Karen was one of a kind. There will never be another like her. She had such a pure calming voice. And she was a terrific drummer. That was her passion even more than singing. Sadly we lost her so young. Thankfully we have her legacy left in her music.
@@bradk4036 I was at school when this happened never forget it, same with Princess Diana, know exactly where and when, such a loss with both. She had an incredible voice, her brother is also very underrated, they made the group together.
Actually Burt wrote the song in 1962 but it wasn't released until The Carpenters came along because he said at the time he could not find that pure voice to sing it.
I personally believe that her voice is so amazing precisely because of the haunting psycological pain inside her, wich in the end took her life through anorexia. Starving herself to death gave her a sad, sad, soulful voice (technically her heart gave out, when she started putting on a little weight again).
Karen is so special to me because her story made me realize I had anorexia and made me stop. I didn't know what it was and that it could kill me. So she saved me❤❤ RIP Sweet girl.
The only Karen no one hates. LMAO! Jokes aside, I used to listen to their albums going to sleep at night. Her voice is absolutely magical. I cried the day her death was announced. The Carpenters were HUGE back in the 70s, and deservedly so. They were the king and queen of AM radio(the "lighter" stuff, back then). At my 6th grade "graduation" to Jr. High School, we sang their song "We've Only Just Begun". Her brother still makes music, but without her voice, it's just not the same.
@@karencurtis4374 I only learned about the whole "karens" thing maybe two years ago and I hated it. Why do people have to ruin such a beautiful name? (At least it's probably not going to stay as permanently ruined as "Lucifer". "Light-bringer" is a *beautiful* meaning for a name.)
It is still 3 months away, but The Carpenter's "Merry Christmas Darling" is one you need to file away for Christmas / December. I always have leaking eyes for it.
This was a much played song. A great hit. It introduced the world to the fabulous Karen Carpenter! The Carpenters are just Karen Carpenter and her brother Richard.
@@shelter9236 No. Carpenters are ONLY Karen and Richard. The others are their backing band which joined them when they went on tour, or appeared with them in their music videos. Just look at all their albums covers. It is just the two of them, Siblings Karen Carpenter and Richard Carpenter.
@@kevinhodgson2990 Yes indeed. He also produced all their studio albums, selected the songs for them, did the background vocals (with Karen), and sang lead solo vocals on certain tracks in their first few albums (ie those from 1969-73).
Karen Carpenter... Simply the best female singer of all time. The so called singers of today cannot hold a candle to this woman. Her passing was a tragedy. RIP Karen.
Karen's voice is like a warm blanket...completely enveloping you, and giving you a sense of protection. The Carpenters are one of the few groups that you never need a lyric sheet for...thanks to Karen's incredibly clear singing.
@@joanmaciel416 I'll second that, Joan. Doggone, I am so lucky to have grown up right during the thick of music like this (Beatles, Chicago, Doobies, America, Stones, Gordon Lightfoot, James Taylor, Stevie Wonder, Jackson 5, and on and on...)-- and to have actually seen The Carpenters in concert once, in 1973. They were fantastic live, and Karen was so humble and gracious.
Karen and Richard Carpenter were the group. He wrote some of the songs and played the piano. So sad how the stress in her life affected her health. One of the best female vocalists ever.
It is known to me that Whitney Huston is a cousin to Dionne Warrick. "I Say A Little Prayer For You," is one of Dionne's greatest hits. Oddly enough Whitney and Natalie Cole sang a duo, also making this song a great hit. This would be a perfect selection for "Female Friday."
Karen Carpenter has the rare talent of perfect pitch. She could cut a track in one take. ALL the rock musicians of the day adored her and that golden voice. You can't go wrong with any of their songs.
What nobody has mentioned in the comments is that for all their recordings, Karen and Richard provided the backing vocals themselves, layering each track. That's why the studio versions sound so creamy, if you will...It's all them.
"Bless The Beasts & The Children", it will bring a tear. When Karen died, the world truly lost an inspiration of love. Luka stared hard at you. I loved holding my little ones. Used to take my shirt off & hold them up under a wrap/blanket while in the rocking chair. Listening to music by candle light. Some great memories! Bless the beasts & the children....
There's a movie called Bless the Beasts and the Children and it uses their song as it's theme. The movie came out in 1971. I didn't know if there were still copies of this movie around so I searched, and wouldn't you know it...a copy on youtub...full version... ua-cam.com/video/1FyFUm5r-f4/v-deo.html&ab_channel=UA-camMovies
Her brother plays piano and does all the musical arrangements. Karen was also a drummer - very very good drummer, and her voice was discovered almost by accident. A beautiful contralto voice, with tone and pitch always perfect. Frank Sinatra once said that she was the only female singer he would pay to see in concert. Heaven has a lead angel singer in Karen. RIP
I've been a drummer for over 40 years...Karen was a MONSTER drummer...A real pro...She could sight read and was pro trained...Karen rips my heart out...Her life was so tragic and her songs and voice were so beautiful...
Karen in her school where she went was teach for a man that try to she play other instruments like violin or other. But she preferred the drums. Mr. Frankie Chaves was her teacher in drums.
Yes, the Carpenters are a brother and sister duo. He was on piano and wrote most of their material. They are backed up by various musicians. Little Luca was a fun addition to the video. :)
Richard did some of the songwriting (and played the piano and did the arranging), but many of the early hits were from outside songwriters. This is Burt Bachrach (music) and Hal David (lyrics), a very successful team. (I periodically mention "The Look of Love" by Dusty Springfield; they wrote that, too.)
Karen Carpenter is the only female vocalist to make a man's eyes water because of the combination of her voice, Richards voice and piano playing along with the harmony. Karen is the top female vocalist of all time in my book.
The Carpenters (officially known as Carpenters)[a] were an American vocal and instrumental duo consisting of siblings Karen (1950-1983) and Richard Carpenter (born 1946). They produced a distinct soft musical style, combining Karen's contralto vocals with Richard's harmonizing, arranging and composition skills. During their 14-year career, the Carpenters recorded 10 albums along with numerous singles and several television specials.
There was a movie about them that chronicled their relationship with each other, rise to stardom, the struggle to get Karen from behind the drums and her struggle with anorexia that although tragic for Karen did a lot to shine a light on Anorexia and help so many others.
