Neil Sedaka Gives Karen Carpenter Credit

After some bad blood in 2019 that goes all the way back to a 1975 performance with them in Las Vegas,  Neil Sedaka, the singer and the songwriter of the gorgeous Carpenters recording, Solitaire, comes clean, finally giving Karen Carpenter her due in this July 2020 video. 

It is unfortunate that Neil does not seem to mention brother Richard Carpenter- the one who chose, arranged, and produced the song for inclusion on the duo's landmark Horizon album. Their album was released the same year as Neil's The Hungry Years collection. This set included the slow boil ballad version of Breaking Up is Hard to Do- with the strings arranged by none other than, you guessed it, Richard Carpenter.

Not only was Solitaire included on the duo's 1975 album, it was the third single release after Please Mr. Postman and Only Yesterday. 

Making amends is a good thing! After a much publicized feud, Richard and Karen included an upbeat version of Neil's Breaking Up is Hard to Do on their A Kind of Hush album, the song he performed with Karen and Richard doing the same infamous live tour in Las Vegas. Neil received a pretty nice paycheck by having two songs on two Carpenters albums in print for decades. 

Karen and Neil before the problems began.

Regardless, forgiveness is important. We are released from the bondage of unforgiveness, and everyone gets to move on with their lives. It doesn't mean all goes back to normal. Sometimes, even previously good relationships are not mendable. It just means we are reflecting the heart of God who chooses to forgive us!

Want more articles related to this post?

Here's my in-depth review on Horizon and A Kind of Hush.

And a few earlier articles about Neil and the Carpenters- with some interesting segments you might enjoy. Go here, here, and here.

(Thanks to Rick- An Ordinary Fool from the A&M Corner discussion boards for that last photo!)