(Concept art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)
Showing posts with label muppets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label muppets. Show all posts
June 4, 2026
Does Monstropolis Scream "Must Visit"?
April 1, 2026
Disney-MGM Studios at Opening in 1989
When the initially named Disney-MGM Studios opened in 1989, one of the highlights- and one of the few attractions available- was the Studio Tour, a combination of a tram and walking tour. Back then, The Great Movie Ride reigned supreme because there was no Twilight Zone Tower of Terror or Rock N Rollercoaster or Fantasmic! to soak up the crowds. Or any other rides to speak of. This vastly designed and built park was put together on the original Universal Studios Hollywood model. This meant the tram tour was intentionally lengthy to help fill the day. There were not a lot of rides then, and there are still not enough rides years later. The park is woefully under built. One whole half of the park has not much to see other than shops and some dining options. It's pretty, but that's about it. That has to change! But for now, back to the story.
During the walking portion of the tour, selected guests were invited to take part in the flying bee scene from the popular Disney film "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids". This nice piece of concept art shows the bee in the back and an ant in the front, which became part of the playground instead. On the tour, I was lucky enough to be chosen to board a bee, and a few years later, my nephews were also picked. It was a lot of fun!
If you want to see my photo journey from our 1989 opening year trip, go here.
Over the years, the now named Disney's Hollywood Studios took on a new persona with a few thrill rides and even more shows. In the last decade or so, it has been a park without a champion, Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge aside. It's changed quite a bit, but the number of rides has not kept pace with the decades.
The full history of the park since creation and opening has been chronicled by me here. It's full of concept art and now vintage maps and photos.
With 27 years coming up May 1, isn't it time for some expansion plan besides a Monsters Inc. land? Maybe something on the other aside of the park in the Indiana Jones neighborhood?
(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)
March 1, 2026
Goodbye Rock 'n' Roller Coaster with Aerosmith- Hello Muppets?
Yes, it's time to say goodbye to an old favorite of mine. Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith is going the way of other extinct Disney attractions. Instead of replacing the band with another real band, we're getting the Muppets. OK. But really? They should have a place in Disney's Hollywood Studios, but not here. The only saving grace would be removing the Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After and bringing back in a version of Muppet*Vision 3D. Then, it would begin to make a small amount of sense. Will the new version be fun? Yes. Does it fit in? No, not really. But such is the state of Disney right now.
(Photograph copyright Mark Taft.)
June 11, 2025
A Better Monsters Inc. Land Coming to Disney's Hollywood Studios
Disney's Hollywood Studios needs an actual dark ride for the youngest of guests who will not able be to ride the family coaster. The park has a current total of zero old school Disneyland styled classic dark rides. These are the kind of smaller attractions that are classic Disney and round out a park filled with E Tickets and stage shows. Will the suits ever really get their popularity? They bring charm and warmth to any park, something the Studios is sorely lacking.
This expansion also needs a character filled, friendly monster stage show to go with the meet and greets. Imagineering and the Disney park fans have made these an inevitable part of any Disney themed land.
Lastly, this new land needs a great spot to sit down and eat for folks who cannot get into or choose not to splurge on the sure to be quite overpriced Harryhausen's Japanese restaurant. The slightly Muppets themed PizzeRizzo is a prime location for something great and with a menu price befitting the family friendly budget.
With the stunning success of Zootopia at Shanghai Disneyland, the bar for this time of land has been set very high. Will it be matched or exceeded at Walt Disney World? It better! With Epic Universe being SO good and nipping at Disney's heels, the war continues.
(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company. Thanks to Blog Mickey for the image.)
November 26, 2024
How to Make Muppets Courtyard Better- and a Monsters Inc Land? Yes, Please!
Make a good thing even better? Does this ever happen at Walt Disney World? It arguably does at Disneyland as it is "Walt's park" and the locally based Imagineers have a responsibility to look after his dream- and fans demand it. Sometimes the fans have better ideas than the suits. This time, I think I do have some great ideas, so read on.
After our April 2024 visit, we left Disney's Hollywood Studios and were very disappointed in our day there. It was easily our least favorite theme park of the six we visited- including Universal Studios Florida. The biggest of the big "E ticket" draw attractions were two hour waits- no thank you. The theater shows were old. The restaurants we wanted to eat at were booked. Shopping seemed the same everywhere in the park except at Galaxy's Edge. I thought I wouldn't go back for several years (and yes, we did see Muppet*Vision 3D). Monsters Inc. Land will bring me back. It's two great movies filled with lovable characters.
I say, move the soon to be replaced Mike & Sully to the Rescue from Disney California Adventure and give the littles a dark ride with no height restriction. None at all in a park that needs it badly. But build that door coaster! Bring Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor from the Magic Kingdom. New shops and restaurants. Character meet and greets. It all could be a powerful draw.
Quite the attraction poster!
Where does all this leave the Jim Henson's Muppets? In pretty good shape, actually, with some forward thinking and a little investment.
They're already taking over Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. Move the 3D show to the theater next door, replacing Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy. Add back in the Miss Piggy Fountain to a park that needs more water features. Bring in the old Kermit statue that sits atop the former A&M Records lot in Hollywood. It's up for sale, so do it now.
Change can be a win-win if the Imagineers can bet creative with the financial backing of the suits. But that backing, my friends, is a BIG if.
(Concept art copyright The Walt Disney Company. Epcot photo copyright Mark Taft.)
August 14, 2024
The Plan to Save the Muppets at Walt Disney World
With Monsters announced for Disney's Hollywood Studios, fans of Jim Henson's Muppet Vision 3D are sweating pretty heavily. But there is a plan to save Muppets from the Monsters invasion. What will Josh D'Amaro approve? Will the plan to save the Muppets work?
After the bloodbath that is the removal of Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island for a Cars themed Frontierland, nothing is sacred. But we could put up a good fight if someone in the head offices and even Imagineering are paying attention- and fans like Frozen's Josh Gad have their voices heard.
Here's how to save the Muppets in a few easy steps:
1- Create a new 3D show. Keep it fresh, keep it true to the original vision of what Jim Henson had in mind. Make it fun again.
