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Superstar - Carpenters | College Students' First Time REACTION!
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- Опубликовано: 26 май 2022
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I love how eclectic pop music used to be. "Superstar" reached the Billboard Top 40 in the fall of 1971, along with these songs that A&A have already reacted to: "Maggie May" by Rod Stewart, "Ain't No Sunshine" by Bill Withers, "Won't Get Fooled Again" by the Who, "So Far Away" by Carole King, "The Story in Your Eyes" by the Moody Blues, and "Riders on the Storm" by the Doors. Because in 1971, a pop song could be anything -- rock, folk, R&B, country, soul. Didn't matter. Today's music nearly all sounds alike, at least to my 58-year-old ears. So congrats to A&A for diving into the past and discovering how diverse music once was.
Funny you mention this as I was thinking the same thing about diversity when listening to an old Top 40 program last week. "Superstar" debuted way up at #17 that week, and the song that followed it on the chart - "Won't Get Fooled Again" (up from #20 the previous week). "Superstar" would end up only reaching #2 on the charts because it was stopped from number 1 by "Maggie May".
Agree!
Compare that to today’s top 40. I mean I hate to be one of “those people” but…. 🤷♂️
If you listen to the radio then yes all music will sound the same. Skip it and you’ll see that music has never sounded less similar
And all those songs were performed by real musicians. No drum machines, sequencers, computers or quantizing. Just talented human beings playing with feelings and emotion.
Paul McCartney said she had the finest female voice in the world, she never breaks even when she changes registers, you should watch the video of it, also she was a talented drummer, she had a beautiful pure angelic yet powerful voice, there isn't ANYBODY, especially today that can touch her.
John Lennon met her and told her she had one of the best voices.
Karen Carpenter - distinctive three-octave contralto vocal range with remarkable clarity and purity - one of THE voices of the past 50 years
I agree. Her voice is so soothing yet so powerful. This is easy listening music done to perfection. RIP KAREN✌🌻🌻
Most say 4 octives - it was tested and it was 3.9 Octave. closer to 4 than 3.
OMG!!!!…How could you guys not be totally blown away by her awesome vocals?…Legend has it she did in ONE TAKE…Next Carpenters song should be “Goodbye To Love” the ORIGINAL FIRST EVER power ballad
Karen has the most beautiful and haunting voice ever. How this isn't an "S"Tier boggles my mind.
Astonishing that her voice didn’t slap you silly. Their music was grade A 70’s cheese, but her voice is one of the best we’ve ever had.
I think it's a generational thing. A&A might not be able to relate to it.
Cheese?
Disagree. Great is Great! Sinatra,Streisand, Franklin,Mercury Generation is irrelevant talent by music critics is immediately recognized!
Amazing that they ignored Karen Carpenter's voice!
@@waynemarvin5661 really
There are great voices, and then there's Karen Carpenter.
If you are unfamiliar with her, Eva Cassidy's talent and tragedy demand a close look, at least Karen Carpenter had great success before she died, not after like Eva.
Eva's Over the Rainbow, Chain of Fools, and Fields of Gold are all hers now!
You misspelled Linda Ronstadt.
That’s the best way I’ve ever her Karen Carpenter described.
So true angelic actually
Paul McCartney "best female voice"; John Lennon "fabulous voice";
Elton John "one of the greatest
voices of our lifetime":
Andy & Alex ?
Sorry, Guys. But you blew the review. Even the most jaded rock stars and rock critics recognize the brilliance of Karen Carpenter's vocals.She had perfect pitch and has long been recognized as one of the finest vocalist of the past 60 years. She had a natural, but distinctive 3 octave contralto range that resonated brilliantly in the lower octaves . Her material that was churned out primarily by her brother and the hit machine at Herb Alpert's A&M Record's was lightweight fluff for mass consumption but there is no denying Karen's brilliance.
The song is all about Karen’s voice. Not talking about her voice is critical malpractice. Also, to provide some context, this is a cover of a song written by Leon Russell and Bonnie Bramlet, which was originally called “Groupie (Superstar)”
Rita Coolidge might want a word as to the songwriting credits.
@@russellhenderson381 Rita came up with the idea of a song about groupies. She did not write it
With Rita Coolidge (according to her autobio).
These two wouldn't get if it was pasted on their heads
Karen's voice is still top 5 easily, perhaps the best voice in the last 50 years.
Guys…the voice, the voice…how can you not be completely taken just based on the beauty and clarity of her voice alone?
She absolutely tops my list for best female vocalist. Such a huge loss.
I'm amazed how little they appreciated one of the best female vocalists in history.
Karen's vocals are legendary, but let's not forget the orchestration and arrangements done by her brother, Richard. No matter your tastes, you've got to appreciate the genius that is the Carpenters.
Nah, you really don’t have to. Pure saccharine.
Absolutely, later in her life she recorded some music on her own with another producer besides Richard and it just didn't have the same magic. They both deserve equal credit, his song choices, arrangements and keyboard skills made Karen's vocals shine.
AGREED!
I appreciated the clarity of their playback unit. I've never heard the original recording sound this pristine from Karen's vocals to the trombones in the chorus!
This song is an S tier just based on her voice. This is a genius pop song.
I agree!!
