Christmas with Karen Carpenter in 1973

Comedians Bill Skiles and Pete Henderson joined the Carpenters tour and even make an appearance on the duo's first live in concert album, Live in Japan. Obviously, the comedians also hit it off with Richard and Karen Carpenter. Here, Pete Henderson is seen next to Karen in the Carpenter family home in December of 1973. The tinsel covered Christmas tree shines little compared to that radiant, still healthy Ms. Carpenter. In just a few years, the successes and stresses of fame would take its deathly toll. It's too bad on so many levels! No one gives Christmas music the respect its deserves like Karen and Richard. Check out the duo's 1978 Christmas Portrait album and then 1984's An Old Fashioned Christmas, released a year after she passed. For a truncated version of these albums, Christmas Once More could be your best bet, but I'd buy the first two albums in full instead.  

If you're a fan of the duo, keep your eyes open for something very special...

Carpenters "Christmas Once More" Announces the Start of the Season

Nothing begins the Christmas season like Karen Carpenter crooning "Frosted Window Panes, Candles Gleaming Inside". Oh, that voice! Now a brand new holiday album, Christmas Once More, brings the best of two classic albums into one. Using selections from both the iconic Christmas Portrait and An Old Fashioned Christmas, fans of the beloved Carpenters duo will be amazed by the sparkle of these newly remixed recordings. The arrangements by brother Richard Carpenter are gorgeous, timeless, and inviting, making this collection one you'll want to have on vinyl and CD. Released to the world on November 1.

Something New from the Carpenters Just in Time for the Christmas Holidays

Just when I thought I wouldn't see anything new by Carpenters for the holidays, here comes An Old Fashioned Christmas on CD for the first time ever. Released a couple of years after Karen's tragic passing in 1983, the second holiday release is full of that voice the world loves. 

There's just not enough of it, but oh boy, are there some great cuts here! Little Altar Boy may be one of Karen Carpenter's best for those incredible low notes, but there's also Home For the Holidays, a stellar version of Do You Hear What I Hear?  

My personal favorite, What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? is just a slice of 40s coolness with a vocal performance that equals their classic Merry Christmas Darling. Richard fills out the seven vocal cuts by his sister with a variety of beautiful instrumentals. O Holy Night is among the best and brightest.

It's an import from Japan, so the price is a bit higher. But it is so worth it! A perfect companion piece to their iconic Christmas Portrait.

What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?

However you choose to celebrate New Year's Eve, be safe and responsible so you and others can enjoy 2020 without regret. Even if 2019 has been one of the worst possible for you, the new year offers fresh opportunities and unique beauty. Thanks for reading the Insights blog this year! 

Let me leave you with these wise words from the great Scottish pastor Oswald Chambers:

You shall not go out with haste,…for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard. —Isaiah 52:12

Security from Yesterday. “…God requires an account of what is past” (Ecclesiastes 3:15). At the end of the year we turn with eagerness to all that God has for the future, and yet anxiety is apt to arise when we remember our yesterdays. Our present enjoyment of God’s grace tends to be lessened by the memory of yesterday’s sins and blunders. But God is the God of our yesterdays, and He allows the memory of them to turn the past into a ministry of spiritual growth for our future. God reminds us of the past to protect us from a very shallow security in the present.

Security for Tomorrow. “…the Lord will go before you….” This is a gracious revelation— that God will send His forces out where we have failed to do so. He will keep watch so that we will not be tripped up again by the same failures, as would undoubtedly happen if He were not our “rear guard.” And God’s hand reaches back to the past, settling all the claims against our conscience.

Security for Today. “You shall not go out with haste….” As we go forth into the coming year, let it not be in the haste of impetuous, forgetful delight, nor with the quickness of impulsive thoughtlessness. But let us go out with the patient power of knowing that the God of Israel will go before us. Our yesterdays hold broken and irreversible things for us. It is true that we have lost opportunities that will never return, but God can transform this destructive anxiety into a constructive thoughtfulness for the future. Let the past rest, but let it rest in the sweet embrace of Christ.

Leave the broken, irreversible past in His hands, and step out into the invincible future with Him.