From plans for Discovery Bay.
2- Add a kid-friendly hot air balloon ride for kinetic energy, bringing movement above the rooftops to increase interest in exploring the land. Move guests above the rooftops, and let them enjoy the view.
3- Build a Muppets dark ride. It doesn't have to be an expensive version like the Great Muppet Movie Ride. Make it closer to Superstar Limo and take Kermit and Piggy on a ride through Hollywood but without the hip and edgy approach. Let's be honest- hip and edgy is not Disney's strong suit. (More here. Tons of concept art.)
4- Create a must-do dining experience by adding the Muppet Labs. Let guests eat among wacky inventions and props. Unique food teams are a big pull these days. Bring in the mobile labs. Please just make sure the food is good.
5- A mini- Muppets parade would bring in guests. Folks young and old love watching a cavalcade of characters.
6- Add some meet and greets. Draw those people in further.
7- Toss in a spinner of some type for atmosphere using characters other than Piggy and Kermit.
All these changes could make it into the Hollywood Studios version of Fantasyland but in a more intimate scale- and save the Muppet crew exactly where they are currently located.
If I can come up with something so simple that could work, why can't Disney? Simple reason- They do not want to.
(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)
December 1, 2018
Could Muppet*Vision 3D Leave Hollywood Studios?
Hmmm... Looks as if Muppet*Vision 3D could be going away. Regardless of how often the Disney suits try to reboot Jim Henson's beloved characters, things fall flat.
Take a look closely at the construction going on for Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge (courtesy bioreconstruct). What do you see? I see the Muppets backlot area stuck in the middle of the Galaxy and the existing Star Tours / Tatooine Traders complex. Now, we now the store is going through an extensive remodeling of its own.
The second photo shows how possible this really is. Would the suits really tear down the newly opened BaseLine Tap House on Grand Avenue? No, but they could cleverly close off the Muppets area and reuse it with a new entrance for more room to expand. Or provide additional access for the Star Wars themed hotel. Odder things have happened. Don't think so? Who would have ever guessed The Great Movie Ride would disappear? Now, anything is possible.
From another angle.
(Photograph copyright "bioreconstruct".)
November 21, 2014
Carpenters: As Time Goes By Leads to Yesterday Once More
Earlier this year, As Time Goes By, the final album of new music by Carpenters first became available in the United States. Ten years ago. Ten years!
Time does indeed go by. I've been trying to write this article for a very long time, way back since March or so. The problem is, it has been written and rewritten so many times and from many different angles. Why? It's an incredibly personal album for me as well as one that covers many periods of time. I just haven't been able to get a handle on how to approach the review until this final attempt. Now that the direction is determined, it's time to continue on with this retrospective of the Carpenters albums. I began with Offering / Ticket to Ride years ago, so here goes...
After Lovelines in 1989, Karen's solo album finally being released in 1996, and a multitude of compilations since (including their first boxed set From the Top, which I will review later), Richard Carpenter was inundated by requests from fans for every drop of material ever recorded by the duo. Voices from the United States, England and Japan clamored for more. Who could blame them? With the one of a kind voice of Karen Carpenter and Richard's well-thought arrangements, the Carpenters were an act to last generation after generation. As evidenced from interviews with musical artists of every decade, each generation produced a new set of fans, spreading the influence of the duo well beyond the prime of their career.
Looking back on the year 2004, anyone could glance at the charts of Billboard magazine and see it was the year of urban music, headlined by Usher, Alicia Keys, and an upcoming young band fronted by The Voice's Adam Levine, Maroon 5. The music business had changed drastically, and A&M Records itself was a shell of its former glory. Being sold first to PolyGram and then to Universal Music Group which acquired the previous owner, the music industry was generally lost in transformation. The era of the personalized record company as designed by Herb Alpert was over. i-tunes only cemented it.
Under the current state of the business, artists began to view their career, sales opportunities, and musical output differently than in the past. Of course, with Karen's untimely death in 1983, Richard Carpenter had already weathered so much change in career, let alone his personal life.
His first solo release Time was not well received by the buying public in 1987. A pretty good lead single kicked things off, Dusty Springfield singing Something in Your Eyes, but the album tanked. The disc (particularly on vinyl version) would become a collectors item as it went off the charts and out of print rather quickly. (Richard's next solo project would come many years later, and in an odd course of direction, it would be an instrumental version of old Carpenters hits.) With the relative failure of Time in mind, Richard's must have concluded the fans wanted the duo, not really seeing him as a solo artist but instead just the brains behind his sister's focal point voice. With these thoughts in mind of the industry executives as well, new releases that only rehashed their hits continued. Richard eventually came near to the end of the releasable material.
Thankfully, there were enough odds and ends left to consider a rarities disc, and As Time Goes By slowly began to take shape. Seeing the disc as the final one, Richard poured his heart into this project, believing this A&M Records release to be "just for the fans". If there is any truth to the catchphrase "labor of love", this certainly was it.
I had heard of this disc being released in Japan a few years prior, and I bought it as an import when it seemed the release was doomed to not find its way to the States. Just in case. At this point in my life, I was still a life-long fan, but other than a disc with something rare, I wasn't about to buy just another compilation. The money wasn't there. Four teens filled my house and filled my life.
For almost a decade, my AT&T career was now a thing of the past as I had chosen to focus on serving my community as a career choice. Certainly the pay was far less, but the satisfaction of doing something which put my faith in Christ in action made the trade off worth it. Some believed it a mid-life crisis, but my wife and I knew that this career was the right choice for all of us. A very personal note here: When this collection was released, our family was in the middle of a personal crisis which would change us forever. One we thought we would never recover from. Today, looking backward, I can tell you the Lord Jesus really does work out all things for good if we are truly his followers, but it did take some time for us to gain our balance.
Once I got past the cover, I discovered As Time Goes By fills the air with a varied look at the Carpenters' career. There's a mix of early unreleased songs, music from television specials, duets with iconic celebrities from generations past, and bits and pieces which help a fan understand a bit more what went wrong with their career in the late 1970s. Or perhaps why they seemed to have stalled out.
