"I'd listen to Karen Carpenter sing the phone
book!" There's been so many variations of this phrase used by fans of
the Carpenters as they express their love for the sound of her voice. With the duo's 1977 release, they would finally have a chance to put their money where
their mouths are. Where else but on Passage could you hear Karen
sing phrases such as "Got to send away the mad puppeteer", "strung out", "I
can't do what the big boys do" and of course "Our earth may never
survive"?
As I continue the series and take a "Revisited / Fresh Look" at the Carpenters 1977 album Passage, I'm going to approach the review much like Karen and Richard did in making it. Very differently. In the liner notes, Karen says "We really had fun with this album." I'm going to have a bit of fun as well as I continue to weave their music as the soundtrack to my story growing up in Southern California during the height of their popularity. A good amount of fun is needed as the timeframe discussed here is also a season of deep personal reflection. Be forewarned that I'm going to be as transparent as I've ever been about my life, "warts and all" as they say. But back to my fresh look at this very different Carpenters album.
Passage does contain some playful moments, but this isn't to say the collection is lacking substance, that the duo didn't put a lot of work into it, or even that the many decisions surrounding its creation and release weren't important. In fact, the very opposite is true. Passage came at a time of personal as well as career crisis and reevaluation, and the end result is a fascinating record with an equally fascinating history.
Blurred vision? You're not the only one.
Huntington Beach in the mid to late 70s was still mostly a sleepy hangout for surfers and a place ignored by tourists. It was a great place to live! Prices were relatively low for beach access property (under $100K), and life seemed simple. But like most dreams looking back, nothing could be further from the truth.
From the outside, I was hanging in there, but in reality, I was pretty rudderless. Work, driving the coast and hanging at the beach took up a lot of my time. Drugs, liquor, and trouble were easy to find if I wanted. I did smoke a joint once, but I hated the burning sensation, so that was that. I had no idea what was next or what path to take in front of me. The same seemed to be happening with my beloved musical duo.
Karen and Richard began 1977 with an appearance on The Tonight Show. It wasn't the choice of going on the Steve Martin hosted talk show that was a poor career move, it was the their decision to perform From This Moment On. As far as the conversational portion of their appearance was concerned, they were both funny and very likable. Only when they executed their musical selection would the duo fully betray what they had just accomplished as interesting guests. With its classical music inspired song, they clearly communicated to radio and the record buying public that the Carpenters were not in tune with the current musical landscape. For artists that were very involved in every aspect of their career, it also revealed that strategically, Karen and Richard were not on top of their game.
A great song selection for the occasion.
Their next time on the television would be much better. For the 25th anniversary of friend Dick Clark's iconic American Bandstand, Karen and Richard opened the tribute by performing their signature tune, We've Only Just Begun. No doubt a befitting choice for this, but the next appearance on the tube is a head scratcher from just about every way you look at it- all except for one.
An even stranger song choice than From This Moment On.
On March 2, Olympic darling figure skater Dorothy Hamill (another of manager Jerry Weintraub's clients- bingo- there it is!) hosted her own event for Canadian television, The Dorothy Hamill Winter Carnival Special. Karen and Richard appeared meeting the carnival's mascot, riding the dogsleds, and performing an odd vaudevillian musical number Make Me Laugh.
The T.V. Guide ad for The Dorothy Hamill Special.
After years of being global superstars turning out hit album after hit album, and hit single after hit single, this choice is just plain strange. Horizon showed them at their mature best, but A Kind of Hush took them out of the pop/rock mainstream. They needed to rebound, and Make Me Laugh was just another step in the wrong direction. So, what in the world was going on with them and these strange song selections for rather high profile television appearances? What kind of image were they trying to project? Who would they "be" for the next album? Something had to change as sales of their albums were now trending downward.
Once the upcoming album would be released, it seemed as if even the promotion experts at A&M Records were at a loss as to how to present them in the best light possible.
What's the story behind the glasses?
