This is no plastic, pastel colored egg! This is an empty tomb. Cold and uninhabited! Praise God it is Easter Sunday morning- the celebration of the Triumph of Jesus over sin and death- for our benefit! Christians the world over rejoice even if the world mocks us.
Jesus was always a champion. He was never the victim, He was the obedient Son who came to earth to die for a people He loves. That's you and me. And He is the Returning King who IS coming back to judge the world of sin and to establish his kingdom forever. Do you know Him? Do you love Him? Have you given your life up to Him so that you don't have to pay the price of an eternity in Hell without Him?
Heaven awaits for those who love Him and lay down their desires and their agendas in order to follow Jesus wholeheartedly. He paid the penalty for OUR sin on our behalf. The long list of what God sees as sin is long- and we've all done so many things we know we should not have done. You know those choices that dishonor us, others, and dishonor God? Yes, those.
This isn';t about who you are- It is about Who HE is! The King of Kings and Lord of Lords. God eternal. The One we will all answer to.
There's no need to sugarcoat it. All the malted milk ball eggs and chocolate candies in the basket can't hide the truth: Every human deserves the penalty of an eternity in Hell away from the God who created him. That's you, that's me. We all sin and fall short of God's glory.
Even the very nicest person in the world who hasn't surrendered their life to Jesus has to pay that price for lying, cheating, stealing, or falling short of perfection. It doesn't matter if you call yourself Christian or follow any other religion or how you identify sexually. The penalty is the same. Death for eternity. Separation from God for eternity. Pain and suffering for eternity. But wait- there's hope!
For you and for me.
Totally free- but it comes at a price- your life in exchange for His.
Yes, there's hope! In God's good plan, just for you and me and the whole earth - determined from the beginning of time- Jesus chose to lay down his life to redeem us from Hell. This sacrifice via the cross was just for you. It's a gift that cost him much pain and sorrow. "Good Friday"? It was good for us, but it was torturous for Jesus. Death was part of the path to Eternal Victory over it.
The only price is your total surrender to God. Not religion. Not hoping your good works are more than your evil actions. Not giving away all your money.
If you receive this gift of eternal life by choosing and following Him, it's a gift back to Him that will bless him. If you don't, prepare for your future as best you can. But God DOES love you, and He aches for you to come to Him.
Die hard Disney fans know that the original plans for EPCOT Center were actually two separate parks. You're looking at the site plan for World Showcase from the air, back when it was placed between the Polynesian Village and Contemporary Resorts. Not a Future World in sight! Each of the national pavilions would have equal frontage representation but could differ in actual size. It was a compelling project made even stronger when the two parks came together as one.
EPCOT Center (long may it live on in our memories) at opening was one of the greatest achievement in Imagineering's very long list of accomplishments. If you're newer to the world of Disney parks, don't confuse this with the Epcot you see now. Do some research. You'll be amazed and then amused at the latest choices that have been made to transform it.
It's still my favorite theme park, and there are scores of additional articles, photographs, trips reports and lots of concept art celebrating was what and what is. Hopefully, this year's D23 will provide the what will come!
Could there be a more beautiful, more impressive, more incredibly designed theme park ever built by the Walt Disney Company and those ultra-talented Imagineers? Probably not. (I know, you expected me to say EPCOT Center.) This grand opening attraction poster gives just a glimpse of the wonders found within. From the monstrously huge, fire belching volcano of Mount Prometheus to the huge temple which holds Indiana Jones, the lovely Tokyo Disneysea continues to grow and amaze. The attractions of Fantasy Springs can't come soon enough! Then I can begin to plan a visit once things settle down. Now with a Tangled boat ride opening, I just can't wait much longer or keep putting off a trip. To see the lantern festival in person- wow, just wow!
(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company and Oriental Land Company.)
After Passage, the next album in line of my Carpenters Revisited: A Fresh Look series is one that is technically out of order, The Singles 1974 - 1978. Chronologically, the duo's next release was Christmas Portrait just a few weeks before the second Singles collection, but who wants to read about a Christmas album in the Spring? So, the second major greatest hits album it is.
