Few artists managed to craft well performed pop with infectious melodies as Karen and Richard Carpenter did whose music continues to sell well after 1983's sad death of Karen both original studio albums and good many compilations covering such memorable hits as (they long to be ) Close To You, Goodbye To Love, Only Yesterday, Sing (written for Sesame Street) and Touch Me when We're Dancing. I have the Singles 1969-1973 and 1974-1978, that latter title NOT issued in the states being familar with from from Pop's record collection.
The first thing to be said it's really a 2.4 cd set as the third disc has just seven solo Karen and Richard tracks coming in a card wrap round sleeve with short booklet.
However what you do get is 34 Carpenters songs but all in their original lp versions rather than remixes done for the 1969-73 Singles Collection never mind Richard's many remixes from the mid 80's onward and for the most part the tracks are in chronological order.
Trying to track down the original mixes can be difficult and most of the new compilations don't feature them so to hear these songs the way we did back then from the lps is a lovely nostalgia trip. The sound quality is also very good borrowing the tracks from the "Original remastered" series of cds from 1998.
My copy from Nagirly on Amazon UK only cost £GBP 10.87 plus shipping which isn't much for such a super complete set of hits from 1969 thru 1983. Recommended.
Would the 1969-1973 Singles Collection be the one with all their classic hits I grew up loving? Did they make it on 8-track so you could play it for hours and hours on long drives to Florida?
ReplyDeleteProbably as you didn't get the 1974-1978 volume issued in 1978 in Canada and the UK and the first compilation of the 80's was Yesterday Once More from 1985. Singles 1969-1973 was issued on 8 track and just kept cycling thru all four programs until you pulled the tape out in most car players!
ReplyDeleteI remember that. The amazing thing to me was how my parents enjoyed The Carpenters also. Before that they only listened to songs from the 30's and 40's with some Frank Sinatra and Barbara Streisand thrown in for good measure. But they came to admire the lovely, sweet sound of Karen Carpenter's voice, the Bread 8-track and John Denver which they would sing along to quite skillfully.
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