The carpenters

One of the first songs i heard.

Really like this song..today's song

I am so happy i picked up a new CD of the carpenters i hadnt heard before from the library called 'as time goes by' its got lots of rare recordings..stuff they did on tv and others that werent released as singles or on other albums.

Heaven!!

The only Roberta Flack song I know is 'killing me softly' but thats such a nice song and other people have also covered it.

I cant think of any singer that tops Karen...

I can think of some that are special like Bette Midler, whitney Houston, Mariah carey (when shes not hysterical) but they tend to be the 'belting' type of singer.

I think the thing about Karen is clarity and purity, along with richness and a natural alto. Also, she said she sang 'pretty' i mean she didnt sing anything ugly and raw. She could sing high but her register was low. And that made her voice so immediate. She didnt need to 'show off' like many singers fall in that showbiz trap.

I can go on..what made Karen so special. Most people just said she sang like an angel.

Ok thanks I will check it out.
On the 'times go by' album Karen has a duet with Ella Fitzgerald. I like Ella, but, of course she sings in a different style to Karen. Slower, I suppose. I am just used to Karens phrasing.

Another black singer/artist I really like is Nina Simone.

Ok, while I like Nina Simone's version..Karen really nailed it here. She WAS little girl blue

Beatles covers carpenters did..

ticket to ride
help!
Nowhere man

Im sure there might be some more but off top of my head...

Baby its you and please mr postman were also done by beatles as covers, carpenters did covers of these songs.

today's song

One of Karens favourites

So cute! I think Karen could have been in movie musical comedies back in the day.

Anyone watching tv in nz..there will be a documentary on Karen Carpenter tomorrow on tv one at 9:30 called Karen Carpenter autopsy.

I think its going to examine how she died and her anorexia.

My thoughts on her autospy...

The doco interviewed a forensic guy who explained the autopsy. Apparently, she had been recovering from anorexia physically when she died, she was a healthy weight. But inside, her heart had weakened. She had also been taking ipecac syrup, to hasten the purging (she was now binging and purging, common for anorexics to do when eating again) anti depressant ativan (lorazepam), laxatives, and synthroid..a thyroid medication which she shouldnt have cos nothing was wrong with her thyroid. She took it to hasten her metabolism.

She had skipped the anti depressant that she had been pescribed and took the syrup, the synthroid in massive doses, and had recovered from her use of laxatives, which ppl discovered she had been abusing, like they had found them everywhere. The ipecac when taken in large doses has a poison called emetic(sp.) and this, combined with the synthroid, which sped up her heart rate, contributed to her death. Four months previously, shed been hospitalised and had to be fed intravenously.

Psychologically, she never got over her low self-esteem caused by being teased as a girl for being fat, and her mother favouring her musical genius brother Richard over her.

They said back in the 70s, thin was in.
I think women were told they could never be too thin. Well you can!

The doco also interviewed her friends that knew her. Karen never talked about her disease. She hid it from others, her eating habits were pushing round food on her plate, although she loved snicker bars. Later when she got back to eating again, she became bulimic meaning she would eat and then make herself throw up.

Which is also what Princess .diana did. I had a friend who was anorexic-bulimic. What it comes down to is insecurity. I think that stems from lack of love or affection and having that affect you psychologically. Of course richard loved his sister but they were perfectionists. Her dad, not sure about the relationship there but her mother apparently was driven and neglected Karen. She never felt she could compare or was good enough.

Richard had his own problems at the time abusing quaaludes to help him sleep.

Being a star that she was, i think the pressure to front the carpenters got to her. Being a shy person naturally she had to act the part. But you would never have known anything was wrong when she was performing. She would have rather stayed behind the drums as she was a drummer first before just happening to have this marvelous voice.

It was awful shock for people when she died at only age 32. The carpenters sold millions of records. In 1983 they were considering a music comeback as their hits had tapered out after the 70s. At the time, this wasnt in the doco but read this in her bio by Randy schmidt. She had recorded a solo album but without .richard, the magic just wasnt there. She wanted to try being without him but it didnt work. Also, she had married this con artist Tom Burris. He later revealed he didnt want children with her and was really only after her money. She was signing divorce papers before she died and went back to living with her parents.

The next autopsy is going to be on .elvis presley. Should be interesting...