Thanks also to Laura Adam, Nancy Alexander, Randy Anglin, Viv Atkinson, Sherry Rayn Barnett, Nick Barraclough, Peter Benjamin-son, Jeff Bleiel, Ken Bertwell, Joe Bine, Dana Britten-Stein, Ron Bunt, Chip Cogswell, Bradley Coker, Steve Cox, Mark Crow, Jason Douglas, Patrick Driscoll, Brenda Ehly, Heidi Ewing, Bob Finholm, Julia Foot, Ashley Franklin, Michael J. Glenn, David Grant, Becky Judd, Sydney Junior, Donovan Keogh, Carlos Keyes, Inga Kleinrichert, Jon Konjoyan, Jay Lumbee, Joshua Mahn, Cindy Martin, Rhonda Martinez, Chris May, Doug McComas, Bob McDonald, Bonnie Miller, Vicki Mitchell, Jena Morrow, Nancy Munoz, Yuka Ogura, Jonathan Owen, Laura Pascoe, Mark Pelzel, Mary Perica, Samantha Peters, Ronald Pledge, Robert Polston, Ying Qin, Pam Quiggle, Matt Ramone, Stephen Richardson, Jaime Rodriguez, Celso Lopes Santos, Victoria Sarinelli, Bonnie Schiffman, Jennifer Schmidt, Norma Segarra, Daniel Selby, Julie Stanfield, Jeffrey Strain, Tiana Galeazzi Taylor, J.B. Thomas, Vickie VanArtsdalen, Pamela Verona, Denise Wagorn, Kimberly Wall, Cindy Williams, and Ron Zurek.
Finally, I wish to thank my family for their love and support: my parents, Linda Schmidt and Ron and Frances Schmidt; my sister, Rhonda Morrison; and my beautiful, talented, and entertaining daughters, Camryn and Kaylee.
SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY
THE CARPENTERS released ten traditional studio albums between the years 1969 and 1981. This selected discography refers to each original conception as first released on A&M Records in the United States. Singles from each album are noted, as are peak U.S. chart positions for both albums and singles. Only the most significant posthumous releases and compilations (notably those containing previously unreleased material) are included. Also listed are Karen’s solo releases and other various issues.
CARPENTERS _______________________________________
Offering / Ticket to Ride (A&M 4205)
1969 (#150)
Invocation / Your Wonderful Parade / Someday / Get Together / All of My Life / Turn Away / Ticket to Ride / Don’t Be Afraid / What’s the Use / All I Can Do / Eve / Nowadays Clancy Can’t Even Sing / Benediction
SINGLES:
Ticket to Ride / Your Wonderful Parade (#54)
Close to You (A&M 4271)
1970 (#2)
We’ve Only Just Begun / Love Is Surrender / Maybe It’s You / Reason to Believe / Help / (They Long to Be) Close to You / Baby It’s You / I’ll Never Fall in Love Again / Crescent Noon / Mr. Guder / I Kept on Loving You / Another Song
SINGLES:
(They Long to Be) Close to You / I Kept on Loving You (#1) We’ve Only Just Begun / All of My Life (#2)
Carpenters (A&M 3502)
1971 (#2)
Rainy Days and Mondays / Saturday / Let Me Be the One / (A Place to) Hideaway / For All We Know / Superstar / Druscilla Penny / One Love / Bacharach-David Medley: Knowing When to Leave, Make It Easy on Yourself, (There’s) Always Something There to Remind Me, I’ll Never Fall in Love Again, Walk On By, Do You Know the Way to San Jose / Sometimes
SINGLES:
For All We Know / Don’t Be Afraid (#3)
Rainy Days and Mondays / Saturday (#2)
Superstar / Bless the Beasts and Children (#2 / 67)
A Song for You (A&M 3511)
1972 (#4)
A Song for You / Top of the World / Hurting Each Other / It’s Going to Take Some Time / Goodbye to Love / Intermission / Bless the Beasts and Children / Flat Baroque / Piano Picker / I Won’t Last a Day Without You / Crystal Lullaby / Road Ode / A Song for You—Reprise
SINGLES:
Hurting Each Other / Maybe It’s You (#2)
It’s Going to Take Some Time / Flat Baroque (#12)
Goodbye to Love / Crystal Lullaby (#7)
I Won’t Last a Day Without You / One Love (#11)
Now & Then (A&M 3519)
1973 (#2)
Sing / This Masquerade / Heather / Jambalaya (On the Bayou) / I Can’t Make Music / Yesterday Once More / Oldies Medley: Fun, Fun, Fun, The End of the World, Da Doo Ron Ron, Deadman’s Curve, Johnny Angel, The Night Has a Thousand Eyes, Our Day Will Come, One Fine Day / Yesterday Once More—Reprise
SINGLES:
Sing / Druscilla Penny (#3)
Yesterday Once More / Road Ode (#2)
The Singles: 1969–1973 (A&M 3601)
1973 (#1)
We’ve Only Just Begun / Top of the World / Ticket to Ride / Superstar / Rainy Days and Mondays / Goodbye to Love / Yesterday Once More / It’s Going to Take Some Time / Sing / For All We Know / Hurting Each Other / (They Long to Be) Close to You
SINGLES:
Top of the World / Heather (#1)
Horizon (A&M 4530)
1975 (#13)