The Perfect Christmas Album

Whether your Christmas celebration is secular or sacred or some of both, the Carpenters classic Christmas Portrait should be on your player! Presented in a seamless style, Karen's once-in-a-lifetime voice glides over brother Richard's understated but complex arrangements. Strings, bells, horns. All real stuff. No synthesizers here. It had to be an expensive collection to make- but it shows. This is a masterpiece from anyway you look at it.

Want some romantic Christmas music? It's here. Of course, Merry Christmas Darling with Karen's tender reading is at the top of the list. But the absolutely mood setting Christmas Waltz and playful Sleigh Ride set the right tone. 

Needing something to remember the incredible truths of God's love this time of year? The Christmas standard Silent Night is among the best they've ever recorded- reverent in its simple elegance. You may never haver heard Christ is Born as it is a lesser known tune, but it's certain to make you stop and focus on the important things in life. The albums ends with Ave Maria. Karen hits the money notes in the basement here to jaw dropping effect. No one did that better! (And she could do it live in concert as well! I heard it for myself. How I would have loved a full concert of the entire album with a live orchestra!)

The playful side of the holidays comes out as well with a smooth jazz version of Santa Claus is Coming to Town and a very joyful First Snowfall / Let It Snow. 

If you're looking for those standards from last century, the iconic White Christmas and The Christmas Song give Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole, respectively, a run for their money. There's a gut wrenching I'll Be Home for Christmas that will make you cry as you marvel in her perfect interpretation.

Karen and Richard's sincerity and a love for Christmas and Christmas music shines through in this collection. You can hear it in her voice and in Richard's playing on Carol of the Bells. There's not a hint of posturing or just wanting to make a buck. It's a perfect collection. Perhaps even the album they were born to make. More recently, artists have tended to lean toward a more campy take on holiday music, but there's something just so heartwarming about curling up next to the fire while Karen serenades. 

Carpenters Christmas Memories A Winner

Sometimes a guy just has to buy himself a Christmas present, and mine came in the mail today. Richard Carpenter has put together a beautiful DVD comprised selections from their two Christmas television specials and two of their appearances on others. (Perry Como and Dorothy Hamill.) The sound and picture are nearly flawless considering they were recorded as early as 1974. 

Karen Carpenter proves once again to be the voice of Christmas for her generation. Merry Christmas Darling may be the only Carpenters song you know, but trust me, after watching and listening to this DVD, you'll want to find both Christmas Portrait and An Old Fashioned Christmas and add them to your holiday music collection. 

For more information on how to order this excellent disc, go to this post on the A&M Corner website.

A Little Carpenters for Christmas: Top Ten Songs

Christmas music and Karen Carpenter were made for each other. Clearly, a match made for the ages, a classic combination of artist and song as can be imagined. The first album of seasonal songs - one of two- a timeless work. Unfortunately, it was also the last great album recorded by the duo in a career tragically cut short. 

Much like when Nat King recorded his album of holiday tunes, when Richard and Karen Carpenter released Christmas Portrait in 1978, it became the must have Christmas album for a new generation. 

The original version is not found on any Carpenters Christmas disc.

The origins of the album begin with the release of Merry Christmas Darling in 1970 at the beginnings of their chart success. Fans and critics instantly realized it to be a powerful combination, wondering when more holiday themed songs would arrive. Darling was an instant classic. The Richard Carpenter / Frank Pooler song was followed by a mid-decade release of a jazz version of Santa Claus is Coming to Town. 

When a full length album was finally released, a new version of The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) became the newest 45 rpm release. It further cemented Karen's position as the female vocalist who owned the Christmas season. The album was originally planned to be a double disc, but for some reason, that was tossed aside by the executives at A&M Records. 

Karen's untimely death in 1983 left fans wondering what was left in the vault to be released. Following the fall release of the excellent Voice of the Heart, Richard answered the question by giving fans An Old Fashioned Christmas. It only brought seven new songs by Karen, but it was well worth it. Both discs get much play during the season in our house, and the Christmas music always begins when Karen croons "Frosted window panes"- even when we lived in temperate Southern California. 

On the set of the first Christmas television special.