-------
You have to go all the way back to 1975 to when I first learned a very important life lesson about being a Carpenters fan: Always check the Import section whenever you walk into a record store.
Back then, there was no Amazon, no Discogs, and the once mighty and wonderful Tower Records was only beginning to expand beyond Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay Area. When I found Live in Japanunexpectedly in a local shop in Honolulu, I began looking at the import section every time I browsed through a store's bins. Stateside, Licorice Pizza was the best bet in finding albums available only in the U.K. or in Japan. But here I am getting ahead of myself.
What was to come later in the year.
The new year was to be filled with surprises- not all good- for both our favorite duo as well as for me personally. I was loving life in Orange County, and at this point was 100% sure I would never leave its sunny skies, warm beaches, and of course, Disneyland. I continued to grow in my new found faith in Jesus. The joy and freedom from depression was exhilarating! It seemed every time I picked up the Bible to read or every time I spent on my knees in prayer, God was there- encouraging me, challenging me, and giving me hope for the future.
A few years prior during my Senior year of high school, I had begun a relationship with a pretty and smart young lady from a neighboring school. To make a long story short, at the end of the year, she would eventually become my wife. We both loved music and laughed a lot, enjoying each other's company and the easy going life in the O.C.
I was hopeful for the future.
A different pose from the single sleeve.
Both from photographer Harry Langdon and the Passage sessions.
God's faithfulness continues to be a strong foundation for me. The challenges have been deep and hard, and all too often I just did not understand what God was allowing in my life. This year would hold another test I didn't see coming. A very big test. I've had my doubts and struggles and fears, but I have always gone back to letting my life be directed by His written Word, His plan, and His purposes.
Certainly a sweet, sweet smile but trouble was on its way.
To say that the year 1978 was a strange one for the Carpenters would be an understatement. For both Richard and Karen, it would begin one of the saddest chapters of their career and lives. Maybe even their personal relationship.
As avid readers of Billboard magazine, I have little doubt that this ad from the January 28 issue put a bit of a bug in the ear of someone in the Carpenters circle of associates. We know that Richard heard Dorothy Moore's R&B flavored take on the song written by the Addrisi Brothers and thought it would be good for Karen. This wouldn't be the first time in that year Richard would find inspiration for the next batch of Carpenters recordings, but finding great songs was part of the man's job after all.
Interestingly, this ad for Dorothy Moore's achievement appears in the exact same issue as the A&M Records promo for the duo's latest single Sweet, Sweet Smile. It's one of the art department's very best for the duo. Isn't using the Mona Lisa genius? Absolutely. (You can see it in my Passage review right here.)
For 1978, the variety of projects that Richard and Karen were involved in was pretty mind boggling in scope and flavor. Were they visionary or were they scattered in deciding direction? My hunch tells me that they were scattered because deciding which way to go on their last album was a difficult decision. Unfortunately their manager, Jerry Weintraub, seemed to be more interested in the fortunes of John Denver than the duo.
B.L.'s version of the popular Venus.
Once Sweet, Sweet, Smile, the last single from Passage peaked in February on the U.S. charts just under the Top 40 (but a very solid Top 10 hit on the Country charts), Karen and Richard were focused on television specials, Christmas songs, and completing production on singer B.L. Mitchell's double sided single Where I Want To Be / Venus. Some say A&M was having a very hard season and needed to expand their roster to strengthen their brand. Yet, in this case for the once super popular duo, the Carpenters needed clear direction. Again, their choices seemed random and rudderless.
Listen to the B.L. Mitchell single Where I Want To Be above.
The label information is very interesting...
As you can hear above, the style and arrangement and even the vocals of B.L. Mitchell's work are very familiar to that of Karen and Richard. Sessions started in November of the earlier year, but the work was not completed until the new one.