Aurora / Only Yesterday / Desperado / Please Mr. Postman / I Can Dream, Can’t I? / Solitaire / Happy / (I’m Caught Between) Goodbye and I Love You / Love Me for What I Am / Eventide
SINGLES:
Please Mr. Postman / This Masquerade (#1)
Only Yesterday / Happy (#4)
Solitaire / Love Me for What I Am (#17)
A Kind of Hush (A&M 4581)
1976 (#33)
There’s a Kind of Hush (All Over the World) / You / Sandy / Goofus / Can’t Smile Without You / I Need to Be in Love / One More Time / Boat to Sail / I Have You / Breaking Up Is Hard to Do
SINGLES:
There’s a Kind of Hush (All Over the World) / (I’m Caught Between)
Goodbye and I Love You (#12)
I Need to Be in Love / Sandy (#25)
Goofus / Boat to Sail (#56)
Passage (A&M 4703)
1977 (#49)
B’wana She No Home / All You Get from Love Is a Love Song / I Just Fall in Love Again / On the Balcony of Casa Rosada / Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina / Sweet, Sweet Smile / Two Sides / Man Smart, Woman Smarter / Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft (The Recognized Anthem of World Contact Day)
SINGLES:
All You Get from Love Is a Love Song / I Have You (#35)
Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft / Can’t Smile Without You (#32)
Sweet, Sweet Smile / I Have You (#44)
Christmas Portrait (A&M 4726)
1978 (#145)
O Come, O Come Emmanuel / Overture: Deck the Halls, I Saw Three Ships, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Away in a Manger, What Child Is This (Greensleeves), Carol of the Bells, O Come All Ye Faithful / The Christmas Waltz / Sleigh Ride / It’s Christmas Time / Sleep Well, Little Children / Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas / Santa Claus Is Coming to Town / The Christmas Song / Silent Night / Jingle Bells / The First Snowfall / Let It Snow / Carol of the Bells / Merry Christmas, Darling / I’ll Be Home for Christmas / Christ Is Born / Medley: Winter Wonderland, Silver Bells, White Christmas / Ave Maria
SINGLES:
Christmas Song / Merry Christmas, Darling
Made in America (A&M 3723)
1981 (#52)
Those Good Old Dreams / Strength of a Woman / (Want You) Back in My Life Again / When You’ve Got What It Takes / Somebody’s Been Lyin’ / I Believe You / Touch Me When We’re Dancing / When It’s Gone (It’s Just Gone) / Beechwood 4-5789 / Because We Are in Love (The Wedding Song)
SINGLES:
I Believe You / B’wana She No Home (#68)
Touch Me When We’re Dancing / Because We Are in Love (#16)
(Want You) Back in My Life Again / Somebody’s Been Lyin’ (#72)
Those Good Old Dreams / When It’s Gone (It’s Just Gone) (#63)
Beechwood 4-5789 / Two Sides (#74)
Voice of the Heart (A&M 4954)
1983 (#46)
Now / Sailing on the Tide / You’re Enough / Make Believe It’s Your First Time / Two Lives / At the End of a Song / Ordinary Fool / Prime Time Love / Your Baby Doesn’t Love You Anymore / Look to Your Dreams
SINGLES:
Make Believe It’s Your First Time / Look to Your Dreams
Your Baby Doesn’t Love You Anymore / Sailing on the Tide
An Old-Fashioned Christmas (A&M 3270)
1984 (#190)
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear / Overture: Happy Holiday, The First Noel, March of the Toys, Little Jesus, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, O Little Town of Bethlehem, In Dulci Jubilo, Gesu Bambino, Angels We Have Heard on High / An Old-Fashioned Christmas / O Holy Night / (There’s No Place Like) Home for the Holidays / Medley: Here Comes Santa Claus, Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Good King Wenceslas / Little Altar Boy / Do You Hear What I Hear? / My Favorite Things / He Came Here for Me / Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town / What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? / Selections from “The Nutcracker” / I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
SINGLES:
Little Altar Boy / Do You Hear What I Hear? (promo)
Lovelines (A&M 3931)
1989
Lovelines / Where Do I Go from Here? / The Uninvited Guest / If We Try / When I Fall in Love / Kiss Me the Way You Did Last Night / Remember When Lovin’ Took All Night / You’re the One / Honolulu City Lights / Slow Dance / If I Had You / Little Girl Blue
SINGLES:
Honolulu City Lights / I Just Fall in Love Again
If I Had You / The Uninvited Guest (promo)
Interpretations: A 25th Anniversary Celebration (A&M 3145403122)
1994