It was a long wait for a brand new single. Very long. The ill considered decision to release Goofus at the end of the previous summer meant it was about nine months before the next one would arrive. These were the days before I discovered Billboard, so I had no idea what was going on. The official fan club information was rather light on the subject. That was fine with me as my life had to continue on a new path. Something just had to change. I was headed nowhere fast.
I was now out of high school for almost a year, running a printing press and delivering computerized bowling league sheets for one my father's growing businesses. My daily journeys took me from Laguna Hills all the way to Tustin, Seal Beach, Carson, La Mirada, and Pico Rivera among other stops. Needing to drive California's 605 freeway took me right past Downey. Of course, from time to time, I would pull off the highway and drive to the Carpenters homestead to see if I could get a glimpse of Karen or Richard. (That never did happen, but I did see the van with the logo in the driveway more than once or twice.)
Full page ad from the May 14 issue of Billboard.
The US single looked just like the ad, giving no hint of what was to come.
Mine was a tough year made even worse by two automobile accidents. The first happened when the engine seized and my old car came to an immediate and unexpected stop during rush hour on the 605. I was in the middle lane, and cars were flying past trying to avoid me. I couldn't get out. I was stuck. Keeping my eye on the rear view mirror thinking I'd hop out and get to the emergency lane, it was a no go. Looking up once again, I saw a huge freight truck coming at me. The thought hit me to put my car in neutral to minimize the impact by being pushed forward. As I braced for the inevitable, thankfully I discovered a mid-size sedan crashed into me instead. The truck had apparently swerved out of the way. I was certain my life was spared even though my car was beyond repair.
The impact caused some physical pain, but the accident threw me into months long depression as I recovered. With depression already being a struggle, I did not need this. My long time friends had moved on as they were both older and in college or younger and still in high school. Months prior to this accident, I had just quietly dumped a newer group of acquaintances who were into some very heavy partying and all the excesses that went with it. That just wasn't the life I wanted. All said, my support system didn't exist, and I was very alone. Once more, music became my refuge.
One day on my delivery route, I was in the city of Whittier and drove past a local Wherehouse records. Even though it was pretty early in the day, since I hadn't had lunch, I got out to see if there was anything new in the racks. Not expecting anything, I struck gold.
An old beat up copy of the European version of the single.
There it was, a new single by my favorite group. There were only a handful of copies of All You Get From Love is a Love Song, but I quickly grabbed one. The label of the 45 said it was a tune by Steve Eaton. Hadn't heard of him. Once
I was out of the store and back in my car, the realization hit. I had
to wait until I got off work at 5:00pm to go home and listen to it. I had no idea if the record was a ballad or an upbeat number. The basic black background with red Carpenters logo gave no clue as to what it would be like. I turned on the radio hoping to hear that voice again, but I was out of luck. Needless to say, a new Carpenters song was all I could think about the rest of the day.
With a brassy swing and all around happy vibe, the brand new record had a fresh sound, one I hadn't heard from Karen and Richard in a few years. Beyond Postman and the upbeat oldies from Now & Then, listeners have to go all the way back to those jazz flavored cuts from their very first album to hear this kind of joyful abandon. The record was worlds apart from the beautiful but measured Horizon and just as far from the generally lighter weight menu of songs on A Kind of Hush.
A&M's best selling artists took awhile to find.
Once I got past an opening that reminded me a bit too much of Lonely Night (Angel Face) by Captain & Tennille, I found it to be one of the Carpenters most engaging records since Only Yesterday. Punctuated by a great Tom Scott saxophone solo and a percussion line that sticks in your head, the record just sparkles. For all the recording's charms, and there are many, Karen's relaxed and playful vocals are the main hook on All You Get From Love. Throughout the entire crisp production, it's Karen at her buoyant best. How could you not love it?
That was the question Richard and Karen had to be asking when the single did not perform as expected. Radio was still wide open for many genres of music, but they had some stiff competition for airplay. On the Rock and Pop side, the Eagles masterpiece Hotel California played alongside Stevie Wonder, KC and the Sunshine Band, and the light disco song of the Bee Gees' 19 year old brother Andy Gibb. His infectious breakout hit I Just Want To Be Your Everything was gaining steam very quickly. (For the record, I loved it.) All were simultaneous hits.