It is undoubtedly one of the greatest songs and greatest vocal moments ever.
Her voice especially before the first chorus is indescribably beautiful.
Agree 100%
Sorry Gentlemen, this song came before autotune existed and Karen Carpenter's pitch is perfect, and SHE was the drummer in a time when women never played the drums. This song is S.
She didn't play drums on this particular song, though. The immortal Hal Blaine -- the Wrecking Crew sticksman who played the drums on dozens and dozens of hit songs in the '60s and '70s -- was the man behind the kit on "Superstar".
@@gregsager2062 I have not researched it thoroughly, but she likely did not record any studio drum tracks. Karen was a solid drummer and percussionist, but Blaine was the studio pro who could do these tracks in his sleep. Karen needed to focus on singing, at least from Richard’s perspective.
@@albertbrown7941 Not true. She did play drums on the *Ticket to Ride* and *Now and Then* albums, as well as a few other scattered tracks throughout the Carpenters discography. But most of the studio drumming for the Carpenters was done by Blaine -- who vouched for the fact that Karen Carpenter was an outstanding drummer. And she certainly was; she grew up playing drums to jazz records, and anyone whose chops are vouched for not only by Hal Blaine but by such jazz greats as Joe Morello and Buddy Rich obviously knows what she's doing behind the kit. But Blaine was correct when he said that the best drummer for the job of recording Carpenters albums was a seasoned studio pro who could walk into the studio, hear the demo, and instantly know what and how to play for the song.
Karen always referred to herself as "a drummer who sang." Carpenters concerts typically featured a segment in which she would go around the stage playing various drums and percussion, a la Edgar Winter on "Frankenstein", ending in a drum duel with Carpenters touring drummer (and former Mouseketeer) Cubby O'Brien. The huge smile on her face as she's drumming is infectious. She never smiled like that when she sang. It's clear that her first and truest love was drumming, not singing.
Here's a clip of her drum segment from a 1976 show. As a stage presentation it's corny as all-get-out (blame Richard for that), but you can see that the girl had chops: ruclips.net/video/ie1WWWOxhMs/видео.html
@@gregsager2062 Thank you, I appreciate the information! She could read music, and she was so musical and fun to watch. I can only hope that she stood up to her brother from time-to-time and insisted that she record some drums now and then. That is my point. I never questioned her skills. I did choose to not focus on control freak Richard. I would count her as an influence as a young drummer (who also learned to read drum notation). Blaine was a good person, who would email fans ( I had a few exchanges with him) and it did not surprise me when I first read his comments about Karen and her musicianship. Buddy actually believed that he was the best drummer ever and if you didn’t play jazz and use traditional grip with your sticks, he wouldn’t acknowledge you, so if he said complimentary things about Karen, that is impressive and certainly confirms what we all believed about her ability. Thanks again for the comments and background information.
You guys both missed this one -- TOTALLY. Karen Carpenter's voice was unique. Like Ella Fitzgerald and few others, there was nobody like her. Whatever she sang deserves an A at the least, and given the beauty of this melody and the really classy arrangement, it's S tier all the way. When other people your age and younger hear Carpenters, they "get it" right away. Schmaltz and all, Carpenters ROCKED! Interesting to know why your reaction was so different from so many others. You focused on all the wrong stuff here. Richard Carpenter was a superb arranger and solid songwriter, too. They made magic even if you loved hard rock, psychedelia, progressive, etc. Just like Bread, their music was so brilliantly conceived and presented you just went with it and it moved you.
C’mon guys, the central thing is just the pure beauty and quality of that voice. She is widely regarded as having one of the greatest female voices in the pop genre if not beyond. Complaining and denigrating a song because you think the chorus or the verses are lacking is overlooking the main component of a Carpenters song which is Karen’s vocals. She could be singing about a Chicken Marsala recipe and I would still listen to her voice in awe. At least it received one A, but in general, I think you guys kind of missed the point being that without that irreplaceable voice, we wouldn’t still be talking about this song all these years later.
The melody and chord progression is beautiful too.
@@SpuzzyLargo I’m not belittling what Richard did, he was definitely a talented pianist and arranger. I’m just trying understand why they didn’t bother to mention the amazing singing and her voice as an instrument. It’s as I said though, as great as Richard’s contributions to the song are, we wouldn’t be here talking about the song if not for the vocals. That’s the irreplaceable ingredient.
It’s also interesting to note that the Carpenters didn’t write the song although it’s been widely attributed to them, so Richard didn’t write those chords, but he did an amazing job of adapting and arranging the song.
@@itsmedrooms6071 It may be that for whatever reason, the vocals didn't grab them.
@@fmtalks1386 Obviously. I was just making a case for it because I’ve felt they’ve gotten other things wrong as well, but in the end music is subjective and it’s all about what you like.
Ask them in 20 years. Too young is all.
Guys, you missed the entire point of this song. Her voice tells the story. Karen Carpenter's voice has such warm tones and is iconic.
"Astonishing that her voice didn’t slap you silly." - yep, it blew past you guys.
Not astonishing, just absolute lack of musicality and knowledge
It doesn't matter what kind of music you prefer, there's no denying the true beauty of Karen's voice. Pure, flawless, effortless. Check out "We've Only Just Begun", the heartbreaking "Solitaire", and "Goodbye To Love".