Written by Burt Bacharach, this was a huge hit in its day. Karen Carpenter at her peak. Great selection for Female Friday.👍 BTW, Dionne Warwick (Whitney Houston’s aunt) sang a lot of Burt Bacharach songs and has a unique voice too.
I'm so old when listening to Dianne Warwick, no idea what a Whitney Houston was. ..🤣 and Burt played the piano one night at a dinner party at my dad's in Malibu, long ago.
@@kejo7779 Heartbreaker was her biggest hit and she didn't really like the song. The Bee Gees wrote it and went to her home and begged her to do the song. I'm glad she did because it one of my favorite songs of hers.
Karen Carpenter was a phenomenal singer. I was a paper boy when she died and I cried when I read the headline. She was a great drummer too, but she was better up front.
As a public figure, Karen also exhibited grace and class. Everybody liked her. She was deeply mourned when she died, and in death, she ascended from superstar to legend.
Back in the day when artists actually had talent. Today, every artist is manufactured. And you guys pull my heart strings having baby Luka in the video! Love y’all!
She had the most beautiful velvety voice. Such a tragic life & the world lost a rare talent when she died. I would also recommend "We've Only Just Begun", Rainy Days & Mondays" & "I Won't Last a Day Without You." And Baby Luca just wanted to sing along!
Little known factoid: Karen Carpenter had the nickname of "One-Take Karen" as she always arrived at a recording session completely prepared. She knew her lyrics, she knew her tempo, she knew how she wanted it to sound so when retakes and re-recordings were required it was basically never because of Karen. It's sad that in modern times "Karen" is a name used so disparagingly.
A recent rather large online poll voted the whole "Karen" trend as the most tiresome and annoying current fad. I don't know, maybe because of that, it might start going away. People are sick of it I guess. I remember this same poll a few years back when the term "On Fleek" made number one as the most tiresome fad. But getting back to Karen Carpenter, what an incredible talent and sweet person she was. Very sad....
You should check out the tribute album done in the 90's by several relatively popular alternative bands of the time. I'm also a metal fan, but I love that album!! Sonic Youth kills it on their eerie cover of Superstar.
My wife and I love the Carpenters! Their song We've Only Just Begun was released August 21st 1970. We got married on August 16th 1970. So it's very special to us. We even got the opportunity to see them live in 1972. Karen's voice is melodic and so pure. And she was fantastic on the drums! It was an amazing performance! We have a few of their albums and still enjoy them. Would love to see you react to more of their music.
First of all, your baby is adorable! Second realize that Karen Carpenter is a legend and a voice like that will likely never come around again in our lifetimes. Also realize there was no such thing as autotune in those days. This is sheer talent.
Night Ranger - Sister Christian.. the singer is playing the drums and it was a super hit in 1983.. for some reason that song was popular with rock, pop and hard rock fans alike... everyone loved it
This was played at every school dance, prom, weddings. Huge Huge hit that year. She was a badass on drums - there is a video someone here of her performing a drum solo
@@glennquagmire1747 Considering he didn't say she was the best, he said one of the best. I had heard Sheena Easton had played the drums but can't find anything on UA-cam. Maybe you can suggest one.
As phenomenal as her voice was, she considered herself a drummer who sang and not a singer who played drums. She has a couple of videos of her drumming that are amazing.
So true, and I love how she played up her amazing drumming skills. She was so modest and humble, I don't even think she was aware of how phenomenal her voice actually was. Miss her more than words can express. 😔🙏🏽💖
I'm not normally a fan of live videos, but seeing beautiful Karen in her prime singing and playing the drums was a real bittersweet treat, knowing that the world will never experience the return of the Carpenters
True, she learned the correct play, and she was good at it. A lot of young people want to skip all the mundane things that make a good drummer and just start pounding. You can see Karen's techniques and approaches were good. She could've been a heavily sought session player if she'd wanted that instead of being onstage.
The fact that your baby cried during this song of all songs made my day. It’s beautiful, your baby’s beautiful and so are you guys. Thank you for the good vibes you send out always.
Majestic and Angelic doesn't do her justice, her voice never breaks even when she changes registers, it's amazing, Paul McCartney said she was the greatest female voice he ever heard. It's raw powerful and PURE. She's also a damn good drummer but when she passed away only then did I and many others realize what a gift we lost, it was devastating, she is not of this world.
The Carpenters were indeed just two - Richard Carpenter and his sister, Karen. She had the golden voice and he was a master arranger largely responsible for their unique sound.
as beautiful as karen's voice is, what makes the carpenters' songs so magical is the brilliant arrangement and production by richard. in anyone else's hands they would not have the legacy they enjoy today. absolutely gorgeous sound.
and thanks to Herb Alpert who with Jerry Moss, gave them the break they needed by having them join A&M records. Having the Carpenters on their label helped pay other musical groups their salary.
@robertmichaeljones in fact she was reluctant to come out from behind those drums. Only after Richard's strong urging, did she step out in front and show off the GOAT singer. This woman touches my heart, spirit and soul. In sooo many ways.
Here’s that word iconic again! This brother in sister act and her by herself took the music world by storm… Very talented, writers, singers, musicians they had it all This song was top of the charts everybody was singing it no matter where you were or listening on the radio… It was huge
Can’t say enough about Karen carpenter. She’s considered as having one of the best female voices ever!! Her brother Richard was super talented as well. You guys reacted to superstar, my fave carpenter song. Check out rainy days & Mondays & if you really want to see her true love, check out her drum solo video. RIP KAREN ❤️😇❤️
One of the three most gorgeous voices of all time. Along with Patsy Cline & Jim Reeves, I could listen to Karen Carpenter sing the weather forecast and be entranced.
You should look up some clips of Karen playing the drums! She was AWESOME! Her voice is super smooth and her lower register is like warm honey. She had such talent. Very sad life story.
Let me add to Alan's suggestion. If you haven't already you need to look up and react to her drum solo (1976 I think -- when she was like about 26 years of age. Here's the solo which was performed on their first TV Special ua-cam.com/video/sdHyzGXAJPg/v-deo.html
They were actually a duo, Karen singing and on drums, with Richard on the piano and backing singing. The other musicians were hired as they were needed, they weren't regular members of The Carpenters. Karen's voice gets the attention, and she has a wonderful voice, but Richard was the composer and arranger, it was he who arranged everything around the quality of her voice to maximise the effect.
