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WELCOME TO
THE CARPENTERS ONLINE HALL OF FAME
Introduction to the Hall of Fame...
The Carpenters Online Hall of Fame makes it's debut in June 2005.
The items inducted into the Hall of Fame are chosen by a committee of five. This committe is comprised of five Carpenters Online web site regulars.
Every two months the committee will induct something or someone new into the Hall Of Fame. Staff members Tim San Paolo and GoodOldDreams have been kind enough to provide the informative captions for each inductee.
Drum roll please...
May I direct your attention to center ring. Welcome to The Carpenters Online Hall of Fame. Where you can learn a little history about the Carpenters, their music, their friends, their family and more.
Take your place in line, leave your mind behind and join the procession of the people, by the people, and for the people. The Carpenters Hall of Fame!
THE CARPENTERS ONLINE HALL OF FAME
INAUGURAL INDUCTEES
JUNE 2005
KAREN CARPENTER'S SILVER SPARKLE DRUM SET
Written by Tim San Paolo (aka YesterdayOnceMore)
As he would do anything for his younger sister, when asked by her, Richard gladly persuaded Downey High School's (then) Marching Band Director, Bruce Gifford, to allow Karen, at an early age, to march in the band, carrying a glockenspiel! Quickly, once in the band, Karen was enamored by the drumming of one Frankie Chavez - Frankie allowed Karen to play his marching drum and, alas, Karen Carpenter's love for the instrument surfaced in a big way. In short order, she asked her folks for her own "set" of drums. Passionate about obtaining them, Karen contributed her entire savings account towards the total purchase price of $300.00. This got her a Silver Sparkle Ludwig set - the same style as played by drummer Joe Morello of The Dave Brubeck Quartet, and by Ringo Starr of Beatles fame. Karen would actually use this set for only about two (2) months before acquiring a much more sophisticated Ludwig set. Karen's first set is on display, and can be viewed at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach, CA.
(THEY LONG TO BE) CLOSE TO YOU
Written by Tim San Paolo
Herb Alpert had been looking for a follow-up song for himself that could follow his immensely successful single "This Guy's In Love with You." He asked Hal David if Hal had anything "tucked away in a drawer" that perhaps Herb could record. David responded by sending Alpert a 7-year old copy of a Dionne Warwick LP, drawing Herb's attention to the track called "They Long To Be Close To You." Alpert didn't think it suited him, particularly, but strongly suggested to Richard that he and Karen take a stab at recording it. Richard was not really sold on it at first, to the point of excluding it from the Bacharach medley he was arranging for their newest LP. But, Richard was soon advised that Herb gently insisted they "record" it! After various musical arrangements, and some new additions by Richard (like the "Waaaahhhhs" at the end, and putting "They Long To Be" in parenthesis so that the title was now, simply "Close To You"; on July 2, 1970, (They Long To Be) Close To You reached the top of the national best sellers, and….it quickly sold a million copies.
HERB ALPERT
Written by Tim San Paolo
Alpert is the "A" in "A&M Records". Karen often referred to Herb as "the musician half" of the duo of Alpert and Moss. While listening to literally hundreds of wannabe recording acts, Alpert ran across one by a group called Carpenters - this occurred early in 1969. Karen Carpenter's voice struck an emotional chord for him - it reminded him of a favorite songstress, Patti Page. He stated that "it sounded as if Karen was right there on the couch NEXT to me" - there was so much "presence" to that voice. Alpert described the sound as "full and round, and it was amazing!!" He was completely intrigued by this sound. The three songs on the demo he listened to that day included "Your Wonderful Parade", "Don't Be Afraid," and "Invocation." He instantly fell in love with Karen's voice, the harmonies he heard, and the wonderful Richard Carpenter arrangements. Herb Alpert decided immediately to offer them a record deal. Karen and Richard signed their contract with A&M on April 22, 1969. A loving rapport between the three of them quickly developed. Karen's singing gave Herb Alpert, who gave Richard and Karen the break they so desperately needed, that "chill factor" on a regular basis; throughout his association with Carpenters.
