Karen Carpenter Solo "Still In Love With You"

[adric137]

good energetic song

[Undefeated92]

WOW!

KAREN SINGING THIS! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW! <3

[carpenter1030]

i would like to comment on the solo album of Karen Carpenter. but before i do i'd like

you all to know that i have loved the Carpenters since they hit it big in the philippines. my comment on the album is that Richard and the Bosses at A&M

decided not to release the album because they think it will fail. what about the

buying public? did they even think that the buying public will be the determining

factor for this particular album? the buying public should be the one to decide.

[JameyRD56]

Hey, I liked some of this. Yes, as good or better than most late 70s Carpenter way to easy (even Occupants) listening music. She could have had fun developing her own style - different than a sister style, but alas, Karen had a disease that took her life. Thank You R&K for all the wonderful music. RIP K. R. You're the family man now. Great. Will we hear your jazzy, youthful side again (All I Can Do,..) in new material?

[administrator5109]

No matter what kind of songs she sing..the come out still soooo good..

[jexplink]

Excellent song, mid tempo rock/M.O.R. can get very dull and cliched, but Karen brings so much life and charisma to everything she does. Love the still also, she's SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO gorgeous.

[abergethirty]

I've listened to three songs from the album and they are not that great. I had no idea how important Richard was in choosing the music and producing the arrangements. This doesn't take away from her talent, but the people she hired to put this together are mediocre compared to Richard.

[improvguru]

@abergethirty Richard had become mediocre himself by this point. This album is better than "A Kind Of Hush," "Made In America," and the last two "posthumous" albums. Karen was the true Legend, a one of a kind. Richard? Just on of many good piano players/producers. I can't tolerate him after his cruelty to Karen.

[abergethirty]

@improvguru I guess we'll have to agree to diagree. Nothing from this Album sounds like a hit to me. If it had been released it wouldn't have charted at all. Richard, love him or hate him, had a knack for choosing music that fit her voice. I don't know what the personal problems were between Richard or Karen, but it doesn't diminish his talent. Karen had a great voice, but like any great instrument, it's nothing without direction.

[improvguru]

@abergethirty I don't think that the album would have been a hit either. But, it was Karen's project. SHE chose the songs. SHE chose how to sing the songs. She was never allowed that freedom with Richard. This was her attempt to share another side of herself with the world. Richard was horrible to call it s#*t to her face, and then later put some of the songs on Carpenters albums. They should have released some of the songs as singles, at least. There's at least three hits on it.

[sunbun867]

AMAZING love the videos of the Carpenters :) I found a new artist that sounds similar to Karen, her name is Amanda Ply. Have you heard of her? Amazing video on my page :)

[basehead617]

this is just not a good song, and that slap on her voice is not workin for me

[improvguru]

I think that several of the songs on this album, while far from great, are very catchy and perfect for the era to come. She sounds a bit like Madonna here (or the other way around) and there would have only been more and better things ahead for Ms. Karen

[FlyingMondongo]

Interesting guitar's arrangement; it sounds like Bruce Springsteen.

[arfies]

@FlyingMondongo She used Billy Joel's band. I LOVE the soaring guitar solo at 2:00 !

[Huayjazz]

This may sound dumb. I love Karen so much that when I saw that she had a solo album that didn't make that much of an impact, I said: "I wanna get that album!"

Anybody know the name of the album? Year? I know it was produced by Phil Ramone but nohing else I know. Thank you! Karen sounds awesome here and always!

God blesses your soul, Karen. We love you!

[Cicilo1983]

@Huayjazz, the album is simply titled "Karen Carpenter". It was released in 1996 by Phil Ramone, but it had originally been shelved by her record company who didn't want to release it. It's out of print today, but you will easily find copies of it on eBay, usually at a reasonable price. It includes four songs that were previously remixed and included on the Carpenters' "Lovelines" album, plus the original recording of "Make believe it's your first time".

[musictranscription]

I can get the notes just by ear

[ctbear26]

I loved the "Made In America" album! It has some of my favorite Carpenters tune, including "Those Good Old Dreams."

[lazydirtyandirrespon]

I agree that Made In America was lackluster. Lovelines was classic K & R and was truer to their roots. However, I would have liked preferred Passage type album. I suspect the label forced them to go back to traditional material after the poor sales of Passage.

