Carpenters

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With their light, airy melodies and meticulously crafted, clean arrangements, the Carpenters stood in direct contrast with the excessive, gaudy pop/rock of the ’70s; yet they became one of the most popular artists of the decade, scoring 12 Top Ten hits, including three number one singles.

Karen Carpenter’s calm, often somber voice was the most distinctive element of their music, settling in perfectly amidst the precise, lush arrangements provided by her brother Richard. The duo’s sound drew more from pre-rock pop than rock & roll, but that didn’t prevent the Carpenters from appealing to a variety of audiences, particularly Top 40, easy listening, and adult contemporary. While their popularity declined during the latter half of the ’70s, they remained one of the most distinctive and recognizable acts the decade produced.

The Carpenters formed in the late ’60s in Downey, CA, after their family moved from their native New Haven, CT. Richard had played piano with a cocktail jazz trio in a handful of local Connecticut nightclubs. Once the family had moved to California, he began to study piano while he supported Karen in a trio that featured Wes Jacobs (tuba/bass). With Jacobs and Richard forming her backup band, Karen was signed to the local Californian record label Magic Lamp, who released two unsuccessful singles by the singer. The trio won a Battle of the Bands contest at the Hollywood Bowl in 1966, which led to a record contract with RCA. Signing under the name the Richard Carpenter Trio, the group cut four songs that were never released. Jacobs left the band at the beginning of 1968.

Tagged as:

pop, 70s, female vocalists, oldies, easy listening
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1	We've Only Just Begun full track	1,247
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9	Please Mr. Postman full track	514
10	Sing full track	403
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vikingmuffin wrote:
yesterday afternoon

I'm 19 and I love The Carpenters =)

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mickeybrasil wrote:
Saturday evening

Check out our videoclip for Please Mister Postman (Beatles version): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCumg8FMlZE -Made by 14 years old Beatles fans with love. :)

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clowezra wrote:
Friday afternoon

ingl, just hearing CTY in the wedding video in the simpsons movie pretty much made the film for me<3

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annurr wrote:
last week

why tagged as 'oldies' i'm not an oldie and i dig the carpenters.

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edith_marshall wrote:
13 days ago

No, last.fm, it's The Carpenters

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xmomica wrote:
last month

i love u Karen......

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amromo wrote:
last month

"don't be naive dave, 'Close To You', We've Only Just Begun'?- Songs of madness and obsession." haha! :D

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Chrisgovea wrote:
last month

Karen was such a great drummer ^_^

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xripper9 wrote:
last month

Don't you remember you told me you loved me baby? :/

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ElioLopes wrote:
last month

Just sing, sing a song! brings me a kind of nostalgia

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captainjjb wrote:
last month

absolute class act, ignore the squeaky clean image

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savasci wrote:
last month

Yes. Yes, they do. You don't like 'em? Kiss my starfish.

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eletricalmonkss wrote:
last month

I don't care what anybody says, The Carpenters kick ass

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EBI-_-CHILLA wrote:
September 2009

1408

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Amelie1st wrote:
September 2009

i'm in love with Karen's voice

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YujiShimada wrote:
September 2009

Love Karen's voice.

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kaiserzeitgeist wrote:
September 2009

So sad.... Pretty, smart, sensitive, skilled, creative, orginal Karen...and yet it wasn't good enough to be okay. Sheesh, just think what all the ugly, stupid, clueless, clumsy, uninventive and imitative people have to live with. :^( If I got three wishes tonight, one I would spend on bringing Karen back to us.

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joseies wrote:
September 2009

:)

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jeeys wrote:
September 2009

*_______________*! the most beautiful voice *-*!

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Rissacakes wrote:
September 2009

Sigh. I never get tired of Karen's voice. Beauty beyond words.

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