Dude, that is Karen Carpenter. She's a legend. The purest voice and an amazing drummer too. They had a ton of hits in the 70s before her untimely death in the early 80s. Check out: Rainy Days an Mondays, We've Only Just Begun, Close To You, and Superstar for starters.
You are tingling because of her voice. It is one of the most astonishing sounds a human has ever produced. She sang to absolute perfection and with such soul. You should absolutely check out more of their stuff.
I encourage you to take a deep dive into The Carpenters--'Superstar', 'Rainy Days and Mondays', 'We've Only Begun' only scratch the surface of their fantastic catalogue.
Matthew, I was going to recommend exactly the same three songs. Justin, you won't find any feelgood factor in Rainy Days. It is gloomier than any goth song. Karen Carpenter had the most inconsolable voice ever.
i would also suggest "solitaire", and "for all we know" "bless the beasts and the children", and their first number #1 hit "close to you" and her christmas renderings of "merry christmas darling" and "i'll be home for christmas".
They were actually the inventors of the power ballads. This is actually the first tune ever that features a fuzz guitar solo in the middle of an easy listening melody. Power ballads would later become very popular. Please listen to their other multiple hits like rainy days and mondays, superstar, we've only just begun and Yesterday once more 😊
Karen and Richard (especially Richard) caught a lot of crap for how 'heavy' this song was with the fuzz guitar. I wonder if that was the reason not much more from Richard with that style...?
the reason why your "tingling" is because she was the ULTIMATE singer who sang TO YOU NOT AT YOU!... many over the decades commented that it sounded like she was sitting in your lap and singing to you and ONLY for you!..her voice is beyond moving, beautiful, rich and pure...
I like Motorhead, Zeppelin, Black Sabbath etc ..... I also like The Carpenters .. go figure !! Not my favourite song by them ... but still beautiful. Karen had a beautiful voice ... and also plays the drums while she sings .. awesome !!
@John Duxbury My father introduced me to Steppenwolf & The Doors at the time then he said "Oh by the way here are the Carpenters".....I am now a "Marshmellow".
Ok, I admit it! ...this is one of my guilty pleasures too! ;-) Loved The Carpenters, growing up... Used to sing along to "Yesterday Once More", "Superstar", and their more melancholy version of "Ticket to Ride" by the Beatles. For a while, I thought she was the most beautiful girl in the world... (Then I hit puberty and they were ALL beautiful! LOL) You liked her voice... Did you know that Karen had a 5 octave range?! But, as impressive as that is, she was also their drummer! ;-) People, scroll away if you want to avoid the sad stuff to come... Despite seeking psychological treatment for Anorexia Nervosa, the damage it had already done to her heart was eventually fatal. She died in Feb, 1983 at the age of 32. A hugely talented beauty who left us way too soon!
Perfection. I love her voice, I love many of their beautiful songs. They were the cream of the crop for that style. She left us waaaay to soon. FYI the guitarist was going to do a low key sweet solo, but Richard Carpenter told him no we want you to Rock it out. That gave it a nice contrast and made it appealing to a wider audience. My favorite classic beauty of a song that rocks out is 'Guitar Man' by Bread. Like the Carpenters they specialized in beautiful ballads. They were contemporaries and I have no doubt they influenced each other. Great reaction, big thanks.
Will Music lover “Make It With You” - summer 1970. Who could ever forget that song and the impact it had? You are so right! I’ll always feel privileged to have been born in the mid-50s because the music was so fantastic!
My big sister took me to a Carpenters concert when I was 10 - my first concert! since then, I have had a soft spot in my heart for the Carpenters. 'We've Only Just Begun' was used for my 8th grade graduation... Karen Carpenter's voice is like a warm hug.... this music as you said, transports me back to my carefree childhood in the 70's....
This wouldn't normally have been my bag back in the 70s when I was heavily into my Led Zep, Genesis and Yes but when you combine a hauntingly beautiful melody with Karen Carpenters perfect voice and an awesome guitar solo, what's not to like.
I never thought I'd see you react to The Carpenters but I'm glad you did. Karen's voice is one of the greats, so angelic, and she was a damned good drummer. Some people say they are corny, but if pure audio pleasure is corny then I'm all for it. Please react to their song, Superstar, next. It's pretty awesome.
She was known by 'One Take Karen' by the recording engineers, etc. Nearly everything you'll here from her was a first take such was her amazing vocal talent. And to think she was just a great drummer that turned into a vocalist.
I was raised in the 70's on "AM Gold" and "Carpenters" were huge back then, I went on to LA Valley College in 1981 for music theory then to "recording engineering school" in 1983 and we studied the "Carpenters" style, set up & recording techniques ... From when I was a young kid, WHO WOULD OF THUNK IT!
All of their music was pure and sweet. Perfect for Karen's voice. Richard had to really push Tony to "let loose" with the solo and it did scandalize a lot of their audience. In a very real sense, Karen is singing this song about herself. Tragically, her young life ended before she ever found that one great love. I hope you do listen to more offerings from one of the most remarkable talents of the last century.
Even if someone doesn't like the Carpenters' sugar sweet pop melodies, no one can deny the stellar skill on display here. To think that a couple of siblings in their early 20's could produce work that combined innocence, heartache and mature sophistication at this level, is frankly something that's unheard of today. Give their Christmas albums a spin sometime. The arrangements are to die for! As is Karen's voice. And I'm glad you liked what you heard, because otherwise I'd have to get grumpy with you. Just this once. 😁
I love commenting on your Rush reactions because I'm a big Rush fan, but I also love the Carpenters as a "guilty pleasure". Her voice is just so rich and calming, and the compositions by her brother are wonderful. What I found out later in life was that she was a VERY good drummer. She plays the drums on her songs, and even played the drums in concert while singing. She didn't want to be a singer, she wanted to be a drummer, and they had to convince her to get out from behind the drums because people wanted to see her and they couldn't because she was a tiny little thing hidden behind the drums. She relented and agreed to come out for the slow ballads, but would go back behind the drums for other songs. It all adds up to it being a great loss to music when she died. I love their songs.