With such a wealth of great songs to choose from, here are my Top Ten Carpenters Christmas songs in no particular order other than my memory:

1- Merry Christmas Darling

It may be a sacrilege to some fans, but this listener prefers the newer, sultry, and softer version found on Christmas Portrait over the huskier original. The multi-layered ending caps off the song perfectly. It's been recorded by many artists, but none compare.

2- I'll Be Home for Christmas

Admittedly, this one was hard to listen to after Karen's death. (Can you just imagine what emotions Richard goes through every Christmas season when their songs are constantly played? Pray for the man!) Wistful, sorrowful, and melancholy but perfect in execution.

3- Christmas Waltz

I had never heard this one on the radio prior to Christmas Portrait. As I mentioned, the opening lines are the "official" kickoff to playing Christmas music in our home. A romantic Christmas tune if there ever was one. Always made me want to dance with my wife or my daughters when they were little.

4- What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?

Speaking of romance, I find this to be the standout track on the second album, and it's one of my favorites by any artist. Her tender performance isn't as commanding as on the next song I mention, but there's something about the 40's big band sound with Karen's incredible voice that is just hits all the right notes.

5- Do You Hear What I Hear?

After a very effective opening by Richard, Karen comes in on this old classic with such presence, the listener remembers once again how powerful her voice was. Shades of Superstar and Rainy Days and Mondays. It's a majestic vocal performance befitting the pronouncement of the arrival of the Little King. 

6- Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Two versions exist. The first features an upbeat saxophone solo by Bob Messenger. It's terrific, but it has yet to make it's way to a Carpenters Christmas collection. The second one premiered on An Old Fashioned Christmas with the sax replaced by another with Tom Scott. This way feels very different, and it depends on my mood as to which I prefer. Either way, Richard outdid himself with the arrangement. The audio versions are great, but watching Karen and Richard perform this on the Perry Como Christmas Show is even better. 

7-  Tie: Carol of the Bells / Nutcracker Suite / O Holy Night

Showing his skill on the piano, Richard takes the spotlight on both these pieces, and he absolutely shines. It only makes me wish Karen had sung O Holy Night, my favorite Christmas song. 

8- First Snowfall / Let It Snow

A couple of playful tunes to break up the serious tone found in much of Christmas Portrait. There are two pieces to this medley that grab me: First the doubled vocal on Snowfall, "Folks put runners on their surreys and forget about their worries". Then on Let It Snow, when Karen coos "but if you'd really hold me tight", she melts the snow on a winter's day. 

9- The Christmas Song

The Mel Torme classic perfectly presented in arrangement and execution. It really doesn't get much better than this. There's a reason this one remains on the radio year after year.

10- Silent Night

The real meaning of Christmas comes through. Hearing Karen sing "Christ the Savior is Born" still brings me chills after almost 40 years. How could it not? My favorite vocalist singing about the One True Son of God and using her God-given incredible lower register. 

It's been said many times by Richard that Karen loved Christmas and its music. You can certainly hear the dedication to their craft in this music. By risking to record and release a Christmas album when it was out of vogue to do so, Karen and Richard continued to take risks as throughout their career- and in the midst created an enduring classic. 

Carpenters Celebrate the Christmas Season

A long-standing family tradition is to not decorate the house or play Christmas music until the Friday after Thanksgiving. And not just any Christmas music is played. Karen and Richard Carpenter's classic Christmas Portrait is always the first to open the season. 

So, to open the season, here are my reviews on the two Christmas discs from my favorite duo.
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Richard and Karen Carpenter's Christmas Portrait was the culmination of the longest wait ever for a full length Christmas recording. Not just of the decade but by any recording artist. From the 1970 release of their first holiday recording Merry Christmas Darling, fans waited and waited for the Carpenters to complete an album full of old favorites and new songs dedicated to the season. The gorgeous song written by Richard and Frank Pooler achieved instant standard status upon first play, with Karen's deep and warm vocals played against Richard's lush arrangements and Frank's romantic lyrics. It was constantly on my turntable.

The near decade in between the single and the album had been far from unkind, however, with the duo turning out hit after hit. Things began to slow after the release of The Singles: 1969 - 1973, but Karen and Richard were still quite productive. A new arrangement of the seasonal classic "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" came in 1974 along with an appearance on Perry Como's Christmas special. (Find it and watch Karen perform "It's Impossible"- one of her most tender readings of a song ever!) "Please Mr. Postman" ended '74 as a worldwide smash.