Hey Lisa, have a great Memorial weekend ☺️
Hi. Thankyou. I'm Canadian, so we don't celebrate your holiday. I hope you have a wonderful Weekend. Take care.🌞
Hey Lisa!! I Iove love Karen's voice!! I really miss her & remember when I heard of her passing. So sad. But thankfully she left an awesome catalog for us to continue to enjoy her music. Iove singing her songs .. always have. Have a great weekend ❣️
Great recommendations, I'll add "I need to be In Love"
@@ramonaalvarez7559 You, too, Ramona!🤗
After all these years, Karen's voice still gives me chills.
Me too. Every time I hear her perfect voice.
Once you get a bit more “life” behind you,the number of baby baby baby’s won’t matter .
Just the genius way the song and Karen Carpenters voice bring over the heartbreak in the story
Karen Carpenter was a vocal titan. They called her "One take Karen" because of her perfect pitch and the ability to sing anything in one take. Were their songs sappy 70s pop, yes.. In my opinion her brother over produced a lot of their songs with backup singers, but that was the style. All he really needed was her voice and a piano
Her death from Anorexia that young was a huge loss to the music world. She would still be singing and without any need for autotune.
Back up singers?? All back up vocals were done by only Karen and Richard on the recordings. And Richard was a master musician and arranger.
In fact, speaking of "One-Take Karen," I've read that what we hear in "Superstar" is actually her original guide vocal. That almost never happens -- and it proves what a masterful singer she was.
If you are unfamiliar with her, Eva Cassidy's talent and tragedy demand a close look, at least Karen Carpenter had great success before she died, not after like Eva.
Eva's Over the Rainbow, Chain of Fools, and Fields of Gold are all hers now!
The backup singers were literally overdubs of Karen and Richard. Lush and beautiful.
Not about the music or the lyrics. Carpenters is all about her voice. One of the greatest female voices of all time.
If Honey had a voice, it would sound like Karen Carpenter. She's stellar. This is a perfectly crafted pop song.
honey, a warm hug, a refreshing breeze, the smell of the most intoxicating burning wood, and other adjectives....
Agreed. And very well said.
Might be one of the weirdest baffling reactions you guys have ever done. Anyone want to talk about her voice? That amazing voice? And btw, she didn't write this. It was one of the great love ballads of the '70s covered by many artists including the great R&B singer Luther Vandross.. Talk about yer million dollar "mistake"! Gotta love it when Alex points out horrible mistakes in classic iconic songs.😒 Tragically, you both fell into the weeds on this one, and never quite found your way out.
That's because Alex is clueless. Always has been.
This may be the first time someone reacted to the Carpenters and didn't mention Karen's voice. Talk about burying the lead.
When they reacted to Linda Ronstadt, they didn't mention her voice, which basically is the whole point.
There's no way in the world this is a "B", Karen's voice alone brings it to an A.
A+ actually.
Rather listen to Thurston Moore singing it.
A+
@@cactaceous Who?? Enough said.
@@ralphfiligenzi6180 You must be like 70 then. Enough said.
Guys. Just a quick heads up. The song, "Superstar," was written by Leon Russel. You can't talk about Karen's almost flawless vocal ability, then bring the whole score down as a critique of her songwriting--on a song she didn't write. You could criticize her choice of songs to cover, however, if you wish.
What's even more funny is that the guy is critical of a chours written by one of the greatest song writters of all time, Leon Russell.
All the 'baby's in the chorus are about the way he spoke to her and let her speak to him. The way he snowed her into believing he loved her like she loves him. She's at a loss for words, after pining for him. It's all about her delusion. I don't think Leon Russell couldn't think of other lines to write for the chorus, Alex, now do you?
@@cee8mee EXACTLY!!!!!
Alex is giving Leon Russell writting advice!
I guess he could have helped him with This Masquerade, Song for you, Blues Power, Tightrope, Lady Blue and 50 others
Imagine what these songs could have been with help from Alex!
The Carpenters were incredibly popular in the ‘70s. They had a string of hits and sold 90+ million records worldwide. Paul McCartney has said that Karen Capenter’s voice was was "the best female voice in the world: melodic, tuneful and distinctive.” They definitely deserve an appearance on this channel. I was heartbroken when Karen passed away.
Me too.
When Lennon was out in California he ran into Karen Carpenter at a restaurant and told her she had the voice of an angel.
Total tragedy. To this day part of me is sad when I hear her sing. Such a loss.
Hey Allison, have a great Memorial weekend ☺️
@@aileenturrietta7553 thank you! You, too! 🤗❤️💙❤️🌺
I voted for "Superstar" as I think it is perhaps the best song by one of the best vocalists of all-time. However, I hope Bobbie Gentry's "Ode to Billy Joe" gets an A&A listen soon as it is one of the best story songs I've every heard and expect it will make for a very interesting A&A reaction.
I voted for Bobble Gentry
I still think "Hurricane" by Bod Dylan or "Ticking" by Elton John are Thebes story songs for me.