But why B.L. Mitchell? Who was he? All we really know is B.L. was under contract to A&M for some recording with the proviso that his work would be produced by none other than Richard Carpenter. After his single flopped at radio, the rest of the 4 or 5 more recordings were history and the once planned LP was dropped.
Thanks to some investigative work by our friends on the A&M Corner discussion boards, we now know the mysterious B.L. Mitchell to be Robert Bowker, composer and conductor. From his website, we can see he worked with Karen and Richard. Check out the image above. You'll find some other interesting names as well.
As far as I can tell from my research, neither Richard or Karen had ever spoken on record about this project with B.L., but that certainly doesn't mean there isn't more to the story than what we already know.
Why, oh why, did Jerry Weintraub let them be represented so poorly?
Television. By the late 70's, it was certainly a hit or a miss with the Carpenters, and the new year did not start out well for the involvement in that medium. For ABC Television's Silver Anniversary Celebration broadcast on February 5, Karen and Richard were paired with Ben Vereen and the Captain and Tennille. Both acts are uniquely gifted in their own ways, but they were far below the global star power of the sibling duo. Sadly, Richard was effectively pushed off to the side (so was Daryl Dragon), but Karen deserved better as well. Singing Paul McCartney's playful Silly Love Songs is one thing, but this choice by the producers or writers makes a mockery of their artistry. We've Only Just Begun gave them a chance to sing their signature tune, but by that point, the damage had been done.
Once more, a very thin Karen.
The second of the duo's television appearances presented them in a more favorable light. On March's Thank You, Rock 'N' Roll: A Tribute to Alan Freed. They sang a truncated version of Yesterday Once More with a snippet of Richard singing the old Ritchie Valens song Donna. Karen's relaxed, and Richard comes off as the music geek he is (and that's not an insult to us fans), but at least it all felt honest and natural.
In a bit of a breather, in early May, Richard and Karen were part of an A&M Records press tour where several of the labels acts went on the road to promote their latest projects. A&M U.K. staffer Derek Green hosted a party for all involved, and their time concluded with an interview at London's Heathrow Airport. They always loved being in the U.K., and it seems they were truly appreciated for their artistry and loved as individuals.
Starparade again
The finale of Starparade with Abba.
In contrast to Stateside television appearances, being on "the telly" overseas brought better results. While their popularity was fading in the U.S.A. since the release of Horizon, it was doing just the opposite in the U.K. and nearby countries. This would soon be reflected in the album that was released at the end of the year. Even the very poorly received A Kind of Hush album sold well. (Popularity in Japan was almost a given by now and continues to this day.)
Did you know Thank You for the Music was part
of a mini-musical?
Late Spring's Starparade television show in Germany hit the airwaves on May 11. The duo performed two country flavored songs: Top of the World and Sweet Sweet Smile. If the duo were not thinking about a country album for the near future, you could have fooled me by all the television performances of Sweet Sweet Smile that year. It was their most recent single, however, so I guess that does factor in a bit.
Appearing on the show with Swedish supergroup ABBA always made me wonder. Was this when Richard thought of remaking the popular song from their outstanding The Album or had he heard it the previous year when it first came out? The collection by ABBA was certainly well reviewed and well received. Karen and Richard enjoyed their strong sense of melody and originality.
The respect was mutual. In 2013, member Agnetha Fältskog recalls meeting Karen and Richard at that point and praises the duo, stating "I could hear that her voice was something special...It's one of these voices you really love."
Regardless of Richard believing the duo's version was ultimately unnecessary, Thank You for the Music is just a great song. It would be one that would be an appropriate farewell should Richard ever release another boxed set, compilation or even a final collection of unreleased recordings.
By the way, no Karen, you were something special and never a bore. That's why people continue to listen the the music you made with your brother and still write about you 40 years after your passing.
Very nice photograph of our favorite songstress.
Karen and Richard's next appearance on television in the States was mostly a solid disaster. What were they thinking? Was anyone paying attention? Anyone at all? The recurring promotional problem during this season in their career was all too evident, and the timing was just off. The duo appeared with strictly B-list celebrities (again), this time it was Suzanne Somers, John Davidson, and Charlie Callas in their Space Encounters television special in mid-May.