Horizon arrived in 1975, with A Kind of Hush coming the following year. Although both discs contain some of their best individual recordings ("Only Yesterday", "Solitaire", and Desperado" from the first, and "I Need to Be in Love" and "One More Time" from the latter), neither produced the sales of years previously.

The duo's next album in 1977, Passage, was not the large hit they wanted and their career so desperately needed. The result was fun, playful, and largely uninspired. Even die-hard fans like myself started to move on to other interests.

I discovered that in the midst of recording Passage, the Carpenters were also beginning to record for another project at the same time this eclectic album was forming. Perhaps both the A&M Records executives and Karen and Richard expected the Christmas recordings to be completed in time for a 1977 release, as their second television special "The Carpenters at Christmas" was to air in early December.

Above- the photos that inspired Robert Tanenbaum's beautiful portrait

My personal life was taking a dramatic downturn as well. My post high school life had been an interesting mix of fear, loneliness, increasing depression, and anticipation. I began to search for greater meaning in life than what I could see. After years of looking into various world religions- and after a near disastrous automobile accident shortly after seeing the Carpenters in Las Vegas- I found myself at an evening gathering at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. A young evangelist, Greg Laurie, presented the truth to me as shared in the Bible: I was a sinner, a broken man, and the only way to a relationship with God and a restored life was through faith in Jesus Christ. God Himself reaching down to man and not man's efforts to reach Him. What a difference it made to hear about a god who loved his creation.

My heart jumped as I chose to make a decision to embrace Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross. I knew I'd have to live differently, and I was ready. As I prayed for a new beginning, I hoped for the best. The result was better than I ever expected. For the next six months, my depression was replaced with hope and joy. My friends and family could not believe the transformation. Neither could I!

Christmas was very different that year. Finally, all those hymns made sense- and watching and listening to Karen sing them touched me deeply. By this point, I was also smart enough to understand a Christmas album had to be coming soon.

As the following year progressed, many good things began to happen in my life. My job situation improved greatly, I formed some deep friendships, and even though life was more back to normal with expected ups and downs, I had peace and hope. Guess my faith "stuck", and I'd never go back to my old life.

On the musical front, things were fairly uninteresting. I was thrilled to finally hear something new from Karen and Richard. "I Believe You" was a terrific little single that got next to no airplay, but my lengthy wait was finally rewarded again when the Christmas Portrait album hit the shelves. Couldn't wait to get it home! Little did I know the album would end up being one of my favorites by them and a very personal one- one that would always touch me deeply.

Finally, the album was out of the sleeve and on the turntable. I patiently listened through the opening songs. Finally Karen came in singing "Frosted window panes"...

I was mesmerized. What an introduction Richard designed for his favorite vocalist! Thirty-two years later, hearing her opening to "Christmas Waltz" still signals the beginning of the season, and Christmas Portrait is the traditional first disc played in our house. (And one played only after Thanksgiving!)

The album, continued to sparkle. Hearing the Carpenters band sing on "Sleigh Ride" was great fun! The new single "Christmas Song" made famous by Nat King Cole and recorded by seemingly thousands of other vocalists, was a natural choice for Karen's voice. It was at that moment of first hearing it that I realized Karen was the new voice of Christmas for my generation. Considering the millions of copies sold, I am sure I am not alone in this assessment.

Richard was oft-quoted for his influences being the "3Bs" (the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and Burt Bacharach) but here on their first Christmas release, it is clearly Spike Jones, the 40s bandleader with his group, the City Slickers. (Does the name sound familiar? Remember their newer live show or the 1st TV special?) Check out Spike's holiday albums in its various rereleased forms, and you'll find similar song choices, medleys, and arrangements. That said, Richard's genius is evident here. Between the arrangements of Peter Knight and the concept of the album, not including his terrific playing throughout, Richard's contribution is unmistakable. This album is as solid and strong as any of their previous work, and it holds it own against any modern day releases.