Bobby Gentry was amazing. Talent, Beauty, Brains, and a millionaire to boot
They turned it into a movie as well in 1976, starring Robby Benson. Nothing too special, but worth watching if you like the song
Karen has one of the most pure voices of ALL TIME. They called her "one take Karen" cause she'd get the track down 1st time in the studio. And live? Sounds exactly the same. Also - she was a DRUMMER. She initially was the drummer/singer for the group until the powers that be wanted her more up front.
With my head held low, and a tear on my cheek, I'm afraid that for the first time ever, I'm going to have to pass on giving you a thumbs-up for this particular reaction. You guys really missed it !!
Karen is one of the most talented vocalists of the past 70 years and deserves a listen, just like Jim Croce did. If they cover one or two more of hers like they did with Jim that would be justice. This is NOT just a "rock" channel and I applaud them reacting to this. Also cultural significance since she died in the early 1980s after being a global TV star , in her early 30s weighing only 85 pounds and brought anorexia out of the shadows- saved countless number of lives from the attention....
TRUTH!!!
Truth 🤜🏻
I believe she had actually recovered from anorexia but the toll it took on her heart led to her having a heart attack.
you're right-i had forgotten. i struggle with weight issues and had just found out how easy it was to eat and barf. then she died and I cut that crap out, so I owe her memory big time. I'm still heavy, but I lived to be 70 yrs old so far. RIP
I wonder if they realize the picture they have up is not the Carpenters it's Bonnie and Delaney
Wow.
Total tunnelvision on Alex.
The greatest voice ever, and it's not even mentioned. 🤦♂️
Are you surprised?
Karen’s voice raises any and all songs to an “S”. End of story.
I agree with you.
Her voice was pure magic. Still one of the best female voices ever. It's haunting.
Guys, you went through the entire video without once mentioning her voice. Huh? You need to do Rainy Days and Mondays immediately.
Head scratcher!!
Video version if at all possible. Karen on drums is awesome.
Yes!!!
What? Not a single mention about Karen’s crystal clear voice?!? Plus, she was the drummer! Hit “Goodbye to Love” next!
Yeah but at least we got to hear a couple of minutes of talk bad vacation days and calamari.
Thank you! But they gave a unique and thoughtful critique of the song and probably without knowing, gave a stellar review of Richard Carpenter's production and arranging. But, I really do want to know specifically they're take on Karen's voice
Karen Carpenter did play drums on a lot of their early material, but on "Superstar" the drummer is the immortal Hal Blaine. His fellow Wrecking Crew stalwart Joe Osborn is the bassist on this song.
She didn't play drums on this.
The fact that you guys didn't comment on her voice is amazing to me. One of the best voices of the last 60 years.
Her voice alone is S tier. She has one of the best voices ever & I mean EVER.
It's fascinating how important Alex takes the lyrics, that they really effect his scores. The emotions in Karen Carpenter's voice are LEGENDARY!!! This IS very different from other music you've heard, definitive early 70's pop. I wonder if this is before or after listening to Tapestry?
It’d been a few weeks since we recorded the Tapestry video by the time we recorded this
I have to admit The Carpenters are a guilty pleasure for me. The ultimate in 70's easy listening along with Bread
It was not cool to be a Carpenters fan, but her voice is so good
Definitely what I would call a guilty pleasure for me and I suspect many a rocker. Talent cannot be denied.
Would love to see a reaction to Guitar Man!
Bread had hits with softer songs, but their albums were full of variety. "Mother Freedom", "Down On My Knees", "Tecolote", "Call On Me", "Don't Tell Me No", "Fancy Dancer", rock well.
When A&A explores Bread, that’ll be must watch
I had respect for you guys right up to this video.
Karen isn’t just a legend. She set the bar.
Try the Carpenters, “I’ll Say Good-Bye to Love “, has the first power guitar solo as we have come to know now. Karen Carpenter has the best female voice in music history.
That is my favorite Carpenter’s song. That solo makes the song IMO.
The exact song title is "Goodbye to Love." Breads "Guitar Man" came out around the same time two songs ahead of their time before "power ballads" became popular.
Wow, I didn't know that fact, interesting. And I agree, Karen's voice is impeccable
The thumbnail photo is not Karen Carpenter and her brother Richard.
That’s Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett. The song was written by Bonnie and Leon Russell, recorded in 1969 for Bonnie with Derek and The Dominoes as the backing band. The original song title was Groupie (Superstar)
Thank you, I was wondering who that was.
You beat me to it., They should react to some delany and bonnie
In my humble opinion, she sang "Baby, baby, baby, baby, oh baby" was her pain and longing to see him again.
She's at a complete loss of words due to the emotional pain. A bit like Elton John's, "Anyway ... the thing is ... what I really mean." It's either garbage placeholder or a brilliant turn of phrase to illustrate being dumbstruck by, in that song, the beauty of her eyes.
You just listened to one of the greatest voices of all time...and missed it.
Her voice is pure magic....what's wrong with you not commenting on her voice?
I was in 7th grade when their song "Close To You" was released. I had a mad crush on a new guy in school and THAT song said it all. 😁 No female vocalist ever had a voice like Karen. Gorgeous voice and she was a kick azz drummer too!
I was in 5th grade when 'Close To You' and 'We've Only Just Begun' came out. I liked them both, but 'We've Only...' was my big favorite. No school crush for me at the time that I remember, but I was in love with Karen! She had a great voice AND played the drums, what more could a music-loving kid who wanted to be a drummer ask for? There were so many great songs out from late 70 through late 71 that are still huge favorites. SO many great memories from those days.
