Paul McCartney said that Karen Carpenter had “the best female voice in the world.” John Lennon found himself in the same L.A. nightclub as Karen. Lennon made sure that he personally told her that he loved her singing. Elton John said she was "one of the greatest voices of our lifetime" Karen mostly sang in "Contralto" the lowest female voice.
Listen to these guys cause what they say is seriously real.. If these guys are saying that Karen's voice is the greatest voice of the 20th century then I'd say they've got a point.. Karen's voice, style and talent are undeniable, if anyone anyone who's heard listened to her says otherwise, they haven't got a clue and don't know FA about music .. Years from now , people will still be listening and talking about Karen's voice ,music and songs... She'll live on forever and give people the happiness and pleasure she gave all with her songs and unique voice.. Thank you Karen and Richard, 'The Carpenters...'
Karen, when she sang, she had that yearning, sadness, feeling in her voice, which always touched the listener's heart. As some of the great female singers have said, "Karen had something in her voice, that I don't have, and wish I did. Karen was one of a kind."
In the '80s I was living in Japan and had to go to Thailand for my job. I walked into a restaurant in a small village far removed from Bangkok and they had a basic CRT T.V. on the wall playing Carpenters videos nonstop. Every girl in the place sang along to every word in perfect English. Karen was appreciated worldwide.
SHE WAS A DRAMMER FIRST AND HER BROTHER WANTED HER TO START SINGING!! I WENT TO SCHOOL WITH THEM AND THEY WERE GOOD FRIENDS!!!! BLESSING TO THEM BOTH!!! MYRON
Her voice was a gift that came naturally to her ; there's no indication that she needed to put much, if any, time or effort into it. Her first love, drumming, however, required a lot of both of those things. To see/hear the result of that degree of dedication, I recommend her drum solo from their '76 TV special. Unbelievable!!
I agree! She put her drum prowess on display in that one. No wonder The Richard Carpenter jazz trio won the Hollywood Battle of the Bands one year. I think Karen was just a teenager at the time.
Welcome to the majesty of the uncanny vocal prowess provided by Karen Carpenter. Her delivery has been sending shivers up the spines of listeners for five decades.
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. The Carpenters had so many great songs such as "We've Only Just Begun", "For All We Know", "Superstar", "Goodbye To Love", "Top Of The World", "Sing", "Yesterday Once More", "I Won't Last A Day Without You", "Please Mr. Postman", "Only Yesterday", "There's A Kind Of Hush (All Over the World)", "I Need To Be In Love" & so many more.
I would add "This Masquerade", "A song for you", "Where do I go from here", and for you UFO believers, "Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft". (And of course her Christmas classic "Merry Christmas Darling".
Karen was amazing. Pitch perfect & clear (w/o auto tune.) Beautiful, rich tone. 3-octave range. Incredible breath control. Impeccable diction. Seamless transition between her upper & lower registers. And she makes you FEEL every word!! (And Richard knew how to make the arrangements - instrumentation, timing, etc. - that fit them perfectly. Add their tight harmonies and… pure PERFECTION!) Check out “Goodbye to Love” and one of the videos featuring her drumming.
She said she didn't want to be known as the singer who played drums. She wanted to be known as the drummer who could sing. I still cry that we lost her so young.
My dad & I seldom saw eye to eye musically, but one thing we _DID_ agree with, is Karen had the most beautiful female voice (maybe the most beautiful _PERIOD._ )
Karen and Richard, both extremely talented! Together they made a very dynamic duo. Even after all these years Karens ANGELIC voice still penetrates my soul. Still have to fight back the tears. Lost her way too soon. Sad story. Karen was not just a drummer, she was a master drummer. Check out some of her solos and how happy she was playing them. Rest In Peace Beautiful Karen!
My 19 yrs old niece asked me to send some great music her way...I sent her the Carpenters. She's now a fan for life. ......if Karen Capenter was not a singer, she would've been known as one of the best drummers in the 70s.
There is a fairly accurate sad but true movie "The Karen Carpenter Story". I was in class, choir, 1982, and someone from the back of the room said that Karen Carpenter had died. I immediately walked out of school and they did not see me until the following Monday. I thought Karen was getting better, but the damage to her kidney and other organs had already been done. Ultimately rainy days and Mondays broke her heart, and broke mine too. Karen had starved herself to death. How on earth she thought she was not good enough? But once you learn about her mother it starts 'make sense' if you will. I had a 'strange crush' on Karen Carpenter. I wished she was, wanted her to be my older sister. Yep!?! Thanx Cali Music. Thank you Maddie. The Carpenters Christmas Album is superb. Nothing else comes close. Maddie likes to wear brown and 'earth colors' huh?
The recording industry has not been kind to women artists up to this day. Obviously Whitney Houston and Britney Spears come to mind immediately. It's not enough to be good, you have to be good, look like a model. and have a pleasing personality.
Many people, including myself believe that Karen Carpenter has one of the most beautiful female voices ever. I definitely put Karen in the same class as Aretha Franklin and Celine Dion. She was one of a kind for sure.