The downside of no promotional photos. A Kind of Hush photo appears on this sheet music.
For artists considered Adult Contemporary, things were a mixed bag.
Looking back, I discovered when All You Get From Love debuted solidly on the chart at #77 on May 21, Barbra Streisand hit at 33 with her first song since the mega-smash A Star is Born, My Heart Belongs to Me. While Barry Manilow continued his hot streak, Helen Reddy's great You're My World wasn't the chart success of her past singles- even with her brave choice of a brand new producer. By the time the new Carpenters release peaked at #35 on July 2 and then fell rapidly off the charts after a measly nine weeks, label mates the Captain & Tennille were dead in the water at #61 with their beautiful single Come In From The Rain. After just six weeks on the charts, they quickly followed it with a hits collection.
From Radio & Records on June 17.
Karen's friend Olivia Newton-John had similar results during this time. She debuted her Making A Good Thing Better album (including her own version of Don't Cry For Me Argentina), but Olivia fared no better. The album and its singles were also not as well received as her previous efforts. As with the Captain & Tennille, Olivia's first greatest hits album was released just months after her new studio collection. Around this same time, the previously red hot Neil Sedaka flopped with not one but two George Martin produced singles, the weak and squarely middle of the road Amarillo and the much better but still made for Adult Contemporary radio, Alone at Last.
Perhaps radio had just moved on from Karen and Richard. Soon enough, I would wonder if I had as well.
Recording Argentina in black and white. Just a few days after their new single's debut on the Hot 100, Karen and Richard recorded Don't Cry For Me Argentina with a cast of seemingly thousands including two old friends. The well publicized May 24 media event in Los Angeles - which I never saw on television-had zero impact on sales or radio play for the single. In fact, I only heard All You Get From Love on the air a handful of times myself over the course of its run. I was shocked. The record was modern, very fresh, and loads of fun. If I was disappointed, I can only imagine what was going through the minds of Karen and Richard, the Carpenters team, and the suits at A&M.
Interestingly, I don't even remember that Gabriel Kaplan was the opening act for Karen and Richard!
My love for their sound was not contingent on their popularity, the amount of airplay they got, or even their sales. I was certain the duo would once again play Las Vegas, and I was definitely planning for it. I needed a boost. Thoughts of suicide occasionally entered my mind, but I dismissed them after thinking it through. I was very afraid of blood, especially my own, and I really didn't want to hurt my family. Nor did I really want to do this when it came down to it. So I held out for a better future regardless of how painful the past was and how hopeless I felt about a future. Years later I would discover these self-destructive thoughts were more common among teens than I realized. I just couldn't shake the deep sense of worthlessness and the steady, ongoing depression I felt.
Celebrating with Herb Alpert receiving his star on the Walk of Fame on June 22, 1977.
Something had to change. I needed some new perspective and decided to fulfill a life long dream of seeing Japan. I'd studied the country and its culture in 4th Grade, becoming quite infatuated with all things Japanese. When I called up the local travel agency, I discovered there was no way my meager salary would make an expensive trip like this possible. After giving it some thought and doing a little research, I enrolled in a year long program at a travel agent school, realizing that working for an agency- it should have been an airline instead - would give me the opportunity to travel there at a fraction of the cost.
Backstage at MGM Grand, 1977.
Much to my delight, I discovered Karen and Richard were playing at the MGM Grand beginning the end of June and concluding their time there just before my birthday. I couldn't think of a better gift to give myself, and I knew just who to bring with me. My sister was such a great traveling companion and always up for an adventure. Plus, it was because of her boldness that she and I got to meet Karen and Richard backstage the prior year.
The show was much the same as the performance we saw before with two notable exceptions - first, the inclusion of Don't Cry For Me Argentina. The world famous Evita song was beautifully performed as expected, but unfortunately, it was introduced by a bit of schtick. Oddly, Karen introduces the tune by asking Richard's permission to sing it, only serving to reinforce the idea that she was just an ingenue, merely another color on her brother's palette. Honestly, Karen's plea and explanation sounded as canned as it was. Quite a contrast and a definite lapse in the more relaxed conversation she had with the audience during the rest of the show. There was no Balcony on the Casa Rosada preface. Karen seemed to sing to a prerecorded segment as the orchestra had not yet been revealed. The end result was as perfect a vocal performance as you'd imagine.