[Jenot59]

Should they release "this song Still In Love With You" now, it would become a hit! Made In America was and is too oldfashioned, Carpenters needed a wilder theme in their songs, like indeed on Passage, the funny song " Bwana She No Home " ventilates the playfulness and the funny romantic woman Karen's really was. So next to the perfection the funny hilarious character of Karen really was needed for succes!

We miss you Karen.

R.I.P.

[Jenot59]

But Passage never soldout as I remember? am I right?

Anyway I like this song as many others on the Solo album Karen Carpenter produced together with Phil Ramone, Peter Cetera.

Richard Carpenters Great arrangements

did contribute to the Easy Listening of today though. He made the best of musical arrangements ever heard.

Together with Karen's warm voice, these perfect sounding arrangements became a big succes.

[damone77]

OMG!

I didn't realize that there is more material than the previously released solo sessions with Phil Ramone. Please Richard, Release the entire album. This song is so much fun! Thanks for letting her fans here these rare tracks:)

DK

[mnmcv1]

this is KAREN CARPENTER??????

wow.

Sad her brother and Herb Alpert wouldnt allow this to be released...

[oranger2525]

in 1979, that is.

[oranger2525]

she sounds fab.

but we weren't ready for a different Karen.

[RickHenry]

I was very much ready for a new Karen Carpenter. I was disappointed w/ "Made In America", in 1981... it was a step backwards after the great new sound of "Passage". Had they kept in that direction, they would have regained success (and new fans), they just needed to have faith in what they were doing.

"Made In America" is my least favorite Carpenters disc. Had they released Karen's album, it would have made waves and gained new fans. Instead they opted for an album which made them lose fans.

[oranger2525]

i agree about nade in america. but this song is from the phil ramone produced unrealeased solo album in 1979.

and passage is a great album. too bad they couldn't build a new direction from it.

but with both their personal problems, things just sort of went flat.

[earcandy2008]

@RickHenry ...well said Rick. I totally agree with you.

[earcandy2008]

I was totally ready for the same Karen and this other side of her. So were many others back in the day! sigh...

[hardway1987]

this solo brings back karen to live , i wish there's singers like her nowadys , i would like to listen to beautiful songs like hers.

[silentalarmactivated]

Very catchy, great pop song! I like this one, it has a lot more bite than the band's regular tunes.

[cuwce]

I firmly believe that this song proves (along with some others from her solo album & "Now") that she would have been singing today and would still be popular. She had such a good read -- she sounded lovely and a bit seductive. Obviously she could have sung anything. I would have loved to have heard her in some more duets. Way to go Karen -- you are missed.

[GregoryPee]

Deeper than ever.... X

[sbback2007]

I honestly have to say that this particular recording was a severe underuse of Karen's beautiful voice...

[RickHenry]

I have to disagree. I have to honestly say that this song shows a great use of her voice.

It shows us that she was capable of stretching her fantastic voice and that she could sing more than just sad love songs. She was a young, modern forward looking woman.

[suenomotel]

"Carpenters" belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,"2008." They gave harmonies a new meaning. Karen had such a magical voice and

Ricard was a perfectionist in the studio.

[betteryourhealth]

im so pleased i have her solo album,i just wish it was released when she wanted it to,i dont know what happend but i cant imagine what it did to her,thats record companys for ya.

[grillhound]

I agree....that crappy spacedelay was an inanimate indicator of Karen losing it. She was angelic, and money and empty fortitude lead to the demise of rightenous; as with most things genuine in this day and age.  God bless her soul; because it will be back soon; only she could save the sustenence of her talent, which is a lacking fixture in society today. Thanx for posting this and gettin' it... it really means alot, just ashamed others are distracted to enjoy it. Peace.

[OceanKingNY]

Karen was indeed capable of making an amazing solo album, but this isn't it. I blame Phil Ramone. He and Karen just weren't a good match. And he had no respect for any of Karen's previous work, so he had no clue how to use her voice. Too bad. If someone like David Foster had produced her album, I think the finished product would have been stunning.

[RickHenry]

Phil Ramone had an immense amount of respect for the work of the Carpenters and he gave Karen a good amount of room to do what she wanted musically.

Karen's solo album is a fantastic and stunning work of musicianship and vocals. If you know anything about musicianship you would recognize that her solo album is excellently done. There is a good amount of intensity in the music and vocal mixes... this is some of the best work Karen ever did... with or without Richard.