There are plenty of additional gems on the disc. One of my personal favorites is "First Snowfall/Let It Snow". The playful arrangement is quite fun but when Karen's voice is overdubbed on the former and she emotes on the phrase "if you really hold me tight" on the latter, it's pure magic. Next, Richard's "Carol of the Bells" is stunning. The newly rerecorded "Merry Christmas Darling" is made even more beautiful by Karen's softer vocal approach. And it just keeps getting better. The disc's closing "Ave Maria" reveals how powerful and under control her voice was. It also shows how unmatched it is by those vocalists of her day and those of ours. How many other artists have dared to perform such a demanding piece?

Christmas Portrait was an instant success and became a radio staple for the decades. Beginning with the following season, recording artists began to mine the gold found by the recent success of Karen and Richard, and they recorded their own holiday albums. As with their earlier work, others once more followed the duo's instincts and groundbreaking lead.

Since Karen's untimely death, "I'll Be Home for Christmas" has taken on a poignancy stronger than its already heartfelt lyrics. Her passing means the end of an era. Beyond the later release of "An Old Fashioned Christmas" in 1984, there is not much Carpenters material left other than television show recordings, and the chance for additional Christmas albums is gone. Over and over again, Richard has started and stopped work on his own collection of holiday tunes. Will we ever see it? If only in my dreams...

Whereas the gorgeous and definitive Christmas Portrait has been rightfully so been described by Richard Carpenter as his sister's first solo album, An Old Fashioned Christmas feels more like his first solo album with Karen guesting.

After Karen's tragic passing in 1983, I knew the days of the Carpenters were sadly over. Instinctively, I expected greatest hits compilations, perhaps one disc of unreleased material, and an eventual solo project from Richard. An Old Fashioned Christmas came as a surprise to me when it was released in the fall of the following year. The beautiful Voice of the Heart album had only been in release for a year, but I suppose it made sense to Richard and the executives of A&M Records to release another disc so soon.

In my memory, I recalled multiple but unused songs being recorded for Christmas Portrait when it was first intended as a double length album. I was still quite surprised and very delighted to find Richard had finished work on a second volume of Christmas music. It had to have been a very difficult labor of love for him.

It was still a season of vinyl then, even though compact discs had made their way into the market. There was no accompanying disc to be found for this release- only chrome tape for the cassette release- therefore, my first view of the album cover was large in scale as well as being wonderful to behold. It was another artistic take on the Norman Rockwell look and feel of the first disc's cover, but as with the music it contains, not nearly as charming or effective. I do appreciate the slight nod to Karen's well known love of Disneyland, as the elf on the right wears a pair of Mickey Mouse ears!

Similarly to the 1978 album, Richard begins the proceedings with a crisply sung "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear". After a quite lengthy choral and instrumental medley that includes slivers of Richard's vocals, the title song arrives, offering sweet sentiments but a fairly mundane melody, arrangement, and performance. Written in 1984 for this collection, An Old Fashioned Christmas is a nice composition with long time lyricist John Bettis, but it is not a classic to be cherished.

Immediately thereafter, Richard's stunning instrumental reading of "O Holy Night" begins. It is a powerful piece of music masterfully played. This is my favorite Christmas song, and few singers effectively capture the substance and drama of the lyrics.

Richard's performance of it is so well done, I do not miss the words. In fact, it seems to bring me to a place of worship for the God who became Man for our sake. Not many instrumentals have that effect on me! In fact, for his part, it's Richard's skills as pianist that are his strength here throughout the album.

After about fifteen minutes of music, Karen finally steps in. When her warm, gorgeous voice comes in on "Home for the Holidays", showcasing her lower register. It's in that deep part of her range that reminds no other singer can compare to her! Hearing Karen, the game instantly changes, reminding the listener this is a Carpenters album! She immediately brings a cheeriness, a buoyancy to the disc but also an instant and underlying sadness as we remember she is gone. The tune is quite charming but brief at a length of just over two minutes. Here is the pattern of this album: lots of Richard, little of Karen. By necessity, on an album comprising roughly 49 minutes of music, Karen's vocals make up only about 18 minutes total!

Richard's next instrumental medley is a bright blending of "Here Comes Santa Claus", "Frosty the Snowman", "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", and "Good King Wenceslas". It feels fresh and sparkling, in direct contrast to the somberness of the next number, Karen's intimate and yearning "Little Altar Boy".