Originally, or should I say, in the first several attempts at this article, my plan was to review each song in the order in which it appears on the disc. It wasn't until several attempts later that I decided I would do so by chronological order of each song's recorded date. This would present a unique view of the disc, bringing it in line with Richard's liner notes encouraging the buyer to look at this as a "one CD boxed set". For better or worse, it would also result in the longest Carpenters album review ever written by me, as I would go into quite a bit of their history and how it effects the selections found on the disc. With that in mind, let's start "From the Top".
The first song displays great ambition by both Karen and Richard. The arrangement is stellar. The cut would be very fitting if it were placed in either album- on Offering (renamed later as Ticket to Ride) or even on Close to You, in the place of the equally creative and ambitious Another Song. Although Karen's voice is young, it's strong and impressive, giving the listener only the vaguest idea of what would lie ahead. Richard's arrangement is one of the best of his earlier work, giving the song its powerful lift. Particularly when compared to the original version.
In contrast to the first tune, the next cut shows covering the Beatles is almost never a good idea. Even for Karen and Richard. Ticket to Ride may be the exception of where it worked in their favor. Not so with Nowhere Man. Once the listener gets past the harmonica intro, the arrangement feels very similar to their first single release, yet not nearly as much a revelation or as successful. It's a bit draggy both in arrangement and in the vocal performance. Ticket is just a better recording all around, even in its original 1969 version versus the exceptional newly recorded one found on The Singles 1969-1973. It is good to have this recording of Nowhere Man if you are a completist (and I am). Please note that there is a version floating around the internet that is "unsweetened". It's very interesting to compare the two, a simple and perfect performance and then the one here enhanced with strings and additional production especially for this release.
The Superstar/Rainy Days and Mondays medley is a studio recording. It's a nice piece with added harmonica and strings. Yet, it feels like more a collector's item as it only magnifies how incredible the original versions of these singles are, especially when you consider Karen and Richard were both in their very early twenties when these were first recorded. (Interestingly, in an interview with Huffington Post to promote 40/40, Richard shares he never liked the production on the original Superstar.)
The second recording found on this disc is the Hits Medley '76. If you have seen the Carpenters in concert from the release of Hush or if you've purchased Live at the Palladium, you're familiar with this one. I was blessed to be able to see them live, so this medley is a favorite, live or in studio. As some of the singles represented in the live version were already performed on the show, the line-up is a bit different but just as powerful. Tony Peluso's blazing guitar work on Goodbye to Love is audio gold. In this writer's opinion, including the hits medley on the television show, instead of bringing in new material or the latest singles, communicated to the audience that Karen and Richard had peaked. It was a story they never intended to tell.
Jerry Weintraub may have been at the management helm, but Richard was still the main creative force for the duo. Deciding material, style, and production was still left up to him. As often admitted, the pressure on them to come up with the next hit, self-induced but always hinted at by the company, left Richard almost unable to make a decision.
The next several selections on this disc reveal either the Carpenters versatility and interests or Richard's inability to decide on a direction. My belief is it was the latter as the songs have no consistent thread in style or content.
When the Carpenters finally released the first single of 1977, the excellent All You Get From Love is a Love Song, it was their first lead single not to break the Top Twenty since Ticket to Ride, eight years earlier. Had the single been released in 1974 through 1976 there is no doubt it would have hit hard. On the heels of Goofus from Hush, this was not a good sign.
Once leading the pack and determining the musical landscape, now Karen and Richard were led by it. The current culture was dominated by Star Wars, disco hits, and country styled rock of the Eagles. The spacey, symphonic, majestic Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft made it to their next disc, but the live show and the television special that came next showcased a selection embracing the popularity of the hot science fiction/ fantasy genre in movies.
Time does indeed go by. I've been trying to write this article for a very long time, way back since March or so. The problem is, it has been written and rewritten so many times and from many different angles. Why? It's an incredibly personal album for me as well as one that covers many periods of time. I just haven't been able to get a handle on how to approach the review until this final attempt. Now that the direction is determined, it's time to continue on with this retrospective of the Carpenters albums. I began with Offering / Ticket to Ride years ago, so here goes...
After Lovelines in 1989, Karen's solo album finally being released in 1996, and a multitude of compilations since (including their first boxed set From the Top, which I will review later), Richard Carpenter was inundated by requests from fans for every drop of material ever recorded by the duo. Voices from the United States, England and Japan clamored for more. Who could blame them? With the one of a kind voice of Karen Carpenter and Richard's well-thought arrangements, the Carpenters were an act to last generation after generation. As evidenced from interviews with musical artists of every decade, each generation produced a new set of fans, spreading the influence of the duo well beyond the prime of their career.
Looking back on the year 2004, anyone could glance at the charts of Billboard magazine and see it was the year of urban music, headlined by Usher, Alicia Keys, and an upcoming young band fronted by The Voice's Adam Levine, Maroon 5. The music business had changed drastically, and A&M Records itself was a shell of its former glory. Being sold first to PolyGram and then to Universal Music Group which acquired the previous owner, the music industry was generally lost in transformation. The era of the personalized record company as designed by Herb Alpert was over. i-tunes only cemented it.
Under the current state of the business, artists began to view their career, sales opportunities, and musical output differently than in the past. Of course, with Karen's untimely death in 1983, Richard Carpenter had already weathered so much change in career, let alone his personal life.
His first solo release Time was not well received by the buying public in 1987. A pretty good lead single kicked things off, Dusty Springfield singing Something in Your Eyes, but the album tanked. The disc (particularly on vinyl version) would become a collectors item as it went off the charts and out of print rather quickly. (Richard's next solo project would come many years later, and in an odd course of direction, it would be an instrumental version of old Carpenters hits.) With the relative failure of Time in mind, Richard's must have concluded the fans wanted the duo, not really seeing him as a solo artist but instead just the brains behind his sister's focal point voice. With these thoughts in mind of the industry executives as well, new releases that only rehashed their hits continued. Richard eventually came near to the end of the releasable material.