SECOND INSTALLATION
AUGUST 2005
JOE OSBORN
Written by Tim San Paolo
Joe Osborn was the most prominent, highly rated "studio" bass player in West Coast Pop in the late 60's and early 70's, and he owned, along with a man named Dan Zacklin Magic Lamp recording label.
You can hear Joe's bass playing on the following tunes:
Travelin Man by Ricky Nelson, Wendy by The Association, Tin Man by America, I Think I Love You by the Partridge Family, Cracklin' Rosie by Neil Diamond, This Diamond Ring by Gary Lewis and the Playboys, San Francisco by Scott McKenzie (written by John Phillips), Midnight Confessions by the Grassroots, (They Long To Be) Close To You by Carpenters, For All We Know by Carpenters, Valerie by the Monkees, California Dreamin' by The Mamas and The Papas, Superstar by Carpenters*, Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon and Garfunkel, Aquarius/Let The Sunshine by the 5th Dimension
and many, many, MANY more.
*(Joe Osborn played on a variety of Carpenters songs besides the ones
listed, above).
One evening, Richard Carpenter was asked to accompany a vocal pop-star "wannabe" by the name of Dan Frieberg, who was to record at Joe Osborn's garage studio at 7935 Ethel Avenue, North Hollywood, CA. Though Karen was not involved in this project, she went to the session because of her love for music. Joe was experimenting with new talent in this make-shift recording studio, working out of his garage with a new 4-track recorder. Karen was not slated to sing that evening, though both Osborn and his co-owner Zacklin expected her to since she was there, and the result was amazing. Richard stated that her sound was there, just as we knew it to be later in her career. She sounded so wonderful on tape!
Immediately, Joe Osborn signed a solo Karen Carpenter to the Magic Lamp label, much to the chagrin of her parents, and especially her mother. Nevertheless, Karen had one single recorded as a solo artist - "Looking For Love" and "I'll Be Yours." Only about 500 copies were pressed. This rare single now has a value of around $2,000.00
Richard, meanwhile, was perfecting his style and Joe suggested they return to his studio to cut 3 tracks: "Don't Be Afraid", "Your Wonderful Parade" and "Invocation." These were later recorded for the "Offering" later titled "Ticket To Ride" album.
Joe made a significant impact in the early career of Karen and Richard Carpenter, and helped to catapult them into stardom.
WE'VE ONLY JUST BEGUN
Written by Tim San Paolo
The first 6 notes of this lovely ballad entertained many a guest at the Century City Condo at 2222 Avenue of the Stars, as it was the chime of Karen Carpenter's doorbell, there! It has also been dubbed "the signature song" for Carpenters, "We've Only Just Begun" and Carpenters are synonymous.
Paul Williams and Roger Nichols had been commissioned by Crocker Citizen's Bank in California to write a song for their new television campaign aimed at attracting new customers among young marrieds. The theme was to be "You've got a long way to go...we'd like to help you get there." The result, written in about 10 minutes was "We've Only Just Begun."
Up late one night, watching television, the music for the Crocker Citizen's Bank commercial caught the ear of the talented Richard Carpenter. Richard immediately was interested to discover if the song had a full set of music/lyrics, as he wanted to record it. He knew it would be a hit for Carpenters. It did have a full set of music and lyrics, and Williams and Nichols were more than happy for him to have it.
Carpenters recorded "We've Only Just Begun" and released it as a single from the Close To You album on August 21, 1970. It reached #2 in the US and remained in that spot for four weeks, while reaching #28 in the UK.
We've Only Just Begun was honored by BMI in September of 1990 as one of the most performed songs between 1940 and 1990, having logged over 3 million performances.
In 1998, the recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame for recordings of lasting quality and historical significance. It can still be heard around the world as a wedding anthem today.
We've Only Just Begun to live.....a kiss for luck, and we're on our way......and yes, we've just begun..." And boy, had they ever!
THIRD INSTALLMENT
NOVEMBER 2005
KAREN CARPENTER'S "LEAD SISTER" TEE-SHIRT
Written by Tim San Paolo
Karen Carpenter's "Lead Sister Tee" was acquired in 1976, the same year as the "Carpenters Very First Television Special."