That's true. And they would record multiple tracks of just THEIR voices, on their albums. For live performances, they added the other singers, I think - I saw them live when I was 11 years old, and don't remember. But that unique Carpenters sound was because it was just the two of them, and multiple tracks. At least, that's what I always have heard!
The other musicians on this record would later become known as The Wrecking Crew. They worked together on many hit records during the 60s and 70s. Other names attributed to the group were, The First Call Gang, and The Clique. They were A-list session musicians who worked mainly in L.A..
@@margiejackson4226 Yes, I've seen videos of them recording the extra tracks to make that multi-layered sound. Have you heard "Mr. Guder"? LOVE the moving parts towards the end!
Karen had one of the greatest voices in American music, but never considered herself a singer. She would have been perfectly satisfied to stay in the back with her drums....and felt very shy about stepping out front as a vocalist.
@@oldmanghost219 A musician friend of mine was at a Carpenters concert at a large auditorium in the 1970's. A large thunderstorm outside knocked the electricity out. After a few minutes, the crowd noise died down and Karen Carpenter told the audience from the stage to be very quiet and that she would sing a tune a cappella without a mike or sound system. He related that her strong singing voice--in perfect pitch--filled the whole auditorium. The electricity came back on by the next tune, but everyone in that auditorium knew that they had just heard something magical. Yes, she was very, very good.
The Carpenters were red hot in the late 60's and early 70's. They faded and made a resurgence in the late 70's to have just enough hits late in the decade to be the group with the most chart hits in the 1970's. Karen's voice was extraordinary.
You can never go wrong with The Carpenters! Karen was something special. She had perfect tone all the time. She was known as One take Karen in the studios. She was a drummer who sang like an angel. The Carpenters was Karen and her brother an awesome arranger , Richard. Miss Karen!! Rip Angel.
Karen was the voice and Richard was the producer/creative director. Richard had the big ideas, the creativity, the arrangements but I think this gets forgotten because Karen’s voice and talent were so big! And yes, her voice is clean, crisp, and her diction is perfect. She’s an example of natural, God-given, raw talent.
Karen's voice was such perfection. I've said this before but I'll say it again - I love seeing the live version of Mr. Guder because they sound great but also Karen on the drums is my favorite! She looks so happy!
Karen had one of the purest voices. That is her brother Richard playing the piano. Definitely listen to Rainy Days and Mondays! It is beautiful and there is a saxophone in that video. It’s beautiful. Luca is absolutely gorgeous!!💙
The Carpenters, we’re Just 2 People a Brother, and Sister. They were absolutely amazing. 😊they were very famous, they were on radio, all the time back in the day. I’m so glad I grew up back then.
This was originally given to Herb Alpert to record. He did, but didn't like it, didn't release it. He collaborated with Karen and Richard rewriting it, feeling it was better suited for them. Richard wrote the flugelhorn part with Herb in mind but he wasn't available so they got Chuck Findley to play it. Chuck was a session player...played with lots of people. He also played with the Tonight Show Band under Doc Severinson and when Jay Leno hosted. He's quite talented.
Chuck would litter a great number of hit-song sessions. He was part of an industry background that, sadly, jerk producers would over-philharmonic to drown out soooo much great individual musicians. This was a great recording session UNTIL the producers overdubbed it, along with background singers, overdubbed later. They start off with a 'live performance' and then overdub it. Was ANYTHING 'live' therefore? Probably not. The mix-levels would have to be redone here and there. What a shame.
Dionne Warwick originally recorded the song on the "flip" side of the record, that is the other side of the record from the main song. It wasn't a hit like so many of the Bachrach songs that she recorded. However, with Richard's arrangement of the song with Herb Alpert's feedback, and Karen's voice, the song became number one. Interestingly, Dionne and Karen later became close friends.
So many fantastic Carpenters songs ‘We’ve only just begun’, ‘Rainy Days and Mondays’, ‘Masquerade’ and the beautiful ‘Make believe it’s Your First Time’ are just a few of our favourites. Things were certainly going on in that reaction 😹😹👏👏👏👏
She was a favorite for studio personnel, because they knew it would be a short day when recording her. She was famous for, well, obviously her voice, but also for the fact that she almost never made a mistake.
My favorite part was Luca looking up at Jordan as he enjoyed the music. He only started to cry when you stopped. He was mesmerized. That alone makes this one of my favorite video's you have posted. Thank you.....
One of the best natural contralto voices of all time. Her brother Richard is on the electric piano. He was responsible for most of their arrangements IIRC.
Karen resisted stepping out from the drums. Richard did all of the arrangements. Karen was very shy. When they forced her to just sing was the beginning of her eating disorder.
Hal Blaine of the Wrecking Crew played the drums for the recordings because Karen wasn’t seasoned in that atmosphere. Joe Osborn on bass actually “ discovered them”. The background vocals were provided by The Ron Hicklin Singers, a staple in the industry back in the day.
I'm SO happy you picked this Carpenters song. The 1st time I heard it on the radio, I remember I stopped dead in my tracks, while I was walking from one room to another at home. Her voice was the most beautiful thing I ever heard, and I couldn't move til the song was over.
She had such a clear, pure voice, but she always preferred drumming (which she was awesome at!). She didn't care for being up front singing. The lyrics are: On the day that you were born the angels got together. And decided to create a dream come true. So, they sprinkled moon dust in your hair of gold And star-light in your eyes of blue. That is why all the girls in town follow you all around. Just like me, they long to be close to you... BTW, Luca is a real cutie!
I just love the Carpenters, Karen's voice is angelic. She started out playing the drums and singing, and after a while they wanted her in front because her voice was so beautiful. There is a movie about her life you might want to check out. Happy listening guys!!