With Suzanne Somers.
Why was this appearance such poor timing? Beside the fact that the special focused on very hot at the time alien encounter theme, it prominently featured Sweet Sweet Smile and Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft. The bright sounding, country tinged single was months old and now only on the those charts and dropping. The latter song was now a memory even if it was a mid-sized hit in the States 10 months earlier. At the beginning of the year several months earlier, the album of origin was barely on the Billboard charts, moving down to number 83 after a mere 13 weeks.
Always the trooper, never the diva.
Musically, the special was not without some very good songs- but this outing, there were some very cheesy tunes as well. Of course, Karen's reading of Little Girl Blue was great. The very fun pop disco treatment of Dancing in the Street was showcased with a bit of Tony Peluso's DJ routine, and Richard performed a well executed medley of Star Wars and Close Encounters. Very eclectic choices for sure, but each were successful in their own way.
The cast minus Charlie Callas.
For this eager viewer, the unexpected highlight of all these songs was Karen's silky smooth duet with John Davidson on The Old Fashioned Way. Very old school but with a great arrangement by Richard. It's oddly mixed- Karen feels somewhat in the background- but the overall recording is really nice. Years later, in a bit of very disappointing news, it seemed her duet partner requested too much money in order to have the song released on any future Carpenters compilation. Greed kills.
"Can you dig it? Can you really dig it?"
Yes- and no.
On the other hand, when the songs from this television show were bad, they were truly cringeworthy. The worst of the lot is Karen's duet with Suzanne Somers on Man Smart, Woman Smarter. Karen comes off poorly even if she sounds good. And Boogie Nights, Karen'sfirst but not last time to sing a Rod Temperton song, shouldn't have been campy but played straight instead. Paired with The Hustle and I Could Have Danced All Night? A definite image downgrade while trying to seem cool and hip. The fact was that being cool would not be possible in this era of their career. The truth was that genius aside, Richard was a hard person to market in the current musical landscape.
There was one aspect of this special that could have been a missed opportunity. But then again, maybe not. Why not do the newer version of Can't Smile Without You? The record by Barry Manilow was still going fairly strong, and the Carpenters newly reimagined version was the B-side of Calling Occupants. Small chance but still worth taking that viewers might try to find it. I can't make up my mind either. Would it resonate or be a miss? You just never knew what would hit with the radio and television audience at this point in their career.
Regardless, with its sad supporting cast, awful theme, strange sets, and just plain bad dialogue, Space Encounters was easily the worst of all the duo's television specials. It earned solid ratings, but this was the end of television success in the States. Another misfire by manager Jerry Weintraub.
Considering all this has made me wonder if any currently popular and established recording artist had their career strengthened by continual appearances on American television. I'd wager not.
The question has to be asked: Did Space Encounters move more copies of Passage? Apparently not, as the album never again returned to the sales charts.
A nice television performance for their Netherlands fans.
The end of May brought a short trip to Europe and an appearance on TopPop, a Netherlands music show. Performing Sweet Sweet Smile, both Karen and Richard seem to really be enjoying themselves. It's not a live performance, but it is a good one. Karen's warmth and charm shines through, and Richard smiles quite a bit.
By this point in their career, it was Karen's ability to connect with the audience that made up for many poor choices.
On The Tonight Show: Thank YOU for the music, Karen and Richard!
For some reason, Karen and Richard always came off fairly well on late night television. In June, when friend John Davidson hosted The Tonight Show, Karen and Richard performed Thank You For the Music. Additionally, the group did a well-done and lengthy medley of Rainy Days and Mondays, Superstar, and Goodbye to Love. That's a good amount of air time dedicated to Carpenters music!
In Las Vegas at their dressing room in 1978.
You might think that all this activity meant the duo stopped touring for awhile. But you'd be wrong. Karen and Richard were busy hitting the "casino tour" in California and Nevada and even went to Germany.
