The songwriter, Paul Williams, once said, "I wrote this song for a bank commercial. Beyond that, it was going nowhere. Then, an angel sang my song and changed my life forever."

I love seeing a few newer generations and people of all types finding the joy of the Carpenters. ❤

One of the purest voices ever

@summertime_blooz

3 жыл бұрын

Like a clear mountain stream. Sigh!

Karen's voice is like liquid sunshine. Her voice is just phenomenal and without peer. The voice of an angel. She is so sorely missed. RIP Karen.

@user-mj8bm8ri2l

Жыл бұрын

Paul mc cartney said its the purest voice hes heard❤

Karen Carpenter's songs just brings tears to my eyes, what a powerful voice!

Brother Richard not only did the harmonies, but also did their arrangements and wrote many of their hit songs.

This guy totally knows how to appreciate and review the wonderful talents of the Carpenters Karen and Richard's music, that is, sophisticatedly arranged and produced. Unforgettable performances. timeless, classic.... songs that were perfect for their time.

Every time I watch her sing, it brings me to tears, that such a beautifully talented human being fell to an eating disorder. Where was her circle of friends? ❤😢

Many couples took their wedding vows to this song. Beautiful song sung by a beautiful woman with such a beautiful voice. Still gives me goosebumps over 50 years later! RIP KAREN. Miss you. Glad you mentioned the tambourine player. I have always felt the same way but have never heard anyone else mention that till you. Nice reaction!

The Carpenters were the Led Zeppelin of easy listening.

@personalcheeses8073

3 жыл бұрын

That does not even make any sense

@67Zink

3 жыл бұрын

@@personalcheeses8073 Led Zeppelin is the greatest Hard Rock band.. ... so THEY (Carpenters) are the greatest band of easy listening...

@afc358

3 жыл бұрын

@@personalcheeses8073 is the Led Zeppelin of not getting it.

@joelhoulette3508

3 жыл бұрын

Great word play

@Missangie827

3 жыл бұрын

that makes Karen the Robert Plant of ez listening-

The songwriter Paul Williams said that when this song came out hard rock was all that was topping the charts, and the only reason that this song was a hit was because an angel named Karen Carpenter sang it!

A voice like golden honey. Such an amazing talent she was. RIP Karen.

Karen's voice is like Velvet. Why she's always tapping with her hands is because she was a drummer and a pretty good drummer at that!

Like butter. Best voice of my childhood. RIP Karen

I think the musical phrase to describe the tamborine player is “in the pocket” He’s imitating what a drummer would be doing with the ride and the backbeat. Karen and the rest of the musicians knew the concept of doing your part but not “overplaying.” Karen was more than capable of dazzling you with vocal acrobatics but choose a different approach that made her legandary. She stayed in a sweet spot range that made it sound like she was talking directly to you. That’s why she still gives us chills all these years later.

and ONLY 20 years old singing this and singing like this! otherworldly! literally a voice of 2 generations!

@paulk9985

3 жыл бұрын

I agree. I am always amazed at her control and maturity at age 20... and without any lessons!

Simply the best female singer I've ever heard

You wonder how a beautiful girl with such a massive gift of voice that she had, could believe the demon telling her she was ugly.

@dalebaker9109

3 жыл бұрын

Such a pity about her, she was still a baby when she died. Only 32. The world lost something forever.

@chrisf.7980

3 жыл бұрын

I could be wrong, but I believe I read / heard that it was a TV exec of some type who didn't like her outfit for the show they were filming & said it made her look chubby. I am sure when you are in the industry you are bombarded with negative comments all the time & have to develop a very thick skin. Any kind of self doubt will eat away at you (no pun intended here). I wish she could have found the right help, anorexia was not very understood at the time. It would have been wonderful to watch her continue to mature & expand on her talents as she matured over the years.

@personalcheeses8073

3 жыл бұрын

@@chrisf.7980 I believe it was her brother Richard that originally told her she was fat when they were young. But that’s brothers for you. I should know I have five. He cannot have possibly known it would have had such a lasting effect on her

@sassymessmess9110

3 жыл бұрын

Her Mom was something else, definitely wore the pants in the household. Karen was chubby as a child, not obese but chubby.