She was so self conscious about her appearance, I wonder if that's why she liked being behind the drums. The psychologist in me wonders if her eating disorder became more pronounced because she had to be more exposed to the audience.
@@08davey yes, many whom knew her quite well have said that that played a role in her struggles when she was pretty much forced out from behind the kit to "front" the band. There were other things happening, too, but she was actually very shy. She drew her confidence from her drumming. She had been a drummer since around 14-years-old and took drumming lessons from a professional jazz drummer during her high school years, became 1st chair drummer of her high school marching band and etc. Richard already had a band going and she was the group's drummer. Eventually that band, less one member, became the Carpenters and she became the lead singer. Her story is very interesting. I would recommend to anyone who wants to know more about her the book "Little Girl Blue", a biography about her life. Many of her closest friends, including Olivia Newton John, are interviewed for the biography and some parts are quite heartbreaking. She was amazing! Very strong for all she went through.
A good indicator - In every single got-talent-type shows (voice, etc included), everyone does the big voices (Whitney, Mariah Carey, Sia, etc), but nobody does Carpenters, because nobody can. Karen's got a unique voice with a unique delivery. It was the perfect contralto.
Karen Carpenter is my favorite female vocalist. She could sing (with a clear tone) like no one else. There's something about her voice that gives you the chills. Her brother, Richard, wrote songs, sang harmonies and was particularly gifted at arranging music. Their music was extremely popular in the '70s despite the burgeoning rock scene. Children sang their songs in school and adults listened to their albums. Karen and Richard were two souls who were meant to share music. (I hope you'll consider "We've Only Just Begun," "Hurting Each Other" and "This Masquerade.")
COMPLETE GOOSEBUMPS FOR ME JUSTIN :) , I WAS 23 WHEN SHE PASSED AWAY FROM ANOREXIA NERVOSA :( BACK IN 83 SO! AND CHILLS OR GOSSEBUMPS ARE A GOOD THING TO ME.
FYI: Although Karen Carpenter was a terrific drummer in her own right, the drummer who performed in this recording is the legendary Hal Blaine 2/25/29 - 3/11/19. Among the most recorded studio drummer in the music industry. He is on several Carpenters hits.He was noted to have been in 35,000 recording sessions, including 6,000 singles, having 150 songs in the top 10 list and 40 of which went to #1status. He was a part of Phil Spector's house band aka "The Wrecking Crew". He was the most sought after studio musician during the 1950's through 1970's. His talent was utilized by artists like the Beach Boys, Sonny & Cher, Johnny Rivers, Jan & Dean, Ronnie Spector, Neil Diamond, The Mama's & the Papa's, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Partridge Family, Captain & Tenille, John Denver, Simon & Garfunkel, etc...
All harmonies on their records were only Richard and Karen. The rock fuzz guitar was Richard's idea, and pissed off a lot of fans. And of course it was genius.
First time catching your channel. Firstly, thank you so much for not interrupting the track as you were listening to it. So many of these “reacting to...” channels continually pause the tracks to comment. Great to see you waiting to the end and then commenting. 👍🏻 Secondly, it’s so good to see another “reacting to...” UA-cam channel discovering the voice of Karen Carpenter. Do yourself a huge favour and check out more Carpenter tracks!
This is one of my favorites. However - understand this: this is a sad song. A tragic song. A person is confiding to us "no one cares if I should live or die." The voice puts on a momentary brave face and says that in some time in the future "maybe I've been wrong." But, for now this is my song - all I know of love is how to live without it. It is a heartfelt plaintive cry of loneliness and rejection. Karen brilliantly communicates this cry of despair not in a whiny or irritating way, but in a quiet intimate confession that many people can relate to. Who hasn't felt lonely or rejected or unloved at one time in our lives? Honestly I think the song is a masterpiece ... and Karen is sublime!
Yes, one of my favorites too. I feel like this could be my theme song, but it is so difficult to talk about long-term loneliness without sounding whiny and as if you are looking for attention. I have many blessings but romantic love has escaped me and I have no children and am in my 50's. Karen's beautiful, pure voice comforts me. I wish I could visit her in heaven (just visit for now) and see her beaming with joy and be assured that the love on that side is more than enough to make up for any disappointment here. And I would like to give her a hug.
@@juliam1099 A beautiful reply. I'm now past 60 and recently retired ... I hear you. I think Karen understood how much her songs touched people, and was thinking of people like you and me when she captured all that feeling, that emotion, and that sincerity as she was sing it. Thank you for being so human ... and brave.
@@MrButch-ls8vl - Awww, thanks Mr. Butch. Her sad songs are so cathartic too. I can shed some tears listening to them and actually feel more at peace afterwards. She sings with not only beautiful clarity but with warm and empathy. Hugs to you this December.
Karen Carpenter had one of the most iconic voices in history. She is also the ones playing the drums. She was a world class drummer also. I agree with Matthew Lee, deep dive into The Carpenters. You won't regret it.
The song "I Just fall in love again" by the carpenters is so powerful that I listened to it innumerable times, and it felt as if I could just die at that moment, of such emotional intensity and catharsis.
Just my opinion but music really is multi generational. Good music is good music. It's good to see that you tube is providing millennials the chance to hear great music from years passed. I don't know if you do it with other songs but without a video is the best way to gage a song.
Calling Occupants is not indicative of the Carpenters oeuvre at all, but boy, does it sound GORGEOUS. Impossibly luxurious. Justin, you might find it interesting to compare this to the original by the Canadian band Klaatu (who some people thought were the Beatles working undercover).
“On top of the world” JP “looking down on creation And the only explanation i can find...” Guess who’s gonna buy the Carpenters albums in the second hand stores tomorrow! That’s a testament to the reviews. Wholesome, thorough, constuctive, informative and enthusiastic. Thanks
One of my favorites by them - it showcases her incredible vocal, and the harmonies with her brother in this are fantastic. It is a melancholy song, but her voice is so great! Great reaction. Karen is on drums.