@@NoviJimB I played drums in 7th and 8th grade. I took drum lessons in school. I wanted to keep going in HS. When I went to drum class in 9th and saw it was all guys, I quit. Too shy for that. I asked my patents about getting a kit. That was the most enthusiastic NO ever.
@@Fuphyter Cool that you did that, but too bad you stopped. My oldest sister wanted to pay for me to take some lessons as a Christmas present in 70 or 71 if our parents would buy me a set, but the parents didn't want to have to listen to all that noise so they vetoed it. I got a little 'toy' drum as a present instead, which I broke after a couple of days. I started playing guitar in 1974 and still do, so it worked out well in the end for me. Been playing in bands for most of the last 25 years.
@@NoviJimB very cool you are a guitarist! I would love to hear your band. I sang in bands in my 20s and 30s. I did take classical piano at age 8. I brought in sheet music for Stairway To Heaven once. My teacher was not impressed. LOL
@@Fuphyter You should get back into it! I play and do some singing. We're in the Detroit area. don't do much in the summer other than private parties. We do classic rock covers. I checked out your page here, you have some good stuff on your list. I'm a huge Badfinger fan, maybe the most underrated band ever. Love that video of 'Perfection' where they interview Pete Ham. He was incredible. Our band does 'No Matter What' and 'Baby Blue'.
Everyone wanted to do "Superstar" on the Carpenters tribute recording. This song has inspired singing careers. This is the biggest fail I've seen you guys do. There's something missing in you that you need to find to grow here. You're not getting how rich this song is vocally and artistically. There's seven levels and you're only seeing one.
Anyone mentioning “cheese” when it comes to the Carpenters is simply a philistine and cannot be taken seriously.
How you blew past Karen's voice is beyond me. Listen again, guys.
This vocal is the first take. She nailed it. Also Karen plays drums on many of their early tracks.
Pretty sure she played all the drums on all of their records. She was a serious drummer
@@scottwheeler2679 No, they used Hal Blaine on a lot of their albums. Karen was mostly on the earlier ones.
Not just the first take ... it was the freakin' guide vocal, for crying out loud!
Only a master-class singer could release a song with a guide vocal as the main melodic track and have a #2 hit with it.
@@tomward6689 agreed, what most folks don't know is Karen also played the tambourines on almost all of their studio recordings. Rarely credited!
A voice of a generation. Karen Carpenter is among the greats of all time.
Guys…..with all due respect….you missed the boat on this one. 1. Do your research-the song is not her composition….2. The beauty and singular timbre of her amazing voice blew right past you guys…..that was the entree that needed to be recognized and deconstructed. You just whiffed on this one.
The Carpenters were considered to be “Family friendly, wholesome squares” back in the 70s. the productions by Richard Carpenter were very well done, but could be a little cheesy sometimes. Karen Carpenters voice was the star though. Try “we’ve only just begun” or “close to you” to get a better feel for her voice. not ashamed of being a fan now. She died tragically from anorexia.
"Carpenters were considered...". FTFY
What else is amazing about The Carpenters was their degree of popularity in an era when music was dominated by edgy, inventive, barnstorming rockers.
@@michaeliacangelo9423 Drop the definite article, it's just, "Carpenters".
@@Cosmo-Kramer...OR...THE Carpenters (as opposed to any old carpenter). 😄
@@michaeliacangelo9423 Ummm...okay. But put it in CAPS next time.
Her voice was golden. I would have loved them to start with “We’ve Only Just Begun” instead. That besides the Xmas music defines the Carpenters to me.
You did hear her singing, right? That should stand out more than anything.
So much missed here. Her voice is unlike no others you've ever heard. It's so pure and just beautiful. It might be your age but I think you should listen again. This is an A on her voice alone and then you go up from there. Please, listen again.
Her voice is so beautiful and somewhat haunting. The verses capture me more than the chorus but the chorus is also perfect. The song is “S Tier”. Still getting radio play 50 years later and reaction video requests these days for a reason. The band Sonic Youth does an excellent cover of it and I usually don’t like a lot of covers but they match the mood of the original in their own way.
As a musician, former vocalist, we all loved her. Karen had profound "Timbre"... she really stood alone. Till this day...no one comes close... Richard, equally awesome.
If you are unfamiliar with her, Eva Cassidy's talent and tragedy demand a close look, at least Karen Carpenter had great success before she died, not after like Eva.
Eva's Over the Rainbow, Chain of Fools, and Fields of Gold are all hers now!
One of the few singers you can identify within 2 notes. Such a unique tone she had.
Although Karen Struggled With Insecurities,, She Was Also Extremely Humble,, Once Describing Herself As "A Drummer That Could Just Sing A Little"...R.I.P. Karen..Thanks For ALL You Gave Us..Gone But Definitely Not Forgotten. 🙏 ❤
That was beautiful
@@classicrockbeagle Kind Of You To Say..Thank You.
This might be one of the most perfect pop songs of all time. Beautifully constructed, played and sung, with a gut-wrenching undercurrent of sadness. It's not important that A&A like it, but it'd be nice if they did.
