 | This article needs additional citations for verification .(March 2013) |
| Karen Carpenter | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Studio album by | |
| Released | October 7, 1996 |
| Recorded | May 2, 1979 – January 1980 |
| Genre | Pop, soft rock [1] |
| Label | A&M |
| Producer | Phil Ramone |
| Singles from Karen Carpenter | |
| |
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [1] |
| Entertainment Weekly | C+ [2] |
Karen Carpenter is the only solo album by singer/drummer Karen Carpenter of the Carpenters, recorded between 1979 and 1980 and released by A&M Records in 1996. [3]
The album came about when Richard Carpenter, Karen's older brother and musical partner, announced in 1979 that he wanted to take the year off while being treated for an addiction to Quaaludes putting Carpenters on a temporary hold. Karen on the other hand was eager to work and decided to pursue a solo record. [4]
The album was recorded in New York with producer Phil Ramone in 1979 and 1980. Karen was backed by various New York and Los Angeles studio musicians, including John "JR" Robinson, [5] Steve Gadd, Greg Phillinganes, Louis Johnson and members of Billy Joel's band.
Out of the twenty-one songs recorded, only eleven were chosen for the album. The songs on the album were mixed according to Karen Carpenter's instructions.
The production of the album cost $400,000 of Carpenter's own money and $100,000 fronted by A&M Records. The $100,000 fronted by A&M was offset against Carpenters' future album royalties.
A&M executives in New York approved the material, but the executives in Los Angeles, including label owners Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss, responded negatively. Ramone recalls that Carpenter broke down in tears. Devastated, she accepted A&M's urging not to release the album. [6] It was officially announced in May 1980. [3]
Richard Carpenter later said that the decision not to release the album was Karen's, who respected the opinions of A&M executives and others—including him. [7] Several musicians who worked on the album have said that Carpenter very much wanted her album to be released and that it was not her idea or decision to shelve it. [8]
An episode of E! True Hollywood Story profiling Karen Carpenter claims that Herb Alpert called the album "unreleaseable". Quincy Jones championed releasing the album to Derek Green, an A&M Records vice-president, but Alpert, Moss and Green insisted the album had to be canceled.
On February 3, 1983, the day before Carpenter's death, she called Ramone to discuss the album; according to Ramone, Carpenter said, "I hope you don't mind if I curse. I still love our fucking record!" [9] [3]
The song "Make Believe It's Your First Time" was re-recorded by Carpenters during the sessions for Made in America , but it remained unreleased until the inclusion on Voice of the Heart in 1983. [10]
Four songs from the album ("Lovelines", "If I Had You", "If We Try" and "Remember When Lovin' Took All Night") were later rearranged by Richard Carpenter and included on the Carpenters' 1989 album Lovelines . However, the "If I Had You" single released the same year was credited as Karen Carpenter's solo. [11]
Two additional songs, "My Body Keeps Changing My Mind" and "Still Crazy After All These Years", were featured on Carpenters 1991 box set From the Top .