Thank you for discovering Carpenters! Best arrangement by Richard and best female vocalist of all time, Karen. Together they were unbeatable! They did all harmonies themselves alone, over dubbing. Keep on...
Sweet nostalgia. In the 60's and 70's, before I could buy albums, my older brother would play me all sorts of things, which has given me my musical taste. Deep Purple, Yes, Pink Floyd, Wishbone Ash on the heavier side, to Simon and Garfunkel, Neil Diamond and The Carpenters on the other, lighter side. It wasn't something I could admit to in school at the time, but I loved The Carpenters and have done all my life. I am still captivated by ''that'' voice, which free of most of the modern recording tricks, is a true gift and so unique.
Great breakdown. A lot of UA-cam song reaction vids are from people who don't know anything about music. However, you seem to have a good grasp on the different components of a song. Well done!
This is the first power ballad, Richard Carpenter was always looking for a new sound and asked Tony Peluso to play and later join the tour. Very timeless
A very nice analysis . First time hearing this song , I know a few of the more common tunes. Very nicely arranged, well produced and Karen's vocals...well, they are beyond compare. I rank her in the top 3 of my all time favorite female vocalists. For the inquiring minds, yes, there are a few "Carpenters" unofficial recordings for the fans to enjoy.
Hey KP... I discovered your channel a couple days just goin through UA-cam. I saw your reaction to " Yesterday Once More'.That song takes me when I was young and just sittin in my room listenin to the radio waitin for my favorite songs to play and when they did play it was like someone came behind me and hugged me... weird I know lol..Times were SO much simpler then 😒 I absolutely love Karen so thank you for showin her the respect she deserves ❤️ She truly was a SUPER STAR 🌟 Hope you're well
Excellent analysis, you really got it right about the quality of the vocals and the musicianship. All of their music is high quality, so you really should give a few of their other songs a listen to, you won't regret it.
KAREN WAS THE DRUMMERRRRRR BEFORE SHE WAS THE LEAD SINGER! LOL ACTUALLY SHE DID BOTH JUSTIN! :) WHAT AN AMAZZZZIIINGGGGG TALENT AND THAT ANGELIC POWER VOICE TOO, MY GODDDDDD, SHE DIED :( WAYYYYYYY TOO EARLY BACK IN 83 :( WOULDN'T HURT TO DO MORE CARPENTER STUFF. RAINY DAYS AND MONDAYS, CLOSE TO YOU, SUPERSTAR, ETC!
Growing up in the '70s we were bombarded with lots of soft rock on radio and television. The Carpenters was one of those groups but Karen's voice is pretty hard to resist. When she died in 1983 as a result of anorexia it was the first most people had heard of the disorder. Gone too soon.
I first heard this and other Carpenters songs in the mid-1970s. They were very popular in my neck of the woods (South East Asia). My dad would record some of the songs (along with other artists' hits) on reel tape and play them back from time to time. I only recently bought all the albums (plus some extras) on CD... they don't cost much, a few quid (British Pounds) each. A CD box set containing all their albums remastered (with NO compression) and that includes many previously unheard Karen vocals is LONG overdue!
It was that wholesomeness that made it hard for a guy to admit that they liked the Carpenters back then. It was good for date night, LOL. But for you to hear this song first, with that guitar that you described so well, kind of spoils it for you I think.. I don’t think there is another song in the catalog with that kind of guitar sound or playing. Check out Superstar for another sweet love song.
Carpenters' early stuff, with the Les Paul/Mary Ford-inspired overdubbed choral vocals, is their most striking...also you get to hear Karen on the kit on those early albums too. She could have made a living as a session drummer even without that breathtaking voice. "Eve" from Carpenters' first album (titled Offering or Ticket To Ride, depending which release it is) and "Crescent Noon" from their second (Close To You) are two of my favourites from that period (but then I particularly like ballads)...
I think the word is evocative, it evokes the feeling of the age. Karen was actually a very good drummer/percussionist as well as having a gorgeous voice.
One of my favorite female voices ever, along with Roberta Flack. So sweet and warm. I can't believe you've never heard The Carpenters. I know your history, and it's easy for main bands to pass you by, but Karen Carpenter's voice is legendary. Have fun with that musical dive. I'll take a chance and request *Roberta Flack - "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"* If you've never heard that, make it your next reaction for sweetness sake. LOL.
@@JustJP amazing you've never heard of them? they were the biggest u.s. hitmakers of the 1970's.. and literally ALL of their songs are pop classics and always will be.. and she during her lifetime and since has universally been recognized as having one of if not THEE greatest female pop voice in history! surely, no one had the most intimate, beautiful, rich, pure, haunting voice that she had, greatest female singer of love and romance songs ever...
Very cool channel. Interesting seeing the reactions of someone who got into Dream Theater first before discovering Yes, Genesis, Rush, etc (bands I loved before Dream Theater came around). Nice that you've added female fronted groups like Carpenters and Renaissance which I love. I'd recommend checking out "Someday", "Crescent Noon" or "Ticket to Ride" from Carpenters next. I've always been a fan of melancholy songs and they sure have some great ones. As far as Renaissance, you really can't go wrong with any or their 70's albums. My favorites are probably Scheherazade and Other Stories, Novella and Turn of the Cards. I'd also recommend checking out the new Renaissance covers album In the Mist of Time from the band Fleesh. The vocalist does a wonderful job as does the rest of the band recreating their timeless music.
Obviously, Justin is a musical guy. He knows a lot of musical technicalities. I like it because most reaction videos and the internet are flooding with it just reacts in a manner that became so generic. Great job sir!!!!
Karen Carpenter has one of the most incredible voices ever...so deep, so rich, so haunted. I'm really glad you enjoyed this. But a feel good song? It's a tragic song! She's given up on love! Haha! You should try Hurting Each Other. Another great song.