The original tee is on display behind Karen's first Silver Drum Set at the Carpenters Performing Arts Center in Long Beach, CA.
It has been said that Karen "adored" this tee, and she wore it quite often. One certainly knows by the heading who "lead sister" was intended to represent.
*CLICK HERE: To view a picture of Karen's famous "Lead Sister" Tee-shirt*
*CLICK HERE: To view a picture of Karen wearing "Lead Sister" Tee*
TONY PELUSO
Written by Tim San Paolo
"Goodbye To Love" made history for being the first pop ballad to contain a powerful rock fuzz guitar solo. Peluso's guitar solo caught the attention of many Carpenters fans who wrote claiming they were disappointed that the Carpenters "sold out" to hard rock. Despite the initial shock of some fans Peluso's guitar solo has gone on to be recognized as one of the guitar solos in the history of popular music.
Karen and Richard met Tony "The Bone" Peluso in 1971 when his band Instant Joy was backing Mark Lindsay (former lead singer of Paul Revere and the Raiders) who was the opening act for the Carpenters on their spring tour. Karen called Tony on the phone personally to invite himto play in the Carpenters band.
Peluso wrote the songs "Sailing On The Tide" w/ John Bettis and "Happy" w/ Diane Rubin.
Tony is also the "voice" of the DJ in the Oldies Medley on the "Now and Then" Album and at the beginning of "Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft" from the album "Passage". He was very much a fan of the Carpenters when he joined the group, and remains a fan to this day.
Peluso has produced several acts since working with Carpenters. Including Sam Harris, Smokey Robinson and others.
*CLICK HERE: To view a picture of Tony Peluso*
*CLICK HERE: To view a second picture of Tony Peluso*
FOURTH INSTALLMENT
JANUARY 2006
JOHN BETTIS
Written by GoodOldDreams
John Bettis has written well-recognized and award-winning lyrics for songs in different genres of music that have been recorded by some of the most prominent names from country, to R&B and pop. He is best known for his long-term collaboration and friendship with the Carpenters, beginning even before their first album "Offering" in 1969 and continuing throughout the duration of their careers. As fellow students early on back in the 1960's, John Bettis and Richard Carpenter worked as the piano/banjo act at Coke Corner on Disneyland's Main Street U.S.A. However, they were soon fired for performing tunes that were more contemporary and anachronistic to the American songs written around the early 1900's by their talent supervisor Vic Guder, who was later immortalized in 1967 in their anti-establishment song "Mr. Guder." Along with Richard and Karen Carpenter, John Bettis was joined by three other fellow students, Leslie Johnston, Gary Sims and Danny Woodhams, to form the singing group Spectrum for a short run before the group disbanded. When John Bettis remained on and co-founded the group "Carpenters," the rest, as some people might say, is musical history. The songwriting and performing team created an expansive range of
songs including "Goodbye to Love," "Yesterday Once More," "Top of the World," "Only Yesterday," the autobiographical "I Need to be in Love," "Crescent Noon," "Maybe It's You" (written in 1968 for Spectrum), "Those Good Old Dreams," "Crystal Lullaby," "Aurora" and "Eventide."
John Bettis' other notable compositions include "Human Nature" (a Top Ten ballad from Michael Jackson's 1982 blockbuster album "Thriller"), "Slow Hand" (a country-style hit for both Conway Twitty and the Pointer Sisters), "Can You Stop the Rain" (Peabo Bryson's R&B hit), "Crazy for You" (the 1985 Madonna country-tinged chart-topper) and "The Woman in Me" (a more plaintive number by disco diva Donna Summer backed up by James Ingram, among others).
From 1986 to 1987, Bettis served as the Chairman of the Board of the National Academy of Songwriters; in 1988, he also earned an Emmy Award for "One Moment in Time," his theme for the Olympic Games. Bettis was elected to the Board of ASCAP in 1995.
