Celebrating The Carpenters

[B00]

To my horror, i've just seen an advert for a programme to be shown next Wednesday, and as the title suggests it's to celebrate the talent and magical voice that was The Carpenters.

where's the drawback I hear you ask? They've got todays "stars" and I do use the term lightly there, singing Carpenter songs.

No no and NO!

[jackthehat]

So, that's you and me, at least, not watching it then, B00..............?
Why do they make these 'showcases' for current *ahem* talent to wreck perfectly good tunes ?

[B00]

At the risk of sounding like my mum here Jack it's because the songs just aint what they used to be!

and I will admit that some of The Carpenters songs were questionable, I mean c'mon..Top Of the World is so sweet and twee your fillings start hurting when you actually focus on the words. However Karen's voice was so gobsmackingly beautiful that I could just listen to it all day long.

[jackthehat]

I used to buy my mum Carpenters records for Christmas/Birthday (same thing in her case) and loved to listen to Karen's voice. You're right, Richard was never going to win awards for his lyrics but with THAT voice singing them.............she could've sung the Radio Times TV listings and still make them sound sublime..........:o)

Any idea who the TV programme is inviting to slaughter the songs......? :o(

[B00]

I went a Googlin' Jack, and found this...

Read it and weep.

http://blogs.myspace....2297&blogId=508659904

[vulcan]

Karen Carpenter had a beautiful and unique voice.Anybody else singing her songs is almost
sacrilege.

[LoftyLottie]

Well I like Dionne Warwick and Chrissie Hinde and The Saturdays and Beverly Knight. They are all old and talented stars, and they might actually do the songs some justice. But I can't be bothered to watch. Whilst I agree that Karen had a beautiful voice I actually don't count any of the songs amongst my favourites.

[jackthehat]

Chrissie Hynde performing Superstar - erm...................
Dionne Warwick performing Close to You - Could be good (but she's a 'proper' singer)
The Feeling performing Solitaire - wrong, just wrong !
Beverley Knight performing We’ve Only Just Begun - I quite like BK but can't see this one working
Noisettes performing Goodbye To Love - I'm not sure.
Ronan Keating performing I Won’t Last a Day Without You - I shall be sawing my ears off with a blunt herring !
The Saturdays performing Please, Mr Postman - For the love of God !!

Jamie Cullum and Kimberley Walsh will perform a duet of Rainy Days and Mondays - I won't have any ears so it won't matter................

Have they or the TV companies no shame..........................:o(

[LoftyLottie]

So are any covers of anybody singing songs sung by wonderful singers sacriledge then. I can't see much wrong with the idea I must admit. Just gives a new slant on the songs and doesn't spoil the memory of Karen.

[Ric.ror]

I could not agree more - I watched the BBC4 show AGAIN on Monday - an aching beautiful voice - Can't wait to hear what todays non talents make of it!!!!!!!!!!!

[LoftyLottie]

I must admit though Jamie Cullum and Kimberley Walsh....................... Oh no! to both of them.

[LoftyLottie]

But they are not today's non talents. Most are established stars with talent (except for Kimberley Walsh and to a certain extent the awful Jamie Cullum).

I could understand the unrest if it were Jordan, Kerry Katona, etc. etc.

[B00]

I'm quite disturbed you consider The Saturdays a talent Lottie! ;-)

i dunno, I guess i'm quite biased where The Carpenters are concerned, I honestly believe that no matter how good a singer you are ( a nod to Dionne Warwick) you just can't do jutice to a Karen Carpenter song because...well you aren't Karen Carpenter.

[vulcan]

No, I didn't mean that all covers are sacrilege, a lot of them are better than the original versions. This is purely a personal view, I've always thought karen Carpenter had a very special voice and have never heard any of her songs bettered by anybody else.

[yogi-bear]

Karen Carpenter was, if not is, one of the best female vocalists to grace the music industry ever, and programmes like this, even though they are meant to be a celebration of The Carpenters music, come across as tacky and cringe-worthy.

Why not put on a Carpenters documentary featuring all their hits and talking about the lovely Karen Carpenter herself.....much more stylish and fitting, i think.

[Tizzi24]

Dare I say it? I can't STAND the Carpenters, so I won't be watching!

[LoftyLottie]

You can say it Tizzi, because actually I don't like their music. However, I do think she has a wonderful voice. Best female voice to me will always be Alison Moyet though!
o

[Jemisa]

How can you judge these singers singing Carpenter songs? Wait untill you hear them then judge, they're not immitating Karen they are paying a tribute in their own way. You may be pleasantly surprised. I was a big fan of the Carpenters and can't wait to hear those great songs again. After all we're in 2009 now and what can be done with sound, arrangements, and mixing is fantastic today.
Aunty Jem.

[eyeshade]

Totally agree Boo, only I am allowed to sing carpenters songs!!

[tigerlily11]

I have the original thing on cd. I don't really want to watch mordern singers attempting songs that were meant for Karens beautiful and unique voice.
She was amazingly good at making even the cheesest medioca songs seem wonderful.
And unfortunalty Richrad did write some real humdingers. Calling Occupants of interplanetery craft was a really stinker.
But Karen made it worth while. That one even made that cheese fest Sing a song sound good.
Which was your favorite Carpenters song to all fans.
Mine was I know I need to be in Love Karen's rendition of Solitaire.

[ELVIS68]

My fav is Rainy Days And Mondays