That's middle of the road, people.
Anyway, this morning after a particularly testing hour or so I found myself singing this song (but not in Japanese). It took me ages to work out what it was...Sound of Music...New Seekers...? In the end I had to resort to searching on google! And then I saw her...the lovely Karen...how could I have forgotten? (Excuse the poor quality video...I think it's worth it for the unusual-combination factor though.)
I loved the Carpenters as a kid (and in fact she was very much in my list of favourite singers through the ages - back here). And listen to her voice...even on this crappy clip it sounds like perfection (hard to live up to, evidently). Apparently (if wikiwhatsit is to be believed) 'Sing' was written for the TV show 'Sesame Street' by Joe Raposo before the Carpenters turned it into a hit in 1973 (all the details here). I never watched 'Sesame Street' but I did love the Carpenters (especially 'Yesterday once more').
I have lots of other things flying about my head but that will do for now, I think.
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22 comments:
It is amazing how much from our past becomes hard to live up to, don't you think?
A case of one yesterday once more too far, Dave?
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To use words I don't use:
Karen Carpenter = Cool
Sting = Uncool
It's easy. :)
i'm totally with deemikay on the above. but if it's mor you're after try this bad boy on for size.
it is safe for work, tho you may not want it to be
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bKAPVpA46o
cheese-tastic!
Ah yes, but look, D, you used them! Best not to...
Plus, she (sadly) took the die-young option...and that tends to preserve cool so much more effectively. I am trying to get off the Sting subject...but he was cool in his younger days (as Dick pointed out in the last post..Sting has experienced the full spectrum of public opinion!).
Now back to Karen...
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Oh Swiss! I remember watching that on TV! It was our ABBA-lite...an amazing concept in itself (and ABBA are Carpenters-lite anyway...).
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I'd say "hmmm" to Sting being cool in his young days... he was seen by lots of folk as old-jazz-git-jumping-on-punk/new-wave-bandwagon back in 1978. But I said I'd step down from the soap box, didn't I? ;)
Yes, leave him now ( I said 'leave it!'). I think you've well and truly stomped all over him now.
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Well chastised. :)
And I love Karen Carpenter. But I like the Hollies as well, and none of them died young. I grew up listening to Radio 2 belting through the house - I know all my easy listening.
It was the fact that she played the drums that got me. Could never quite figure that out. Can't say I've ever hear a voice like that since mind. You would think, wouldn't you, with 6 billion people on the planet that someone would have a voice like that.
I've never much listened to the Hollies. You may have to post some, D.
And you're exactly right about her voice, Jim. As for the drums...they were White Stripes in a not-very-parallel-at-all parallel universe perhaps. Or maybe not...
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Nah, more the Velvets. Mo Tucker and her one drum beat! but Karen was a much better singer...
I never really had a Velvet Underground phase (though I did know one person who wouldn't listen to any other band...for years!). Maybe that phase is yet to come...
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If you ever do... skip the first album, *completely* ignore the second album and go straight for their third. It's, well, the nicest. :)
(Their second album is only for aural masochists... like me.)
I had the brown-covered "The Singles" album (and played it to death).
I liked to sing, "Top Of the World", but it was "Goodbye To Love" that broke my heart everytime I heard it.
I don't have any Carpenters in my collection at the moment. I'll have to do something about that.
Kat
Yes Kat...we will lead the world back to Karen!
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I always thought she had the best female voice ever! [Yes Barbra Streisand, I said it out loud!] Jim's right, never heard another soul who sang like she did. I can still remember the boy's name she brought to mind singing, "Close to You".
Some singers you expect to flame out and drift away. Never in a million years would I have suspected her candle would flicker out so quickly. And just when she'd finally gotten the anorexia under control, her too tired body gave up.
But she left us that voice. And so many songs. Thanks! If I've got to have an earworm, I'll take Karen's voice over ABBA any day. :)
Yes, ABBA music is quite a... phenomenon but it's not music from childhood that I am particularly desperate to rediscover! Can't get away from it though. Will it be around us our whole lives? It looks that way right now.
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Whenever I hear the opening lines of 'We've only just begun' I weep. That melody gets me every time. What a voice. There will never be anyone like her!
Seems like KC is one thing we all have in common (so far anyway...and, oh god, now I'll be getting KC and Sunshine Band links posted...). I was thinking about 'Sing' again today though...how it just turned up in my head when I haven't consciously heard it for years and years. There is so much stuff stored away in our heads...it's no wonder we're all mad. Which reminds me of this Charles Manson quote that I found the other day when I was looking for something else:
“You know, a long time ago being crazy meant something. Nowadays everybody's crazy.”
Tis true.
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ahhh good old Karen, yes not another voice like hers.
I think I remember you mentioning her back when I posted about singers, Sorlil (way back in May 08!).
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