On the vinyl version of the album, this song ends "Side One". It also emotionally divides the collection with its stark, desperate lyrics. Karen's touching plea for intercession and ultimate redemption for her lost life burned in my ears from first listen. When a vocalist whose personal life held inner turmoil and ended in tragedy, these lyrics take on a haunting, new significance. "Little Altar Boy" is the spiritual equivalent of the duo's earlier "Goodbye to Love". She quietly screams to be noticed and loved.

Thankfully, "Side Two" begins with the triumphant "Do You Hear What I Hear?" In contrast to his vocals elsewhere, Richard sounds absolutely confident and terrific. Yet, this is ultimately a command performance by Karen. As the music builds to its crescendo, Karen's singing matches the song, ending in a powerful presentation of the last word, "light". For a vocalist known for her intimate, warm, soft voice and nuanced phrasing, this last note reminds us she was in control of that gift. Here, she belts it out with the best.

If we've heard Karen, it means it is once again time for Richard. "My Favorite Things" seems an odd choice and is not one of my favorite selections.

"He Came Here For Me". It is a testament to Richard's knack for finding great material that this song was ever recorded. Again, Karen goes to the lower end of her range to good effect. To my ears, the overall result is not as strong as "Little Altar Boy", but I so appreciate the richness of the lyrics:

"Born in a stable He came here for me
born of a virgin He came here for me
God's only son come to set the world free,
born of God's love and He came here for me.
Savior, of the world I praise thee

Jesus, Lamb of God, I pray to thee, hear me
As I praise thy birth bend down thy ear and hear my prayer
Over a stable a star shone so bright,
guiding three wise men who rode through the night
He was called baby Jesus, He came here for me,
Born to this world, then He died here for me."

From the sacred to the secular, Karen and Richard follow up the previous selection with their 1974 recording of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town". This slower dreamy version perfectly shows off their skills. Richard's terrific arrangement allows Karen to take center stage. In contrast to the original release, the saxophone solo has been entirely reimagined. For the record, I enjoy each saxophone solo for different reasons. On this take, it brings a smooth jazz feel to the song, very appropriate and contemporary for its inclusion a decade later. (Just a side note here: I loved watching Karen and Richard perform this on Perry Como's Christmas special. She looks great!)

What can I say about "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" I was smitten at first listening! The 1940's produced some of my most loved recordings, and I had long thought Karen and Richard should be doing these kinds of classics. The inclusion of "I Can Dream Can't I?" on the Carpenters' masterpiece album "Horizon" confirmed I was right. Certainly, there are stronger performances on this holiday collection, but this romantic piece is my personal favorite. It is the perfect match of singer, song, arrangement and production.

After three vocals in a row by Karen, Richard's selections from "The Nutcracker" are a great way to draw near to the album's end. Somehow, he makes this sound new, even though the music has been heard for decades. Just beautiful.

The album's closer, "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day", was a song I did not remember and one that took me awhile to appreciate. "Lower register" and perfectly sung- check. Well arranged and produced- check. But what was it about the song that I just didn't like? Took years for me to figure it out. The song signifies the end of an era for me. Really, for all of us.

Television outtakes, aside, there would be no more Christmas music from the duo. Karen and Richard's holiday themed television specials would not see release. Richard's long discussed solo Christmas album would be started, delayed, and ultimately shelved. (In 2002, he would go on to give two songs to Japanese vocalist Seiko Matsuda: "Christmas Turned Blue" and "December Morn".)

In my opinion, the Carpenters and Christmas go together. Christmas music means Carpenters albums. Karen's is the voice of the season, and "Christmas Portrait" is always the first disc played in our home when I control the player. It will always be that way. The second disc is good too, but regardless of its many charms, it is a patchwork project.

Thankfully, even though "An Old Fashioned Christmas" would be their last holiday release, Richard had more Carpenters music ahead for their fans- and in some ways, for posthumous releases, the best was yet to come.
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This post is only one piece in a series focusing on Karen and Richard Carpenter, a review of their many albums and the impact of their music on my life. If you'd like to read the entire series, begin here.