Paul Williams, who wrote the lyrics, told of how he had briefly met another songwriter (forgot his name) at the recording studio, a master wordsmith who had penned over 1500 songs, and how walking down the hall a little later the guy popped his head out the door asking “Are you the ‘what I’ve got they used to call the blues’ Paul Williams - that Paul Williams ??“ He said it was one of the best moments of his entire life.
@@raybrown3667 Hey - thanks for filling me in. I tried to look it up again yesterday, but no luck finding the article I read a few years ago. I never did Google his name - I’ll have to check out his bio and see if I know any of his songs.
@@tcanfield You've almost certainly heard of some of Mercer's songs. He wrote the lyrics for many classic songs, such as "Moon River" and "Hooray for Hollywood."
@@raybrown3667 Wow, what a fantastic guy ! Just watched a short doc and looking forward to seeing the long one soon. Moon River by Louis Armstrong is one of my top favorites and I also recognize “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive”. Thanks again for putting him on my radar screen !
Hello Miss Maddy, I hope you are having a wonderful day! I loved Karen Carpenter's voice, this was back when singers weren't able to rely on auto-tune and studios to correct mistakes, and she could easily perform her vocals to perfection live as well.
Karen's voice is recognized as one of the finest female voices in modern music. Her brother, Richard, is playing the keyboard & singing back-up. He was responsible for most of their musical arrangements. Sadly, Karen passed away at 32, from anorexia nervosa - gone too soon. Thanks for your reaction.
She had perfect pitch across a three-octave range - considered one of the best singers who ever lived. She was also very shy and being behind the drum kit was a safety blanket for her.
Karen & Patsy Cline are among the greatest altos in music. Backing voices are often also Karen's voice harmonized w/ herself. Check out Close to You, Yesterday Once More, & We've Only Just Begun.
You just listened to, what many have repeatedly said, is the finest female vocalist for all time. "A Song for You" "Superstar", and "Goodbye to Love" are must listens to showcase her range. Thank you for the reaction.
There simply are not sufficient words to describe the magic of this beautiful song in this incredible voice flowing out of a bedside clock radio in the long minutes before sleep of a sensitive 7th grade boy who was destined to be a poet.
Karen felt most comfortable singing while playing drums but eventually had to give up drumming to be more visible to the audience when performing live.
What a beautiful singer Karen Carpenter was. She actually always considered herself to be a drummer first. Then the management realized that she had to be at the front of the stage because she was the singer and of course because of her incredible presence, and so the change was made x
With respect to you, @@rcinsley, I don't think being in the spotlight was the problem. It was well known at the time leading up to her death that she suffered from an eating disorder since her appearance was visibly deteriorating. If memory serves, it was anorexia nervosa which plagued a lot of young women in those days and which led to congestive heart failure. I do miss her unique voice and I do miss her. She left us far too early.
@@johnclement4158 As I recall, she was not slender or shapely...but made out fine as the band's drummer. Seated behind a drum kit, her physical appearance didn't attract attention and comments. When family and managers demanded that she take center stage to capitalize on her angelic voice, the cruel comments about her appearance began. Those comments got to her...and triggered the anorexia. In those years, nobody had heard of anorexia and we had no idea how it was destroying her life...until she was gone. If Karen had been left behind her drums, she might still be performing today. Her loss was one of the worst tragedies of my generation.
@@rcinsley I confess that I do not know what triggered the anorexia but I do recall that she was always slender. At least I've never seen her any other way. This is the first time I've heard that it was being in the spotlight. Perhaps you're right about that; I just never heard it before. I don't suppose it makes any difference now. Of course if that was the problem, it was easy to address by simply getting out of it for a while. Either way we only have memories and records now but thank God for that.
Maddy, great reaction! Karen was a phenomenal drummer and incredible singer! There are a couple of TH-cam vids which showcase her awesome drumming talents. You may want to react to them. She always said of herself that drumming was her first love (and that's what she actually did before becoming lead singer). She said, "I consider myself a drummer who also sings, instead of a singer who happens to be a drummer." She also earned the nickname "One-Take Karen," because she was known in the music industry as a rare artist who could go into a sound studio and typically record a song in just one take!
Love it. I grew up with them and have never fallen out of love with this group. Karen has brought happy tears to my eyes so many times. Karen was an incredible woman. A drummer, a song writer and the voice of an angel. It still pains me deeply that she left us so young. 💝
The Carpenters were all over the radio back in the '70's when I was in that 12-18 age range. Karen's voice was SO beautiful. **sigh** Thanks for this one, Maddy. 😊
Please listen to Superstar. Their best song in my opinion. I know you’ll love it! Her voice is unmatched in her tone and ease that she sings with. Her passing was tragic from anorexia.
