The Music of the Carpenters

Click here to see my reviews of the Carpenters' albums

Some people wrestle with their sexuality. I wrestle with my musical tastes.

Back in the late 1960s I was still into horrendous crap by the likes of the Bachelors whilst my friends were into what was then called underground music. They liked Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Jethro Tull, Al Stewart etc etc. I liked .... well I'm trying to forget those days.

Thankfully I soon saw the error of my ways and began to understand that music meant more than somebody with a decent voice singing ballads. I realised that people who couldn't sing could produce emotional music. People like Dylan, Rod Stewart, Captain Beefheart, Leonard Cohen. These guys could say more in one song than others could say in an entire career.

So gradually I found the antidote to the crooners. Today I am well known amongst friends for listening to "weird experimental music."

But then there were the Carpenters. Whiter than white, purer than pure, a brother and sister act that crossed over the border between my musical past and my musical future.

The first time I heard "(They Long to Be) Close to You", I remember being stunned by Karen's voice.

And over the next few years hit after hit followed all in the same soothing style. And style was something Karen and Richard had in abundance. I loved their music, particularly when they began to record songs by Roger Nicholls and Paul Williams and I listened as Richard Carpenter began to write with John Bettis.

Minor symphonies flew from their pens and above it all there was Karen's perfect voice. I don't think I've ever come across anybody who disliked her voice.

But of course The Carpenters were not always the cleaner than clean combo. Richard fought against and beat a pill addiction but Karen tragically died at the age of 32 after battling the slimming disorder anorexia nervosa for years.

Recently I read the excellent book "The Carpenters - The Untold Story" by Ray Coleman. It brought me back to listen once again to their wonderfully soothing music - music that belied the tragedy of the duo.

Today the duo have something of a cult following. Sadly Karen is no longer with us. Her voice lives on, however, as does my love of the Carpenters' music.

Book Review

The Carpenters - The Untold Story by Ray Coleman

Boxtree Limited 1994

This is much more than just a biography of two pop stars.

With their squeeky clean all American brother and sister, apple pie image, there just had to be something wrong with the Carpenters.

And of course this was true. Karen died from the slimming disease Anorexia Nervosa at a cruelly young age and Richard just prevented himself from a similar fate at the hands of pills.

This is an excellent warts and all book which follows the duo from their middle class American upbringing, through the good times, to the death of Karen.

And it is as much about the struggle of the human spirit as it is about pop music.

Coleman has obviously undertaken a vast work of research in a book which has Richard's blessing.

It never holds back from confronting difficulties, however. One theme running through the book is the dominant character of Karen and Richard's mother which at times seems to be suffocating them as individuals.

The book highlights Karen's insecurity. In the public's eye Karen was the Carpenters. But Karen herself viewed things differently accepting that the guiding light was Richard.

If I have one complaint about the book, it is in the way Coleman seems to skate over a number of issues such as Karen's ill fated marriage. We know it ended acrimoniously but we never know quite why.

Overall it gives an excellent insight into the world of fame and fortune - a world that was to end in disaster.

The fact that the Carpenters' music lives on is a tribute both to Richard's great songwriting and arranging abilities and to that wonderful voice of Karen's which is underlined in the author's simple but touching dedication.

For those who cherish
beautiful music,
And to the memory of an
irreplaceable voice.

ALBUMS

Ticket to Ride: 1969

Close to You: 1970

We've Only Just Begun	Seminal Carpenters, lush and wonderful	9
Love Is Surrender
Maybe It's You
Reason to Believe
Help
(They Long To Be) Close To You
Baby It's You
I'll Never Fall In Love Again
Crescent Moon
Mr Guder
I Kept On Loving You
Another Song

CARPENTERS: 1971

A SONG FOR YOU: 1972

NOW and THEN: 1973

HORIZON: 1975