A&A has to step up their game. If this is not an S we have issues with the viability of these two.
This is the one of those songs that I would have preferred they watch her sing this song live. You can see the melancholy in every inch of her body.
I would have liked them to just acknowledge her extraordinary voice.
It’s quite easy to second guess the low ratings given this song, but remember, these two whipper snappers weren’t around during Carpenters’ heyday, when Carpenters’ music saturated the airwaves, they had TV appearances galore, and this lasted for years. If A and A give Carpenters a good listen, over time, undoubtedly they will come to recognize Karen’s singular voice. My favorite kind of music is guitar-oriented rock, so I don’t care much for the arrangements that Richard came up with, but having lived through Carpenter’s glory days, I rate Karen’s voice at the very top. She is in the pantheon of pop music singers.
Great voice, the style is not for everyone.
Odd that her S-tier voice wasn't even mentioned. Maybe they need to hear more of her.
Both of you guys get a F grade for not saying anything about Karen Carpenters perfect voice.
I agree with that! Where were their heads at?
One of Alex's favorite bands is Led Zeppelin. Robert Plant abused the word "baby" more than any artist in history. I call double-standard!
I love this song, and Karen Carpenter was a master at her craft. I read the comments first, and dudes ... if you're gonna diss KAREN CARPENTER, I'm not even gonna bother watching the video.
Possibly the best female voice ever. Haunting
If you are unfamiliar with her, Eva Cassidy's talent and tragedy demand a close look, at least Karen Carpenter had great success before she died, not after like Eva.
Eva's Over the Rainbow, Chain of Fools, and Fields of Gold are all hers now!
@@ratroute8238 I’ll check out her music. Thanks , always interested in music I haven’t heard
@@vern1418 You are in for a treat, prefect pitch and range with emotion evoked in every phrase.
PS Eva is a pretty good guitarist too.
I mean, to not make the song about her vocals...That is the power and beauty behind this song.
Karen's voice is angelic. So sad you guys were not as appreciative.
Her gift is the purity of her voice and the gut wrenching emotion. The complexity of the woman is visited in her voice
If you are unfamiliar with her, Eva Cassidy's talent and tragedy demand a close look, at least Karen Carpenter had great success before she died, not after like Eva.
Eva's Over the Rainbow, Chain of Fools, and Fields of Gold are all hers now!
No offense to you, Alex, be you criticizing the songwriting of Leon Russell and Bonnie Bramblett is like a novice composer criticizing Bach or Beethoven. You guys are usually spot on, but I gotta call you out on this one.
Keep on, keeping on guys.
As Andy and Alex say sometimes - hard agree.
Triple hard agree this one.
Even John Lennon commented how great her voice was
Alex, did it ever occur to you that the chorus of Superstar was meant to express a hopeless feeling, one in which the hurt person doesn't have a clue what to say next, apart from I love you. The song is meant to express emotion, not so much thoughts. Karen's voice does the bulk of the communicating, not the lyrics. And Andy, 'B'? For one of the most beautiful voices ever in popular music. You guys are fun to watch, but sometimes something just has to be said to expand your thinking and approach. My primary complaint, and this is something you really can't help, being as young as you are, is that you far too often rate tunes out of context. Example, Pretty Woman by Roy Orbison. The lyrics were of the tune's time, not now. Today's world is so different from then, that only people of my age can see the difference. What might sound a bit corny now, didn't then. The song fit the culture of the time. Buy, I concede, how could you see it. Regardless of my occasional beefs, I wish you both all the best. Rob from Canada.
When I was a teenager the Carpenters (with the definite article!) were on the radio with hit after hit. I wouldn't have anything to do with them as I listened to Zeppelin, Allman Brothers and other rock bands. It wasn't until my daughter was about 20 and was listening to them and got me to listen again and I realized that Karen Carpenter had the purest, most beautiful voices ever.
As for the Baby,baby, baby, - first off all, she didn't write the song, she covered it. Second, I think it's really perfect because it's so pleading and pained - and real. When someone is desperately lonely and feeling abandoned this is what they say, they don't get poetic in real life.
Wonderful group. Love Karen's voice also. Actually kind on haunting in this one. The song was written by Leon Russell and Bonnie Bramlett.
A&A don't know much history when they do a song then sprew untruths...
Thank God someone mentioned the composers! Leon and Bonnie wrote some great songs
@@edwardmeradith2419 Amen!
Actually it was Leon and Delaney who wrote it for Bonnie.
Okay, as a former vocalist... I am ASTONISHED you said NOT ONE WORD about Karen's voice. wtf? And you didn't like the last minor chording? SO??? Every single human alive loved Karen Carpenter. She (Karen) didn't write the song.... *sigh* ..... you two make me a little cray somedays.... AND you need to read her story. I asked you to do that on the poll. *double sigh* And where in the hell was this "happy chorus" you speak of? What? The ENTIRE song is "sad"... melancholy. It's called a "mood". argh!
Plus the picture behind them was Delaney and Bonnie.
@@robertmurphy9364 LOL I KNOW! HAHA WTF? 😆
She didn't write it, but she has one of the most beautiful voices to come along in decades.
The original line as written in the second verse was "I can't hardly wait to sleep with you again..."They changed it in this version to be more radio friendly.