Nice reaction Maddy. Im in my 60s and remember Carpenters well. Herb Alpert heard Karen's voice on a demo in 1969 and signed her brother, Richard, and her to A&M records. Karen received 3 or 4 Grammys in the 70s and sold over 80 million records by 1982. She was 1975 rock drummer of the year according to Playboy. KC had the most beautiful voice-ever, and perhaps THE best female vocalist-ever, because she compels you to listen as she sings in perfect pitch to you, not at you, with emotion and enunciation. No auto-tune or gimmicks. No professional voice or drum instruction. She was known by the studios as 'one take'. She rarely, if ever, did more than one take of any song. She was also the ONLY female harmony/background voice in all her songs. She was truly born with an incredible singing talent. Documentaries point out the accolades to her voice, such as, Paul McCartney said she had the most angelic voice after hearing her sing 'Ticket To Ride'. John Lennon ran into her at an LA restaurant and told her "you have a fabulous voice, luv". Supposedly Frank Sinatra stated that Karen was the only singer he'd pay to hear. I recommend songs such as, Yesterday Once More, Solitaire, This Masquerade, Need To Be In Love, Hurting Each Other, Only Yesterday, I Can Dream Cant I, Crescent Noon, Ordinary Fool, Superstar, Close To You, We've Only Just Begun, and A Song For You. KC never knew true love. One of her few friends included Dionne Warwick. 5'3" KC really lost weight, due to anorexia, in earnest beginning in 1975. She died in Feb 1983 at age 32 due to heart complications from anorexia.
👏👏👏🙃🍰🙃👏👏👏 .. oh yes Maddy .. I luv luv luvvv this song !! Karen Carpenter and her brother wrote many heart tugging songs in the 70s. Karen has a legendary amazing smooth voice. I hope you discover some mire of their songs. .. there is "Close To You" for one suggestion. Her voice is magical .. I like your reaction. Chef's kiss ... 🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣
A very soulful rendition from Karen you won't get recommended a lot because most people haven't heard it, but she really lays into "Ordinary Fool." A very heartfelt piece by them is "A Song For You," with arguably the most melodic sax solo...at least that I've ever heard." This has to be the audio version because there are videos taken from a TV show that cut out the entire solo. A brilliantly arranged cover of an Eagles song, "Desperado," shows Richard's prowess in eliciting a western affectation, and again Karen really emotes and conveys this feeling.
I’m from Singapore. About the background vocals - although many of their music videos show members of their band singing vocal backgrounds, all backup vocals in Carpenters’ recordings were sung (with few exceptions) only by Karen and Richard using overdubbing techniques to create a choral/stacked harmony sound.
@@MaddyReactions the band did the harmonies on live concert performances. All recordings until Karen’s passing were Karen and Richard only. Richard was the genius behind their “sound.” And based on the numbers I’m seeing, looks like the Carpenters “Army” has found you. You’re overdue for another song. One reactor the whole battalion found him. Darn near 1/4M hits on a song, way out of his normal range? I haven’t totally figured out how. As another I know has done many Carpenter songs and not happening for her. Algorithms? 🤷🏻♂️ Edit: There were a few exceptions when Richard hired other background singers for a particular sound, while Karen was alive. Of note: All You Get From Love Is A Love Song. Their last Top 40 Hit had 3 female singers in addition.
@@jbs256 Richard indeed did the musical arrangements and played piano but on the album recordings, the Carpenters were one of the many bands who The Wrecking Crew was their studio band. Even the drums were played by Hal Blaine.
@@psidvicious well, not quite. Since Joe Osborn essentially “discovered” them and Hal was his very good friend. The link was made. Hal was too busy to “manage” the two of them, one of his great regrets. They were not a typical Wrecking Crew band like, The Monkees, Partridge Family, Beach Boys or Mama’s and Papa’s. They used some of the Crew at various times. The regulars from their own band were the primary musicians with Joe and Hal being regulars, Joe even more than Hal. So, yeah, I know the history. I lived the reality and learned the details and behind the scenes over time.
@@jbs256 Point taken. Karen and Richard were both immensely talented musicians and Richard needed no help at all with musical arrangement. It’s the farthest thing from a “knock” that The Wrecking Crew played instruments on your albums. They were literally thee best you could possibly get. How could you go wrong with Hal or Earl on drums; Joe or Carol on bass; Tommy on guitar. Leon Russel on piano..crazy talent! Have any of them sit in with Karen and Richard and you’re destined for hit after hit after hit… Karen even played sax too!
Hello Maddy. I am new here and have also decided to subscribe. The Carpenter had close to 30 songs in the Top 40. She had many wonderful hits. I think you would enjoy, 'Weve only just begun "a number 2 hit, The number1 Hit and number 1 song of the year," Close to you", Also Sing", which was really special, children singing in the background with her, " I won't last a day without you, another love song, just to name a few. I actually love them all and I am not from that time, but my mom loved her music. She was amazingly talented. Gone much too soon.
As a music lover who grew up in the 70's if you had a radio you were going to hear the carpenters. Karen's voice was so unique even my father would play the carpenters right along with his Stevie Wonder and Temptations. What I come to love about the 70's was the pure vocals unprocessed not filtered and instrumentation that showed the talent of years of training to master them. There are great songs today but the the tools and production have change to where more people have access to a musical career and a lot focus on the visual more then the music at times. Every time I hear Rainy Days & Monday it sounds just as great as when it hit the charts back in the day.