Tour poster for Harrah's Lake Tahoe.
Once the dates were announced, I just knew I had to go back to Las Vegas for a show.
By this point, seeing them live was a habit I never wanted to shake. The show I saw in the summer remained the 1976 Palladium styled song line up and presentation but with a dazzling When I Fall in Love and a charming Thank You for the Music in the line-up. The downside? Neither were to be found on any Carpenters album for years- or ever in the case of the Abba song.
Noticeably thinner.
When I Fall in Love was paired with I Need to Be in Love, the latest Carpenters signature song. As always, Karen gave kudos to Richard for writing such a beautiful tune. It's always struck me odd that in all these mid to late 1970s, Karen consistently publicly praised him, but aside from saying "We found out that Karen could sing" right before beginning the Hits Medley, I never once heard Richard praise Karen's vocal abilities in front of any audience or in an interview. Nor did he praise her drumming. Richard certainly does now since her untimely death. But not back then. Decades later, I'm sure as he rethinks it all, not doing so is something he sorely regrets.
Look at the menu prices. Unbelievably low.
Twice that year, I ventured to Lost Wages to go to a performance. (I was never once tempted to gamble. I don't even remember playing a slot machine!) The last time I saw them at the MGM Grand would be during the same block of time where Richard called it quits midway through. Between shows on September 4, Richard's world came crashing down, and he decided it was time for a well deserved, long overdue break. When burnout hits highly gifted people, it can last for quite awhile, and in Richard's case, it lasted longer than anyone would have guessed.
Cash Box news reported directly on September 16: "Carpenters have missed dates. Illness was cited as the reason behind thecancellation of 18 of a scheduled 28 performancesby the Carpenters at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Fortunately, Dean Martin, who was slated to follow the Carpenter's engagement, consented to come in a week early and keep things going in the MGM's Celebrity Room."
Billboard's September 16 column Inside Track was less kind
and even managed to throw in a bit of snark.
Just three years after the duo cancelled dates at end of 1975 for Karen's health, this time, it was his turn. The downhill slide of their career continued now at a much faster pace.
My own life was about to collapse in a way I never imagined.
Billboard magazine ad announcing the newest Carpenters single.
In the midst of all the activity, Karen and Richard did sneak in enough time to produce a single of their own. By August, they completed their next single but left it in the can until two months later.
There's a little bit of a problem with the German single.
I Believe You released October 20, 1978. Compared to the daring Passage album, it was back to their roots, a very traditional sounding Carpenters record. The brand new single was arranged by Paul Riser, who has ties to the original Motown recording of Dancing in the Street among many others.
I heard the song exactly once on the radio. Once.
November 11 issue of Billboard gave the record a positive review.
The A&M Records National Promotions Manager and the public did not.
After decades of listening to this song, I still run hot and cold in my opinion on it. Musically, aside from the percussion, it needs a brand new arrangement and orchestration. More simple and less bombastic. Vocally, Karen has some beautiful lines to sing but she has some awful ones as well. Yet, when Karen's good, of course she's great.
The absolute best part of the whole recording is Karen cooing the last lyric, "Honey, I love you." The rest of the record is plainly out of synch with what else was on the radio. (It is equally out of place for different reasons on Made in America, the 1981 comeback album on which it finally appears. But more on that when I get to revisit that album.) Certainly there are parts of this record that are appealing, but it would have been better used as a promotional song for the next greatest hits package or an album cut. In a solo radio interview, Karen likens I Believe You to Close to You. Were we hearing the same record?
After Grease, the public was waiting for Olivia.
Totally Hot did not disappoint fans, critics, or sales managers.
After a less than stellar response to Passage and Hush before it, they were now going up against good friend Olivia Newton-John, Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond, Disco Queen Donna Summer, and The Bee Gees, whose sound was everywhere. The competition for airplay was stiff. It was clear that Karen and Richard were going to struggle with a record that went so firmly against the flow of what was popular.