I grew up with the Carpenters and I have always loved her voice. I was very sad when she died. The world lost a beautiful voice. Don’t ever apologies for lovin on your babies. Doesn’t bother a bit, in fact I love your videos even more.
karen is the greatest female vocalist of all time,she sings with a tear in voice. if you look up her life story youll no why,listen to rainy days and mondays,the lyrics will tell you some of problems she was going through
For me Karen Carpenter sets the benchmark for ALL female singers, such a pure beautiful voice, she really had the voice of an Angel and her adult life was such a sad tragic story. Rainy Days and Mondays as well as We've only just begun are both amazing tracks and well worth a listen. have a great weekend guys. RIP Karen
Such a gorgeous voice. I saw Karen and Richard shortly before she passed away. They were regular customers at a restaurant I worked at in Downey, CA. They were always so gracious. No one ever bothered them with autograph requests, so they always felt relaxed. Sadly, Karen looked very ill and it was apparent that anorexia had taken it’s toll💔
My parents really liked the Carpenters, so their songs always conjure a powerful feeling of nostalgia for me -- especially evoking memories of listening to their albums on long cross-country car rides. The sweet richness of Karen Carpenter's voice was incredible, and her premature death is one of the (many) tragedies in music history.
Firstly, Lucas is GORGEOUS!!! Also, loved how Momma's instinct kicked in as soon as Lucas started fussing. Watching you guys doing the whole "parent" thing is HEARTWARMING!!! Love you guys...
Karen was one of a kind. There will never be another like her. She had such a pure calming voice. And she was a terrific drummer. That was her passion even more than singing. Sadly we lost her so young. Thankfully we have her legacy left in her music.
Very cute baby... 👶🏼
Well said
Another artist we wish we could just go back and hug and make everything okay.
We lost her at the age of 32, she died of heart failure due to complications from anorexia.
@@bradk4036 I was at school when this happened never forget it, same with Princess Diana, know exactly where and when, such a loss with both.
She had an incredible voice, her brother is also very underrated, they made the group together.
Karen wasn't just a drummer, she was a world class drummer.
She was fucking solid for the time, not just gong through the motions at all!
People forget what a great percussionist she was. She was never happier than behind her drum kit…
This particular song doesn’t demonstrate just how bloody good a drummer she was!
Jax too
Hal Blaine on drums for most top Carpenter recordings.
This song was composed by Burt Bacharach. He was a monster hit writer, most notably for Dion Warwick.
Actually Burt wrote the song in 1962 but it wasn't released until The Carpenters came along because he said at the time he could not find that pure voice to sing it.
Absolute tragedy beautiful voice, rainy days and Monday's chokes me up every time R.i.p Karen.
This was one of my go-to songs when I was auditioning frequently.
@@muffinamy83 I hope you did it justice she had a beautiful voice
My fav as well
I personally believe that her voice is so amazing precisely because of the haunting psycological pain inside her, wich in the end took her life through anorexia. Starving herself to death gave her a sad, sad, soulful voice (technically her heart gave out, when she started putting on a little weight again).
@@peterkragelund4794 Beutiful voice before the media started calling her a chubby little girl
Clear and pitch perfect. Karen Carpenter sang like an angel.
Karen is so special to me because her story made me realize I had anorexia and made me stop. I didn't know what it was and that it could kill me. So she saved me❤❤ RIP Sweet girl.
I have been trolling this feed but this comment made me take notice. I'm so glad that you learned something valuable, and most likely life saving
The only Karen no one hates. LMAO!
Jokes aside, I used to listen to their albums going to sleep at night. Her voice is absolutely magical. I cried the day her death was announced. The Carpenters were HUGE back in the 70s, and deservedly so. They were the king and queen of AM radio(the "lighter" stuff, back then). At my 6th grade "graduation" to Jr. High School, we sang their song "We've Only Just Begun". Her brother still makes music, but without her voice, it's just not the same.
lmao i still do
Really wish we could stop shredding the name 🙏
@Mal weston do you really believe “we” all are horrible woman?????
Funny comment...but I do have a precious Karen.
@@karencurtis4374 I only learned about the whole "karens" thing maybe two years ago and I hated it. Why do people have to ruin such a beautiful name?
(At least it's probably not going to stay as permanently ruined as "Lucifer". "Light-bringer" is a *beautiful* meaning for a name.)
never-ever, ever-never ever apologize for being attentive parents. we get it yall. And it only adds to your genuineness.
Actually, it made it better. The way Luca was looking at Jay and Jay was looking at Luca while listening to that sweet song was priceless.
You got That RIGHT BLESS YOU STAY WELL AND HEALTHY ENJOY LIFE OMICRON IS KILLING OUR PEOPLE RESPECT 💯 MSGT USMC RET ✌️🙏🎯💝💐
Beautiful video and reactions, guys for a wonderful song! 🤗🤗🤗
Your tender son for sure will grow up loving all the important things of life
🥰🥰🥰
Love love loved the Carpenters. They were so big when I was in middle school. Such great voices and harmonies.
This is how GREAT EASY LISTING WAS IN THE FANTASTIC 70s
awe, Baby Luca is precious. Perfect song for him.
What a beautiful little boy.
The baby melted my heart more than the song. What a cute baby!
It is still 3 months away, but The Carpenter's "Merry Christmas Darling" is one you need to file away for Christmas / December. I always have leaking eyes for it.
Yes
Love that song!! A Christmas staple.
Yes,
This is a holiday fav. For the rest of Christmas 🎄 time!
It always warms my soul
The greatest female voice of all time. RIP to such a troubled soul.
Paul McCartney stated that; "she has the best female voice in the world, melodic, tuneful and distinctive."
"Yesterday Once More" is a great song!
It was actually John lennon
Frank Sinatra said she was the only singer that he would pay to listen to.
:@@chrisalldis3375 I think John actually approached her in a restaurant and told her personally, that she had a great voice, she nearly fell over.
This was a much played song. A great hit. It introduced the world to the fabulous Karen Carpenter! The Carpenters are just Karen Carpenter and her brother Richard.
No there are other male members of the group, one of them was Cubbie in the Mousketeers.
ua-cam.com/video/__VQX2Xn7tI/v-deo.html
@@shelter9236 the voices are ONLY karen and richard, as karen sang lead, richard back up and they did all of the background harmonies...
@@shelter9236 No. Carpenters are ONLY Karen and Richard. The others are their backing band which joined them when they went on tour, or appeared with them in their music videos. Just look at all their albums covers. It is just the two of them, Siblings Karen Carpenter and Richard Carpenter.