Richard and Karen did all the harmony parts. They pioneered the techniques of overdubbing and raised it to a fine art. I read somewhere back in the day that there are 29 vocal tracks overlaid into those last "ahs." Power ballad indeed.
I don't know why but I always liked to put one of my brother's Carpenters record albums on the stereo when I was a kid and sing along with Karen's amazing voice .
One of the greatest female voices of all time. I consider this her signature song and she was crying out in it but no one was listening. I believe it's her personal story of what was going on inside her. Her tragic end is the exclamation point to the story.
love them, ... the town where I live ( Long Beach, CA ) has "the Carpenter Center " at Long Beach State University ... something Richard started in tribute to his sister from what I here .... I've been a few times, nice small theater
it was a bold and unexpected move to put an electric guitar solo on this song, they were more known for their close harmonies and middle of the road sound.. and btw, she plays the drums..!
Listen to the lyrics...it's just so sad and empty in many ways, but her voice, the harmonies, and the instrumentation fill that emptiness up. LOVE this song, even though it's so full of sad longing.
Karen's voice was So Beautiful! I remember when I first heard the guitar solo (at the end), I was SHOCKED! Wow...THAT was the Carpenters??????Needless to say, this and Superstar are my favorite songs by The Carpenters. Nice choice, Justin!
There is a great documentary that airs on PBS from time to time on the Carpenters. Richard Carpenter goes into detail on the writing the song. He meant for it to sound nostalgic, the title is from a 1930's? era movie about a songwriter whose 'great' song was called, you guessed it, 'Goodbye to Love', no such song existed so he wrote it.
Hey bro'! Interestingly enough, some people were scandalized by the rock lead solo.. their long time guitarist Tony Pelluzo did it. I heard a version on the radio that had NO lead solo .. which would have ruined it. The power chords that resolve the solo is fantastic. YOu're right where the guitar comes outta nowhere and adds to it. You got it all right at first listen. nice sir!
How many have heard her sing 'Little Altar Boy', 'Ordinary Fool', 'Ave Maria', where you get to hear her #voice, without a lot of orchestration or effects! Any Karen Carpenter aficionado who has not heard these, you owe yourself a listen!
One of the most beautiful voices ever to grace the planet. She died far too young. If you have never heard it, you must listen to "Yesterday Once More". If I only had the ability to write one song in my life that would be it. Karen's voice would melt the heart of the hardest rock on earth. PS: I'm a Hawkwind/Motorhead/Magma guy but I love the Carpenters.
Your surprise at liking it isn't a surprise. It's almost universal. This was not a "power ballad" (a term which would have confused all and sundry when this was played). It was the FIRST ballad which, if you'll excuse the term, had balls. The name of said balls was Tony Peluso - a magnificent but underrated guitarist.....
Thanks for being here :)
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Karen Carpenter It's one of the most amazing voices in music history! 🎶❤️👏
Dude, that is Karen Carpenter. She's a legend. The purest voice and an amazing drummer too. They had a ton of hits in the 70s before her untimely death in the early 80s.
Check out: Rainy Days an Mondays, We've Only Just Begun, Close To You, and Superstar for starters.
And "Merry Christmas, Darling"
Exactly!
And 'I need to be in love'
@@angelarasmussen1800 Oh yes.. that one for sure ❤️
@@tonyacook8966 I watched a documentary that analyzed that whole song's process of being created. Very interesting.
You are tingling because of her voice. It is one of the most astonishing sounds a human has ever produced. She sang to absolute perfection and with such soul. You should absolutely check out more of their stuff.
Ty Mike!
I encourage you to take a deep dive into The Carpenters--'Superstar', 'Rainy Days and Mondays', 'We've Only Begun' only scratch the surface of their fantastic catalogue.
Matthew, I was going to recommend exactly the same three songs.
Justin, you won't find any feelgood factor in Rainy Days. It is gloomier than any goth song. Karen Carpenter had the most inconsolable voice ever.
I'm up for it🤭
Oh YES. Those three are stone cold classics and are, INDEED, timeless. Good melodies never go wrong.
i would also suggest "solitaire", and "for all we know" "bless the beasts and the children", and their first number #1 hit "close to you" and her christmas renderings of "merry christmas darling" and "i'll be home for christmas".
Absolutely the same three songs! but Honorable Mention goes to: "Only Yesterday", "Hurting Each Other" and "Yesterday Once More"
They were actually the inventors of the power ballads. This is actually the first tune ever that features a fuzz guitar solo in the middle of an easy listening melody. Power ballads would later become very popular. Please listen to their other multiple hits like rainy days and mondays, superstar, we've only just begun and Yesterday once more 😊
Thanks Margarida!
Karen and Richard (especially Richard) caught a lot of crap for how 'heavy' this song was with the fuzz guitar. I wonder if that was the reason not much more from Richard with that style...?
Of course you tingle. You are listening to one of the most beautiful female voices of all time. RIP Karen.
the reason why your "tingling" is because she was the ULTIMATE singer who sang TO YOU NOT AT YOU!... many over the decades commented that it sounded like she was sitting in your lap and singing to you and ONLY for you!..her voice is beyond moving, beautiful, rich and pure...
The word you’re looking for is ‘timeless’.
I'd definitely say so!
This song was infamous for the fuzz guitar solo that shocked their soft-pop fans. The Carpenters are peerless.
The fuzz really makes it even better
@@JustJP This was among the earliest "power ballads", and their elder, easy listening fans felt betrayed. It didn't hurt their career, though.
@@Lwize Well, they really needed to open their ears a bit - a lot actually.
@@chrisbarlow2131 Hearing aid removal was necessary, at a minimum.
I think you mean famous (good). Infamous means something bad.
I like Motorhead, Zeppelin, Black Sabbath etc ..... I also like The Carpenters .. go figure !! Not my favourite song by them ... but still beautiful. Karen had a beautiful voice ... and also plays the drums while she sings .. awesome !!
@John Duxbury My father introduced me to Steppenwolf & The Doors at the time then he said "Oh by the way here are the Carpenters".....I am now a "Marshmellow".