CHRISTMAS PORTRAIT (THE ALBUM)
Written by Tim San Paolo
Karen and Richard Carpenter had a lifelong fondness for Christmas music. But it wasn't until well into their musical career that they finally released their first LP for the season. It was titled Christmas Portrait. And the number of tracks recorded for this LP really pushed the envelope for an album made during that time frame, it had a total of seventeen tracks. Which was almost unheard of at the time, as a single LP seldom had room for that many tracks.
Christmas Portrait was actually realized as an LP due to the Carpenters' second television special "The Carpenters At Christmas" which aired December 9, 1977. Karen and Richard decided as they began selecting and recording the music for this special that the time was right to record, at long last, an album dedicated to Christmas music.
Richard states, "...by the time Karen and I began recording for this album I was not interested in more than production work. So I turned over most of the arranging to veterans Peter Knight and Billy May." He goes on to say, "Christmas Portrait is really Karen's album, and should have been titled accordingly, not the Carpenters." (This, mostly due to Richard's nadir dealing with his sleeping pill problem at the time.)
Christmas Portrait was fourteen months in the making (released on October 13, 1978). One of the major highlights of this phenomenal LP is the Carpenter/Pooler creation "Merry Christmas Darling." This has become a Christmas Classic, and can be heard around the world on radio and television during the Christmas season to this day.
Christmas Portrait is truly Christmas music at it's ultimate best.
FIFTH INSTALLMENT
APRIL 2006
RICHARD CARPENTER'S WURLITZER KEYBOARD
Written by Tim San Paolo
Richard Carpenter began his musical career playing a Baldwin Acrosonic - a spinet; at the time, it was, according to him, the "best available."
As his career advanced and he began playing in clubs, etc., he started working with a Wurlitzer electric piano. That Wurlitzer we hear in the early recordings of the Carpenters was a model 140B. Later, he also used a model 200. Richard's original Wurlitzer is now on display next to his sister's Silver Sparkle Drum Set (a previous inductee into the Carpenters Online Hall of Fame), at the Karen and Richard Carpenter Center For the Performing Arts in Long Beach, CA. Richard states that he used the Wurlitzer exclusively for his "electric keyboard sound" until around 1975, when he switched to using the newer, fatter-sounding Fender Rhodes. He did continue, however, to use the Wurlitzer past '75 for songs he felt needed that specific sound, and it can be heard on 'Those Good Old Dreams' and in 'Only Yesterday', to name but a few.
Richard is quoted as saying "...The Fender Rhodes has a nice tremolo if one controls it properly, and it breaks into stereo which would fill out some of the recordings. I first noticed its full effect in 1975 on Only Yesterday, though there is also some Wurlitzer on that....The Wurlitzer, for certain breaks and fills, has a funkier and raspier sound."
THE SINGLES 1969-1973
Written by Rick Henry (with a review from Billboard Magazine)
The Singles 1969-1973 was released in December 1973. The album was an instant hit worldwide which by now has sold over 20 million copies globally. This mega-selling compilation is one of the most successful hits package ever in the history of music. It contains Carpenters first twelve hits including ten which were top ten.
The album reached #1 in the U.S., Japan and UK in 1974. In the UK alone the album spent an amazing 17 weeks on the top of the chart.
The following review appeared in 1 December 1973 issue of Billboard Magazine
This greatest hits package of 13 songs affirms the Carpenters' fine talent. Karen's clear, clean, pristine tones have a glisten whether it's heard on "We've Only Just Begun" or "Top Of The World". Placed end-to-end, the group's music has a compelling quality that stands the test of time. They are capable of making "Ticket To Ride" by Lennon/McCartney their own special vehicle, principally because of Karen's slow, involving vocal. Brother Richard's orchestrations and arrangements, plus his own sweet harmonizing on this and the other cuts, add the middle and bottom ranges to Karen's top levels.
SIXTH INSTALLMENT
JUNE 2006
CLOSE TO YOU (The Album)
Written by Rick Henry
The album "Close To You" was the Carpenters' second, and was released on Aug. 19, 1970. It did very well in the U.S. and other parts of the world. Reaching U.S. # 2 and remained on top 200 album chart for an amazing 87 weeks. The album has been certified certified double platinum for sales of over two million copies. It also made UK #23 and Japan #53.