@@calvinmurty8273 Richard played piano and did most of the arrangements
@@kevinhodgson2990 Yes indeed. He also produced all their studio albums, selected the songs for them, did the background vocals (with Karen), and sang lead solo vocals on certain tracks in their first few albums (ie those from 1969-73).
Karen Carpenter... Simply the best female singer of all time. The so called singers of today cannot hold a candle to this woman. Her passing was a tragedy. RIP Karen.
Best female singer ever!! Any song by the Carpenters is a classic. Been a fan for over 40 years.
Yep fan for 50
@@rebeccawyse5562 me too
@@rebeccawyse5562 I had to get every 45 and album.
Karen's voice is like a warm blanket...completely enveloping you, and giving you a sense of protection. The Carpenters are one of the few groups that you never need a lyric sheet for...thanks to Karen's incredibly clear singing.
You guys are real life on display. Awesome family.
A weighted warm blanket!
Even at 4 years old I was playing my parents Carpenters album.
Well said
@@joanmaciel416 I'll second that, Joan. Doggone, I am so lucky to have grown up right during the thick of music like this (Beatles, Chicago, Doobies, America, Stones, Gordon Lightfoot, James Taylor, Stevie Wonder, Jackson 5, and on and on...)-- and to have actually seen The Carpenters in concert once, in 1973. They were fantastic live, and Karen was so humble and gracious.
Karen and Richard Carpenter were the group. He wrote some of the songs and played the piano. So sad how the stress in her life affected her health. One of the best female vocalists ever.
She died from anorexia. It was tragic. The world lost a true gift.
Yup, duo.
There's nothing like a Burt Bacharach melody. He put notes together like no one else. Check out some of his hits with Dionne Warwick.
Been meaning to recommend Dionne, she is great!
Absolutely! 👍
Auntie Dionne is one of my favorite follows on twitter - she's a hoot!
It is known to me that Whitney Huston is a cousin to Dionne Warrick. "I Say A Little Prayer For You," is one of Dionne's greatest hits. Oddly enough Whitney and Natalie Cole sang a duo, also making this song a great hit. This would be a perfect selection for "Female Friday."
Yes! I love Burt Bacharah! Since I was a teenager!
Karen Carpenter has the rare talent of perfect pitch. She could cut a track in one take. ALL the rock musicians of the day adored her and that golden voice. You can't go wrong with any of their songs.
Apparently, John Lennon came up to her and complimented her on her gorgeous voice and she had no idea how why. She was clearly a lovely humble woman.
What nobody has mentioned in the comments is that for all their recordings, Karen and Richard provided the backing vocals themselves, layering each track. That's why the studio versions sound so creamy, if you will...It's all them.
"Bless The Beasts & The Children", it will bring a tear. When Karen died, the world truly lost an inspiration of love.
Luka stared hard at you. I loved holding my little ones. Used to take my shirt off & hold them up under a wrap/blanket while in the rocking chair. Listening to music by candle light. Some great memories! Bless the beasts & the children....
Bless the beasts and the children is my favorite.
great suggestions
There's a movie called Bless the Beasts and the Children and it uses their song as it's theme. The movie came out in 1971. I didn't know if there were still copies of this movie around so I searched, and wouldn't you know it...a copy on youtub...full version...
ua-cam.com/video/1FyFUm5r-f4/v-deo.html&ab_channel=UA-camMovies
@@summersands8105 I'll have to watch it again. It has been many years. Thanks!
@@martink3804 Hi Martin! I'm going to watch it again too. I have to prep myself for it as it made me cry the first time. lol
I still love the Carpenters to this day
Her brother plays piano and does all the musical arrangements. Karen was also a drummer - very very good drummer, and her voice was discovered almost by accident. A beautiful contralto voice, with tone and pitch always perfect. Frank Sinatra once said that she was the only female singer he would pay to see in concert. Heaven has a lead angel singer in Karen. RIP
I've been a drummer for over 40 years...Karen was a MONSTER drummer...A real pro...She could sight read and was pro trained...Karen rips my heart out...Her life was so tragic and her songs and voice were so beautiful...
Karen in her school where she went was teach for a man that try to she play other instruments like violin or other. But she preferred the drums. Mr. Frankie Chaves was her teacher in drums.
She got kicked off the drums by management. They didn't want her to be playing them
Must have been hard for Richard to go through losing his sister like that.
Monster?
@@Coowallsky Meaning great...Like; Rainy days and Mondays was a MONSTER hit...
Yes, the Carpenters are a brother and sister duo. He was on piano and wrote most of their material. They are backed up by various musicians. Little Luca was a fun addition to the video. :)
Most of their songs were written by other songwriters.
Richard did some of the songwriting (and played the piano and did the arranging), but many of the early hits were from outside songwriters. This is Burt Bachrach (music) and Hal David (lyrics), a very successful team. (I periodically mention "The Look of Love" by Dusty Springfield; they wrote that, too.)
@@Jessica_Roth My bad., I thought he wrote more of them. You can always tell the Burt Bachrach ones of course.
@@bengilbert7655 Thanks for the schooling. . I'd thought he wrote a lot more of them.
@@J_Gamble Didn't mean to "mansplain." :)
Professional.....you never hear her breathing in...that's class...
Karen Carpenters voice was a gift from the gods. She is irreplaceable.
From God.
Probably the greatest female voice of all time. Just pure gold. No effort and so clear and clean. Aretha would be best singer.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Karen Carpenter... the sweetest voice of all!
Karen Carpenter is the only female vocalist to make a man's eyes water because of the combination of her voice, Richards voice and piano playing along with the harmony. Karen is the top female vocalist of all time in my book.
Mine to. Grew up hearing her on the radio. She does bring the tears. Still my favorite female voice.
Karen's voice always make me cry. So beautiful.
Amen to that.
The Carpenters (officially known as Carpenters)[a] were an American vocal and instrumental duo consisting of siblings Karen (1950-1983) and Richard Carpenter (born 1946). They produced a distinct soft musical style, combining Karen's contralto vocals with Richard's harmonizing, arranging and composition skills. During their 14-year career, the Carpenters recorded 10 albums along with numerous singles and several television specials.
There was a movie about them that chronicled their relationship with each other, rise to stardom, the struggle to get Karen from behind the drums and her struggle with anorexia that although tragic for Karen did a lot to shine a light on Anorexia and help so many others.