Japanese promotional version.
The second interesting tidbit was the exclusion of All You Get From Love is a Love Song from the set list. As the duo's latest single, I fully expected to hear it live. It would have made a great opening number with its slower intro much like the live version of There's a Kind of Hush. But it was not to be. In fact, thinking about it, I'm not sure they ever performed it in concert. Such a (dirty old) shame.
Karen seemed much thinner than the year before. Noticeably so. But she was as energetic and charming as ever, and she still sounded incredible. I was glad to go see them and expected there were many more years of shows ahead. Little did I know there would only be a few left before she'd be gone.
She was always smiling behind the drum kit.
After
seeing Karen and Richard in Las Vegas, we stopped overnight
in a smaller motel to catch some rest before the drive home. Early that
morning, I found my sister by the pool, talking to some guy. Being curious, I went down there. As it worked out, this guy was
also named Mark. He was my age and from Lake Oswego in Oregon. On his
way home for a short trip to see his parents, he lived in
Long Beach with his grandmother while studying law at the Cal State Long Beach. We hit it off quite well. Discovering we were only about a 15- 20 minute
drive from one house to the other, Mark and I decided to get together
once we all arrived back home.
A couple of weeks went by, and Mark and I connected again. He was funny and smart, and we just clicked, having quite a bit of fun hanging out, going to the beach, driving around, and staying out much too late with the girls we met. But we also stayed out of bigger trouble.
From Record World September 17, 1977 Just a week before the album came out, a brand new and very strange single, Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft was released to radio. I saw it on a list of new releases at a local record shop. I didn't know what to think except perhaps that someone was playing a joke or had mistyped some other artist's song title next to the duo's name. I discovered this wasn't the case.
What would be the reaction to a new Carpenters song that had nothing to do with love? It was just so out of character. So unexpected.
Was my car a coffin in the making? (The make, model, and color of my car, but this is someone else's photo.)
Cruising
the California highways, especially Pacific Coast Highway (always refer
to it as PCH if you want to sound like a local) was more than just a
guilty pleasure. I was free behind the wheel. Top down, music on -
usually Karen and Richard or Earth, Wind, and Fire- and the smell
of the ocean made for an intoxicating combination. (It still does.) I
was rarely happier than when I was behind the wheel, at the beach bodysurfing, or at Disneyland.
As you're probably guessing, here's where accident number two occurs. It
was the very end of September, and the perfect early Fall weather made for a
great time to go for a drive. My sister and I hopped in my Fiat X1/9 to
drive to Tower Records on Beach Blvd. She was always a sport
about hanging out with me when she wasn't with her boyfriend now
husband. About ten minutes from our destination, a drunk driver flew over the concrete planter center divider and hit us about 30 degrees
from head on.
We were shaken but not badly hurt. My car was hauled off, and my sister and I waited for our folks to pick us up and take us home. I would be without transportation for several weeks as they rebuilt the front end and fixed the frame and alignment. Mark came to the rescue, taking me out regularly after work. He was a godsend- but the accident was a game changer.
I was rather perplexed by reading the song list.
The upcoming album was finally released. To say the least, the cover of Passage was nothing like what I expected. Once it was in my hands, I turned it over to read the song list only to discover neither were its contents. What in the world was going on? I was confused by what I saw and further confused by what I'd soon hear.
From Music Week UK.
This was new. I had never before had the experience of trying to like a Carpenters album. But that was precisely what happened. It did not matter how many times I put it on the turntable, I just could not wrap my head around it. I was frustrated and disappointed. What were they thinking?
The matching review from Music Week UK.
The music industry found itself alternately praising Karen and Richard and ultimately questioning what was going on. The new disc was a huge departure from the past. Reviews from both sides of the Atlantic and beyond were very interesting to say the least.