Without a Song (a cappella version) / Superstar / Rainy Days and Mondays / Bless the Beasts and Children / This Masquerade / Solitaire / When I Fall in Love / From This Moment On / Tryin’ to Get the Feeling Again / When It’s Gone / I Believe You / Reason to Believe / (They Long to Be) Close to You / Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft / Little Girl Blue / We’ve Only Just Begun
The Essential Collection: 1965–1997 (A&M 0694934162)
2002
DISC 1: Caravan / The Parting of Our Ways / Looking for Love / I’ll Be Yours / Iced Tea / You’ll Love Me / All I Can Do / Don’t Be Afraid / Invocation / Your Wonderful Parade / All of My Life / Eve / Ticket to Ride / Get Together / Interview / Love Is Surrender / Maybe It’s You / (They Long to Be) Close to You / Mr. Guder / We’ve Only Just Begun / Merry Christmas, Darling / For All We Know
DISC 2: Rainy Days and Mondays / Superstar / Let Me Be the One / Bless the Beasts and Children / Hurting Each Other / It’s Going to Take Some Time / I Won’t Last a Day Without You / A Song for You / Top of the World / Goodbye to Love / This Masquerade / Sing / Jambalaya (On the Bayou) / Yesterday Once More / Oldies Medley: Fun, Fun, Fun, The End of the World, Da Doo Ron Ron, Deadman’s Curve, Johnny Angel, The Night Has a Thousand Eyes, Our Day Will Come, One Fine Day / Yesterday Once More—Reprise / Radio Contest Outtakes
DISC 3: Morinaga Hi-Crown Chocolate Commercial / Please Mr. Postman / Santa Claus Is Coming to Town / Only Yesterday / Solitaire / Tryin’ to Get the Feeling Again / Good Friends Are for Keeps / Ordinary Fool / Sandy / There’s a Kind Of Hush (All Over the World) / I Need to Be in Love / From This Moment On / Suntory Pop Jingle #1 / Suntory Pop Jingle #2 / All You Get from Love Is a Love Song / Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft / Sweet, Sweet Smile / Christ Is Born / White Christmas / Little Altar Boy / Ave Maria
DISC 4: Where Do I Go From Here? / Little Girl Blue / I Believe You / If I Had You / Karen-Ella Medley: This Masquerade, My Funny Valentine, I’ll Be Seeing You, Someone to Watch over Me, As Time Goes By, Don’t Get Around Much Any More, I Let a Song Go out of My Heart / 1980 Medley: Sing, Knowing When to Leave, Make It Easy on Yourself, Someday, We’ve Only Just Begun / Make Believe It’s Your First Time / Touch Me When We’re Dancing / When It’s Gone (It’s Just Gone) / Because We Are in Love (The Wedding Song) / Those Good Old Dreams / Now / Karen’s Theme
As Time Goes By (A&M 0694931122)
2004
Without a Song / Medley: Superstar, Rainy Days and Mondays / Nowhere Man / I Got Rhythm Medley / Dancing in the Street / Dizzy Fingers / You’re Just in Love / Karen-Ella Fitzgerald Medley: This Masquerade, My Funny Valentine, I’ll Be Seeing You, Someone to Watch Over Me, As Time Goes By, Don’t Get Around Much Anymore, I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart / Medley: Close Encounters, Star Wars / Leave Yesterday Behind / Carpenters-Perry Como Medley: Yesterday Once More, Magic Moments, Sing, Catch a Falling Star, Close to You, It’s Impossible, We’ve Only Just Begun, And I Love You So, Don’t Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes, Till the End of Time, No Other Love Have I / California Dreamin’ / The Rainbow Connection / ’76 Hits Medley: Sing, Close to You, For All We Know, Ticket to Ride, Only Yesterday, I Won’t Last a Day Without You, Goodbye to Love / And When He Smiles
KAREN CARPENTERS ______________________________
Looking for Love/I’ll Be Yours (single) (Magic Lamp ML704)
1966
Karen Carpenter (A&M 3145405882)
1996
Lovelines / All Because of You / If I Had You / Making Love in the Afternoon / If We Try / Remember When Lovin’ Took All Night / Still in Love with You / My Body Keeps Changing My Mind / Make Believe It’s Your First Time / Guess I Just Lost My Head / Still Crazy After All These Years / Last One Singin’ the Blues
RICHARD CARPENTER TRIO _______________________
Battle of the Bands (Custom Fidelity 1533)
1966
Includes: The Girl from Ipanema / Iced Tea
SELECTED TELEVISION APPEARANCES
THIS LIST includes all known appearances by Karen Carpenter on American television during her lifetime. Since many of the programs were syndicated, occasional discrepancies between air dates exist. Other inconsistencies have been found in past publications (notably the Carpenters Fan Club’s Decade publication from 1979), which have not always distinguished between the taping and broadcast dates. Whenever possible, corrections have been made here to reflect the earliest known air dates.