Christmas in August

Here's the one upcoming album I am very excited about this season! Michael Bublé finally wraps has terrific vocals around some great, classic Christmas music on a full length album. His is the voice of Christmas for this generation, just as Karen Carpenter was for hers. Speaking of the Carpenters, both their holiday albums still rule the Christmas speakers in our home. Christmas Portrait and An Old Fashioned Christmas continue to delight decades after their release. Want a couple of album reviews? Go to these posts: here and here, respectively.

Carpenters Old Fashioned Christmas: A Holiday Turned Blue

Whereas the gorgeous and definitive Christmas Portrait has been  described by Richard Carpenter as his sister's first solo album, An Old Fashioned Christmas feels more like his first solo album with Karen guesting.

After Karen's tragic passing in 1983, I knew the days of the Carpenters were sadly over. Instinctively, I expected greatest hits compilations, perhaps one disc of unreleased material, and an eventual solo project from Richard. An Old Fashioned Christmas came as a surprise to me when it was released in the fall of the following year. The beautiful Voice of the Heart album had only been in release for a year, but I suppose it made sense to Richard and the executives of A&M Records to release another disc so soon.

In my memory, I recalled multiple but unused songs being recorded for Christmas Portrait when it was first intended as a double length album. I was still quite surprised and very delighted to find Richard had finished work on a second volume of Christmas music. It had to have been a very difficult labor of love for him.

It was still a season of vinyl then, even though compact discs had made their way into the market. There was no accompanying disc to be found for this release- only chrome tape for the cassette release- therefore, my first view of the album cover was large in scale as well as being wonderful to behold. It was another artistic take on the Norman Rockwell look and feel of the first disc's cover, but as with the music it contains, not nearly as charming or effective. I do appreciate the slight nod to Karen's well known love of Disneyland, as the elf on the right wears a pair of Mickey Mouse ears!

Similarly to the 1978 album, Richard begins the proceedings with a crisply sung "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear". After a quite lengthy choral and instrumental medley that includes slivers of Richard's vocals, the title song arrives, offering sweet sentiments but a fairly mundane melody, arrangement, and performance. Written in 1984 for this collection, An Old Fashioned Christmas is a nice composition with long time lyricist John Bettis, but it is not a classic to be cherished.

Immediately thereafter, Richard's stunning instrumental reading of "O Holy Night" begins. It is a powerful piece of music masterfully played. This is my favorite Christmas song, and few singers effectively capture the substance and drama of the lyrics.

Richard's performance of it is so well done, I do not miss the words. In fact, it seems to bring me to a place of worship for the God who became Man for our sake. Not many instrumentals have that effect on me! In fact, for his part, it's Richard's skills as pianist that are his strength here throughout the album.

After about fifteen minutes of music, Karen finally steps in. When her warm, gorgeous voice comes in on "Home for the Holidays", showcasing her lower register. It's in that deep part of her range that reminds no other singer can compare to her! Hearing Karen, the game instantly changes, reminding the listener this is a Carpenters album! She immediately brings a cheeriness, a buoyancy to the disc but also an instant and underlying sadness as we remember she is gone. The tune is quite charming but brief at a length of just over two minutes. Here is the pattern of this album: lots of Richard, little of Karen. By necessity, on an album comprising roughly 49 minutes of music, Karen's vocals make up only about 18 minutes total!

Richard's next instrumental medley is a bright blending of "Here Comes Santa Claus", "Frosty the Snowman", "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", and "Good King Wenceslas". It feels fresh and sparkling, in direct contrast to the somberness of the next number, Karen's intimate and yearning "Little Altar Boy".

On the vinyl version of the album, this song ends "Side One". It also emotionally divides the collection with its stark, desperate lyrics. Karen's touching plea for intercession and ultimate redemption for her lost life burned in my ears from first listen. When a vocalist whose personal life held inner turmoil and ended in tragedy, these lyrics take on a haunting, new significance. "Little Altar Boy" is the spiritual equivalent of the duo's earlier "Goodbye to Love". She quietly screams to be noticed and loved.
Thankfully, "Side Two" begins with the triumphant "Do You Hear What I Hear?" In contrast to his vocals elsewhere, Richard sounds absolutely confident and terrific. Yet, this is ultimately a command performance by Karen. As the music builds to its crescendo, Karen's singing matches the song, ending in a powerful presentation of the last word, "light". For a vocalist known for her intimate, warm, soft voice and nuanced phrasing, this last note reminds us she was in control of that gift. Here, she belts it out with the best.

