Carpenters - Top of the World (The Bob Hope Special) Part 1

[Bobster868686]

LOL! The backup musicians aren't playing the ones I'm hearing (steel guitar, violins, etc).

[totouw67]

best ever

[MrPhi1122]

most beautiful voice ever... she is incomparable, she's on different level

[ctbear26]

I wanted Karen to marry ME

[carsonky]

Although it's true she loved playing drums, truth is she did it sometimes to hide her fear of being called fat. It's sad, but it's nice to have these videos to remember her.

[foxyroxstar]

..but I wouldn't say that oui should be the voice of his, The Bride to Be!..(laugh Jesus! "Just Married!")..but so cool for Karen and Richard to recognize their fans!..definately a Love 'Case in Point!

[rsp196607]

They did lip-sync on TV back then, too.

[2thebeatiful]

Awesome!

[itzjoeymac]

love it when she plays the drums

[fournierda]

Today, even most "live" performances include pre-recorded digital tracks, either to supplement the music with extra vocals or instruments, or sometimes to replace them altogether. Some artists fake through an entire 2-hour show, especially those "artists" who are really just pretty faces with choreographed dance moves, rather than pure singers.

[fournierda]

As a performer myself, I do want to point out one thing about the lip synching. When Carpenters put down the studio tracks, you'll note there is a lot of instrumentation and overdubbed vocals that are difficult to reproduce without bringing a lot more people onto stage. That's fine for a touring performance, but there were a lot of limitations to doing that for a three-minute performance on a variety show or talk show. Because of this, such shows typically opted for the lip-synch.

[oneputtsteven]

@fournierda So True!! And I'll point out the Carpenters were one of the first to use overdubbing allowing to sing in harmony with themselves rather than back up singers.

[butterfingersbeck]

@oneputtsteven Not what I would describe as "one of the first" - Patti Page was recording multi-tracked vocal harmonies as early as 1947, and Les Paul and Mary Ford had a string of multi-tracked vocal hits starting in 1950. But the blend of Karen and Richard's voices was unique and very beautiful.

[geoffkaiser]

@butterfingersbeck you have the right info, but you have the years mixed up. Les Paul put out his multi-tracked "Lover" in 1947 and Patti Page started overdubbing in 1950 with "Tennessee Waltz", which Les & Mary quickly covered. I'll point out that Richard & Karen were big fans of Les & Mary's records as kids, and Herb Alpert was reminded of Patti Page when he first heard Karen's voice. Full circle!

[JBHouston11]

@fournierda The reason they lip synch is explained on the Carpenters' web page - they get a mix of the song they like, and they want to use it - rather than do a live performance on TV that will sound different from the recording. Thus, they lip synch.

[poobahgee]

Brings back great memories! Thanks for the post!

[porphura59]

Great video!!! I posted on my facebook the following: "This is for my sisters mostly. I don't think my brothers care. For any friends who may feel the same. I believe the reason we like this song is cuz our parents had really hyped us up for moving NORTH TO ALASKA. When we finally got to do so, we boarded a big 747 in Minneapolis and flew through Edmondton Canada on our way to Anchorage. That was quite the feeling for being "On the Top of the World".

[desmondhuang]

I was a kid when I first this song, thanks for sharing.....

[gaboencaracas]

Wow... 3 weeks before I was born...

[tonyf734atl]

@gaboencaracas this song peaked at #1 the week of my birthday in 1973

[djmikey40]

gone way to early!

[thorwaldjorgensen]

Carpenters are Cool!!!!

[officialmelpeachey]

i met Richard and Karen when they did a concert here in 1971. they were both really nice and friendly Karen was so beautiful .i still have their autographs.

[alphakid42]

Love the song.

Hate lip syncing.

[mindsaglowin]

@alphakid42

You'd love lip syncing if you heard this performed live.

[dkinsac]

Love Them! Always thought it was strange that she was playing drums . . . . Too wonderful to be a drummer. She was and is a Major Icon!!!!!

[aallpp55]

Wow! Fantastic vocals from Karen. really hope they will release this on DVD.

[papajocu1]

She was my first crush!!!

I still think she has the most beautiful female voice ever... EVER

[Stevetheperformer]

@papajocu1 I agree

[NOStyC5]

@papajocu1 EVER! and EVER!