The album in its original intended form remained shelved until the release in 1996 — thirteen years after Karen Carpenter's death. The reason behind the release was partly due to renewed interest in Carpenters music in the mid 90s and the success of the If I Were a Carpenter tribute album. [4] The liner notes of Karen's album included comments from Richard Carpenter and producer Phil Ramone about the later decision to release it the way Karen approved it. The resulting release included additional twelfth bonus track, "Last One Singin' the Blues". [7]
While the album was being prepared for release, an individual at A&M copied Carpenter's unreleased and unfinished material on a cassette tape and distributed it via a fan club on Yahoo! through the mail. The songs were leaked onto the internet in 2000. Two of the unreleased songs, "I Love Makin' Love to You" and "Truly You" were finished, while the remaining tracks were work leads only and in different stages of completion.[ citation needed ]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Lovelines [a] " | Rod Temperton | 5:06 |
| 2. | "All Because of You" | Russell Javors | 3:31 |
| 3. | "If I Had You [a] " |
| 3:54 |
| 4. | "Making Love in the Afternoon" (with Peter Cetera) | Peter Cetera | 3:57 |
| 5. | "If We Try [a] " | Temperton | 3:47 |
| 6. | "Remember When Lovin' Took All Night [a] " |
| 3:50 |
| 7. | "Still in Love with You" | Javors | 3:15 |
| 8. | "My Body Keeps Changing My Mind" | Leslie Pearl | 3:46 |
| 9. | "Make Believe It's Your First Time" |
| 3:12 |
| 10. | "Guess I Just Lost My Head" | Rob Mounsey | 3:36 |
| 11. | "Still Crazy After All These Years" | Paul Simon | 4:17 |
| 12. | "Last One Singin' the Blues" | Peter McCann | 3:24 |
The following are a list of songs that Karen Carpenter recorded that never made it onto the album; [3] however, they all circulate via bootlegging circles in studio quality.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Love Makin' Love to You" | Evie Sands, Ben Weisman, Richard Germinaro | 3:22 |
| 2. | "Don't Try to Win Me Back Again" | Carlotta McKee, Gordon Gordy | 4:38 |
| 3. | "Something's Missing (In My Life)" | Jay Asher, Paul Jabara | 4:43 |
| 4. | "Keep My Lovelight Burnin'" | Evie Sands, Ben Weisman | 3:10 |
| 5. | "Midnight (Never Lets You Down)" | Rod Temperton | 4:13 |
| 6. | "Jimmy Mack" | Eddie Holland, Lamont Dozier | 3:30 |
| 7. | "I Do It for Your Love" | Paul Simon | 3:37 |
| 8. | "Truly You" | Russell Javors | 3:10 |
| 9. | "It's Really You" | Alan Tarney, Tom Snow, Trevor Spencer | 3:21 |
August is the tenth solo studio album by the English rock musician Eric Clapton, released in 1986 by Duck Records/Warner Bros. Records. Described as a "hard R&B" album, it was primarily produced by Phil Collins, in association with longtime Clapton associate Tom Dowd.
Second Childhood is the second album by the singer and songwriter Phoebe Snow, released in 1976. Second Childhood was certified gold by the RIAA on July 9, 1976.
"(They Long to Be) Close to You" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David with sections of the early version written by Cathy Steeves. The best-known version is that recorded by American duo the Carpenters for their second studio album Close to You (1970) and produced by Jack Daugherty. Released on May 14, 1970, the single topped both the US Billboard Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary charts. It also reached the top of the Canadian and Australian charts and peaked at number six on the charts of both the UK and Ireland. The record was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in August 1970.
Richard Lynn Carpenter is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer, who formed half of the sibling duo the Carpenters alongside his younger sister Karen. He had numerous roles in the Carpenters, including record producer, arranger, pianist, keyboardist, and songwriter, as well as joining with Karen on harmony vocals.
Celebrate Me Home is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins. It was released on April 13, 1977, by Columbia Records. The album was Loggins' first since Loggins and Messina ended in 1976, represents a slight move away from the folk-rock leanings of his previous recordings towards a more polished, soft rock sound.
Made in America is the tenth studio album by the American music duo The Carpenters, released in June 1981. Karen Carpenter died less than two years later, making it their final album released in her lifetime. It reached number 52 in the US and number 12 in the UK.
Ticket to Ride is the debut studio album by the American music duo Carpenters.
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Lovelines is the thirteenth studio album by the American music duo Carpenters released in 1989, the third Carpenters posthumous album released after the death of Karen Carpenter. The album is assembled by Richard Carpenter from unreleased Carpenters tracks along with selected solo tracks by Karen from her then-unreleased solo album.
Time is the first solo album by American musician Richard Carpenter.
The Carpenters were an American vocal and instrumental duo consisting of siblings Karen (1950–1983) and Richard Carpenter. They produced a distinctive soft musical style, combining Karen's contralto vocals with Richard's harmonizing, arranging, and composition. During their 14-year career, the Carpenters recorded 10 albums along with many singles and several television specials.
"Make Believe It's Your First Time" is a song written by Bob Morrison and Johnny Wilson. Originally recorded by Bobby Vinton, the song was twice recorded by Karen Carpenter, both as a solo act and as a member of the Carpenters.
"If I Had You" is a song recorded by singer Karen Carpenter during her solo sessions in New York with producer Phil Ramone for her subsequently shelved debut solo album.
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