There was still room on radio for ballads, but they had to be great if not perfect. Label mates Gino Vannelli delivered his made for late night radio hit I Just Wanna Stop - one of my favorite A&M label releases ever- while once hot duo Captain & Tennille had a solid hit with the Neil Sedaka penned You Never Done It Like That. A very unexpected smash, You Needed Me, by Anne Murray rounded out the ballad hits on the charts. (At the time, I hated that song for very personal reasons I'll detail in a couple of paragraphs below.)
Friends and competitors- Cash Box Top 100 Singles as of November 25.
Both Olivia and Carpenters new singles had a decent start.
Billboard and other industry sources reported that label MCA Records was 100% behind the hotter than (Totally) hot Olivia Newton-John, pouring $2 million dollars into an advertising campaign for her new album. Would A&M throw some muscle behind the Carpenters and their new song? No. Not at all.
If you've read Chris May and Mike Cidoni Lennox's in depth and incredible Carpenters: The Musical Legacy book, you'll know Richard was very angry about the response by A&M's National Promotions Manager Harold Childs and his feedback regarding the latest single. Hopefully, they've made amends. And I'll leave it at that- except for a warning directly from God about the importance of forgiveness:
"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Matthew 6:14,15
I was about to have my own major bout with the struggle to forgive, a most severe testing of my fairly new found faith...
Crash and burn.
My girlfriend and I married in December of 1978. The ceremony was great, but the disastrous honeymoon in Hawaii sent me home troubled. It was clear something was wrong. Very wrong.
I came home, and kept everything to myself. But my sister keenly sensed something was not right. I flat out lied to every family member in order not to ruin everyone's Christmas celebration. The new year began, but nothing had changed. It was Valentine's Day morning that I woke up to a note on the bed. My new young spouse had decided our marriage was a mistake. She was gone.
She just loved Anne Murray's song You Needed Me. I'd soon find it was because of someone else. Someone very unexpected... a woman. And not just any woman.
Karen received a plaque of The Singles 1974 - 1978 in the U.K.
A VERY rare shot by photographer Andre Csillag in Dec. 1978
The Canadian pressing has a slightly different look and feel.
A week later, after a week of pretty heavy drinking, depression, and lots of confusion, I met my folks for dinner. There I discovered the reason behind her departure: my young bride had run off with my aunt. My aunt. My favorite aunt. In one fell swoop, our extended family was absolutely devastated. Two marriages (one with two children) were blown apart.
After useless attempts to work things out, I accepted my newfound state. Forgiveness nagged at me. How could I forgive her? But then how could I choose not to forgive her when I had been forgiven of my many sins by someone who paid the price in my place? I had received it all so freely, and it cost me nothing, but it cost Jesus his life. A test- a big test. Certainly, I had to offer forgiveness to her. God demands it of those who follow Him.
My next dilemma was deciding whether or not to make it all public. You see, back then in California, I could have gotten an annulment if I shared in court that she was gay. After much prayer, I decided it was not my story to tell. It was hers, and I did not want to be the one to break the news to her wonderful family. I took the divorce and decided to trust God with my future. But Valentine's Day would never be the same... and needless to say, I still strongly dislike You Needed Me, but I will admit it is a very fine record.
Yes, forgiveness would come, but it would take me awhile to get there.
Autographs for a fan.
Back to Karen and Richard and their journey. I Believe You reached a measly #68 on the Billboard charts, about six weeks after its release- lower performance on the charts than Goofus. Let that sink in for a moment. Their newest single scored lower than their third release from a poorly received album two years prior.
Taking a look at list of the duo's studio recordings during this season, you can see that there's very little consistency in style or direction. That "Lost Album of 1979" we fans desperately wanted would have been a mixed bag at best even if some excellent songs were recorded. The styles were just all over the board. You can just tell by this list that Richard had little idea of what route to take going forward:
“Dancing in the Street”
"Look to Your Dreams"
"Leave Yesterday Behind"
"Little Girl Blue"
“Thank You For The Music”
"I Believe You"
“Where Do I Go From Here?”