I recommend Wings of Pegasus yt channel. He breaks down her voice live compared to auto tune that is used today. Mind blowing how accurate she was. Some of her live versions are better than the studio. Anyways, I agree with others that mention that you should see some of the videos in which she is singing flawlessly while playing the drums at the same time.
Fil from Wings of Pegasus is a great music analyst, because he can appreciate musical excellence (and explain it clearly and in detail) even in a musical style he doesn't necessarily favor as a musician and fan. His analysis of Karen Carpenter's voice is a classic example of that.
I’ve recommend Fil several times. I get so frustrated with Alex. I understand not liking a style, and I certainly wouldn’t want him to fake it. But really, some of his observations show a certain lack of maturity, especially for a person who claims they are a musician and has actually come up with some great analysis. I found their one Nightwish reaction, and he criticised some the the most talented musicians on the planet today. That was 2 years ago. Fil did a great breakdown for them.
Fil is a true musician.
@@gregsager2062 I love watching/listening to Fil....he really knows what he's talking about and is able to explain complicated musical concepts to laypeople like me. Karen Carpenters voice is sublime...I particularly love her low tones.
Alex always thinks he can do better. He disregards the era or social attitudes and limitations. Smh. Thanks Andy for being respectful.
If you deducted points because she sang “baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, oh baby,” you need to reconsider. Remember, what she actually sang was, “don’t you remember you told me you loved me baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, oh baby.” She’s in love with a pop singer, and those are the lyrics she heard him sing on the radio. Leon Russell was a great lyricist-this isn’t him being lazy or running out of ideas. Pop songs that young girls listen to on the radio are usually very repetitive. So, consider the intent of the songwriter and raise your grade for the song.
Great comment. Sometimes A&A just flat out miss the nuances and meaning
You seriously need to watch a lot of KC. Her voice is unique and one of the purest of the 20th century
This song is radio-friendly, anodyne, money-maker that should make my inner punk boil, but I love the Carpenters. I grew up with them, listening to AM radio in the car on long drives to Maine. And you guys didn't mention that quality of Karen Carpenter's voice which is the real magic here.
The trick to true music appreciation is to develop the ability to recognize excellence even in musical styles that don't appeal to you.
Used to play their "Close to You" on the piano, or at least tried to, as a child in the 70s. Karen's voice was fantastic. Such a talent. Gone way too soon.
she could melt anyone's heart with her voice.... she had me at ... long ago ...
I disagree with Alex's take on the chorus. He's just reading it line-by-line and judging each line individually, rather than looking at the chorus's full context. He's right that "Baby, baby, baby, baby, oh, baby" is inane by itself. But I don't think that that was Bonnie Bramlett's intent at all when she wrote the lyrics to the song. (The great Leon Russell composed "Superstar", by the way.)
The first two lines of the chorus clearly go together, because they're saying similar things from a common source: "Don't you remember you told me you loved me, baby / You said you'd be coming back this way again, baby". They're both lines in which the female protagonist quotes the traveling musician's words back to him in order to reinforce their prior romantic connection to each other. The listener instinctively pairs those two lines.
Therefore, even though the third line has the same melody as the first two lines, and repeats the word "baby" that ends the first two lines, it really belongs with the fourth line, which is the lyrical focal point of the entire song: "I love you, I really do." Both Richard and Karen Carpenter emphasize this dual pairing; Richard, by arranging the chorus so that both of the first two lines end with Jim Price's brief trumpet riff, separating them from the lines that come next and thus isolating them, and Karen, by going straight from the third line into the fourth line without any hesitation -- there's not even so much as an eighth-note rest, so she sings both lines in the same breath. That reinforces and emphasizes the connection between the two lines. (Also, note how Karen changes the notes and stress of each particular "baby" in the third line when the chorus comes around for its second run-through; those changed-up inflections make the line more intense and provide a sense of build, and they also demonstrate what a real pro Karen was as a singer.)
Alex needs to reassess his conclusion about the third line of the chorus being awful. It's really just one long continuous line: "Baby, baby, baby, baby, oh, baby, I love you -- I really do." When read that way, all of those "babys" become emphatic punctuation; they reinforce just how intensely she loves that man. (They also make her sound really needy and borderline stalker-ish, but that's another matter.)
Bramlett actually wrote a good chorus -- and Richard and Karen did a great job of presenting it properly.
Exactly! Very well said.
Thank you for demonstrating the way to properly assess and critique a lyric (as opposed to “she didn’t know what she was doing”).
Spot on. All those "baby"s were the starstruck girl's pleadings, not Karen's. They are as inane as were her hopes for his return. I've always marveled at how well Karen pulled it off, 'cause that's a lot of "baby"s to somehow differentiate. She did it! A first take, and reputedly read from a napkin. I'm not waiting for Taylor Swift to try this one, no sir.
The Carpenters aren’t something I normally listen to & don’t have any of their songs in my catalog but I can acknowledge Karen has one of the greatest voices in music.
I haven’t watched your channel in months. I did today because it was the Carpenters. Very disappointing you completely missed the pure angelic beauty of a legend’s voice. Majority of folks sampling the Carpenters are blown away by her pitch perfect special vocals & Richard’s arrangements. John Lennon stopped Karen to say “I want to tell you love, I think you’ve got a fabulous voice.”