Thankfully, there were enough odds and ends left to consider a rarities disc, and As Time Goes By slowly began to take shape. Seeing the disc as the final one, Richard poured his heart into this project, believing this A&M Records release to be "just for the fans". If there is any truth to the catchphrase "labor of love", this certainly was it.
For almost a decade, my AT&T career was now a thing of the past as I had chosen to focus on serving my community as a career choice. Certainly the pay was far less, but the satisfaction of doing something which put my faith in Christ in action made the trade off worth it. Some believed it a mid-life crisis, but my wife and I knew that this career was the right choice for all of us. A very personal note here: When this collection was released, our family was in the middle of a personal crisis which would change us forever. One we thought we would never recover from. Today, looking backward, I can tell you the Lord Jesus really does work out all things for good if we are truly his followers, but it did take some time for us to gain our balance.
Sans logo- a beautiful shot!
Checking the mail everyday, I waited and waited until the package arrived from Japan. In the new century, it wasn't very often a fan of the duo would get to open up a disc with new material. I tore open the mailing envelope very carefully. Disc in hand, I was thrilled (and still am) by the beautiful cover photo by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz.
Annie's work graced the Rolling Stone cover of Karen and Richard in years prior. In hindsight, this new and previously unseen photograph is powerful, even moreso than her earlier Rolling Stone cover. Although it's taken during the same sessions in 1974, there's something very different in approach here. Almost prophetic: first a sleeping Karen, exhausted, thin, and finally at rest. Then there's a disgruntled, perhaps angry, Richard looking elsewhere, deep in thought. Some have suggested he's looking after her legacy, ever watchful, and as always, not the focus of the duo.
Full version of the Rolling Stone cover is a collector's item,
and for a decent image, only this truncated version is on the web.
July 4th, 1974 issue of the magazine.
The best I could do with Photoshop...
Originally, or should I say, in the first several attempts at this article, my plan was to review each song in the order in which it appears on the disc. It wasn't until several attempts later that I decided I would do so by chronological order of each song's recorded date. This would present a unique view of the disc, bringing it in line with Richard's liner notes encouraging the buyer to look at this as a "one CD boxed set". For better or worse, it would also result in the longest Carpenters album review ever written by me, as I would go into quite a bit of their history and how it effects the selections found on the disc. With that in mind, let's start "From the Top".
Strangely colored photo from the time with Annie in May 1974.
Was it distorted for the poorly overlooked official Carpenters website?
Both California Dreamin', originally by the Mamas and the Papas, and Nowhere Man by the Beatles would be first on the disc when looked at in order of recorded date. The year was 1967. The duo's first album, Offering, was not yet released nor was our duo even signed to A&M Records. They were recording in bassist Joe Osborn's garage studio. These were the formative years.The first song displays great ambition by both Karen and Richard. The arrangement is stellar. The cut would be very fitting if it were placed in either album- on Offering (renamed later as Ticket to Ride) or even on Close to You, in the place of the equally creative and ambitious Another Song. Although Karen's voice is young, it's strong and impressive, giving the listener only the vaguest idea of what would lie ahead. Richard's arrangement is one of the best of his earlier work, giving the song its powerful lift. Particularly when compared to the original version.
In contrast to the first tune, the next cut shows covering the Beatles is almost never a good idea. Even for Karen and Richard. Ticket to Ride may be the exception of where it worked in their favor. Not so with Nowhere Man. Once the listener gets past the harmonica intro, the arrangement feels very similar to their first single release, yet not nearly as much a revelation or as successful. It's a bit draggy both in arrangement and in the vocal performance. Ticket is just a better recording all around, even in its original 1969 version versus the exceptional newly recorded one found on The Singles 1969-1973. It is good to have this recording of Nowhere Man if you are a completist (and I am). Please note that there is a version floating around the internet that is "unsweetened". It's very interesting to compare the two, a simple and perfect performance and then the one here enhanced with strings and additional production especially for this release.
Moving on, the next selection is from September of 1971. And When He Smiles is an interesting piece of work. It's found on a DVD release of BBC's televised concert of the Carpenters first UK television special. By this point in time, the duo were very well known. With several hits in the United States under their belt, it was time to conquer Europe, and they certainly did.
On Smiles, the vibe here is early 70's cool a la A&M. Karen sounds totally relaxed but still perfect. The arrangement brings to mind Love is Surrender as well as sections of the Bacharach Medley found on their Tan album which was released earlier in the same year. The video of the song comes across just as well. There's a playfulness and a joy among all the members of the band. It was clear they were enjoying the work and the success of their labor.
The Perry Como Christmas Special was finally released on DVD in 2013.
The next selection comes a few years later. By 1974, Richard and Karen were established superstars at the top of the charts. With gold records, Number One albums and singles, sold out concerts, and legions of fans all over the world, it was hard to imagine they could go any higher or be under pressure to follow one hit after another. At this point in time, Karen was as her peak vocally, and Richard showed his versatility by the varied textures found on their studio albums. The Singles 1969-1973 had just become one of the best selling albums ever, both in the States and in the United Kingdom. Their next album, the yet-unnamed landmark Horizon, was several months away, eventually finding its release date in the following year.
To hold fans and radio over, a rehash of an earlier hit from A Song For You was released. It was a testament to their popularity that a song from 1972 would be a hit in 1974, especially when millions of fans had already purchased it on an album, and there had been another new collection, Now & Then, released in between.
I was expecting a single from a new album in the Fall of '74, not a Christmas single, but a stunning version of Santa Claus is Coming to Town was put out for the season. That song would end up as part of their appearance on the television special hosted in December of that year by Perry Como, one of Karen and Richard's favorite crooners.
Perry himself was a fan of the duo, having recorded early Carpenters hits, Close to You and We've Only Just Begun, for his album of the same year as his smash single It's Impossible in 1970. In preparation for the show, they would all perform together, singing segments of each other's hits. It was an incredibly good idea as both Karen and Perry had voices in the same timbre; both were very likable and highly respected for their pure, warm tones. Although many songs were put together for the medley, the clear centerpiece is Karen's effortless reading of It's Impossible. The warmth, the yearning, the tenderness in her performance makes it a standout. Had Perry's take on the song not been a hit just a few years earlier, it would have made quite the fitting addition to the music eventually found on Horizon.