Their mother had raised Richard to be a classical pianist and was actually disappointed that he kind of became second fiddle.
Written by Burt Bacharach, this was a huge hit in its day. Karen Carpenter at her peak. Great selection for Female Friday.👍
BTW, Dionne Warwick (Whitney Houston’s aunt) sang a lot of Burt Bacharach songs and has a unique voice too.
Bachrach is still my favorite composer. His musical ideas are so unusual, and he always makes it work.
I'm so old when listening to Dianne Warwick, no idea what a Whitney Houston was. ..🤣 and Burt played the piano one night at a dinner party at my dad's in Malibu, long ago.
She's her cousin, not her aunt.
Heartbreaker is my favorite of hers...
@@kejo7779 Heartbreaker was her biggest hit and she didn't really like the song. The Bee Gees wrote it and went to her home and begged her to do the song. I'm glad she did because it one of my favorite songs of hers.
Karen is one the greatest vocalists I've ever heard. Supreme talent.
Karen Carpenter was a phenomenal singer. I was a paper boy when she died and I cried when I read the headline. She was a great drummer too, but she was better up front.
February made me shiver.. with every paper I’d deliver.. bad news on the doorstep.. I couldn’t take one more step…. The day the music died
As a public figure, Karen also exhibited grace and class. Everybody liked her. She was deeply mourned when she died, and in death, she ascended from superstar to legend.
We've Only Just Begun was/is an iconic wedding song... truly beautiful!
Back in the day when artists actually had talent. Today, every artist is manufactured.
And you guys pull my heart strings having baby Luka in the video! Love y’all!
@davyblackburn4090
True, I don’t attend coffee parties,
I'm a Christmas music nerd and The Carpenters have a great Christmas album. Not for review on the channel, but for your family use.
That Christmas Album is one of my favorite Christmas albums.
I cannot do Christmas without Carpenters music
She had the most beautiful velvety voice. Such a tragic life & the world lost a rare talent when she died. I would also recommend "We've Only Just Begun", Rainy Days & Mondays" & "I Won't Last a Day Without You."
And Baby Luca just wanted to sing along!
My favorite was "Hurting Each Other"
@@bryanwhitton1784 Great one - I forgot about that song
Karen and Richard were both "Genius" in what they did and how they did it!!! Just phenomenal!!!
This song, and their song "We've Only Just Begun," were sung at almost every wedding from around 1975 to the present.
It was our 'first dance' wedding song, 1998 ❤
They both came out in 1970. That year also saw the number one hit "Make It With You" by Bread. First dances were never the same again.
Little known factoid: Karen Carpenter had the nickname of "One-Take Karen" as she always arrived at a recording session completely prepared. She knew her lyrics, she knew her tempo, she knew how she wanted it to sound so when retakes and re-recordings were required it was basically never because of Karen.
It's sad that in modern times "Karen" is a name used so disparagingly.
Karen Carpenter is the one Karen that nobody can hate. :)
A recent rather large online poll voted the whole "Karen" trend as the most tiresome and annoying current fad. I don't know, maybe because of that, it might start going away. People are sick of it I guess. I remember this same poll a few years back when the term "On Fleek" made number one as the most tiresome fad. But getting back to Karen Carpenter, what an incredible talent and sweet person she was. Very sad....
So unfair to Karen Carpenter. I was a big fan of the Carpenters.....beautiful music. She had an amazing voice.
Karen was really shy and introverted. So she felt that she had to do it right to not feel the stress…
thank you
Karen was 19 years old when she recorded this.
Her voice is like warm honey...
This song is SOOOO ICONIC!! I'm a metal fan, and I love this song.
You should check out the tribute album done in the 90's by several relatively popular alternative bands of the time. I'm also a metal fan, but I love that album!! Sonic Youth kills it on their eerie cover of Superstar.
My wife and I love the Carpenters! Their song We've Only Just Begun was released August 21st 1970. We got married on August 16th 1970. So it's very special to us. We even got the opportunity to see them live in 1972. Karen's voice is melodic and so pure. And she was fantastic on the drums! It was an amazing performance! We have a few of their albums and still enjoy them. Would love to see you react to more of their music.
Congratulations for 51 years of marriage.
@@chrisclanton4430 Thanks so much! Appreciate it!
Karen was a treasure. I love the way she can drop an octave and a half and just nail that low vibrato to the wall. Truly one of the great voices.
Karen had a once in a Generation voice! Phenomenal!
A tragic loss to the world when she passed. 😥
Karen Carpenter's voice is iconic, angelic & smoother than melted butter!!! Their harmonies are amazing!!!
First of all, your baby is adorable! Second realize that Karen Carpenter is a legend and a voice like that will likely never come around again in our lifetimes. Also realize there was no such thing as autotune in those days. This is sheer talent.
Night Ranger - Sister Christian.. the singer is playing the drums and it was a super hit in 1983.. for some reason that song was popular with rock, pop and hard rock fans alike... everyone loved it
You should check out Revolution Saints. It band has a member of Night Ranger, and the drummer is the singer, too.
This was played at every school dance, prom, weddings. Huge Huge hit that year. She was a badass on drums - there is a video someone here of her performing a drum solo
Karen is considered by many of her contempories as one of the best drummers ever.
Your opinion not to take away her skills but Sheena Easton was the best period
@@glennquagmire1747 Considering he didn't say she was the best, he said one of the best. I had heard Sheena Easton had played the drums but can't find anything on UA-cam. Maybe you can suggest one.
@Chris Kalin Actually Sheena Easton was a drummer which I didn't know until I Googled it.
As phenomenal as her voice was, she considered herself a drummer who sang and not a singer who played drums. She has a couple of videos of her drumming that are amazing.
So true, and I love how she played up her amazing drumming skills. She was so modest and humble, I don't even think she was aware of how phenomenal her voice actually was. Miss her more than words can express. 😔🙏🏽💖
I'm not normally a fan of live videos, but seeing beautiful Karen in her prime singing and playing the drums was a real bittersweet treat, knowing that the world will never experience the return of the Carpenters
True, she learned the correct play, and she was good at it. A lot of young people want to skip all the mundane things that make a good drummer and just start pounding. You can see Karen's techniques and approaches were good. She could've been a heavily sought session player if she'd wanted that instead of being onstage.
