The Carpenters is an American group where rather a duo composed of Richard and Karen Carpenter, brother and sister in life. Magic duo that will produce no less than 11 albums, 31 singles and which is considered one of the groups having sold the most records in the world to date.
On the Charts side, three of their singles will finish No.1, five singles will finish No.2 and twelve will finish in the Top10 of the Billboard Hot 100.
They really started their artistic career in 1967 when they joined the group "Spectrum" along with four other apprentice musicians like them. Adventure that will last 1 year without producing brilliant results.
It was not until 1969 that the A&M label noticed them after listening to their first productions recorded on a demo tape that they made in a friend's garage ...
They released their first album "Offering" the same year under the group name Carpenters. Albums which contains many compositions of Richard dating from the time of Spectrum and which will produce a first success for the group with the title "Ticket to ride". The album, on the other hand, is a failure.
Not being discouraged, Richard decides to bring up to date a Burt Bacharach standard, a certain “(They long to be) Close to you”. Resumption which leads to a huge success and literally explodes the notoriety of the group. Followed by little "We’ve only just begun" which knows him a certain craze on the part of the public. Both extracts from the album "Close to you" which also made a real worldwide hit.
It was a year later in 1971 that the album "Carpenters" was released, an album of colossal success and which will remain as the best-selling album of all their discography. To the point of being certified Quatruple Platinum in the United States alone. From which three mega hits will be extracted : "For all we know", "Rainy days and Mondays" and "Superstar". The album will remain ranked 39 consecutive weeks !
The album "A song for you" which was released a year later in 1972 was almost on a par on sales with its predecessor, especially in the United States. He produced an incredible number of hits including four major ones : "Hurting each other", "It’s going to take some time", "Goodbye to love" which came out the same year. "Top of the world" which left him in 1973. As well as two minor hits with "Bless the beasts and children" which leaves in 1971 and "I won't last a day without you" which leaves three years later (!) in 1974.
The supreme consecration came the following year in 1973 with the enormous album "Now and then" from which were extracted two of their biggest global successes, "Sing", but also and above all the sublime "Yesterday once more" who is the most beautiful and brilliant demonstration of their talent.
The years go by and look alike ... The year 1974 brought its new share of success with the masterful "Please Mr. Postman" which will remain as the best-selling title of their entire discography. Flagship title of the group taken from the album "Horizon" which was released in 1975 and which produced two other hits "Only yesterday" and "Solitaire".
But Carpenteramania is running out of steam and the next two albums will seriously slow down. Whether it's "A kind of hush" in 1976 or "Passage" in 1977. The only single to come out honorably will be a cover of Herman's Hermits "There's a kind of hush (All over the world)" in 1976. And to a lesser extent "I need to be in love" also released the same year.
Not to mention the health problems of Richard, addicted to Methaqualone (better known as Quaaludes), a powerful barbiturate. And Karen's serious anorexia problem which gets worse over time. Anorexia which will eventually kill her in 1983.
Richard would release more albums later, with many older tracks never released. But these will never reach the level of excellence of the first opus.
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others ...) :
Ticket to ride 1969
(They long to be) Close to you 1970
We’ve only just begun 1970
For all we know 1971
Rainy days and Mondays 1971
Supertstar 1971
Hurting each other 1972
It’s going to take some time 1972
Goodbye to love 1972
Sing 1973
Yesterday once more 1973
Top of the world 1973
I won’t last a day without you 1974
Please Mr. Postman 1974
Only yesterday 1975
Solitaire 1975
There’s a kind of hush 1976
I need to be in love 1976
All you get from love is a love song 1977
Calling occupants of interplanetary craft (The recognized anthem of world contact day) 1977
Sweet, sweet smile 1978
Touch me we’re dancing 1981
Those good old dreams 1981
Beechwood 4-5789 1982
Make believe it’s your first time 1983
Your baby doesn’t love you anymore 1984
Something in your eyes 1987
If I had you 1989
Clips :
1969 ... it's an incredible luxury cover of the Beatles' title dating back to 1965 which will offer them their 1st ranked title. And it is clear that The Carpenters really has an incredibly extraordinary style ...