[chuckmall]

Howard,

You are a fan of my stripe and like the sound Karen was going for without Richard. Believe me, she truly wanted to go this direction. Too bad she never had the chance.

[LoveHowardBanister]

Thank you! Oh, and my name is Judy.

[stillgotit01]

chuckmall, I heard Karen did her solo album while Richard was in rehab and when he got out he didn't want it released. Why not?? I've heard 5 songs from it so far and like them. I think it was a big disappointment to Karen for it to not be released. People who have anorexia have a low sense of self-esteem. I think the release would have really helped Karen.

[LoveHowardBanister]

No, it hurt Karen very much when she couldn't release it, it meant so much to her and she had worked on it so long. Rich didn't want her to release it because he just wanted her to stay with the Carpenters, and Karen loved Richard so much she couldn't say no and wouldn't do anything to hurt him, so she shelved her album. That's what I've heard.

[Nixe1007]

Excuse me, but it's an absurd. Richard didn't want her to make a solo album, because he thought she needed to take care of her health first. She definitely wasn't at her best at that time. Besides, Richard promised her that the album would have been released later.

[RickHenry]

I believe Richard (and A&M) were afraid Karen would be such a huge success on her own that it would interfere with the success of Carpenters... which is ridiculous... that's why it was not released... eventhough their initial (A&M's) response to the album was positive and A&M was promoting the album to be a blockbuster release before someone decided it would be a bad idea to release it... Karen wanted this album to be released... so the shelving was against her will.

[cottonbone]

phil ramone needs to take this back and remix it. It sounds like a karaoke recording. I think it has potential, but I think the drummer could redo his track while they are remixing. I think Karen was an awesome singer, and I think the engineer at the mixing board got in a hurry or something.

[RickHenry]

The drummer is a friend of mine named Liberty DeVitto... he is one of the finest drummers in the industry... the bulk of his work was done with Billy Joel from the mid 70's to mid 80's.

[saraluvxx]

name droper lol

[no1cfielder]

This is amazing! I'm trying to think of who Karen sounds like here; it's such a departure from her usual tone....

[agnethaeponine18]

Totally amazing!

[NostalgiaBob]

You're so right. She packed a LOT into her 32 years. One of her best friends, Frank Bonito, said at her eulogy, "Her life was short, but it was a full and rewarding one". Very true.

[Blackstone1955]

This song was a bad choice for Karen, not her style at all.

[dlpine]

and maybe the problem with the song was not being arranged by richard carpenter, who knew just how to use her voice.

[Blackstone1955]

so right, that echo effect is terrible. I think the solo album was a mistake.

[dlpine]

the solo album was a mistake, probably. especially without having richard involved behind the scenes.

[dlpine]

couldn't agree more, blackstone1955.

[rayva1]

I don't know. I have a bit of mixed feelings about this hit. Her voice isn't the problem in this song. We were just used to hearing her harmony w/Richard in all their albums. That's what seemed to be missing in this unreleased hit. The echo effects could've played down a little. Otherwise, this song sounded like it had a more modern 80s twist to it.

[LoveHowardBanister]

Exactly!

[TOPOFFMAN]

not the best photo

[sisterlead02]

karen's the best! i love listening to karen's songs!

[sneyder69]

karen had such a great voice !

[esp248]

Karen Carpenter would still be singing today if she had not be squashed by Herb Alpert and her brother. She would have had a huge hit from this same album...."My Body Keeps Changing My Mind."

[LoveHowardBanister]

I realled wouldn't say Richard "squshed" her, as Karen made her own decision to shelve the solo album because she didn't want to her Richard by creating a solo career for herself, so she continued making music with him.

[no1cfielder]

Without Richard's talent for composition and arrangement I don't believe we would have ever had the chance to hear Karen sing.

[stillgotit01]

LoveHowardBanister, I read that Karen cried when she was told the album wouldn't be released. Doesn't sound like a willing decision to me.

[earcandy2008]

I agree esp248. smash.

[Gwenster11]

sounds great i love the song!!! and i agree with Nostalgiabob, she could probly do it all lol love it!!!!

[NostalgiaBob]

AWESOME!! This lady could damned well do it all....

[BestKacFan]

And she did. My god, How I miss her.