As with Nowhere Man, another version of the medley can be found on the internet. Richard's liner notes in this disc give a full and detailed explanation of why there are two.
The next selections on this package reveal a turning point in the Carpenters success on the charts, but more importantly, they signal a change in strategy regarding their career. Chronologically, they also fall about in the middle of the selections on this disc.
Most music critics would label 1975's album Horizon as the duo's most sophisticated effort. It sold very well, especially in the United Kingdom, but it did not have the staying power on the charts of previous releases. The final single release from the disc, the incredible Solitaire, fell shy of the Top Ten.
Neil Sedaka was not only the man behind the composition of Solitaire (along with Phil Cody), he also became a thorn in the side of Richard. As their most recent opening act, Sedaka stole the show with his high energy hit-filled performance and violated professional courtesies, causing Richard to have him fired.
For the first time, bad press came for something more than Karen and Richard's music or image. With less than expected sales of Horizon and its singles, the Sedaka incident, and just being exhausted, both Karen's anorexia and Richard's pill addiction grew even deeper roots. It was time for a change. And this change brought about the next few selections found on As Time Goes By.
Perhaps it was this changing tide in their sales that made Richard and Karen rethink their direction. This thought process advocated some wholesale changes to their concerts and rethinking their career. They came to fruition after many conversations but most particularly with Karen's then boyfriend, music executive Terry Ellis. He loved Karen, had befriended Richard, and was a force to be reckoned with in the music business. The search began to replace long-time manager Sherwin Bash.
Enter Jerry Weintraub. Superstar manager whose clients included Frank Sinatra, Neil Diamond, and John Denver, among many others. Richard and Karen were ready for change, and Jerry was ready to move in and take over. Convincing them they had already reached their sales peak, as he felt most acts normally do over time, Jerry talked them into doing their first television special which would air in the Fall. It did well in the ratings, but at times, it also represented them in a less than favorable light.
The newest album released just a few months after Karen and Richard hired Weintraub, A Kind of Hush was even softer and more Adult Contemporary than anything the Carpenters had put to vinyl in the past. Although it contained some beautiful leads by Karen, plenty of background vocal layers, and the heartbreakingly autobiographical I Need to Be in Love, this lone album single handedly tossed away any credibility they'd won with Rock and Roll fans while revealing how out of touch the Carpenters were with the record buying public. In the gravest of errors to represent this body of work, someone chose to put out a novelty tune from the 30's as a single. Whether or not it was intentional, this became career sabotage. The disc sold less than Horizon and only produced two solid hits, each ranking lower than those on the previous album.
By the time work started on the television special, it was decided to focus on the best loved hits, interestingly excluding the two found on Hush. This resulted in two medleys, both found on this "one CD boxed set".
Screenshot from Lyricist Phil Cody's book, Beyond Words and Music.
Most music critics would label 1975's album Horizon as the duo's most sophisticated effort. It sold very well, especially in the United Kingdom, but it did not have the staying power on the charts of previous releases. The final single release from the disc, the incredible Solitaire, fell shy of the Top Ten.
Rare photo of the Carpenters with Neil Sedaka.
A great pairing for concert goers, a disaster for the duo.
Karen with music executive boyfriend Terry Ellis in 1974.
Perhaps it was this changing tide in their sales that made Richard and Karen rethink their direction. This thought process advocated some wholesale changes to their concerts and rethinking their career. They came to fruition after many conversations but most particularly with Karen's then boyfriend, music executive Terry Ellis. He loved Karen, had befriended Richard, and was a force to be reckoned with in the music business. The search began to replace long-time manager Sherwin Bash.
Not sure Jerry Weintraub did them any favors in the long run.
The newest album released just a few months after Karen and Richard hired Weintraub, A Kind of Hush was even softer and more Adult Contemporary than anything the Carpenters had put to vinyl in the past. Although it contained some beautiful leads by Karen, plenty of background vocal layers, and the heartbreakingly autobiographical I Need to Be in Love, this lone album single handedly tossed away any credibility they'd won with Rock and Roll fans while revealing how out of touch the Carpenters were with the record buying public. In the gravest of errors to represent this body of work, someone chose to put out a novelty tune from the 30's as a single. Whether or not it was intentional, this became career sabotage. The disc sold less than Horizon and only produced two solid hits, each ranking lower than those on the previous album.
By the time work started on the television special, it was decided to focus on the best loved hits, interestingly excluding the two found on Hush. This resulted in two medleys, both found on this "one CD boxed set".
Switching places. Both Richard and Karen look terrific here.
The Superstar/Rainy Days and Mondays medley is a studio recording. It's a nice piece with added harmonica and strings. Yet, it feels like more a collector's item as it only magnifies how incredible the original versions of these singles are, especially when you consider Karen and Richard were both in their very early twenties when these were first recorded. (Interestingly, in an interview with Huffington Post to promote 40/40, Richard shares he never liked the production on the original Superstar.)
The second recording found on this disc is the Hits Medley '76. If you have seen the Carpenters in concert from the release of Hush or if you've purchased Live at the Palladium, you're familiar with this one. I was blessed to be able to see them live, so this medley is a favorite, live or in studio. As some of the singles represented in the live version were already performed on the show, the line-up is a bit different but just as powerful. Tony Peluso's blazing guitar work on Goodbye to Love is audio gold. In this writer's opinion, including the hits medley on the television show, instead of bringing in new material or the latest singles, communicated to the audience that Karen and Richard had peaked. It was a story they never intended to tell.
Jerry Weintraub may have been at the management helm, but Richard was still the main creative force for the duo. Deciding material, style, and production was still left up to him. As often admitted, the pressure on them to come up with the next hit, self-induced but always hinted at by the company, left Richard almost unable to make a decision.
The next several selections on this disc reveal either the Carpenters versatility and interests or Richard's inability to decide on a direction. My belief is it was the latter as the songs have no consistent thread in style or content.