Karen Carpenter was singing in hi-def before 'hi-def' was even a thing. In just a few more, short months, turn on the radio to whatever local station still plays Christmas music. More often than not, you are bound to hear "Merry Christmas, Darling", also by The Carpenters, and also one of Karen's most iconic songs.
Saw them in concert some 50 years ago in Duluth, Minnesota. Can still picture it today..... So sad she left us so young, she had a lot more gifts to offer.
Another relatable song by them is Only Yesterday. Karen could sing the phone book and sound great. She and her brother Richard were an unbeatable combo.
Love how she sings what she has they used to call the blues, which now is depression, which she really did have, but she knows it's a bad day that has come and gone before and she knows what it's all about, but whenever she feels down she knows she has someone who loves her just to be with her, I love a song that paints a picture, and we all have been in a place where we don't like a rainy day or a Monday, amazing lyrics, great angelic voice and great production. My favourite song by the Carpenters, she had a sad life and sadly died from anorexia 😢 but she left us with a fantastic catalogue of amazing songs 🎵 💖
Listen to "Solitaire"--a vocal performance that you would never believe on a song she didn't like, as well as the live performance of "I need to be in love"--the ending of which will break your heart if you know her backstory.
I was just a little kid, 6 in 1971, but I was hooked on their music because I started out listening to the likes of The Osmonds and Jackson 5. I really enjoyed listening to groups such as these that had such great harmonies. Karen’s voice was so soothing for me and listening to The Carpenters music plus classical music got me through some rough times in the 80’s as a young teen.
![BOWKYLION - วิงวอน (ex-change) [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cLdnZWDaO-w/mqdefault.jpg)
Our Karen. Shy. Gifted. Fragile.
Paul Williams wrote this and Karen simply owned it.
Beautiful song from Paul Williams, story about his mother....
Paul McCartney said that Karen Carpenter had “the best female voice in the world.” John Lennon found himself in the same L.A. nightclub as Karen. Lennon made sure that he personally told her that he loved her singing. Elton John said she was "one of the greatest voices of our lifetime" Karen mostly sang in "Contralto" the lowest female voice.
Listen to these guys cause what they say is seriously real..
If these guys are saying that Karen's voice is the greatest voice of the 20th century then I'd say they've got a point..
Karen's voice, style and talent are undeniable, if anyone anyone who's heard listened to her says otherwise, they haven't got a clue and don't know FA about music ..
Years from now , people will still be listening and talking about Karen's voice ,music and songs...
She'll live on forever and give people the happiness and pleasure she gave all with her songs and unique voice..
Thank you Karen and Richard, 'The Carpenters...'
The Beatles had a disdain for anyone doing covers of their songs; Karen was one of the very few they loved.
And she was an amazing drummer as well...
they stated they actually like the carpenter's version of "ticket to ride" more than their own....@@SFPhilo
Reportedly, when John heard The Carpenters' cover of Ticket to Ride, he said "Why didn't we think of that?"
I think someone once said, "No song had a greater friend than Karen Carpenter." She left us way too soon.
Such an amazing voice, and so sad and tragic death
Karen, when she sang, she had that yearning, sadness, feeling in her voice, which always touched the listener's heart. As some of the great female singers have said, "Karen had something in her voice, that I don't have, and wish I did. Karen was one of a kind."
Taht kind of became her image, her musical persona.
In the '80s I was living in Japan and had to go to Thailand for my job. I walked into a restaurant in a small village far removed from Bangkok and they had a basic CRT T.V. on the wall playing Carpenters videos nonstop. Every girl in the place sang along to every word in perfect English. Karen was appreciated worldwide.
Dude, that's a super cool story. I totally dug that. Thx
Carpenters had an amazing loyal fanbase in Japan and across Asia. The toured there extensively.
Karen Carpenter was supernatural. And her brother, Richard was, and is a musical genius..
SOOOO.... TRUE!! Karen was a GIFT from God!
@@websurfin9575 she was the result of years of hard work - your comment suggests she was just given this talent.
@@MGrayl-ib5fo Karen was gifted, & she worked very diligently to develop her wonderful gift!
SHE WAS A DRAMMER FIRST AND HER BROTHER WANTED HER TO START SINGING!! I WENT TO SCHOOL WITH THEM AND THEY WERE GOOD FRIENDS!!!! BLESSING TO THEM BOTH!!! MYRON
Her voice was a gift that came naturally to her ; there's no indication that she needed to put much, if any, time or effort into it. Her first love, drumming, however, required a lot of both of those things. To see/hear the result of that degree of dedication, I recommend her drum solo from their '76 TV special. Unbelievable!!
I agree! She put her drum prowess on display in that one. No wonder The Richard Carpenter jazz trio won the Hollywood Battle of the Bands one year. I think Karen was just a teenager at the time.