“When I Fall in Love”
“Honolulu City Lights”
“Slow Dance”
(On the A&M Corner discussion boards, rumor has it that a total of 20 songs were recorded for the 1979 album. But we only know of three additional unreleased or incomplete songs- “Rainbows in Your Eyes”; “Just Fall in Love”; and “Love Song”.)
With such a diverse selection of songs, this is where a great manager should have stepped in to help Richard as producer to work through a plan. So far Management III wasn't doing much better than previous manager Sherwin Bash, aside from the fact Jerry Weintraub didn't run them into the ground with non-stop touring.
Looking back in this season of their career, the previous and coming years really were a "Woulda/Shoulda/Coulda" kind of thing- full of missed opportunities, poor choices, and lots of questionable decisions among some truly wise choices that built the legacy that is Carpenters.
Candid photo from Germany's Starparade in May.
The solid thud of almost zero radio play and even less sales (the single had to be offered through the Carpenters fan club) stung. Yet, as Karen and Richard (and A&M) would discover, the duo still had a strong following overseas in Japan (naturally) and in the U.K.
Richard got his start at Disneyland with John Bettis. Look at this.
Karen loved Mickey Mouse and Disneyland.
Look here, here, and of course here. Among many others.
There were times that stardom and all its pressures paid off. For Karen, filming Please Mr. Postman at Disneyland had to be one. This year in mid-November it would be when they appeared on The Wonderful World of Disney television show to celebrate Mickey Mouse's 50th birthday. That lucky rat was serenaded to a special version of We've Only Just Begun and then Close to You was changed toM-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E.
Karen was not the only Carpenter to step out and do something close to their heart. The same month as the Disney show, Richard was guest lecturer for the University of Southern California's "Popular Music Industry" class. This was but one way he stretched his legs and did something professional without Karen. It wasn't the first time, though. Back in 1974, Richard appeared solo with the Boston Pops Orchestra where he got to fulfill a life-long dream.
U.K.'s Music Week ad Nov 4 1978.
In the States, the duo's success on the sales charts seemed stalled, but it was a very different story in the U.K.
There, A&M decided to release a second chapter in The Singles series. It would be only a U.K. release, so you have to just love the import section in every record store that carried it. Good old Licorice Pizza had it in stock just a few weeks after it came out overseas.
The lucky Brits would also get the new Christmas Portrait, so not one but two Carpenters album releases by year's end. Who did they think they were, Japan?
Music Week- U.K. ad for the Singles 1974-1978
Concurrently back home, Christmas Portrait and the associated U.S. television special would be presented to the public. For the sake of consistency, I'm going to lump all that into my Revisited / Fresh Look review of that album and remain focused on The Singles 1974-1978 here.
A good review that rings odd to American music lovers... and those with spellcheck.
There would be nothing truly new about the latest Greatest Hits disc that was released on November 26. Just a handful of remixes that had appeared earlier, and most notably, Can't Smile Without You as found on the flip side of the Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft single.
This time, A&M put some major marketing muscle behind the new album. With the exchange rate of 1.9 USD to 1 pound back in 1978, that's an advertising campaign of almost $600,000 USD in today's money.
A very solid collection.
Although Richard would bow out because of sickness, Karen accepted the invitation to come to London and appear on the Bruce Forsyth's Big Night Christmasshow. She was clearly very ill by this point in time and thinner than ever before.
All Karen's hard work-
and A&M U.K.'s healthy advertising budget
would have an impact.
Three weeks at the Number Two on Billboard's U.K. charts-
Stopped from the summit by the Grease soundtrack.
Once in London, Karen was asked to promote the new Singles album and not Christmas Portrait. There's some speculation it was a bait and switch. Nonetheless, the request produced something spectacular and now most treasured.
Karen performed live- first a playful Please Mr. Postman, and then a truly heartbreaking rendition of I Need to Be in Love. It was even more gripping than the Palladium performance. Decades later, it is still a moving experience to watch it.
U.K.'s Music Week lists the Top Twenty albums of 1978.