When the Carpenters finally released the first single of 1977, the excellent All You Get From Love is a Love Song, it was their first lead single not to break the Top Twenty since Ticket to Ride, eight years earlier. Had the single been released in 1974 through 1976 there is no doubt it would have hit hard. On the heels of Goofus from Hush, this was not a good sign.
Once leading the pack and determining the musical landscape, now Karen and Richard were led by it. The current culture was dominated by Star Wars, disco hits, and country styled rock of the Eagles. The spacey, symphonic, majestic Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft made it to their next disc, but the live show and the television special that came next showcased a selection embracing the popularity of the hot science fiction/ fantasy genre in movies.
The Close Encounters / Star Wars medley finds Richard front and center, doing what he loves. If for Karen the drums were always a pleasure, the same can be said for Richard and the piano. It's a beautiful piece, and I only wish it were free of the association with the movies so listeners could here it as the art it is.
In 1978, Leave Yesterday Behind, was cut as was Dancing in the Street. Both looked to the past. Leave was composed by the team that wrote For All We Know, and the similarities between the two are obvious. Still, it's a lovely song but certainly not singles material.
Heading in an even different direction compared to the last two recordings, Dancing in the Street returns the duo to the oldies format which worked well for a season (Now & Then album; Please Mr. Postman single) but soured later by being repeated too often. The Carpenters and this song go way back in the history of the duo.
Dancing in 1968
Dancing in the Street has been covered by so many artists, that it's no wonder that the Carpenters were also won over by its charms. It's also popular with fans, being recorded by everyone from Mick Jagger and David Bowie to KC (of Sunshine Band fame) and Terri DeSario. In a bit of confession, let me say there isn't a version of this song that I don't like. Karen and Richard first recorded the classic Motown hit in 1968 in an entirely different style than what we hear on As Time Goes By.
They must have loved this song. It was rerecorded by them ten years later in a slick pop/disco style. Infamously unavailable as one of several songs considered for single release on an album which never made its debut. Yet, it would eventually debut on television.
The duo does disco in 1978!
There is one connecting point of interest. Paul Riser, who did the arrangement for the original Motown version also arranged the 1978 recording by the Carpenters. Does his name sound familiar? It should. Paul was also the arranger for the duo's 1978 single release, (and yet another turn in style), I Believe You.
First officially heard on the duo's Space Encounters television special, Dancing does have a nice swing to it and ends with an impressive saxophone fade out. The television visual is a little odd, sort of sock hop meets disco hybrid. Richard looks like he's having a bit of fun, and Karen seems to be enjoying herself, weaving in and out of the dancers.
Being an oldie, there's some similarities in production to a later recording, a remake of The Marvelettes' Beechwood 4-5789, the same group that brought Please Mr. Postman to the public's ear. This Motown oldie was found on the Carpenters comeback album, Made in America. Aside from hearing the very smooth background vocals in each of these two songs, Dancing seems a bit fresher in comparison. That said, Tony Peluso does some great guitar work on the 1981 recording, but Postman bests both. Upon several listens to the song on the CD, I wondered if a full length version exists, although I'm sure Richard would have put it out as such if it did. Especially since this is a mini-boxed set of rarities.
Since this is a compilation of rarities from the duo's work, the disc skips past Karen's solo album and heads into what they recorded once it was decided her album would not be released when intended.
Since this is a compilation of rarities from the duo's work, the disc skips past Karen's solo album and heads into what they recorded once it was decided her album would not be released when intended.
Clearly thin, but she looks very elegant.
Perhaps Richard tired of trying to join in on the musical trends of the day or what worked in the past. His decision to record songs from the Great American Songbook was a stroke of genius- and a huge step ahead of other artists who would one day make doing so a rite of passage.
For fans of the duo's excellent television special from 1980, Music, Music, Music, the collection of songs on the disc would be more than welcome as several selections finally appear here. There was no follow up video release of the much admired but lowly rated broadcast. The only previously released song from the show was When I Fall in Love- which finally made its way onto the 1989 release Lovelines almost a decade later.
Guest stars on the special would be Ella Fitzgerald, and John Davidson, and the Nelson Riddle Orchestra. The arrangements of Nelson Riddle would take center stage in the music for the special, giving the whole presentation a timeless feel that Richard worked hard to achieve. Given the year it was created, this was a bold move on his part. Bravo, Richard!
Beginning with the full version of Without A Song, their famously layered vocals create quite the opening cut. Karen completes the song taking on the Ella Fitzgerald lines, and Richard confidently tackles John's part and reminds us his voice can be a capable instrument as well. Even the choir belongs here. This recording is well done, making the listener forget this was originally a group effort that also included John Davidson, a likable man but with star quality much less than those in his company.
It's well known by now that Karen and Richard had pressed copies of the songs from this television special onto vinyl as a gift for their family, friends, and closest associates. It's unfortunate that they and A&M Records couldn't take a leap of faith with the music and release it at the time of the special. Always tasteful and rarely indulgent, both Richard and Karen shine on these all American standards. It would have made an excellent follow up to the freshness and bite of Passage and the timeless charms of Christmas Portrait. (Just imagine if Karen's solo album had been released when originally intended and was included in this line-up of albums. Talk about versatility! The only other artists I can think of with this eclectic album styles are Madonna and Sting, both who constantly reinvent themselves.) Unfortunately, it would take Linda Ronstadt releasing "Whats' New" in 1983 to give other artists the courage to record a full album of these timeless classics. (Was Linda a fan of I Can Dream Can't I? from 1975's Horizon? Or was she watching Music, Music, Music at home?)
Irving Berlin wrote the next number, You're Just in Love, another song that made it's debut on television before it did on disc. Richard stands in for the performance by John Davidson, doing a more than decent job, but creating a "brother knows best" scenario versus one of two young lovers speaking. It's old fashioned, dated, charming, and one of Karen's loveliest vocals. She goes into her rich lower register often, reminding us of her ease and greatness in front of a microphone. The lyrics briefly give Carpenters fans a bit of unfortunate double meaning, but Richard's arrangement is appropriately old school fluff and very, very effective. One of my favorite cuts. Even the choir fits in well!