"One take Karen"....Perfect pitch as a voice gets!
An extremely talented young lady, gone way too soon. RIP.
Welcome to the majesty of the uncanny vocal prowess provided by Karen Carpenter. Her delivery has been sending shivers up the spines of listeners for five decades.
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. The Carpenters had so many great songs such as "We've Only Just Begun", "For All We Know", "Superstar", "Goodbye To Love", "Top Of The World", "Sing", "Yesterday Once More", "I Won't Last A Day Without You", "Please Mr. Postman", "Only Yesterday", "There's A Kind Of Hush (All Over the World)", "I Need To Be In Love" & so many more.
I would add "This Masquerade", "A song for you", "Where do I go from here", and for you UFO believers, "Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft". (And of course her Christmas classic "Merry Christmas Darling".
Reading your post is a good reminder of how many great songs they had. Thanks!
So many great songs that we won't hear until we're with her again.
“Please Mr. Postman” is my favorite upbeat tempo songs they perform.
Also Ticket to Ride, Any Day Now, Baby it’s You & many more.
Karen was amazing.
Pitch perfect & clear (w/o auto tune.)
Beautiful, rich tone.
3-octave range.
Incredible breath control.
Impeccable diction.
Seamless transition between her upper & lower registers.
And she makes you FEEL every word!!
(And Richard knew how to make the arrangements - instrumentation, timing, etc. - that fit them perfectly. Add their tight harmonies and… pure PERFECTION!)
Check out “Goodbye to Love” and one of the videos featuring her drumming.
She said she didn't want to be known as the singer who played drums. She wanted to be known as the drummer who could sing. I still cry that we lost her so young.
The Carpenters didn't write this song, but they made it their own.
Too bad this kind of timeless music isn't created any longer.
What?! You don't think WAP will be in the public consciousness 50 years from now? Instant classic!
My dad & I seldom saw eye to eye musically, but one thing we _DID_ agree with, is Karen had the most beautiful female voice (maybe the most beautiful _PERIOD._ )
Yep. Who else in the world can sing do clearly and drum at the same time?! What a talent.
Don Henley.
Purest of female voices + annunciation. LOVE it,
The voice of an angel!❤
Three Carpenters recommendations: "We've Only Just Begun" (played at thousands of weddings), "Superstar," and "For All We Know."
Karen and Richard, both extremely talented! Together they made a very dynamic duo. Even after all these years Karens ANGELIC voice still penetrates my soul. Still have to fight back the tears. Lost her way too soon. Sad story. Karen was not just a drummer, she was a master drummer. Check out some of her solos and how happy she was playing them. Rest In Peace Beautiful Karen!
Yes RIP and much love to her 🩷🩷🩷
She was one of my favorite female singer in the 70s. She was so very talented, gone too soon.
My 19 yrs old niece asked me to send some great music her way...I sent her the Carpenters. She's now a fan for life.
......if Karen Capenter was not a singer, she would've been known as one of the best drummers in the 70s.
There is a fairly accurate sad but true movie "The Karen Carpenter Story". I was in class, choir, 1982, and someone from the back of the room said that Karen Carpenter had died. I immediately walked out of school and they did not see me until the following Monday. I thought Karen was getting better, but the damage to her kidney and other organs had already been done. Ultimately rainy days and Mondays broke her heart, and broke mine too. Karen had starved herself to death. How on earth she thought she was not good enough? But once you learn about her mother it starts 'make sense' if you will. I had a 'strange crush' on Karen Carpenter. I wished she was, wanted her to be my older sister. Yep!?! Thanx Cali Music.
Thank you Maddie.
The Carpenters Christmas Album is superb. Nothing else comes close.
Maddie likes to wear brown and 'earth colors' huh?
The recording industry has not been kind to women artists up to this day. Obviously Whitney Houston and Britney Spears come to mind immediately. It's not enough to be good, you have to be good, look like a model. and have a pleasing personality.
She was the best .... loved this Maddy :)
Thank you for your reaction to this Carpenters reaction. I hope you will also react to their song, "Superstar" - thank you. :)
One of the most beautiful and soothing voices ever!
Many people, including myself believe that Karen Carpenter has one of the most beautiful female voices ever. I definitely put Karen in the same class as Aretha Franklin and Celine Dion. She was one of a kind for sure.
simply amazing! ♥
I recommend "Super Star" by them!
Paul Williams, who wrote the lyrics, told of how he had briefly met another songwriter (forgot his name) at the recording studio, a master wordsmith who had penned over 1500 songs, and how walking down the hall a little later the guy popped his head out the door asking “Are you the ‘what I’ve got they used to call the blues’ Paul Williams - that Paul Williams ??“ He said it was one of the best moments of his entire life.
Paul Williams.....actor, singer, songwriter, Oscar and Grammy winner.....a great talent
The songwriter who Williams met was Johnny Mercer.
@@raybrown3667 Hey - thanks for filling me in. I tried to look it up again yesterday, but no luck finding the article I read a few years ago. I never did Google his name - I’ll have to check out his bio and see if I know any of his songs.