1966
07/03 Battle of the Bands! (Richard Carpenter Trio, KNBC-TV, Los Angeles)
1968
06/22 Your All-American College Show (Richard Carpenter Trio)
06/29 Your All-American College Show (Richard Carpenter Trio)
1969
09/09 Your All-American College Show (Karen Carpenter)
11/23 Your All-American College Show (Karen Carpenter)
12/01 Your All-American College Show (Carpenters)
12/04 The Della Reese Show
1970
01/18 Lohman & Barkley’s Name Droppers
06/24 The Virginia Graham Show
07/20 The Dating Game
09/15 The Don Knotts Show
09/18 The Tonight Show
10/02 The David Frost Show
10/18 The Ed Sullivan Show
11/08 The Ed Sullivan Show
11/13 The Tonight Show
11/14 American Bandstand
1971
01/24 Peggy Fleming at Sun Valley
02/13 The Andy Williams Show
02/18 This Is Your Life
03/16 The Grammy Awards
03/24 The Johnny Cash Show
06/30 The Tonight Show
07/13 Make Your Own Kind of Music
07/20 Make Your Own Kind of Music
07/27 Make Your Own Kind of Music
07/29 The Mike Douglas Show
08/03 Make Your Own Kind of Music
08/10 Make Your Own Kind of Music
08/17 Make Your Own Kind of Music
08/18 The 5th Dimension Traveling Sunshine Show
08/24 Make Your Own Kind of Music
08/31 Make Your Own Kind of Music
09/22 The Carol Burnett Show
11/05 The Tonight Show
1972
01/14 The Ed Sullivan Show
01/19 The Carol Burnett Show
02/21 Jerry Visits (Jerry Dunphy)
03/14 The Grammy Awards
04/10 The Academy Awards
05/07 The Special London Bridge Special
10/05 The Bob Hope Special
1973
06/01 Robert Young with the Young
11/05 The Tonight Show
11/13 The Bob Hope Special
1974
03/02 The Grammy Awards
08/04 Evening at Pops
12/17 The Perry Como Christmas Show
1975
02/18 The American Music Awards
1976
05/22 The Midnight Special
11/17 The Dorothy Hamill Special
12/08 The Carpenters’ Very First Television Special
1977
01/27 The Tonight Show (Steve Martin, host)
12/09 The Carpenters at Christmas
1978
02/05 The ABC Silver Anniversary Celebration
03/16 Thank You, Rock and Roll
05/17 The Carpenters: Space Encounters
06/27 The Tonight Show (John Davidson, host)
11/19 Wonderful World of Disney: Mickey’s 50
12/19 The Carpenters: A Christmas Portrait
1980
03/13 20/20
04/14 Olivia Newton-John: Hollywood Nights
05/16 The Carpenters: Music, Music, Music
1981
07/11 America’s Top Ten
08/10 Good Morning America
10/02 The Merv Griffin Show
1983
01/11 Entertainment Tonight
NOTES
THE PRIMARY interviews on which this work is based were conducted by the author between the years 2001 and 2009. Other important interviews were made available by journalists Jon Burlingame (Richard Carpenter) and John Tobler (Herb Alpert, Sherwin Bash, and John Bettis). Numerous interviews with Karen Carpenter and others were culled from diverse publications, as well as television and radio archives, and are identified in the following pages of sources. As a rule, quotations presented in past tense are from existing interviews and other secondary sources. Those quotes offered in present tense originate from the author’s personal interviews, consultations, or correspondence with the following individuals:
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