@ronibrowning7316

3 жыл бұрын

@@personalcheeses8073 omg no, Richard never told her she was fat. There wasn't a specific incident. It a cumulative effect being in the spot light after moving out from behind the drums.

It was a beautiful song played at weddings in the 70's

Just love the Carpenters

This was the most popular Wedding song of the 1970"s.

@dt1064

3 жыл бұрын

High school senior songs too.

The voice of an angel

Her voice is just natural.

Paul McCartney said her voice was the most beautiful voice ever. Totally agree

I’m old enough to remember the tv show they had. Was always so enamoured with Karen. Such a sweet, easy and almost hypnotic voice she had. She would just draw you into her world with every word sung. Simply incomparable.

God bless 🙏 Karen Carpenter, This is my favorite songs, and it's hard to say that because of her song in her soul

“Yesterday Once More” and “Solitaire”

It’s just tragic. She was and always will be a Superstar. It was so awful when Anorexia got her.

a vocal coach and leader singer in Heaven's Choir. RIP Karen.

The Carpenters made some beautiful music!!

That voice will never be rivaled!!🎶🎤🎶💜

Such an amazing voice. She was also a serious drummer. To think it was her brother who was supposed to be the star. True fact: This song was used in a commercial for a bank in California in the early 70's! Her brother Richard was watching TV saw it and loved the melody. Bless her because she should still be here. Not another voice like hers. 🕊

Karen and Richard recorded each note of their harmonies three times to create that unique and lush sound. Richard's arrangements were wonderful. And Karen's voice...well what can you say? Pure as sunlight and totally distinctive. Precise diction and dynamics. An incomparable vocalist.

She is the best. Her voice is beautiful and brings me such joy. RIP Karen.

I first heard The Carpenters when I was 4 years old. I am now 52, and EVERY SINGLE TIME I hear them feels like the first time!! It will NEVER get old or go out of style. So much talent in this world!! I feel like crying when I hear Karen sing. I wish I could just hug her and make her feel better!! I suffered from Anorexia, and what an unbelievably IMMENSE STRUGGLE it is!!❤

She sings and delivers with no unnecessary vocal gymnastics (that really have nothing much to do with delivering a song for the most part). Beautiful.... I'm still in love.

This song caught Richard's attention when he heard a small segment of it in a TV commercial for a bank. He asked their manager to find out if there was a whole song there or was it just the few bars in the TV advert. The song was written by Paul Williams and when he got the call from his manager explaining Richard's interest in "We've Only Just Begun" Williams said it was already a complete song but if he'd had to, he would have lied through his teeth and said there was. Getting your song recorded by the Carpenters was a major career boost. I suggest "Good-bye To Love". With a full on distortion guitar solo it may be the first "power ballad" ever recorded. LL&P🖖 Rock on🤘 .

@ericanderson8886

3 жыл бұрын

Good-bye To Love is a great one and well worth reacting to.

@StudeSteve62

3 жыл бұрын

Indeed Goodbye To Love was the first power ballad. Richard invented a subgenre on his own. The origin of that song was interesting too and, like We've Only Just Begun, testament to Richard's genius for finding songs in odd places. The title Goodbye To Love originates with an old Bing Crosby movie (Rhythm On The River) that RC saw on TV one night. Just the title appeared in the film, no song, but RC liked that title and he and John Bettis wrote the song around it...

I always call this sort of music "Warm bath music". Listening to this song is like lying back in a bath on a cool night, just letting the waves of warmth wash over and through your body. A deeper cut of theirs well worth a listen is "Mr Guder".

@StudeSteve62

3 жыл бұрын

That whole album, 1970's "Close To You", perhaps most strongly of all their albums displays the "Carpenters Sound". Multitracking and jazz influences are everywhere...fitting, as Richard and Karen's two previous groups were a vocal choral ensemble (Spectrum) and a jazz combo (the Dick Carpenter Trio)...they just seem so wonderfully true to themselves on "Close To You".

A true angels voice. Soft and calming. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Like butter. Best voice of my childhood

It's funny how this song basically was from a TV Commercial at first and became a hit.

Karen had the most incredible, amazingly beautiful voice.

She was and is the best.

actually it was ONLY karen and richard doing the harmonizing using a dubbing technique. the others in this video were part of their LIVE band who sang back-up and harmony ONLY doing their life performances NOT on their actual albums...