Though many of hermillions of admirers would respectfully disagree on that point. To me she was a very good drummer, but the greates singer ever.
The fact that your baby cried during this song of all songs made my day. It’s beautiful, your baby’s beautiful and so are you guys. Thank you for the good vibes you send out always.
Majestic and Angelic doesn't do her justice, her voice never breaks even when she changes registers, it's amazing, Paul McCartney said she was the greatest female voice he ever heard. It's raw powerful and PURE. She's also a damn good drummer but when she passed away only then did I and many others realize what a gift we lost, it was devastating, she is not of this world.
The Carpenters were indeed just two - Richard Carpenter and his sister, Karen. She had the golden voice and he was a master arranger largely responsible for their unique sound.
Karen had a voice like velvet. Check out their song "We've Only Just Begun".
Played at every wedding!
as beautiful as karen's voice is, what makes the carpenters' songs so magical is the brilliant arrangement and production by richard. in anyone else's hands they would not have the legacy they enjoy today. absolutely gorgeous sound.
and thanks to Herb Alpert who with Jerry Moss, gave them the break they needed by having them join A&M records. Having the Carpenters on their label helped pay other musical groups their salary.
Another singer with impeccable enunciation was Doris Day. Her version of "Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars" is perfect!
Karen’s voice was the purest, cleanest was beautiful female singing voice ever.
I am reacting to this video over a year after, but holy crap I never realized Karen Carpenter was a drummer!
For me and my soul and spirit, as a singer, she is the GOAT. Ain't even close.❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
@robertmichaeljones in fact she was reluctant to come out from behind those drums. Only after Richard's strong urging, did she step out in front and show off the GOAT singer. This woman touches my heart, spirit and soul. In sooo many ways.
In my opinion, only the Bee Gees approach the Carpenters harmonic abilities.
Rainy days and Mondays is another song where Karen plays the drums.
I was LITERALLY gunna leave this EXACT comment!! You got the mail on the head Guurrll!!!
There is such a depth of sadness in Rainy Days and Mondays. Beautiful song sung by a beautiful woman who died way too young 😢
Here’s that word iconic again! This brother in sister act and her by herself took the music world by storm… Very talented, writers, singers, musicians they had it all
This song was top of the charts everybody was singing it no matter where you were or listening on the radio… It was huge
Richard was the arranger, composer and producer of all of their music. Great brother, sister duo. Complimenting each other's talents.
Can’t say enough about Karen carpenter. She’s considered as having one of the best female voices ever!! Her brother Richard was super talented as well. You guys reacted to superstar, my fave carpenter song. Check out rainy days & Mondays & if you really want to see her true love, check out her drum solo video. RIP KAREN ❤️😇❤️
And then they need to react to Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft.
One of the three most gorgeous voices of all time. Along with Patsy Cline & Jim Reeves, I could listen to Karen Carpenter sing the weather forecast and be entranced.
You should look up some clips of Karen playing the drums! She was AWESOME!
Her voice is super smooth and her lower register is like warm honey. She had such talent. Very sad life story.
Absolutely agree. Her 'basement' register was amazing.
karen carpenter was a chip off the old block!!
Let me add to Alan's suggestion. If you haven't already you need to look up and react to her drum solo (1976 I think -- when she was like about 26 years of age. Here's the solo which was performed on their first TV Special
ua-cam.com/video/sdHyzGXAJPg/v-deo.html
They were actually a duo, Karen singing and on drums, with Richard on the piano and backing singing. The other musicians were hired as they were needed, they weren't regular members of The Carpenters. Karen's voice gets the attention, and she has a wonderful voice, but Richard was the composer and arranger, it was he who arranged everything around the quality of her voice to maximise the effect.
That's true. And they would record multiple tracks of just THEIR voices, on their albums. For live performances, they added the other singers, I think - I saw them live when I was 11 years old, and don't remember. But that unique Carpenters sound was because it was just the two of them, and multiple tracks. At least, that's what I always have heard!
The other musicians on this record would later become known as The Wrecking Crew. They worked together on many hit records during the 60s and 70s. Other names attributed to the group were, The First Call Gang, and The Clique. They were A-list session musicians who worked mainly in L.A..
And Karen always admitted that there was no Carpenters without Richard.
@@sgnmath1234 So, whatever became of Richard?
@@margiejackson4226 Yes, I've seen videos of them recording the extra tracks to make that multi-layered sound. Have you heard "Mr. Guder"? LOVE the moving parts towards the end!
I, for one, absolutely enjoy Luca and his baby noises. He is a doll.
and her range was amazing
Three of my favorites are “Superstar”, “Solitaire”, and “Masquerade”
Karen had one of the greatest voices in American music, but never considered herself a singer. She would have been perfectly satisfied to stay in the back with her drums....and felt very shy about stepping out front as a vocalist.
Yes. They had to coax her out front. Baby steps.
@@oldmanghost219 A musician friend of mine was at a Carpenters concert at a large auditorium in the 1970's. A large thunderstorm outside knocked the electricity out. After a few minutes, the crowd noise died down and Karen Carpenter told the audience from the stage to be very quiet and that she would sing a tune a cappella without a mike or sound system. He related that her strong singing voice--in perfect pitch--filled the whole auditorium. The electricity came back on by the next tune, but everyone in that auditorium knew that they had just heard something magical. Yes, she was very, very good.
The Carpenters were red hot in the late 60's and early 70's. They faded and made a resurgence in the late 70's to have just enough hits late in the decade to be the group with the most chart hits in the 1970's. Karen's voice was extraordinary.
You can never go wrong with The Carpenters! Karen was something special. She had perfect tone all the time. She was known as One take Karen in the studios. She was a drummer who sang like an angel. The Carpenters was Karen and her brother an awesome arranger , Richard. Miss Karen!! Rip Angel.
Karen had perfect pitch in her voice.
Karen was the voice and Richard was the producer/creative director. Richard had the big ideas, the creativity, the arrangements but I think this gets forgotten because Karen’s voice and talent were so big! And yes, her voice is clean, crisp, and her diction is perfect. She’s an example of natural, God-given, raw talent.