Agree - I love all kinds of GOOD music
I like all the artists you mentioned and this IS my favorite Carpenters song!
What's your favourite then
Ok, I admit it! ...this is one of my guilty pleasures too! ;-)
Loved The Carpenters, growing up... Used to sing along to "Yesterday Once More", "Superstar", and their more melancholy version of "Ticket to Ride" by the Beatles. For a while, I thought she was the most beautiful girl in the world... (Then I hit puberty and they were ALL beautiful! LOL)
You liked her voice... Did you know that Karen had a 5 octave range?! But, as impressive as that is, she was also their drummer! ;-)
People, scroll away if you want to avoid the sad stuff to come...
Despite seeking psychological treatment for Anorexia Nervosa, the damage it had already done to her heart was eventually fatal. She died in Feb, 1983 at the age of 32. A hugely talented beauty who left us way too soon!
Man, that's very very young. Ty for the info Rob!
Perfection. I love her voice, I love many of their beautiful songs. They were the cream of the crop for that style. She left us waaaay to soon. FYI the guitarist was going to do a low key sweet solo, but Richard Carpenter told him no we want you to Rock it out. That gave it a nice contrast and made it appealing to a wider audience. My favorite classic beauty of a song that rocks out is 'Guitar Man' by Bread. Like the Carpenters they specialized in beautiful ballads. They were contemporaries and I have no doubt they influenced each other. Great reaction, big thanks.
Its really really good. I've listened to a few other songs now, and I'm enjoying them so far. Ty Will
Will Music lover I loved Bread (David Gates). They wrote schmaltzy songs but they were so beautiful and touching, they’d make your heart melt.
@@justintime42000 Yes Cathy, what a wonderful variety of music we enjoyed. I appreciate it now as much as then.
Will Music lover “Make It With You” - summer 1970. Who could ever forget that song and the impact it had?
You are so right! I’ll always feel privileged to have been born in the mid-50s because the music was so fantastic!
This song is often sighted as the first popular power ballad and Tony Peluso credits Richard with the idea.
My big sister took me to a Carpenters concert when I was 10 - my first concert! since then, I have had a soft spot in my heart for the Carpenters. 'We've Only Just Begun' was used for my 8th grade graduation... Karen Carpenter's voice is like a warm hug.... this music as you said, transports me back to my carefree childhood in the 70's....
This wouldn't normally have been my bag back in the 70s when I was heavily into my Led Zep, Genesis and Yes but when you combine a hauntingly beautiful melody with Karen Carpenters perfect voice and an awesome guitar solo, what's not to like.
I never thought I'd see you react to The Carpenters but I'm glad you did. Karen's voice is one of the greats, so angelic, and she was a damned good drummer. Some people say they are corny, but if pure audio pleasure is corny then I'm all for it. Please react to their song, Superstar, next. It's pretty awesome.
Thanks JJ! Unexpected is what I strive for! :D I really enjoyed this one
She was known by 'One Take Karen' by the recording engineers, etc. Nearly everything you'll here from her was a first take such was her amazing vocal talent. And to think she was just a great drummer that turned into a vocalist.
I was raised in the 70's on "AM Gold" and "Carpenters" were huge back then, I went on to LA Valley College in 1981 for music theory then to "recording engineering school" in 1983 and we studied the "Carpenters" style, set up & recording techniques ... From when I was a young kid, WHO WOULD OF THUNK IT!
Thanks for listening all the way through without interrupting
Great voice, magnificent guitar solo!!! So iconic, the first ever power ballad!!
All of their music was pure and sweet. Perfect for Karen's voice. Richard had to really push Tony to "let loose" with the solo and it did scandalize a lot of their audience. In a very real sense, Karen is singing this song about herself. Tragically, her young life ended before she ever found that one great love. I hope you do listen to more offerings from one of the most remarkable talents of the last century.
Thank you Iacobus
the voice of an angel.....
Even if someone doesn't like the Carpenters' sugar sweet pop melodies, no one can deny the stellar skill on display here.
To think that a couple of siblings in their early 20's could produce work that combined innocence, heartache and mature sophistication at this level,
is frankly something that's unheard of today. Give their Christmas albums a spin sometime. The arrangements are to die for!
As is Karen's voice. And I'm glad you liked what you heard, because otherwise I'd have to get grumpy with you. Just this once. 😁
Haha, ty Teppo :D The combination you describe is what makes this song (and I assume the band) so good.
the word is TIMELESS
I love commenting on your Rush reactions because I'm a big Rush fan, but I also love the Carpenters as a "guilty pleasure". Her voice is just so rich and calming, and the compositions by her brother are wonderful. What I found out later in life was that she was a VERY good drummer. She plays the drums on her songs, and even played the drums in concert while singing. She didn't want to be a singer, she wanted to be a drummer, and they had to convince her to get out from behind the drums because people wanted to see her and they couldn't because she was a tiny little thing hidden behind the drums. She relented and agreed to come out for the slow ballads, but would go back behind the drums for other songs. It all adds up to it being a great loss to music when she died. I love their songs.
Thank you RC :) Yeah I didn't realize that she was a drummer until after the fact; thats amazing!
She was so self conscious about her appearance, I wonder if that's why she liked being behind the drums. The psychologist in me wonders if her eating disorder became more pronounced because she had to be more exposed to the audience.
@@08davey yes, many whom knew her quite well have said that that played a role in her struggles when she was pretty much forced out from behind the kit to "front" the band. There were other things happening, too, but she was actually very shy. She drew her confidence from her drumming. She had been a drummer since around 14-years-old and took drumming lessons from a professional jazz drummer during her high school years, became 1st chair drummer of her high school marching band and etc. Richard already had a band going and she was the group's drummer. Eventually that band, less one member, became the Carpenters and she became the lead singer. Her story is very interesting. I would recommend to anyone who wants to know more about her the book "Little Girl Blue", a biography about her life. Many of her closest friends, including Olivia Newton John, are interviewed for the biography and some parts are quite heartbreaking. She was amazing! Very strong for all she went through.