By the time they released this album, the single "Close To You" was a huge #1 hit and the Carpenters sound was tagged as being trendsetting. With the album "Close To You" the Carpenters became mega-superstars. From beginning to end each song intrigues, fascinates, soothes, and stirs every emotion in the human soul.
Other outstanding tracks are: "We've Only Just Begun", "Maybe It's You", "Crescent Noon" and "Mr. Guder".
HORIZON
Written by Rick Henry
(Morning opens quietly, a shadow vision over me)
Horizon is the album which most Carpenters fans claim to be their favorite amongst all Carpenters releases. Released on June 6, 1975, critics hail this to be the most sophisticated Carpenters album to date. The album is a technical triumph. It was recorded at A&M Records mainly in Studio D using state of the art 24-track recording technology, 30 Dolby, and recorded at 30 inches per second to create the cleanest and clearest sound possible.
The Carpenters took the patience to spend a good amount of time and many long hours experimenting with different sounds, techniques and effects. One of the most astonishing techniques used on the album is the multitude of seperate mikings. Every single instrument and voice has it's own microphone.This helped to create a broad, full sound. The drums were recorded on four seperate tracks, one for the kick, one for the snare and one each for the left and right tom-toms. On the song "Only Yesterday" a tape delay is used on the saxophone, this effect accents the instrument and lifts it above the canvas and gives it an extra dimension.
"Horizon" was the Carpenters' sixth studio album. After five consecutive albums peaking inside the U.S. top 5 "Horizon" broke this run by reaching U.S. # 13. the album has been certified PLATINUM by the RIAA for selling over a million copies and most likely will soon be certified DOUBLE PLATINUM. Although "Horizon" showed hints of the Carpenters sales slowing up in the U.S., they were bigger than ever around the world. "Horizon" was one of their biggest universal sellers reaching # 1 in both Japan and England.
Richard Carpenter stated his goal was to produce an album where every song could be a single. With "Horizon" he achieved this goal as each song on this album could have easily been a hit in 1975.
"Horizon" contains the #1 hit "Please Mr. Postman" which has the destinction of being their biggest selling song worldwide. The hit single "Solitaire" is also included. One of the album's standout tracks "Desperado" was the favorite of critics when the album was released and was expected by many to be released as a single.
SEVENTH INSTALLMENT
AUGUST 2006
THE MULTI-LAYERED VOCAL SOUNDS OF "CARPENTERS"
By: Timothy J. San Paolo, Global Moderator / Commentator
What WAS it about the Carpenters that gave them a unique and successful sound during the span of their career, and that we ALL, seemingly, fell in love with? It was, just THAT - their unique SOUND!! First, there was Karen's most distinctive, crystalline, melt-your-heart, velvety smooth, typically "basement-type" (lower register) voice! And then?.those awesome, chill-inducing, all-Carpenter "multi-layered vocals." Yes, it was all done by Karen and Richard* - all those parts; right from the beginning - taken from the influence of the vocal "ping-pong" effect, first recorded by the trend-setting Les Paul and Mary Ford. The Carpenters WERE a unique sound of layer upon rich layer of choral-influenced, tight, harmonious vocals. A sound that was, truly, all their own.
*(In later years, the O K Chorale was introduced to help boost that choral effect in some of the arrangements.)
Some of the first signs of this choral, multi-layered approach occurred in the late 60's at California State University in the classroom of Frank Pooler, Choral Director. Pooler had heard Richard Carpenter and was quite impressed with his musical prowess. He also discovered the innate lyric-writing abilities of John Bettis. In fact, wanting Bettis to join the choir, Pooler challenged him to perform something with the choir, hoping that would entice him enough to take a choral class. Bettis replied "Only if I write it" after Pooler's challenge. Pooler agreed, and Bettis teamed up with Carpenter to write a tune called "Acapella Music." It was then that Richard told Bettis he had an idea for a new sound, which Richard described as "choral approach/pop."