I'd discover Billboard magazine with this album, but prior to that, I was always reading the Los Angles Times for its music reviews and information. Unexpectedly, the paper's rock/pop music critic Robert Hilburn, long harshly critical of the duo, praised them for taking risks. He honestly seemed to appreciate if not even enjoy the end result. Although not about the Carpenters in particular, Hilburn had this to say when reevaluating his career including his many interviews with the Rock elite:
"Interacting with those figures, I
came to appreciate the tremendous toll that rock can take on an artist's
personal life; how there is often far more drama off-stage than on. In
the end, all it takes to be a star is luck and a commercial sound, which
explains why we have so many mediocre hit-makers. To be a true artist,
you need enormous talent, fierce ambition, an original vision and an
unyielding toughness. I saw some artists triumph because they were tough and others die because they weren't tough enough."
Yes, Karen and Richard had enormous talent, fierce ambition, a very original vision, and an unyielding toughness. On the outside.
Author Ray Coleman, the former editor of the U.K.'s music industry magazine Melody Maker and a big fan of the duo, revealed in his book
Great candid shots of Richard, but his issues were coming to the surface as well.
The album was released at the end of September with a positive review by Billboard in their October 8 issue. Different industry magazines also gave Passage its due. Record World called it "noteworthy for the way it branches out in material and production"; and Cash Box said "...this is a milestone Carpenters album... A breathless ride on the gossamer wings of Karen's magic-carpet vocals with Richard's steady navigation through new and familiar territory." Magic carpet vocals? I like that!
A rather interesting Billboard review.
That same week the new alien focused single debuted on the Hot 100 charts at a very respectable #71. This was the very week the Star Wars movie theme was at the top of the charts. Not a bad start.
A very nice shot of Karen.
One Monday night, my buddy Mark decided to pick me up and with my permission, take me somewhere I hadn't been in years- church. I was open to all things spiritual and had investigated Buddhism. I liked the serenity it promised, but for me, it never delivered it. Walking into Mark's church, I was surprised to see several hundred people my age come together with a band on stage that looked like a bunch of rock and rollers.
I was intrigued. As I mentioned, I was raised "Jack Catholic", meaning we went to services on every Christmas Eve with my grandmother and sometimes on Easter if the mood struck us. That night, it didn't even feel like a church. It was more like a really happy family reunion but without the sometimes weird dynamics. (And I love them, but boy, did my family have issues!)
I'm surprised by the number of photos from this shoot.
Expecting a high church environment and a lot of hymns, the music was actually pretty rock and roll. I was shocked but even more so when this young guy a few years older than me got up on to the stage afterwards. I was not prepared for what he had to say.
Would be perfect if the album was titled Made in America.
After living with years of depression due to a variety of reasons but mainly from being a small child who was repeatedly sexual abused by a relative, I saw no value in my life, no future, and no good plan. Shame was like a dark cloud over me. I was filled with anger and hate toward that relative, toward myself, and toward people who seemed to have an easy life. This young pastor said that Jesus was a loving friend who would never leave me, and he would give me strength, peace, and a life worth living. His words hit to the core of my being. Jesus was God in the flesh. And he alone was the payment for my rebellion, my brokenness, my anger, my sin. He paid it all by dying on the cross in my place because of his great love for me and this broken mankind. If I would trust him, I'd not only receive a promise of life with him for eternity (instead of the Hell I deserved), I'd see him work on my behalf through the struggles in life.
But there was a catch for receiving this free gift- and it was a big one.
In the studio recording Argentina. A very rare photo!
Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?" These verses out of the book of Luke (chapter 9) revealed it all. Jesus wasn't an "add on" to my life. I could receive his life, but I'd have to give up my own to follow him wholeheartedly. My preferences would have to give way to his.
A close up look at the world famous siblings.