@dinodasbunce6224

3 жыл бұрын

I commented on that too, I didn't see you comment until after I had made mine. Some times live they used their canned backing vocals with the band members lip syncing, not always but sometimes.

During the 70's, I was AGAINST this type of music and favored Led Zeppelin, Cream, Humble Pie and you all know the rest... I STILL love my old favorites but I NOW love this too... SOOOO much. *In retrospect, the MESSAGE of the Carpenters were in a very POSITIVE light, a "keep the faith / stay on the straight and narrow" kind of message. I was just TOO FULL of testosterone to UNDERSTAND all the awesome greatness here, wasn't I ???🤔...*

The wonderful thing about her voice ,is that way it makes you feel never changes. Not to take anything away from Karen’s presence in this band but her brother is the musical genius behind the music! His arrangements are pretty complex!

Her brother was a musical genius. This song started life as a jingle for a bank commercial on TV. Peter heard it and called the author up and asked if he had any more verses for it. The guy jumped at the chance and the song ended up as a huge hit.

@personalcheeses8073

3 жыл бұрын

Except he is called Richard Carpenter and the song was written by Roger Nichols and Paul Williams

@StudeSteve62

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah..."Peter"? 😉

Karen had the voice of an angel (or at least what I believe angels to sound like...)

In the 70's and 80's, this song was required to be played at every wedding.

All of the harmonies were sung by Karen and Richard. Just like ABBA they did all of their own backing vocals in the studio.

Chod, their "Hurting Each Other" and "Sing" are next for you! Every human who hears her voice, falls in love with it. edit- This was the 'wedding song' of the 1970's.

Sung at every wedding for a decade of more.

Background vocals are overdubbed 8 times, 4 from her voice, 4 from his, each with a different note and timbre.

You need to do goodbye to love it is actually the first power ballet song

@StudeSteve62

3 жыл бұрын

Ballad, not ballet! But yes...

A VOICE OF ALL TIME, LOVE IT !!

Their last recording "now" is so beautiful it brings a lump to my throat every time I suggest that you listen/react to it, you won't regret it

Karen’s cover of Masquerade is fantastic

Chod, any time you want to put a smile on your face just put a Carpenters track on! What happened to her is terrible, but what a gift and a legacy she left us! Peace,

Thank you for bringing The Carpenters back into my music playlist! I grew up listening to them but as you get older you appreciate the music so much more

A Song For You is the most beautiful of their songs in my opinion!

@StudeSteve62

3 жыл бұрын

That isn't one of "theirs", it's by Leon Russell...but of course Carpenters made it their own, which is what you mean. Song selection was very much part of Richard's genius...

@carollandrum9223

3 жыл бұрын

That's exactly what I mean.

This is the only song I've ever seen with two tambourines (second one on top of the "O").

Play their version of Solitaire and you will be completely blown away. I get teary eyed every time i hear it.

@timothybessemer7316

3 жыл бұрын

That is a sad forlorn song that Karen did with a lot of heart.

She was known as one-take Karen because she always nailed the song on the first take.

Wilburn you must feel blessed hear Karen sing! One of the most beautiful female voices ever!!

This song was THE wedding song of the 70's. Sheila E. was inspired to take up drumming by seeing Karen on TV.

Doug Strawn on the tambourine. Also played the clarinet and sang some duets with Karen during live shows (Cinderella Rockafella is my fave, such a fun performance). Later, he became the music director for Disneyland.

Silky smooth angelic voice and if course magnificent arrangement!❤️☮️👍🏻🎤🎼🎹

I saw them live in concert 1974. Peace out Patrick. I was 13. Ha young Grasshoper.

Your smile says it all:)

Her voice was so beautiful.

Angelic powerful voice!!

This brings huge memories for me. It was sung at my wedding. Beautiful song, beautiful person. She died way too young.

Please listen to "A Kind Of Hush"

I love her always, such an awesome time it was to have her around.

Those harmonies are so faultless because (at least this early in their career) they are all Richard and Karen, multitracked. Richard was inspired by what Les Paul and Mary Ford did a couple decades earlier pioneering that technique. RC was trying to recapture the choral sound of their previous vocal group Spectrum, and also of the Long Beach University choir with which they had performed. (This video of We've Only Just Begun is "TV live", BTW; what is heard is the studio recording...)