@@tcanfield You've almost certainly heard of some of Mercer's songs. He wrote the lyrics for many classic songs, such as "Moon River" and "Hooray for Hollywood."
@@raybrown3667 Wow, what a fantastic guy ! Just watched a short doc and looking forward to seeing the long one soon. Moon River by Louis Armstrong is one of my top favorites and I also recognize “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive”. Thanks again for putting him on my radar screen !
One of the greatest voices. She is amazing. And so are you. Thank you! Greetings from Sweden.
Greatness.
A voice as smooth as silk
She was a drummer long before she was a singer.
And she was a respectable drummer but on the albums you’re hearing Hal Blaine (most of the time) of The Wrecking Crew.
Hello Miss Maddy, I hope you are having a wonderful day! I loved Karen Carpenter's voice, this was back when singers weren't able to rely on auto-tune and studios to correct mistakes, and she could easily perform her vocals to perfection live as well.
She had such a sad and tragic end but her voice can still touch your soul. We've Only Just Begun is another classic from them.
Karen's voice is recognized as one of the finest female voices in modern music. Her brother, Richard, is playing the keyboard & singing back-up. He was responsible for most of their musical arrangements. Sadly, Karen passed away at 32, from anorexia nervosa - gone too soon. Thanks for your reaction.
Hearing Karen Carpenters voice when I was very young is one of my first memories of hearing music and it striking a chord.
Excellent choice Madds,she just has an amazing voice,I can suggest "We Have Only Just Begun" 🥰
I would add "Bless The Beasts And The Children" as a must listen to.
Karen is a Top 5 singers of all time. Period!
Angelic voice!!!
So young when she died. She never was really happy. But such talent!
Yes, Maddy, you are beautiful and talented ❤❤❤❤❤
She had perfect pitch across a three-octave range - considered one of the best singers who ever lived. She was also very shy and being behind the drum kit was a safety blanket for her.
Karen & Patsy Cline are among the greatest altos in music. Backing voices are often also Karen's voice harmonized w/ herself.
Check out Close to You, Yesterday Once More, & We've Only Just Begun.
Perfect pitch and a very talented drummer
She didn’t see herself as a singer. She saw herself as a drummer who could sing.
Good job Maddie - Loved your reaction! Been a big fan of the carpenters since the 70's. Needed this one today... Its Monday ;-)
You just listened to, what many have repeatedly said, is the finest female vocalist for all time.
"A Song for You" "Superstar", and "Goodbye to Love" are must listens to showcase her range.
Thank you for the reaction.
She started playing drums at age 5 years old
THANKS for featuring The Carpenters!
There simply are not sufficient words to describe the magic of this beautiful song in this incredible voice flowing out of a bedside clock radio in the long minutes before sleep of a sensitive 7th grade boy who was destined to be a poet.
Karen was a phenomenon. Her voice is utterly captivating.
Karen felt most comfortable singing while playing drums but eventually had to give up drumming to be more visible to the audience when performing live.
What a beautiful singer Karen Carpenter was. She actually always considered herself to be a drummer first. Then the management realized that she had to be at the front of the stage because she was the singer and of course because of her incredible presence, and so the change was made x
...and it killed her. Karen never wanted to be in the spotlight. She just wanted to be the drummer in the band.
With respect to you, @@rcinsley, I don't think being in the spotlight was the problem. It was well known at the time leading up to her death that she suffered from an eating disorder since her appearance was visibly deteriorating. If memory serves, it was anorexia nervosa which plagued a lot of young women in those days and which led to congestive heart failure. I do miss her unique voice and I do miss her. She left us far too early.
@@johnclement4158 As I recall, she was not slender or shapely...but made out fine as the band's drummer. Seated behind a drum kit, her physical appearance didn't attract attention and comments. When family and managers demanded that she take center stage to capitalize on her angelic voice, the cruel comments about her appearance began. Those comments got to her...and triggered the anorexia. In those years, nobody had heard of anorexia and we had no idea how it was destroying her life...until she was gone. If Karen had been left behind her drums, she might still be performing today. Her loss was one of the worst tragedies of my generation.
A little bit more complicated then that champ
@@rcinsley I confess that I do not know what triggered the anorexia but I do recall that she was always slender. At least I've never seen her any other way. This is the first time I've heard that it was being in the spotlight. Perhaps you're right about that; I just never heard it before. I don't suppose it makes any difference now. Of course if that was the problem, it was easy to address by simply getting out of it for a while. Either way we only have memories and records now but thank God for that.
"Close To You" is a really nice song...
She had one of the most ridiculousy soothing angelic voices of all time.
Maddy, great reaction! Karen was a phenomenal drummer and incredible singer! There are a couple of TH-cam vids which showcase her awesome drumming talents. You may want to react to them. She always said of herself that drumming was her first love (and that's what she actually did before becoming lead singer). She said, "I consider myself a drummer who also sings, instead of a singer who happens to be a drummer." She also earned the nickname "One-Take Karen," because she was known in the music industry as a rare artist who could go into a sound studio and typically record a song in just one take!