A Platinum record overseas.
Broadcast on Christmas Eve, the one-two punch propelled the U.K. only release of The Singles 1974-1978 to the higher end of the sales charts, eventually peaking at Number Two early in 1979. The popular collection went platinum and was in the end of year's Top Twenty best selling albums. The gamble paid off handsomely.
November 11 Billboard article.
The same issue as the review of I Believe You.
I'd discover the LP in the import section of Licorice Pizza much faster than I did Live in Japan. I snapped up an original foil copy just weeks after its release overseas.
Less splashy version of the earlier Canadian release.
Saudi Arabia had its own release of the album. 1979?
Screams of a bootleg to me.
For this American fan, the lineup of songs was not as impressive as the initial 1969-1973 collection. The inclusion of some album cuts as filler took off some of the sheen. As much as I love Sweet, Sweet Smile for its freshness and country tang, it is an odd choice for opening the album. In fact, the first three cuts are rather frothy before you listen to a classic Carpenters ballad, I Won't Last A Day Without You. From then on out though, it's quite a powerful reminder of just how good the duo was even if they weren't hitting the top back in the U.S.A.
Still going strong in the New Year of 1979.
Thanks to Simon KC 1950 on the A&M Boards, we can see below that the chart performance for songs we American fans hold dear- likeWe've Only Just Begun and Superstar- just wasn't that strong in the U.K. Even the beautiful Rainy Days and Mondays didn't enter the charts.
The Singles 1969-1973
We've Only Just Begun #28
Top of the World #5
Ticket To Ride N/A
Superstar #18
Rainy Days And Mondays Non-Entry
Goodbye To Love #9
Yesterday Once More #2
It's Going To Take Some Time Non-Entry
Sing Non-Entry
For All We Know #18
Hurting Each Other Non-Entry
(They Long To Be) Close To You #6
Singles 1974-1978
Sweet, Sweet Smile #40
Jambalaya (On The Bayou) #12
Can't Smile Without You N/A
I Won't Last A Day Without You #32
All You Get From Love Is A Love Song Non-Entry
Only Yesterday #7
Solitaire #32
Please Mr. Postman #2
I Need To Be In Love #36
Happy N/A
There's A Kind Of Hush #22
Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft #9
For a U.K. fan however, the earlier collection actually had two less hits on it. Carpenters took more time to make it big there, but once they did, their popularity remained stronger than in their home country for years to come.
Notice the label says "Volume Two".
At the time of its release, I gave the album a quick listen or two and put it away, hopeful that another new disc was on its way. I saw it as a placeholder of sorts. In retrospect, it's a greatest hits album that still holds up. Between both volumes of The Singles, a listener has at least 20 terrific songs that have stood the test of time. Not many bands can say that.
The Carpenters final 1978 performance would be a Christmas themed show with the CSULB choir in Long Beach. I was in attendance that evening. Little did I know, this would be the very last time I would see them in concert.
The coming year, the last of the decade, would hold promise for a Karen Carpenter soloalbum while Richard took more time off. It was a time to rebuild, and it was a time I'd have to rebuild as well. Sometimes life just works out that way. My focus on the duo's career and music had to take a backseat as I started over.
After I revisit Christmas Portrait, I'm going to dive into Karen's pet project. It's out of order compared to my initial reviews, but working through it perfectly sets up the stage for what's behind Made In America.
We die hard fans know Karen's solo album wasn't released until many years later. But boy, let me go on the record by saying the duo's career could have used it! My research is creating a change in my perspective I wouldn't have thought possible. I can't wait to share it all with you!
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Thanks to all my friends at the A&M Corner boards and especially Rick An Ordinary Fool for so many of these international music magazine scans.
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This is part of a continuing series on the albums of Karen and Richard Carpenter. There are so many stand alone posts highlighting different aspects of their career, recordings, rare photographs, and life that I've lost count.
Below is the list of my initial reviews and then my "Revisited /Fresh Look" reviews a decade later.