[pheenix42]

Oh gee...I feel so OLD now, as this was playing on the radio when I was a child!

Imagine the influence on pop music she would have had if she was still with us...*snif*

[arfies]

Interesting... this *looks* lip-synched as I see no mic, but it's definitely a different lead vocal from Karen than the single.

[thefabulousthomasj]

@arfies Hey, I noticed that, too!

[kinotonberry]

@arfies It's probably because the video has a slight problem with the sound sync. When you see Bob Hope talking, you can tell that his words are coming out just slightly before he says them. Chalk it up to the old quality of the video and the transfer process.

[KC85IHS]

OUT-FRIGGIN-STOUNDING...... LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS VIDEO.... Thanx for posting

[eye2eyeize]

WHO THE HELL DOES SHE THINKS SHE IS BEAUTIFULL YES OFCOASE KAREN HAHA MY LORD WHAT A WOMEN SHE IS SUPERWOMAN KAREN A K BLUE EYES OR? 61212121333000898998 RED PURP{LE

[mozartbethrocks]

she was so freaking talented with the drums just love her solos...amazing...too bad she died from such a disease like anorexia...

[stevej7332]

Still does it for me! If only Karen had married Burt Bacarach she'd still be with us. * Love the frilly cuffs!!!

[NedNickerson2010]

@stevej7332 I always thought she and John Davidson made a good couple...

[MrKenshiRickie]

Karen Carpenter looks perfect in 1973 on both voice and body . If the newspaper said :" Richard and his pretty sister " instead of " RC& his chubby sister " , everything will be fined. .

[mrceebees14]

@MrKenshiRickie They said she was chubby?

[Googaify]

@mrceebees14 yep... unbelievable, isn't it?

[justin100n97]

all the vid i see about her soo far she like white

[ROCKSTARCRANE]

Except for a bad make-up job, Karen looks perfectly fine here. The right lipstick shade and a little eye-liner would have made a huge difference. Her weight certainly should not have been an issue to her. Such a tragic loss....

[arfies]

@ROCKSTARCRANE I know- she looks just fine. So sad she couldn't see that. I think it's also the white dress- anything solid white (or red) tends to bleed on television, making one look heavier.

[unionkimpossible]

Apparently this was the turning point for Karen - she was "disgusted" by her appearance on this show after she viewed it - which was the catalyst for her anorexia & depression and ultimate death ... so tragic.

[falldownhard]

The Carpenters were studio artists first and foremost. But they did put on some outstanding 'true' live shows in the early ears as others have mentioned. The "Live In Australia" clips on here are so good. They certainly could achieve a combined sound that mimicked well enough their studio overdubbing, and Karen is actually playing the drums and singing simultaneously and perfectly. I think they should never have been pushed away from their early live performance format - it was brilliant.

[FlyingMondongo]

For this show Carpenters had a band with two bassists (as usual), Bob Messenger and Danny Woodhams, two drummers (but one drum set) Karen and, by that moment, Jim Anthony, and two guitarrists, Gary Sims (in one of his last presentations) and the new signed Tony Peluso.

[LazzariJ]

nearest thing to heaven is Karens voice - I know my June would agree CU both later xx

[infinera06]

First time I've seen this video. Looks like a live performance too!

[steveatl40]

@infinera06 This is actually lip synched from the track off the "song for You" album (1972). Karen & Richard re-recorded this in 1973 on the "Singles.." album.

Unfortunately they tended to lip synch a lot of their performances. They actually sounded great live.

[infinera06]

@steveatl40 You are right. It is too perfect to be live. But I disagree about the Carpenters sounded great live. They did sound good early on, but later their live performances were a far cry compared to their studio recordings. I saw them in 73, and they still sounded good then.

[steveatl40]

@infinera06 I think they sounded great live up through 1974...even 1976 at Osaka...but then Karen's illness took a toll on her and she was really too weak to project much of a voice.

I love the Carpenters live around 1971 and 1972.

[thorwaldjorgensen]

Carpenters are cool!!!!

[greenwich1754]

A young Karen, a healthy Karen, a beautiful Karen!

[Zagalchino]

Gracias por el video, un saludo.

[getyourtruth]

i love carpenters too

[passage0302]

I love carpenters.

Thanks for the movie(*^-^)