If a casual or curious music fan needed one reason to purchase this disc, the next selection is it. The Karen / Ella medley showcases two American treasures. Pairing Karen with Ella Fitzgerald was another stroke of genius by Richard. This decision alone probably did more to cement Karen's place as one of the 20th Century's greatest singers as much as all the duo's hit singles combined. You just had to take Karen much more seriously when she could hold her own with one of America's most respected and beloved vocalists.
Creating well-crafted medleys was always one of Richard's strengths. It's no exception here. Richard may not be present vocally, but his skill at bringing out the best in Karen is in full presence here. Certainly his strength in song selection plays out well, but in this cut, it dawned on me that perhaps Richard was also Karen's vocal coach. And to what great result! The medley begins slowly, covering This Masquerade and builds from there. The ladies sound like they were meant to be together, each shining as well as allowing the other do the same.
I've read several reviews where My Funny Valentine is pointed out as the strongest piece, but I see it (hear it!) a little differently. Someone to Watch Over Me highlights everything I love about Karen's vocals. It's warm and intimate, tender, and full of yearning. When she croons "I'm a little lamb whose lost in the wood, I know I could always be good to one who''ll watch over me", I'm totally disarmed. Almost as if I'm hearing her for the first time, I can't believe what I am listening to, and I am instantly a life-long fan again. I rejoice for what was, and I grieve for what could have been. What a talent and what a loss.
There are many personal connections to this disc, so playing it takes me places I do not always want to go. It's much like how I view the life and career of the duo. They are wrapped into the fabric of my life, and I associate certain albums and songs to joyful or difficult eras. The music found here covers so many of them. I guess I'd honestly say I prefer my music to have emotional and spiritual impact than to just tickle my ears. If you're new to the Carpenters or just made it through this massive article and are still reading, let me encourage you to dig a bit deeper into their catalog. Karen and Richard successfully touched hearts and continue to do so almost 50 years after they'd only just begun.
-------------
For fans of the duo's excellent television special from 1980, Music, Music, Music, the collection of songs on the disc would be more than welcome as several selections finally appear here. There was no follow up video release of the much admired but lowly rated broadcast. The only previously released song from the show was When I Fall in Love- which finally made its way onto the 1989 release Lovelines almost a decade later.
Guest stars on the special would be Ella Fitzgerald, and John Davidson, and the Nelson Riddle Orchestra. The arrangements of Nelson Riddle would take center stage in the music for the special, giving the whole presentation a timeless feel that Richard worked hard to achieve. Given the year it was created, this was a bold move on his part. Bravo, Richard!
It's well known by now that Karen and Richard had pressed copies of the songs from this television special onto vinyl as a gift for their family, friends, and closest associates. It's unfortunate that they and A&M Records couldn't take a leap of faith with the music and release it at the time of the special. Always tasteful and rarely indulgent, both Richard and Karen shine on these all American standards. It would have made an excellent follow up to the freshness and bite of Passage and the timeless charms of Christmas Portrait. (Just imagine if Karen's solo album had been released when originally intended and was included in this line-up of albums. Talk about versatility! The only other artists I can think of with this eclectic album styles are Madonna and Sting, both who constantly reinvent themselves.) Unfortunately, it would take Linda Ronstadt releasing "Whats' New" in 1983 to give other artists the courage to record a full album of these timeless classics. (Was Linda a fan of I Can Dream Can't I? from 1975's Horizon? Or was she watching Music, Music, Music at home?)
Time for a little George and Ira Gershwin. This piece was intended to be a bit campy and fun as well as giving Karen a chance to show off some drumming, a la Live at the Palladium, but the opening vocals are just lovely. There are times when Karen could crank up the power, and there are times when her voice glides effortlessly through a melody. I Got Rhythm succeeds because of the arrangement choosing the latter approach. Richard wisely lets Karen sing and keeps the instrumentation to a minimum. Among many special songs found here, this one is an unexpected gem.
Dizzy Fingers. I do like Richard's instrumentals, but I so wish he would have included Slaughter on Tenth Avenue instead. It may have been a concession to time restraints on the disc. Dizzy Fingers is frantic, melodic and relatively brief. Richard clearly enjoyed the keys and that simple joy of making music is evident here.
With John Davidson on the Music x 3 set.
Ella meets her match.
If a casual or curious music fan needed one reason to purchase this disc, the next selection is it. The Karen / Ella medley showcases two American treasures. Pairing Karen with Ella Fitzgerald was another stroke of genius by Richard. This decision alone probably did more to cement Karen's place as one of the 20th Century's greatest singers as much as all the duo's hit singles combined. You just had to take Karen much more seriously when she could hold her own with one of America's most respected and beloved vocalists.
Creating well-crafted medleys was always one of Richard's strengths. It's no exception here. Richard may not be present vocally, but his skill at bringing out the best in Karen is in full presence here. Certainly his strength in song selection plays out well, but in this cut, it dawned on me that perhaps Richard was also Karen's vocal coach. And to what great result! The medley begins slowly, covering This Masquerade and builds from there. The ladies sound like they were meant to be together, each shining as well as allowing the other do the same.
I've read several reviews where My Funny Valentine is pointed out as the strongest piece, but I see it (hear it!) a little differently. Someone to Watch Over Me highlights everything I love about Karen's vocals. It's warm and intimate, tender, and full of yearning. When she croons "I'm a little lamb whose lost in the wood, I know I could always be good to one who''ll watch over me", I'm totally disarmed. Almost as if I'm hearing her for the first time, I can't believe what I am listening to, and I am instantly a life-long fan again. I rejoice for what was, and I grieve for what could have been. What a talent and what a loss.
The sweet playful side comes out for Miss Piggy.
Chronologically, the last selection is the most bittersweet. The lyrics make it this collection's Look to Your Dreams. While recording for Made in America, Richard selected the now classic Paul Williams tune, The Rainbow Connection. Wisely, it did not make that 1981 disc, and it should have been held for a children's or movie themed album. Fans heard of it and soon were practically demanding its release.