Very early on, Richard and Karen developed an interest in the "structure" of a sound. Richard states: "I obviously didn't know it at the time (he was 7 years of age), but I was becoming a musical arranger" as he listened to the likes of the multi-tracking sound of Les Paul and Mary Ford.
Leslie Johnston, a member of Richard's first group called "Summerchimes" remembered: "Richard had the vocal harmony of the Beach Boys, the Association and Les Paul and Mary Ford firmly in his mind. The band, when they played, was consistently told this sound was "good" but "hopelessly unfashionable." And??.that it would NEVER SELL!! After so many of these disappointing comments, "Summerchimes", turned "Spectra", turned "Spectrum", called it quits. All they had wanted was to emulate the new-style harmonic strengths being pioneered by the Beatles and the Beach Boys, while projecting the golden voice of Karen, via Richard's intricate arrangements.
Bound to never give up on the idea, both Karen and Richard continued to pursue the dream, and were thrilled to sign their contract with A & M on April 22, 1969. Richard is quoted in Ray Coleman's "Carpenters: The Untold Story" as saying "We can't sing six parts" to a former Spectrum band member?"Would you like to come back?" Of course, this didn't happen; nevertheless, the Carpenters did what they set-out to do, vocally, by overdubbing their own two voices, sometimes up to as many as 24 times on one recording. To this day, they remain known for that unparalleled 'multi-layered vocal" sound that they "knew would make them a household name"??..and it did?.. so exceptionally well.
KAREN CARPENTER (SOLO)
Written by GoodOldDreams, Carpenters Online committee member
In 1979, when the Carpenters took a hiatus from their usual busy touring and recording schedules while Richard checked himself into the Menninger Clinic to overcome his addiction to the sleeping pill Quaalude, Karen decided to take on a new challenge and record a solo album so as not to remain idle. She worked with the great record producer Phil Ramone, who proved to be a wonderful personal friend along with his wife Karen Ichiuji "Itchy" Ramone.
With this album, Karen was able to boldly experiment with eclectic musical styles and techniques that are often surprising and intriguing departures from the trademark lush Carpenters sounds that her brother had perfected, showing her adventurous spirit and
versatility as a vocalist. This wide-ranging project encompassed such songs as the country-tinged "All Because of You," the smooth-jazz flavored "If We Try," the disco-driven "My Body Keeps Changing My Mind," and the power pop tune "Making Love in the Afternoon." Particularly outstanding are the simple and elegant ballad "Make Believe It's Your First Time" and the complex vocal gymnastics on the multi-layered, jazzy
"If I Had You." Collaborating such notables as Rod Temperton, Bob James, Rob Mounsey, Peter Cetera and Billy Joel's band, Karen infused her work with a refreshing urbane sensibility.
As some of the song titles suggest, the lyrics are more mature in nature, signaling her metamorphosis from her sweet, girl-next-door public image to that of a more grown-up, independent-minded and sophisticated woman. However, Richard and the brass at A&M felt the material did not suit her well, including the higher vocal ranges, and had a major, if not direct, influence on the decision to shelf the album.
Under the persistent urging of fans over the years, it was not until the year 1996 that Richard decided to release some of Karen's recordings from these New York
sessions as a solo album, thirteen years posthumously and seven years after the release of the album "Lovelines," which contains four solo numbers. Reportedly there are eleven other numbers out of the twenty-three songs that were recorded (in different states of completion) that are not included in the solo album.
One can only imagine the public interest and excitement this solo album would have generated had it been released during Karen's lifetime, a project that she was surely proud of and had dedicated to her brother Richard with all her heart.