Could I really do this? Could I surrender my life to this Jesus person who promised me eternal life in heaven in exchange for my own? His words as recorded in the Bible were clear- "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father but by me." He made it so simple and easy to understand. Jesus wasn't being exclusive. He was making things crystal clear and easy to understand out of His great love for mankind. We each had a choice. This young pastor, Greg Laurie, was just communicating something Jesus had already made clear hundreds of years ago. (The recently released movie Jesus Revolution is about this church and this era in Southern California.)
White labeled pressing for the other side of the world.
When the offer came to make a decision and receive this gift, a million thoughts went through my mind. But I knew deep inside me something had to change in a big way. I couldn't ignore this mysterious drawing I felt in my heart to give the creator of the universe a try.
Karen on the awards show circuit later in the year.
My heart was pounding, but I decided to say yes that night. With my permission, some folks gathered around me to join me in prayer as I spoke up and asked Jesus to forgive me, love me, and to be the one I'd trust going forward. I'd made such a mess of my life by this point in time, that I was pretty broken. What did I have to lose? Nothing.
It's even nice in black and white.
I wasn't sure what to expect by taking these steps and praying. Almost immediately, I felt this warm sense of hope as more than a few tears rolled down my cheeks. I finally felt free- and clean. I knew I'd gained a fresh start, and for the very first time, I was hopeful about my future.
This one seems like a candid shot.
For the next six months, I steadily walked in peace with a light heart. My depression subsided. Six whole months! That was a new thing. Most importantly, I there was this growing understanding deep inside that I no longer had to live like a victim, but instead, I could walk in victory moving beyond what was meant to destroy me. I could choose to move beyond my circumstances and not stay stuck in the past. Sure, it would be a battle at times- and it still is - but the truth was, God loved me. I wasn't promised an easy life in exchange, but I was loved and now understood God was always there for me. He really was. Now, I had value, and I had hope.
Above images from GDB2LV
on the A&M Corner forums.
Look closely at the acetate.
In an odd sense, with a fresh start in my life, with my next listen to Passage, I soon realized my musical heroes were going through a transformation all their own. I kept going back to the album again and again and again, trying to give it another shot. Certainly, Richard, manager Jerry Weintraub, and A&M Records had a larger picture game plan in mind. Didn't they? Didn't he?
With the emergence of very different types of popular music, mentally I understood he and Karen had to move on from the past to keep things fresh. But could I really accept this new reality, this new Carpenters 2.0? I wasn't sure I could. Yet, they had earned the right to try new things. Would radio and especially their fan base follow them into previously uncharted territory?
It was Karen's voice that initially kept me listening to this disc.
With this latest album, the truth was hard to accept and even harder to admit: Aside from a couple of cuts, I just didn't like Passage. Even the packaging was not to my taste (no photos!), but I had to admit the cover art by Lou Beach was stunning. Of course, I still loved Karen's voice. I certainly wasn't alone in that opinion. Critics could lambast them for everything from wardrobe choice to song selection, but very rarely would they take aim at the quality of her warm tone, unique timbre, and obvious skill.
Enlarge this September 17 Billboard article and read it. Interesting facts revealed.
Not surprisingly, it was only after Karen's death in 1983 that I truly began to reaccess this unorthodox Carpenters disc. When the well of new music has stopped, you're forced to give old records a new listen.
A very nice color combination.
One of the great things about writing these "Revisited / Fresh Look" reviews is that I must listen to the album I'm writing on a few hundred times so I'm not missing something, all the while researching to make sure my facts are correct. Once I published my review on Live at the Palladium earlier last year, the listening and research began.
Did my original thoughts on the Passage album change? Read on.
With the bloom off the sales rose, Richard in a no-win situation.
Another custom label. Incredible artwork.
It's been 45 years since the original release of Passage, so instead of going into detail about my original thoughts on each song, I'd like to focus on my evaluation of it after almost five decades of listening to it. Why? Like a good amount of life, our perspectives on events, thoughts about people, and our likes and dislikes change as the years go on. Musically, I've grown to appreciate artists and recordings I wouldn't even bother with when I was younger. I certainly didn't understand Passage then, but perhaps I have a more well-rounded perspective now. Let's begin from the top- but don't worry- I'll weave in trivia and random thoughts as I go song by song.