If we've heard Karen, it means it is once again time for Richard. "My Favorite Things" seems an odd choice and is not one of my favorite selections.

"He Came Here For Me". It is a testament to Richard's knack for finding great material that this song was ever recorded. Again, Karen goes to the lower end of her range to good effect. To my ears, the overall result is not as strong as "Little Altar Boy", but I so appreciate the richness of the lyrics:

"Born in a stable He came here for me
born of a virgin He came here for me
God's only son come to set the world free,
born of God's love and He came here for me.
Savior, of the world I praise thee

Jesus, Lamb of God, I pray to thee, hear me
As I praise thy birth bend down thy ear and hear my prayer
Over a stable a star shone so bright,
guiding three wise men who rode through the night
He was called baby Jesus, He came here for me,
Born to this world, then He died here for me."

From the sacred to the secular, Karen and Richard follow up the previous selection with their 1974 recording of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town". This slower dreamy version perfectly shows off their skills. Richard's terrific arrangement allows Karen to take center stage. In contrast to the original release, the saxophone solo has been entirely reimagined. For the record, I enjoy each saxophone solo for different reasons. On this take, it brings a smooth jazz feel to the song, very appropriate and contemporary for its inclusion a decade later. (Just a side note here: I loved watching Karen and Richard perform this on Perry Como's Christmas special. She looks great!)

What can I say about "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" I was smitten at first listening! The 1940's produced some of my most loved recordings, and I had long thought Karen and Richard should be doing these kinds of classics. The inclusion of "I Can Dream Can't I?" on the Carpenters' masterpiece album "Horizon" confirmed I was right. Certainly, there are stronger performances on this holiday collection, but this romantic piece is my personal favorite. It is the perfect match of singer, song, arrangement and production.

After three vocals in a row by Karen, Richard's selections from "The Nutcracker" are a great way to draw near to the album's end. Somehow, he makes this sound new, even though the music has been heard for decades. Just beautiful.

The album's closer, "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day", was a song I did not remember and one that took me awhile to appreciate. "Lower register" and perfectly sung- check. Well arranged and produced- check. But what was it about the song that I just didn't like? Took years for me to figure it out. The song signifies the end of an era for me. Really, for all of us.

Television outtakes, aside, there would be no more Christmas music from the duo. Karen and Richard's holiday themed television specials would not see release. Richard's long discussed solo Christmas album would be started, delayed, and ultimately shelved. (In 2002, he would go on to give two songs to Japanese vocalist Seiko Matsuda: "Christmas Turned Blue" and "December Morn".)
In my opinion, the Carpenters and Christmas go together. Christmas music means Carpenters albums. Karen's is the voice of the season, and "Christmas Portrait" is always the first disc played in our home when I control the player. It will always be that way. The second disc is good too, but regardless of its many charms, it is a patchwork project.

Thankfully, even though "An Old Fashioned Christmas" would be their last holiday release, Richard had more Carpenters music ahead for their fans- and in some ways, for posthumous releases, the best was yet to come.
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2025 Note: This is part of a continuing series on the music and lives 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 "Revisited /Fresh Look" reviews, the more extensive articles than my initial ones a decade earlier. Each have different photos and clippings and focus on various aspects of the individual disc's creation, promotion, and public reaction.

My Revisited / Fresh Look at the albums:

Offering / Ticket to Ride
Close to You
Carpenters 
A Song for You 

Now & Then

The Singles 1969 - 1973

Live in Japan

Horizon

A Kind of Hush

Live at the Palladium

Passage

The Singles 1974 - 1978

Christmas Portrait

Karen Carpenter (The Solo Album)

My Initial Reviews of the albums:

Offering/Ticket to Ride

Close to You

Carpenters

A Song for You

Now & Then

The Singles 1969-1973

Live In Japan

Horizon

A Kind of Hush

Live at the Palladium

Passage

The Singles 1974-1978

Christmas Portrait

Made in America

Voice of the Heart

An Old Fashioned Christmas

Time (Richard Solo)

Lovelines

Karen Carpenter (Solo)

As Time Goes By