Simply Beautiful.
Love it. I grew up with them and have never fallen out of love with this group. Karen has brought happy tears to my eyes so many times. Karen was an incredible woman. A drummer, a song writer and the voice of an angel. It still pains me deeply that she left us so young. 💝
She was a three octave contralto.
The Carpenters were all over the radio back in the '70's when I was in that 12-18 age range. Karen's voice was SO beautiful. **sigh** Thanks for this one, Maddy. 😊
Beautiful Voice
Simply the best female singer I've ever heard
IMO THE GREATEST FEMALE VOCALIST EVER !!
Please listen to Superstar. Their best song in my opinion. I know you’ll love it! Her voice is unmatched in her tone and ease that she sings with. Her passing was tragic from anorexia.
Rip Karen I love her voice very relaxing
Nice reaction Maddy. Im in my 60s and remember Carpenters well. Herb Alpert heard Karen's voice on a demo in 1969 and signed her brother, Richard, and her to A&M records. Karen received 3 or 4 Grammys in the 70s and sold over 80 million records by 1982. She was 1975 rock drummer of the year according to Playboy. KC had the most beautiful voice-ever, and perhaps THE best female vocalist-ever, because she compels you to listen as she sings in perfect pitch to you, not at you, with emotion and enunciation. No auto-tune or gimmicks. No professional voice or drum instruction. She was known by the studios as 'one take'. She rarely, if ever, did more than one take of any song. She was also the ONLY female harmony/background voice in all her songs. She was truly born with an incredible singing talent. Documentaries point out the accolades to her voice, such as, Paul McCartney said she had the most angelic voice after hearing her sing 'Ticket To Ride'. John Lennon ran into her at an LA restaurant and told her "you have a fabulous voice, luv". Supposedly Frank Sinatra stated that Karen was the only singer he'd pay to hear. I recommend songs such as, Yesterday Once More, Solitaire, This Masquerade, Need To Be In Love, Hurting Each Other, Only Yesterday, I Can Dream Cant I, Crescent Noon, Ordinary Fool, Superstar, Close To You, We've Only Just Begun, and A Song For You. KC never knew true love. One of her few friends included Dionne Warwick. 5'3" KC really lost weight, due to anorexia, in earnest beginning in 1975. She died in Feb 1983 at age 32 due to heart complications from anorexia.
Maddy gets me thru Rainy Days and Mondays!
big Carpenters hits.. superstar.. we've only just begun.. goodbye to love.. solitaire.. close to you..
👏👏👏🙃🍰🙃👏👏👏 .. oh yes Maddy .. I luv luv luvvv this song !! Karen Carpenter and her brother wrote many heart tugging songs in the 70s. Karen has a legendary amazing smooth voice. I hope you discover some mire of their songs. .. there is "Close To You" for one suggestion. Her voice is magical .. I like your reaction. Chef's kiss ... 🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣
A very soulful rendition from Karen you won't get recommended a lot because most people haven't heard it, but she really lays into "Ordinary Fool." A very heartfelt piece by them is "A Song For You," with arguably the most melodic sax solo...at least that I've ever heard." This has to be the audio version because there are videos taken from a TV show that cut out the entire solo. A brilliantly arranged cover of an Eagles song, "Desperado," shows Richard's prowess in eliciting a western affectation, and again Karen really emotes and conveys this feeling.
Spot on.The songs you mentioned are some of the best songs they recorded!
I’m from Singapore.
About the background vocals - although many of their music videos show members of their band singing vocal backgrounds, all backup vocals in Carpenters’ recordings were sung (with few exceptions) only by Karen and Richard using overdubbing techniques to create a choral/stacked harmony sound.
Wow didn’t know that
@@MaddyReactions the band did the harmonies on live concert performances. All recordings until Karen’s passing were Karen and Richard only. Richard was the genius behind their “sound.” And based on the numbers I’m seeing, looks like the Carpenters “Army” has found you. You’re overdue for another song. One reactor the whole battalion found him. Darn near 1/4M hits on a song, way out of his normal range? I haven’t totally figured out how. As another I know has done many Carpenter songs and not happening for her. Algorithms? 🤷🏻♂️
Edit:
There were a few exceptions when Richard hired other background singers for a particular sound, while Karen was alive. Of note: All You Get From Love Is A Love Song. Their last Top 40 Hit had 3 female singers in addition.
@@jbs256 Richard indeed did the musical arrangements and played piano but on the album recordings, the Carpenters were one of the many bands who The Wrecking Crew was their studio band. Even the drums were played by Hal Blaine.
@@psidvicious well, not quite. Since Joe Osborn essentially “discovered” them and Hal was his very good friend. The link was made. Hal was too busy to “manage” the two of them, one of his great regrets. They were not a typical Wrecking Crew band like, The Monkees, Partridge Family, Beach Boys or Mama’s and Papa’s. They used some of the Crew at various times. The regulars from their own band were the primary musicians with Joe and Hal being regulars, Joe even more than Hal. So, yeah, I know the history. I lived the reality and learned the details and behind the scenes over time.