1970 ... then everything will accelerate incredibly. They deliver here their 1st WONDER, a sumptuous title which allows them to obtain their 1st planetary hit. Already !
1970 ... they repeat in the wake and confirm in a brilliant way a talent and a style totally out of the ordinary. MA-GIC !
1971 ... each year will now have its share of mega hits. A hallucinating group, completely outside the standards of the time and which brings a touch of lyricism in everything he produces as rarely before him
1971 ... and this unique voice of Karen, recognizable among all, which works wonders title after title. And the most incredible is that the voice does not match her face at all ...
1971 ... 3rd mega hit of the year. 1970 will have been an exceptional year, 1971 will come closer or closer to it. Each title now becomes an event in itself !
1972 ... and 1972 is almost back to basics. That's at least 3 mega hits a year now. The inspiration of the group is exceptional and is constantly renewed !
1972 ... simple and light melodies but of a formidable effectiveness. A unique know-how that will have made the difference from the start ...
1972 ... a unique duo of its kind. Extremely rare that a brother and a sister unite perfectly at this point ...
1973 ... then comes the year of the 1st Masterpieces. Starting with this one. The duo's notoriety literally explodes on a planetary level and makes them a real phenomenon. For history, the title in truth is a cover. The original title, composed by Jo Raposo, is a children's program credits called "Sesame Street"
1973 ... here is the second. An awesome title that will undoubtedly remain as one of the most outstanding songs of the decade and of the end of the twentieth century period. MAS-TER-FUL !
1973 ... they follow directly with a 3rd planetary top hit. The band literally walks on water and each new title is an event in itself
1974 ... already 4 years that the group produced planetary hit on planetary hit. A mind-blowing success that once again demonstrates the extraordinary side of this now legendary duo
1974 ... the peak of their career. They sign here quite simply the biggest success of all their discography. With this title, they simply reach the top of Everest !
1975 ... after reaching Everest, the group can only go back down. And it is the year 1975 which will be the starting point of their slow, but irremediable decline ...
1975 ... a decline which will take some time anyway. The group still remains on sales levels well above the average. There is no danger in the house, far from it ...
1976 ... new year and new series of hits. Until the end of the decade, the group will stay on top. It is after that it will get complicated ...
1976 ... a talent for the Intimist among the very best on the planet. And always this voice that fits perfectly with the melody. The perfect alchemy !
1977 ... light, fresh, airy, yet another title with extreme simplicity but also extreme efficiency. What talent !
1977 ... they realize the incredible feat of being among the best in the world without any Dance title while we are in full Disco wave. Incredible but true !
1978 ... in Country mode. Ah, that one, they hadn't made it to us yet. And it works too. But this time, it is indeed the real beginning of the end ...
1981 ... the end of the 1970s was fruitless. We suddenly arrived in 1981. And exceptionally, we find them in semi Dance mode. A first !
1981 ... sales levels have nothing to do with past years. And Karen's physical metamorphosis is more and more visible. A metamorphosis that will end in a very tragic way ...
1982 ... the "Carpenters" style becomes really too out of step with its time. It's always nice and playful but we come closer and more to caricature ...
1983 ... the last notorious hit. And the last year of existence for Karen. An end of adventure for her which ends in the drama after she has known a level of glory that few singer of her time will have known. Glory does not bring happiness unfortunately ...
1984 ... and yet it is not yet the end. Titles will continue to come out and prove, once again, that this duo was truly exceptional !
1987 ... when 2 exceptional talents come together, the result is bound to measure up. Of course, Dusty can not replace Karen but we will be largely satisfied !
1989 ... a last title to finish in style and demonstrate one last time that this group has largely deserved its place in the Pantheon of the greatest groups of the twentieth century
Top Bonus : 1971, the original of Sing produced especially for the children's program "Sesame Street"
Top Bonus : ...the story of a lifetime I
Top Bonus : ...the story of a lifetime II
Top Bonus : ...the story of a lifetime III
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Greatest Hits :
Discography :