Can't tell you how many weddings this has been played at! Great song thanks

Thank you so much for doing this reaction! I grew up with this music! Yes I’m old! Lol! I LOVE The Carpenters! Thanks agin from Down Under! I love your channel! Greetings from Australia.

The next Carpenters song you should react to is Good bye to Love. You will not be disappointed!

Karen was also a phenomenal drummer. You can find several versions on YT!

More Carpenters: Hurting Each Other, For All We Know, There's a Kind of Hush (All Over the World).

It's so wonderful that you like the Carpenters as much as you do. If you want to hear something in a similar vein, I would highly recommend two songs by Jackie DeShannon...."What the World Needs Now is Love" and "Put a Little Love in Your Heart," both from the late 60's.

I sang this song in my high school chorus! A beautiful song!

They have a huge catalog of beautiful songs. Some of the best easy listening music ever.

You really definitely have to hear All you get from love is a love song by Carpenters 👍👍👍👍👍👍🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷

Back in the day, this was one of the top songs for weddings

She’s playing drums on that recording too!

I love how she drums with her fingers...

From the Fall of 1970-----------this was their 2nd straight #1 single. Written by Paul Williams & Roger Nichols.----I had fallen in love for the 2nd & final time in my life, at now, 24 y/o. -------MJL, 75 y/o

Watch her hands in this video, she is air drumming. As a drummer you know we tend to do this when listening to music 😂

You need to check out THE 5TH DIMENSION ( American popular music vocal group, whose repertoire includes pop, R&B, soul, jazz, light opera and Broadway - a melange referred to as "champagne soul".60's to the 70's) I'll think you will love them - when it come to a group that harmonize, they could be the best. ... Hits Songs: Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In * Wedding Bell Blues * One Less Bell to Answer * Stoned Soul Picnic * Up, Up and Away ... The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2002. .....

@deborahscalise3215

3 жыл бұрын

I definitely agree. Marilyn McCoo had a wonderful voice also and their harmonies were great.

Just came across your channel. I like your style, your knowledge, and your demeanor. Thanks for covering The Carpenters. You ought to check out Ticket To Ride. I believe it came out in 1969. Love that beautiful fade away ending! Yeah, it's that same tune The Beatles did!

@StudeSteve62

3 жыл бұрын

Ticket To Ride was Carpenters' first single, in 1969. It is, as you say, a Beatles tune, but Richard turned it into a kind of ballad for Karen...

Thanks, Wilburn - one of my favorites - harmonies with Richard are amazing - gotta say, though, it's hard to ignore that wacky tambourine guy in the foreground - lol --

Hoping you'll react to the Carpenters - Goodbye to Love - often hailed as the first 'power ballad'.

First time I've heard props for the band! Every one of them a great instrumentalist as well as a phenomenal harmony-vocalist!

@StudeSteve62

3 жыл бұрын

Actually the harmonies heard on this "TV live" rendition are all Richard and Karen, multitracked. This is the studio recording...

Richard BTW did not quit playing with multitracked harmonies after Karen passed. Check out the all-Richard "choir" on the song When Time Was All We Had, from RC's 1987 solo album "Time"...

please do Goodbye to love by them studio version

@TheJm129

3 жыл бұрын

Agree 100%

We sang this song at our 6th Grade graduating ceremony back in '73, and it will always be my favorite Carpenters song. Such nostalgia. You blink and you're 58 years old.

I'm also working on being a druming.Ive heard this song a bunch but not the video and I also noticed the guy on the Tambourine was getting it!Great reaction one new Subscriber here.

Karen definitely was blessed with that awesome voice!!!!

Karen's last recorded song was called "Now". She looked kinda unhappy and sickly, she died not to long after recording this. You can find it on you tube if you want to listen to it.

@StudeSteve62

3 жыл бұрын

That vocal was just a work lead; KC never got to sing the "good" version...! Of course Karen being Karen her first take was perfect. Even in April 1982 when she was deathly ill. Check out "Superstar", for instance. Big hit single...and that lead vocal was not only a first take but the first time Karen sang the song...reading the lyrics off a piece of paper...