Karen's voice was such perfection. I've said this before but I'll say it again - I love seeing the live version of Mr. Guder because they sound great but also Karen on the drums is my favorite! She looks so happy!
Karen had one of the purest voices. That is her brother Richard playing the piano. Definitely listen to Rainy Days and Mondays! It is beautiful and there is a saxophone in that video. It’s beautiful. Luca is absolutely gorgeous!!💙
karen was one of the greatest singers of the last century.
But is Luca ok? She seemed out of sorts!
Not one of, the most beautiful voice ever.
The Carpenters, we’re Just 2 People a Brother, and Sister. They were absolutely amazing. 😊they were very famous, they were on radio, all the time back in the day. I’m so glad I grew up back then.
This was originally given to Herb Alpert to record. He did, but didn't like it, didn't release it. He collaborated with Karen and Richard rewriting it, feeling it was better suited for them. Richard wrote the flugelhorn part with Herb in mind but he wasn't available so they got Chuck Findley to play it. Chuck was a session player...played with lots of people. He also played with the Tonight Show Band under Doc Severinson and when Jay Leno hosted. He's quite talented.
Chuck would litter a great number of hit-song sessions. He was part of an industry background that, sadly, jerk producers would over-philharmonic to drown out soooo much great individual musicians. This was a great recording session UNTIL the producers overdubbed it, along with background singers, overdubbed later. They start off with a 'live performance' and then overdub it. Was ANYTHING 'live' therefore? Probably not. The mix-levels would have to be redone here and there. What a shame.
Dionne Warwick originally recorded the song on the "flip" side of the record, that is the other side of the record from the main song. It wasn't a hit like so many of the Bachrach songs that she recorded. However, with
Richard's arrangement of the song with Herb Alpert's feedback, and Karen's voice, the song became number one. Interestingly, Dionne and Karen later became close friends.
So many fantastic Carpenters songs ‘We’ve only just begun’, ‘Rainy Days and Mondays’, ‘Masquerade’ and the beautiful ‘Make believe it’s Your First Time’ are just a few of our favourites.
Things were certainly going on in that reaction 😹😹👏👏👏👏
I need to be in love, too 💕
@@angelarasmussen1800 Another fantastic one 😸😸🐾🐾
i recommend 'ticket to ride', 'superstar' & 'for all we know'!
Karen's voice was one of a kind and one you will never forget!!!!
The SUPER 70S IN A NUT SHELL
Congrats!
She was a favorite for studio personnel, because they knew it would be a short day when recording her. She was famous for, well, obviously her voice, but also for the fact that she almost never made a mistake.
My favorite part was Luca looking up at Jordan as he enjoyed the music. He only started to cry when you stopped. He was mesmerized. That alone makes this one of my favorite video's you have posted. Thank you.....
One of the best natural contralto voices of all time. Her brother Richard is on the electric piano. He was responsible for most of their arrangements IIRC.
One of the greatest voices in music history and a top drummer.
Karen resisted stepping out from the drums. Richard did all of the arrangements. Karen was very shy. When they forced her to just sing was the beginning of her eating disorder.
Wow, that's so sad. I grew up hearing them and did not know that. It seems cruel now😢
Should have just left her alone and do what she loved!
Hal Blaine of the Wrecking Crew played the drums for the recordings because Karen wasn’t seasoned in that atmosphere. Joe Osborn on bass actually “ discovered them”. The background vocals were provided by The Ron Hicklin Singers, a staple in the industry back in the day.
I believe her eating disorder has to do with her personal relationships with her Mom especially
@@verapena9465🎯
As a drummer, drumming while singing is quite difficult. Having an angelic voice on top of that is priceless.
They were a treasure!!! So talented!!!🤘🔥
I'm SO happy you picked this Carpenters song. The 1st time I heard it on the radio, I remember I stopped dead in my tracks, while I was walking from one room to another at home. Her voice was the most beautiful thing I ever heard, and I couldn't move til the song was over.
She had such a clear, pure voice, but she always preferred drumming (which she was awesome at!). She didn't care for being up front singing. The lyrics are:
On the day that you were born the angels got together.
And decided to create a dream come true.
So, they sprinkled moon dust in your hair of gold
And star-light in your eyes of blue.
That is why all the girls in town follow you all around.
Just like me, they long to be close to you...
BTW, Luca is a real cutie!
I just love the Carpenters, Karen's voice is angelic. She started out playing the drums and singing, and after a while they wanted her in front because her voice was so beautiful. There is a movie about her life you might want to check out. Happy listening guys!!
Man…I’m gettin to be a softy in my old age. This was tha most adorable reaction video I’ve ever seen.
I grew up with the Carpenters and I have always loved her voice. I was very sad when she died. The world lost a beautiful voice. Don’t ever apologies for lovin on your babies. Doesn’t bother a bit, in fact I love your videos even more.
karen is the greatest female vocalist of all time,she sings with a tear in voice. if you look up her life story youll no why,listen to rainy days and mondays,the lyrics will tell you some of problems she was going through
For me Karen Carpenter sets the benchmark for ALL female singers, such a pure beautiful voice, she really had the voice of an Angel and her adult life was such a sad tragic story. Rainy Days and Mondays as well as We've only just begun are both amazing tracks and well worth a listen. have a great weekend guys.
RIP Karen
You guys are a beautiful and loving family, Luka and his siblings are blessed to have both of you for parents!!!
Such a gorgeous voice. I saw Karen and Richard shortly before she passed away. They were regular customers at a restaurant I worked at in Downey, CA. They were always so gracious. No one ever bothered them with autograph requests, so they always felt relaxed. Sadly, Karen looked very ill and it was apparent that anorexia had taken it’s toll💔
My parents really liked the Carpenters, so their songs always conjure a powerful feeling of nostalgia for me -- especially evoking memories of listening to their albums on long cross-country car rides. The sweet richness of Karen Carpenter's voice was incredible, and her premature death is one of the (many) tragedies in music history.
How in the world can you not recall Karen Carpenter after hearing her once--an angel herself. The voice of an angel!!!
Firstly, Lucas is GORGEOUS!!! Also, loved how Momma's instinct kicked in as soon as Lucas started fussing. Watching you guys doing the whole "parent" thing is HEARTWARMING!!! Love you guys...
She has got that way in her voice that gives me chills every time.