was perturbed while watching a J-dorama. The story was about a stalker/murderer, and at the moment when the stalker was about to attack, "I Need to be in Love" by the Carpenters was played. It was an awful choice. I blamed myself for watching a show about a stalker.

 

[Old School]

Originally posted by Golgo_13
Was it Kiki Dee?

Yep.I don't think she did anything else that charted. Not even sure if she's still alive.

 

[Thomas Quinton]

Being a big hard rock fan i couldn't admit that i liked The Carpenters, but now i don't care. Very soothing, and sometimes when i want to relax, i listen to them.

 

[Glenn]

Older, eh?

Originally posted by Old School
<start tasteless joke>Now, if there was only a way to go back in time and take that tuna sandwich away from Mama Cass and given it to Karen Carpenter - we could've saved two lives!!<end tasteless joke>

Only the older people will get this one.

Well, it is a tasteless joke, but funny nonetheless. I am curious though, how do you define "older"? I don't consider myself that way, but I understand what you are talking about. That's all I need now, is to be considered "older".

 

[Golgo_13]

There are now laws in place to prevent discrimination against those aged 40 and older.

I'm in that category!

 

[03SiRyN]

Did Karen Carpenter ever do a Christmas CD? Cause if that's the voice I'm thinking about.. then OH MY GOD I LOVE HER! My mom always listened to that and I grew up with all the 'oldies' playing in my head. My parents still have some old records I bust out once in awhile...
I like listening to the oldies....it just seems like the music was there to make you feel good inside.

But yes, even though I'm only 21... I do think the Carpenters are really cool.

 

[kirei_na_me]

I have not quite come to the point of appreciating The Carpenters yet. I am not sure if I ever will. I do know that almost anyone Japanese and around my husband's age(35) or older loves them.

I grew up listening to The Allman Brothers, Steve Miller Band, Led Zeppelin, Bad Company, Bob Seger, etc. I don't think my parents would've ever put on a Carpenters ablum.

Never know, though, because my taste is so random and diverse, they might find their way into my collection one of these days.

 

[Golgo_13]

Originally posted by 03SiRyN
Did Karen Carpenter ever do a Christmas CD? Cause if that's the voice I'm thinking about.. then OH MY GOD I LOVE HER! My mom always listened to that and I grew up with all the 'oldies' playing in my head. My parents still have some old records I bust out once in awhile...
I like listening to the oldies....it just seems like the music was there to make you feel good inside.

But yes, even though I'm only 21... I do think the Carpenters are really cool.

Yes, The Carpenters did in fact do a Xmas album once. There was a song that went "Merry Christmas darling . . ."

Overall, I think the 1970s were a great decade. Some great music in that era .

But then again, back in those days when I was a kid, "older" people were listening to '50s music, and no one my age ever liked it.

 

[Old School]

You don't have to be a certain age to like music from a particular era. I've heard this phrase too many times: "that was before my time, dude". Well, people that listen to classical music aren't over 200 years old are they? It just seems that a lot of today's generation only know of what they see on EmptyV and don't bother to go in search of anything beyond that.

I also belong to a guitarist forum and thankfully, quite a few of the younger members there (15-21) actually realize that the music being released by the record companies nowadays is pure crap (Blink 182, White Stripes, etc.). so they ask the older members for musical suggestions.

I was lucky enough in my younger days to have a music loving older brother who shared his catalogue with me and took me to concerts. My first gig was Led Zeppelin/Rick Derringer/ Judas Priest - beat that!

Anyway, before this thread goes too far off on a tangent, back to the Carpenters. In case anybody didn't get it, Karen unfortunately died of anorexia - she starved herself to death. A tragedy indeed. She had a great solid midrange which is sorely missed today, what's with the Britneys and Christinas and Hamasuckys that pollute the airwaves. And Karen could play drums too!

 

[Golgo_13]

We wanted to avoid talking about Karen's illness because it was so sad, and try to focus only on her singing.

"Led Zeppelin/Rick Derringer/ Judas Priest - beat that! "

How about "We're an American Band" by the Grand Funk Railroad?

From 1973

That song really rocked!

 

[Rachel]

The CARPENTERS !!!
AAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH !!!!!

70's HELL May Ozzy have mercy on are souls.

Ps. They were big in the uk as well.

 

[Golgo_13]

In the 2030s kids then will be saying the same thing about the music you like today.

 

[Golgo_13]

Just to show how popular they still are in Japan, I recently saw a J-dorama titled "Beginners", a story about new attorneys in training. "There's a Kind of Hush" and "Top of the World" by the Carpenters were used as theme songs for the show.

 

[deborah gormley]

Ahhh the carpenters, although I"m sooo young I listened to there music for years(including 50's/60's/70's) I worked with 4 aunties when I was 14-19 years of age (how long ago???, hahaha I"m not telling) Karen had a beautiful voice and If remember correctly!! her brother was pretty handsome!! they will be noted in the history books for both their music and their tragedy!!!

 

[Hachiko]

My parents, especially my mom, are Carpenters fans. I like the music, but it's in the diminutive.

 

[lexico]

I thought Karen Carpenter had the most beautiful singing voice in the world.

Heavenly, and there will be no other. I'm glad she's popular in Japan today. I'd say the Japanese have a discerning ear for that alone!
They had her "It's yesterday once more" on the radio that day.