A good indicator - In every single got-talent-type shows (voice, etc included), everyone does the big voices (Whitney, Mariah Carey, Sia, etc), but nobody does Carpenters, because nobody can. Karen's got a unique voice with a unique delivery. It was the perfect contralto.
Yep. Nobody can sing a Carpenters song because... well... it's Karen...
Brilliant! My favourite female voice
Karen Carpenter is my favorite female vocalist. She could sing (with a clear tone) like no one else. There's something about her voice that gives you the chills. Her brother, Richard, wrote songs, sang harmonies and was particularly gifted at arranging music. Their music was extremely popular in the '70s despite the burgeoning rock scene. Children sang their songs in school and adults listened to their albums.
Karen and Richard were two souls who were meant to share music.
(I hope you'll consider "We've Only Just Begun," "Hurting Each Other" and "This Masquerade.")
COMPLETE GOOSEBUMPS FOR ME JUSTIN :) , I WAS 23 WHEN SHE PASSED AWAY FROM ANOREXIA NERVOSA :( BACK IN 83 SO! AND CHILLS OR GOSSEBUMPS ARE A GOOD THING TO ME.
FYI: Although Karen Carpenter was a terrific drummer in her own right, the drummer who performed in this recording is the legendary Hal Blaine 2/25/29 - 3/11/19. Among the most recorded studio drummer in the music industry. He is on several Carpenters hits.He was noted to have been in 35,000 recording sessions, including 6,000 singles, having 150 songs in the top 10 list and 40 of which went to #1status. He was a part of Phil Spector's house band aka "The Wrecking Crew". He was the most sought after studio musician during the 1950's through 1970's. His talent was utilized by artists like the Beach Boys, Sonny & Cher, Johnny Rivers, Jan & Dean, Ronnie Spector, Neil Diamond, The Mama's & the Papa's, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Partridge Family, Captain & Tenille, John Denver, Simon & Garfunkel, etc...
All harmonies on their records were only Richard and Karen. The rock fuzz guitar was Richard's idea, and pissed off a lot of fans. And of course it was genius.
It was a great choice!
The guitarist first played a solo he thought would be appropriate for a Carpenters song, and Richard told him to play his kind of solo.
I get teary-eyed every time I hear the 1st guitar solo ... the 2nd solo gets the tears flowing.
First time catching your channel.
Firstly, thank you so much for not interrupting the track as you were listening to it. So many of these “reacting to...” channels continually pause the tracks to comment. Great to see you waiting to the end and then commenting. 👍🏻
Secondly, it’s so good to see another “reacting to...” UA-cam channel discovering the voice of Karen Carpenter. Do yourself a huge favour and check out more Carpenter tracks!
This is one of my favorites. However - understand this: this is a sad song. A tragic song. A person is confiding to us "no one cares if I should live or die." The voice puts on a momentary brave face and says that in some time in the future "maybe I've been wrong." But, for now this is my song - all I know of love is how to live without it. It is a heartfelt plaintive cry of loneliness and rejection. Karen brilliantly communicates this cry of despair not in a whiny or irritating way, but in a quiet intimate confession that many people can relate to. Who hasn't felt lonely or rejected or unloved at one time in our lives? Honestly I think the song is a masterpiece ... and Karen is sublime!
Bravo! Exactly! You nailed it!
Yes, one of my favorites too. I feel like this could be my theme song, but it is so difficult to talk about long-term loneliness without sounding whiny and as if you are looking for attention. I have many blessings but romantic love has escaped me and I have no children and am in my 50's. Karen's beautiful, pure voice comforts me. I wish I could visit her in heaven (just visit for now) and see her beaming with joy and be assured that the love on that side is more than enough to make up for any disappointment here. And I would like to give her a hug.
@@juliam1099 A beautiful reply. I'm now past 60 and recently retired ... I hear you. I think Karen understood how much her songs touched people, and was thinking of people like you and me when she captured all that feeling, that emotion, and that sincerity as she was sing it. Thank you for being so human ... and brave.
@@MrButch-ls8vl - Awww, thanks Mr. Butch. Her sad songs are so cathartic too. I can shed some tears listening to them and actually feel more at peace afterwards. She sings with not only beautiful clarity but with warm and empathy.
Hugs to you this December.
Karen Carpenter had one of the most iconic voices in history. She is also the ones playing the drums. She was a world class drummer also. I agree with Matthew Lee, deep dive into The Carpenters. You won't regret it.
The song "I Just fall in love again" by the carpenters is so powerful that I listened to it innumerable times, and it felt as if I could just die at that moment, of such emotional intensity and catharsis.
Just my opinion but music really is multi generational. Good music is good music. It's good to see that you tube is providing millennials the chance to hear great music from years passed. I don't know if you do it with other songs but without a video is the best way to gage a song.
100% true! Thank you Paul, I strictly listen to the music here, no video :)
JP you should hear the song "Calling Occupants for The Interplanetary Craft" is more long and progressive song! 🙏
Calling Occupants is not indicative of the Carpenters oeuvre at all, but boy, does it sound GORGEOUS. Impossibly luxurious.
Justin, you might find it interesting to compare this to the original by the Canadian band Klaatu (who some people thought were the Beatles working undercover).
I much prefer the Carpenters' version over Klaatu's.
Love that song so much!
even better: need to dive into Klaatu, the band that wrote Calling Occupants!
Though I wish there was a mashup with Karen's vocals, and Klaatu's music.
the contrast between Tony Peluso's guitar and Karen's voice is absolute magic! This is my favourite Carpenters track - pure class!
❤️ KC's voice. Music that I would normally scoff at suddenly becomes listenable. 👍
⭐⭐⭐
“On top of the world” JP “looking down on creation
And the only explanation i can find...”
Guess who’s gonna buy the Carpenters albums in the second hand stores tomorrow!