Here was the woman who loved Disneyland and Mickey Mouse singing a song made famous by Kermit the Frog. The performance is befitting the sentiment. Even though Richard says Karen really disliked it, I believe this song was just as much a part of her as My Body Keeps Changing My Mind. She was a complex woman, full of varied opinions and even contradictions. In the context of a career and life cut way too short, this song is a timeless and powerful slice of Carpenters history.
All good things must come to an end.
There are many personal connections to this disc, so playing it takes me places I do not always want to go. It's much like how I view the life and career of the duo. They are wrapped into the fabric of my life, and I associate certain albums and songs to joyful or difficult eras. The music found here covers so many of them. I guess I'd honestly say I prefer my music to have emotional and spiritual impact than to just tickle my ears. If you're new to the Carpenters or just made it through this massive article and are still reading, let me encourage you to dig a bit deeper into their catalog. Karen and Richard successfully touched hearts and continue to do so almost 50 years after they'd only just begun.
-------------
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:
My Initial Reviews of the albums:
July 15, 2010
Disney Park Countdown- #5 Disney California Adventure
Drum roll, please... Coming in at Number 5- Disney California Adventure!
Once the laughing stock of the stateside Disney parks, Disneyland's younger sister is in the midst of a makeover fit for an ugly duckling. And what an ugly ducking it was!
Boasting the most unappealing entrance ever to a stateside park, DCA was an enormous failure for the company that produced it. Although the marketing frenzy was in full blitz upon its opening in 2001, the end result was a mish-mash of ideas and quality, and the public was smart enough to notice.
The place couldn't decide exactly what it was. Once inside, an ugly carnival made up the largest piece of real estate in the park, the Hollywood Backlot resembled a junkyard with all the exposed steel, and the quality and quantity of attractions made decades old Disney fans stand up and take notice for all the wrong reasons. The park was so cheaply designed, the concept art even looks mediocre! (Follow my "Bargain Basement Imagineering" series starting here.)
However, there were bits of elegance to be found in the Golden State forest and Winery, with small gems of attractions hidden inside the amazing Animation exhibit. Although the Wharf area consisted of only eateries, all combined these areas did give the park a slight World Showcase feel.
It's been almost a decade since opening, and the park has changed for the better overall. Things that were once weaknesses are beginning to be a small part of its strengths. In an economy still struggling, the many attractions that were imported from Walt Disney World are now saving me a trip to Florida!
I love The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and Turtle Talk with Crush. Glad they are here, even if the former comes in an abbreviated form! Two 3D movies from Florida also show up - one from Animal Kingdom and one from the Studios, the Muppets. Then add in an Animation attraction that is better then the one in the Studios. The Great Movie Ride is the only attraction as an excuse left for visiting that Florida park. And it is one that will probably get passed over if I'm ever short on time.
As far as original attractions, Soarin' Over California, is a favorite! I still consider myself a Californian at heart, so flying over my home state never ceases to thrill me and add a tear to my eye. This attraction so perfectly fits in the park's Condor Flats area. Much more so than it ever can at Epcot's Future World! (But then, Crush fits so much better in The Seas pavilion!) Grizzly River Run seems like an entirely different attraction than the bland and too short Kali River Rapids, even though they are the same commonplace ride system. Lastly, as much as I hate the fact it is without a theme as strong as the other Disney coasters, California Screamin' is just too much fun! Still, there are not many unique attractions, unless you count the state fair types found in Paradise Pier- and I do not.
Of the newest additions, Tower aside, the Monsters Inc. dark ride succeeds the most. The story is great, and the execution far better than most of all the similar "C" ticket rides at Disneyland. Yes, I'd rank it up there- almost with Peter Pan! Other additions fall all over the scale. Bugs Land? Great theming, more carnival rides. Midway Mania? Fun and engaging but the park really didn't need it- aside from being the first piece of a Paradise Pier makeover. The theater presentation of Aladdin is the best Disney theme park production period.
Shopping? California Adventure is hardly worth the time and effort aside from Rushin' River Outfitters and Off the Page; the first for smartly themed outdoor gear and the second for Disney movie fans, as the place is filled with animation art and books on the subject. Everything else? Well, think High School Musical and Hannah Montana.
On the other hand, the dining options were once varied and plentiful, then shabby, and now getting better. (A coffeehouse inside a train? How cool is that?) I think the Disney suits decided its guests really love some great choices along the lines of those found at Epcot's World Showcase and Disney's Animal Kingdom. Looks like eateries and atmosphere for dining are going to get better and better- especially if the terrific Marachi Divas continue to play on the Wharf!
In 2010, we are almost at the half way point in the park's one billion dollar makeover. The results have focused on making the Pier truly a slice of paradise by revamping the steel rides with a fast and cheap cosmetic makeover. The changes to the games, shops, and restaurants are in process. A lavish Little Mermaid attraction is on the way. (Had they built the originally conceived Circle of Hands, would we ever see Mermaid?) There is finally a nighttime show- the well received World of Color. More is on thee way. (In fact, my blog series on California Adventure's art has transformed into a series entitled Imagineering a New Dream- and you can find it here.) As the park now stands, it currently holds some of my favorite attractions from Walt Disney World and will soon add a version of another (Radiator Springs Racers is Test Track transformed.)
Longtime readers of this blog might ask, "What changed your mind about California Adventure?" after noticing it is now above the two lesser parks in Florida. The answer is pretty simple. With a much better variety of attractions and experiences than at opening, the park is becoming a place that is just plain fun! It doesn't shove an agenda in your face like Animal Kingdom, and it isn't just an excuse to push the latest Disney film and its merchandise like the Studios. The future also looks bright with the coming Buena Vista Street and Cars Land. In fact, there is so much change coming, my next "Best Of" list may be revised in a few years.
Speaking of this list, like the transformation of California Adventure, we are also at the half way point. Just as the Walt Disney Studios Paris is in a (poor) class all its own, the three I just ranked are still many notches below the ones remaining. The Top Four ranked parks are so close to each other, it is making committing to my decision difficult. Very difficult.
(Photos copyright Mark Taft.)
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