EIGHTH INSTALLMENT
MAY 2007
“SUPERSTAR (the song)
Commentary written by: Timothy J. San Paolo, Global Moderator
“Long ago, and oh so far away, I fell in love with you before the second show…..” Such a beautiful melody, sung by the loveliest voice to ever sang it, Karen Carpenter. Superstar is one of the Carpenters Online Hall of Fame choices for this round. So many things go through my mind as I listen to the lyrics of this song, about a rock star, and the promises both made, and broken. Ah yes, celebrity – it comes with the territory. I firmly believe Karen felt it deeply already, as she sang the lines to the lyrics of this tune. “Don’t cha remember ya told me ya loved me, baby? You said you’d be comin’ back this way again, baby.” Yes, she was on the other end of it, but her read of this song – such an incredible one for a work track and lyrics that were actually read from a NAPKIN, for goodness sakes, (the work lead is so that the rest of the rhythm section could better hear the nuances of the song as they were recording)..well, if she can sing this convincingly when she is just trying to make a track that the musicians can work by – she was definitely convinced herself when she first read the lyrics, and that absolutely came through on her recording of it. It’s awesome! And the ironic part of this is that Karen DID NOT initially want to do the song. In his book, Carpenters, The Untold Story, Ray Coleman comments; “Her doleful interpretation was thought by Richard to be so unrepeatable that he released that “first take.” Ah ha! I rest my case.
Superstar was released on August 12, 1971, and within 8 weeks of it hitting the stores, Karen and Richard scored a gold record. Many fans, and even Richard, himself, consider this one of Carpenters finest works. Superstar was written by Leon Russell and Bonnie Bramlett.
Welcome the incredible “Superstar” to the Carpenters Online Hall of Fame.
“RAINY DAYS AND MONDAYS (the song)
By: Timothy J. San Paolo, Global Moderator
Also selected into this round of the Carpenters Online Hall of Fame is the fabulous song, Rainy Days and Mondays. Penned in 1970 by Paul Williams and Roger Nichols, the melodically powerful song Rainy Days and Mondays also remains one of Carpenters most popular tracks. It became Richard and Karen’s fourth million seller. This is one of those songs that the listener immediately relates to – that lyric that says “..Talkin’ to myself, and feelin’ old….sometimes I’d like to quit – nothin’ ever seems to fit…” and haven’t we all felt this way from time to time? No wonder to me it sold so well, and so immediately – besides the fact that Karen, again, sang this song with complete abandon, making the listener ache right along with her sadness, which is compelling in this read. And the lyric then goes on with the chorus; “…Funny, but it seems I always wind up here with you – nice to know somebody loves me….” The story resolves, with these lines…”What I feel has come and gone before…No need to talk it out, we know what it’s all about….Hangin’ around, nothin’ to do but frown….Rainy Days and Mondays always get me down.”
In his book, Ray Coleman quotes Richard Carpenter based on comments by others that Karen might have been handicapped singing these songs by lack of life experience. Richard knew better and emphatically states; “Karen had the uncanny ability to sing lyrics about which she had no experience and make them sound like she’d lived every dam*ed experience! She was only twenty-one years old when she sang “Rainy Days and Mondays” and she sounds way beyond her years. She sounds like she believed and lived every dam*ned thing she’s singing. That’s part of her magic…” And Richard, how right you are. In the minds and hearts of millions, Karen’s magic will live on forever.
Welcome the unmatched Rainy Days and Mondays to the Carpenters Online Hall of Fame!
The Famous Carpenters Logo
Written by GoodOldDreams, Carpenters Online Commentator
Designed by Craig Braun and Associates, the Carpenters logo made its debut on their third album. Seeming to wind sinuously in perspective view somewhat reminiscent of the turn-of-the-century Art Nouveau poster lettering revived in popularity in the 1960's and 1970's, the Carpenters logo was featured
prominently on the front cover of every album thereafter, with the exception of the "Passage" album, which advanced the concept of experimenting and transitioning musically as well as visually. (For the
sake of consistent branding. the logo was placed on the bottom center on the cover of the ""Passage" album.) The Carpenters logo was also featured on their vehicles, T-shirts and background for many of their concerts. While the Carpenters did not personally provide input on the design, Richard recognized it to be a great logo the moment he saw it.
Besides the logo, Craig Braun and Associates were hired by the A&M graphics department to do the entire package design (self-tucking envelope concept) for the Carpenters' self-titled album. Multi-faceted as a music packaging pioneer, creative director and actor,
Craig Braun won a Grammy award for Best Album Package in 1973 for "Tommy: The Rock Opera and was nominated for Grammy Album Design for albums such as the Rolling Stones' "Sticky Fingers."
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