That’s a testament to the reviews. Wholesome, thorough, constuctive, informative and enthusiastic. Thanks
From a documentary I saw a while back, this is credited as the first "power-ballad", and the idea was Richard Carpenter's when he wrote the song.
One of my favorites by them - it showcases her incredible vocal, and the harmonies with her brother in this are fantastic. It is a melancholy song, but her voice is so great! Great reaction. Karen is on drums.
Thank you for discovering Carpenters! Best arrangement by Richard and best female vocalist of all time, Karen. Together they were unbeatable! They did all harmonies themselves alone, over dubbing. Keep on...
Well that was a pleasant surprise. Karen Carpenter had such a golden instantly recognisable voice and they had some great hits.
I always liked their song Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft I was just a kid when The Carpenters were on the go brings back good memory’s
Sweet nostalgia. In the 60's and 70's, before I could buy albums, my older brother would play me all sorts of things, which has given me my musical taste. Deep Purple, Yes, Pink Floyd, Wishbone Ash on the heavier side, to Simon and Garfunkel, Neil Diamond and The Carpenters on the other, lighter side. It wasn't something I could admit to in school at the time, but I loved The Carpenters and have done all my life. I am still captivated by ''that'' voice, which free of most of the modern recording tricks, is a true gift and so unique.
Now that we're all out of school, we can admit to liking whatever we want :D
Great breakdown. A lot of UA-cam song reaction vids are from people who don't know anything about music. However, you seem to have a good grasp on the different components of a song. Well done!
Thank you Lindon :)
Not only one of the most unique vocals ever but the guitar solo too was one of the best ever recorded.
This is the first power ballad, Richard Carpenter was always looking for a new sound and asked Tony Peluso to play and later join the tour. Very timeless
A very nice analysis . First time hearing this song , I know a few of the more common tunes.
Very nicely arranged, well produced and Karen's vocals...well, they are beyond compare. I rank her in the top 3 of my all time favorite female vocalists.
For the inquiring minds, yes, there are a few "Carpenters" unofficial recordings for the fans to enjoy.
She’s stunning- so pure.
Hey KP... I discovered your channel a couple days just goin through UA-cam. I saw your reaction to " Yesterday Once More'.That song takes me when I was young and just sittin in my room listenin to the radio waitin for my favorite songs to play and when they did play it was like someone came behind me and hugged me... weird I know lol..Times were SO much simpler then 😒 I absolutely love Karen so thank you for showin her the respect she deserves ❤️ She truly was a SUPER STAR 🌟
Hope you're well
Thank you so much Tonya! It's a fantastic song
Excellent analysis, you really got it right about the quality of the vocals and the musicianship. All of their music is high quality, so you really should give a few of their other songs a listen to, you won't regret it.
Thank you Mark :)
I saw them live in '71 and she played drums while singing throughout the concert.
KAREN WAS THE DRUMMERRRRRR BEFORE SHE WAS THE LEAD SINGER! LOL ACTUALLY SHE DID BOTH JUSTIN! :) WHAT AN AMAZZZZIIINGGGGG TALENT AND THAT ANGELIC POWER VOICE TOO, MY GODDDDDD, SHE DIED :( WAYYYYYYY TOO EARLY BACK IN 83 :( WOULDN'T HURT TO DO MORE CARPENTER STUFF. RAINY DAYS AND MONDAYS, CLOSE TO YOU, SUPERSTAR, ETC!
Thanks Bob! This was good
Growing up in the '70s we were bombarded with lots of soft rock on radio and television. The Carpenters was one of those groups but Karen's voice is pretty hard to resist. When she died in 1983 as a result of anorexia it was the first most people had heard of the disorder. Gone too soon.
Yog-Sothoth gone way to soon
I couldn't believe they were drug dependents, whole family allegedly. Quaaludes. Like finding out Frank Bough was a coke head.
Their music definitely takes you back to a simpler time.
I first heard this and other Carpenters songs in the mid-1970s. They were very popular in my neck of the woods (South East Asia).
My dad would record some of the songs (along with other artists' hits) on reel tape and play them back from time to time.
I only recently bought all the albums (plus some extras) on CD... they don't cost much, a few quid (British Pounds) each.
A CD box set containing all their albums remastered (with NO compression) and that includes many previously unheard Karen vocals is LONG overdue!
That's awesome Ken, ty for sharing
Every word is crystal clear. Refreshing
Nice radio voice! Keep listening to the classics!🤗🤗🤗
Ty Lily!
I know this is out of season, but check out "Merry Christmas Darling." Really nice and one of my favorite Christmas songs.
The word is “timeless”
It was that wholesomeness that made it hard for a guy to admit that they liked the Carpenters back then. It was good for date night, LOL. But for you to hear this song first, with that guitar that you described so well, kind of spoils it for you I think.. I don’t think there is another song in the catalog with that kind of guitar sound or playing. Check out Superstar for another sweet love song.
Carpenters' early stuff, with the Les Paul/Mary Ford-inspired overdubbed choral vocals, is their most striking...also you get to hear Karen on the kit on those early albums too. She could have made a living as a session drummer even without that breathtaking voice. "Eve" from Carpenters' first album (titled Offering or Ticket To Ride, depending which release it is) and "Crescent Noon" from their second (Close To You) are two of my favourites from that period (but then I particularly like ballads)...
I think the word is evocative, it evokes the feeling of the age. Karen was actually a very good drummer/percussionist as well as having a gorgeous voice.
Excellent Commentary and all credit for letting the song finish without interrupting
Thank you Kim!
Some of the heaviest guitar you will ever hear in a Carpenters song. And that voice, just wonderful.
I love the Carpenters, all their songs are beautiful. Karen Carpenter will always be my idol.
One of my favorite female voices ever, along with Roberta Flack. So sweet and warm. I can't believe you've never heard The Carpenters. I know your history, and it's easy for main bands to pass you by, but Karen Carpenter's voice is legendary. Have fun with that musical dive. I'll take a chance and request *Roberta Flack - "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"* If you've never heard that, make it your next reaction for sweetness sake. LOL.