They called her 1 Take Karen because she did this and most in 1 Take-even reading this for the first time I believe. You need to watch this video as it is both a visual and auditory experience. Listen to the isolated tracks. Also watch her playing drums in Rainy Days & Monday. Artists like McCartney and Lennon highly praised her and Sinatra said she was the only artist he would ever pay to see. Her voice is in a league of its own.
I was a teenager in the 70's and believe me it wasn't cool to like the Carpenters but when you were driving the back roads with your radio up you listened to them. Concentrate on her voice which could bring anyone's blood pressure down. Karen Carpenter's voice never lets you down.
Karen Carpenter had an amazing voice and they wrote some fantastic songs. They were massively popular in the 70's, on heavy rotation on pop music stations.
I think most of the songs were written by Burt Bacharach or Paul Williams.
This one was written by Bonnie Bramlett and Leon Russell, for Delaney and Bonnie, under the working title "Groupie"
@@jamesjrdollenmeyer8301 Richard Carpenter wrote 4 of their top ten hits.
@@thefoss5387 Yes, it was originally written as a song about a groupie. Richard Carpenter changed the original second line of the second verse from Bramlett's "And I can hardly wait to sleep with you again," to the more wholesome, "And I can hardly wait to be with you again." It worked, because the ambiguity made the song more relatable (few women opt to be groupies; plus, women are more likely on average than men to appreciate romance over sexually frank lyrics) and ensured that it wouldn't be too controversial for radio stations to play.
@@gregsager2062 On the live album by Joe Cocker, Mad Dogs and Englishmen, the song was used to feature backup singer Rita Coolidge, it is a charming take, but doesn't hold a candle to Ms. Carpenters one-take magic.
I get chills as soon as the vocal starts. 😲
Listen again without letting the lyrical forest rob you of hearing and appreciating one of the purest voices ever in pop music. Just ask Chrissie Hynde. Karen Carpenter's voice is a national treasure, and voice is incomparable. It stinks that this was lost on you.
Ok so this genre of music is not to your taste, so be it. A lot of kids of my generation didn't think they were cool. But as we got older and matured in our tastes in music, we come to appreciate their worth in the music world. But what is disappointing is not recognizing Karen's beautiful vocals and Richard's great arrangements. Also, Karen was a top notch drummer and Richard top notch at keyboards. I hope you give them another look some time. I love rock as much as the next person but isn't widening your dimensions part of the game?
I didn’t think they were cool then. I still don’t. Couldn’t even sit through this playing of it. “Matured our tastes”? Yes. This? No.
We’ve enjoyed loads of softer pop music on the channel, just hit the entire Tapestry album on patreon and absolutely loved it, and we really enjoyed Karen’s vocals on this this here, I think we just got caught up in the details, but that doesn’t mean we’re only into head banging music lol. We LOVE pop music.
@@andyandalex Thanks for your reply guys, I really enjoy your channel. Keep up the great work.
Hahahaha! The lyricist intentionally wrote every single one of those “baby”s for a reason and Karen interprets each one differently. You can hear it (and she nailed that recording in one take btw). I can think of a few interpretations of that line just off the top of my head ranging from her painfully saying baby over and over because she’s thinking about how much she is hurting, to quoting a song that the “Superstar” is singing on the radio, to quoting what he may have said to her when he was leaving and trying to emphasise and reassure her when she’s upset that “baby, baby, baby, baby, hey, oh baby, baby, BABY…listen baby, I love you, I REALLY do” (even though he clearly doesn’t). That’s just rattling off the first options I can think of.
I love that you both are revisiting and listening to classics, and I love that you apply your clear knowledge of music and appreciation for song structure and arrangements. I’m always good with people’s opinions - good or bad - I totally appreciate them - but when you first (wrongly) assume that the singer wrote the lyrics herself and then diss the line by suggesting that the lyricist didn’t know what they were doing/had nothing better to say because they repeated a word…dude…these artists know far more about their craft than you are giving them credit for. Just don’t do that - it’s arrogant and you slam your own credibility when you do.
It's an opinion. It's what he felt. He does concede it may have been a choice.
@@paulhagger3895 and that was my opinion. I actually have no issue at all with his opinion - I stated that. I don’t care if he likes it or not, but I do take issue with a critical assessment of an artists’ work based upon misinformation and assumption. The fact that I respect A&A so much is why I invested in writing the comment. They are better than that - you start a critique from a place of assuming the lyricist “didn’t know what to write”? They absolutely knew what they wanted to write. Whether you like it or not is one thing, but don’t assume they don’t know what they’re doing, ESPECIALLY if you don’t even know who the lyricist is in the first place. Take that sh*t home and scrub it before you deign to speak it to the world.
@@markumphrey642 ok. Fine.
@@paulhagger3895 it’s all good. 😊
@@markumphrey642 agreed
Wow, I'm very surprised the roasting of Andy and Alex isn't over the top for this reaction. One of the purest voices ever and not even mentioned... and a brilliant song too! Maybe it's just so far out of the wheelhouse that it isn't understood.
Karen Carpenter, in my opinion, had the best voice of all females singers.
Agreed!
Definitely!