@@jbs256 Point taken. Karen and Richard were both immensely talented musicians and Richard needed no help at all with musical arrangement. It’s the farthest thing from a “knock” that The Wrecking Crew played instruments on your albums. They were literally thee best you could possibly get. How could you go wrong with Hal or Earl on drums; Joe or Carol on bass; Tommy on guitar. Leon Russel on piano..crazy talent! Have any of them sit in with Karen and Richard and you’re destined for hit after hit after hit…
Karen even played sax too!
MY wife and I used the Carpenters song “We’ve only Just Begun” as our Bridal Waltz 37 years ago. Would love to see your reaction to that one.
Aww so sweet 🩷🤗
Hello Maddy. I am new here and have also decided to subscribe. The Carpenter had close to 30 songs in the Top 40. She had many wonderful hits. I think you would enjoy, 'Weve only just begun "a number 2 hit, The number1 Hit and number 1 song of the year," Close to you", Also Sing", which was really special, children singing in the background with her, " I won't last a day without you, another love song, just to name a few. I actually love them all and I am not from that time, but my mom loved her music. She was amazingly talented. Gone much too soon.
She was such a great singer/ Songwriter and drummer!
I second JoeQPublic2023's recommendation...Superstar next, but they have a slew of great songs.
The Carpenters have an extensive catalog of beautiful music. My personal favs are I know I Need To Be In Love, and A Song For You.
As a music lover who grew up in the 70's if you had a radio you were going to hear the carpenters. Karen's voice was so unique even my father would play the carpenters right along with his Stevie Wonder and Temptations. What I come to love about the 70's was the pure vocals unprocessed not filtered and instrumentation that showed the talent of years of training to master them. There are great songs today but the the tools and production have change to where more people have access to a musical career and a lot focus on the visual more then the music at times. Every time I hear Rainy Days & Monday it sounds just as great as when it hit the charts back in the day.
can't forget Richard he put all this together, his sister had the most amazing voice ever and he made this all possible.
Karen Carpenter was singing in hi-def before 'hi-def' was even a thing. In just a few more, short months, turn on the radio to whatever local station still plays Christmas music. More often than not, you are bound to hear "Merry Christmas, Darling", also by The Carpenters, and also one of Karen's most iconic songs.
Check out the songwriter/singer that wrote this and many other Carpenter songs, Paul Williams.
Including the timeless ~ "Rainbow Connection" ❤
Happy Heavenly Birthday to Karen Carpenter today (3/2/24). She would have been 74 years old today. And she is sorely, sorely missed!
Wow! 🩷
Saw them in concert some 50 years ago in Duluth, Minnesota. Can still picture it today..... So sad she left us so young, she had a lot more gifts to offer.
She played the drums on all their music. She was actually good.
Live concert from Australia! 1972. It's black and white,but the sound is very good. Every song is amazing. She play drums most the time.
Great reaction. Thank you wonderful person!
KAREN CARPENTER IS ALSO IN THE TOP 10 BEST DRUMMER IN THE WORLD 🌎
CHECK OUT HER CHRISTMAS DRUMMING SOLO. IT IS AWESOME.
🎶🎙🎵
Another relatable song by them is Only Yesterday. Karen could sing the phone book and sound great. She and her brother Richard were an unbeatable combo.
💖We’ve only just begun
Those three songs are just so beautiful.
They touch your heart.
DEEEEEEP RABBIT HOLE!!!!!
Please do SING A SONG and FOR ALL WE KNOW by the carpenter live Japan 1974 !
Love her voice, grew up with my parents playing it.
Love how she sings what she has they used to call the blues, which now is depression, which she really did have, but she knows it's a bad day that has come and gone before and she knows what it's all about, but whenever she feels down she knows she has someone who loves her just to be with her, I love a song that paints a picture, and we all have been in a place where we don't like a rainy day or a Monday, amazing lyrics, great angelic voice and great production. My favourite song by the Carpenters, she had a sad life and sadly died from anorexia 😢 but she left us with a fantastic catalogue of amazing songs 🎵 💖
Listen to "Solitaire"--a vocal performance that you would never believe on a song she didn't like, as well as the live performance of "I need to be in love"--the ending of which will break your heart if you know her backstory.
YOU GOT GREAT INSIGHT INTO A SONG! I SAY THIS IS MY GIRL SHE'S AN ANGEL FROM GOD! THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT REVIEW❤❤❤❤
She saved my life as a kid and probably now...
I was just a little kid, 6 in 1971, but I was hooked on their music because I started out listening to the likes of The Osmonds and Jackson 5. I really enjoyed listening to groups such as these that had such great harmonies. Karen’s voice was so soothing for me and listening to The Carpenters music plus classical music got me through some rough times in the 80’s as a young teen.
To this day, the most requested song for weddings. " We have only just begun."