Carpenters - Song for You
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Music CD Cover
Artist: CarpentersEdition: Music CD
Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
CD Release Date: 1999-01-12
Music Label: A&M
Soundtracks:
- A Song For You
- Top Of The World
- Hurting Each Other
- It's Going To Take Some Time
- Goodbye To Love
- Intermission
- Bless The Beasts And Children
- Flat Baroque
- Piano Picker
- I Won't Last A Day Without You
- Crystal Lullaby
- Road Ode
- A Song For You (Reprise)
Free Music Notes for Song for You
Free Music Review: Karen and Richard Carpenter's masterpiece
Hit: 5 Stars
By 1972,siblings Richard and Karen Carpenter were arguably the biggest pop stars in america,if not the world.As the pop duo known as The Carpenters,the two kids from Downey,California(by way of Conneticutt)were riding the charts high with number one and top 5 singles,and Three gold selling albums already under their belt.However,in spite of this success,Richard and karen were not satisfied.Richard in particular felt that the emphasis on their growing touring schedule and TV appearances were starting to overshadow what he felt should be the meat and potatoes;the material,namely albums.Always perfectionists,the duo always felt that they could do better than the last effort,and if given the time,they could do a truely great album.While sucessfull,the albums "Ticket to Ride","Close to You",and "Carpenters" all were more or less slapped togrther at the behest of A&M to push the singles.All had great songs,all are highly listenable,but they were not something you could hold up next to,say,Beach Boys "Pet Sounds" The Beatles'"Revolver" or Elton John's "Tumbleweed Connection" as concise musical statements that could stand on their own as a complete body of work.So,in 1971 Richard and Karen took time away from their hectic touring schedule to begin work on what would become "A Song For You". The album begins with the title track,written by Leon Russell.The great arrangement by Richard and the haunting vocal delivery by Karen make it the best track on the record that,suprisingly was NOT issued as a single.If it had,it would have been a hit.The lyric "When my life is over,remember when we were together.we were alone and I was singing this song for you" as delivered by Karen here holds a sad double meaning in light of the tragic events of a decade later(driven home by the fact it was used at the closing of the 1989 CBS tv movie "The Karen Carpenter Story" as Karen,played by Cynthia Gibb, walks up the stairs to her room for the last time).The next song from the album is "Top of the World",which became the album's first hit single. Richard released it in a different mix than here.For,some reason I prefer this version,yet I can't put my finger on why.The positive,airy lyrics and upbeat arrangement make it the most upbeat of the album overall.Also,you know it by heart by now,which makes singing along to it easy. Next is yet another hit single "Hurting Each Other",starting with Karen's haunting starting delivery building to a great courus and hook in the tradition of the best 60's Phil Spectre records.The next song is yet ANOTHER hit single (sence a pattern here,folks?)originaly written and recorded by Carol King just months before.Upon hearing Karen and Richard's version of "It's Going to take some time",King remarked that it made hers sound like an amatuerish demo! High praise indeed.The next track has probably become the best remembered track from the album,and the song that turned me on to the Carpenters in my later youth at 15(im 30 now).Written by Richard and John Bettis,"Goodbye to Love" was inspired,of all things,by an old Bing Crosby movie and features one of the greatest guitar solos in rock/pop history performed by Tony Peluso,in effect inventing the power ballad.yes,you read that correctly.RICHARD & KAREN CARPENTER INVENTED POWER BALLADS.Not so "square" now,are they? The final track is the 30 second "INTERMISSION" which has to be heard to appreciate it.Very clever and humerous.Looking at the whole of "side one",one is struck by two things A)The first side is almost non stop hit singles.I don't think we would see the likes of something like that until 11 years later and Michael Jackson's "Thriller".B)If you pay attention of the sequence and lyrical content,the entire side of the album tells the story of a love affair from beginning to end.Something you may not catch on first listen,but becomes more apparant in additional listenings. "Side Two" opens with "Bless the Beasts and the Children" from the motion picture of the same name.While not a hit single,it did win them an Acadamy Award Nomination for "Best Song",and has grown to be a fan favorite. The next two tracks "Flat Baroque" and "piano picker" are mostly a chance for Richard to flex his musical muscles,with even a rare lead vocal from Rich on the later.While his voice pales in comparison to Karen's,he still is a very good singer when he sings the right material,and it evokes Brian Wilson somewhat when I hear him."Piano Picker" would be revived in the later 70's Carpenter shows with new lyrics and would lead in to Karen's Drum Solo showcase.There are several videos on Youtube of these,most have Karen wearing her famous "Lead Sister" shirt and looking absolutely adorable as she shows off her often overlooked abilities as a drummer."I won't last a day without you" is the lone hit single on this side,and originaly it wasn't going to even be a single.However,after Maureen Mcgovern covered it in 1973,Richard remixed and released their version,which became the album's fifth hit single.The next two tracks of the album "Crystal Lulliby"& "Road Ode" work well together to close the album on a haunting,beautifull note as the harp of "Ode" fades into a brief reprise of "A Song for You",reinvoking that track's most poinient lyric,in effect tieing the entire album together as a complete musical statement. In the past,when I have mentioned to my friends im a Carpenters fan,I have sometimes have taken a verbal lashing.Then I give them this album,"Horizon" and "Passage",and they are won over.If they don't become fans,they at least gain a new respect for them and they have always (begrugenly at times)admit "that 'song for you' album is pretty good." If your someone who is a fan,you MUST have this album.If you are reading this and you have dismissed Carpenters as 'elevator music',then I challenge you to get this album and listen.It stands up along side the best albums of the 1970's and is certainly superior over nearly everything released in the pop and rock genres in the last decade or so.I strongly recommend this CD/LP!!!
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