Haha, ty Rosen. Yup, cant say I've ever heard of them at all lol
@@JustJP amazing you've never heard of them? they were the biggest u.s. hitmakers of the 1970's.. and literally ALL of their songs are pop classics and always will be.. and she during her lifetime and since has universally been recognized as having one of if not THEE greatest female pop voice in history! surely, no one had the most intimate, beautiful, rich, pure, haunting voice that she had, greatest female singer of love and romance songs ever...
It's a great song, and more people should know about it. They also did "Only Yesterday" in 1975. Recommend it highly.
I always loved that great guitar solo from the late Anthony Peluso. their lead guitarist all the way through from 1972 till we lost Karen in 1983.
Very cool channel. Interesting seeing the reactions of someone who got into Dream Theater first before discovering Yes, Genesis, Rush, etc (bands I loved before Dream Theater came around).
Nice that you've added female fronted groups like Carpenters and Renaissance which I love. I'd recommend checking out "Someday", "Crescent Noon" or "Ticket to Ride" from Carpenters next. I've always been a fan of melancholy songs and they sure have some great ones.
As far as Renaissance, you really can't go wrong with any or their 70's albums. My favorites are probably Scheherazade and Other Stories, Novella and Turn of the Cards. I'd also recommend checking out the new Renaissance covers album In the Mist of Time from the band Fleesh. The vocalist does a wonderful job as does the rest of the band recreating their timeless music.
Thanks so much Yes! Variety is the spice of life😄
Obviously, Justin is a musical guy. He knows a lot of musical technicalities. I like it because most reaction videos and the internet are flooding with it just reacts in a manner that became so generic. Great job sir!!!!
This was the original power ballad. They actually got some hate mail for it, but it launched a new genre.
Thank you JP, this was a great way to start my day
The best analysis of a Carpenters song I’ve heard. Most just gush about Karen’s angelic voice so it’s nice to hear a more thoughtful commentary,
Ty John!
The Voice, Justin!! Just listen to that voice!!
Its good isnt it? :D
Simply, one of my favorite songs.
This was the original "power ballad". It introduced the genre - created by Richard Carpenter.
Karen Carpenter has one of the most incredible voices ever...so deep, so rich, so haunted. I'm really glad you enjoyed this. But a feel good song? It's a tragic song! She's given up on love! Haha! You should try Hurting Each Other. Another great song.
Carpenters are🔝🔝💓💓
Richard and Karen did all the harmony parts. They pioneered the techniques of overdubbing and raised it to a fine art. I read somewhere back in the day that there are 29 vocal tracks overlaid into those last "ahs." Power ballad indeed.
Best singer of the 20th century, and I know that sounds hyperbolic.
I don't know why but I always liked to put one of my brother's Carpenters record albums on the stereo when I was a kid and sing along with Karen's amazing voice .
One of the greatest female voices of all time. I consider this her signature song and she was crying out in it but no one was listening. I believe it's her personal story of what was going on inside her. Her tragic end is the exclamation point to the story.
love them, ... the town where I live ( Long Beach, CA ) has "the Carpenter Center " at Long Beach State University ... something Richard started in tribute to his sister from what I here .... I've been a few times, nice small theater
it was a bold and unexpected move to put an electric guitar solo on this song, they were more known for their close harmonies and middle of the road sound.. and btw, she plays the drums..!
So true! Yeah I didn't know that about her drum playing, I'm gonna look for a few videos of that
Listen to the lyrics...it's just so sad and empty in many ways, but her voice, the harmonies, and the instrumentation fill that emptiness up. LOVE this song, even though it's so full of sad longing.
Karen's voice was So Beautiful! I remember when I first heard the guitar solo (at the end), I was SHOCKED! Wow...THAT was the Carpenters??????Needless to say, this and Superstar are my favorite songs by The Carpenters. Nice choice, Justin!
There is a great documentary that airs on PBS from time to time on the Carpenters. Richard Carpenter goes into detail on the writing the song. He meant for it to sound nostalgic, the title is from a 1930's? era movie about a songwriter whose 'great' song was called, you guessed it, 'Goodbye to Love', no such song existed so he wrote it.
Hey bro'! Interestingly enough, some people were scandalized by the rock lead solo.. their long time guitarist Tony Pelluzo did it. I heard a version on the radio that had NO lead solo .. which would have ruined it. The power chords that resolve the solo is fantastic. YOu're right where the guitar comes outta nowhere and adds to it. You got it all right at first listen. nice sir!
This was the song that got us all wanting to cry, during my Infantry training in 1975
Whatever the kind of music, a good song is a good song. Carpenters are great maker songs. Beautiful harmonies & awesome ending guitar solo.
The guitarist in this is the lead guitarist in Boston. They asked him to come up with and play the solo in this song
A great song indeed. Check out more Carpenters! 😊
How many have heard her sing 'Little Altar Boy', 'Ordinary Fool', 'Ave Maria', where you get to hear her #voice, without a lot of orchestration or effects! Any Karen Carpenter aficionado who has not heard these, you owe yourself a listen!
One of the most beautiful voices ever to grace the planet. She died far too young. If you have never heard it, you must listen to "Yesterday Once More". If I only had the ability to write one song in my life that would be it. Karen's voice would melt the heart of the hardest rock on earth.
PS: I'm a Hawkwind/Motorhead/Magma guy but I love the Carpenters.
Check out Karen Carpenter's duet with Ella Fitzgerald. Legendary singers enjoying each other's voices. Sadly Karen passed before Ella.
I was totally into prog when this came out and thought this was bubblegum. Years later, I heard the solo outro and was hooked.
Your surprise at liking it isn't a surprise. It's almost universal.
This was not a "power ballad" (a term which would have confused all and sundry when this was played).
It was the FIRST ballad which, if you'll excuse the term, had balls.
The name of said balls was Tony Peluso - a magnificent but underrated guitarist.....
I always had the feeling that this song, as beautiful as it is, shows the great talent of Karen and her brother who wanted to be a rock band.