Christmas Portrait Interview With Karen Carpenter --Part 4:

This is an interview from December of 1978 of Karen promoting their album "Christmas Portrait" which had been released some months earlier. Karen commentaries before each song is played, so you can hear the story behind it. It is a great interview and I hope that you enjoy it. The radio station that it broadcasted on was KIQQ in Los Angeles.

1. Carol Of The Bells
2. Merry Christmas, Darling
3. I'll Be Home For Christmas

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• The
• Carpenters
• Karen
• Richard
• Interview
• Christmas
• Portrait
• December
• 1978

[626075]

Karen Carpenters voice is the most unusual and beautiful thing I have ever heard. Many singers now sound so similar. It seems as though anyone wishing to be a "singer" these days must follow the Whitney, Christina mould. Karen shows that you do not need a high soprano to get to the heart and guts of a song to make a classic. As Burt Bacharach once said "they made a voice like Karen Carpenter and they threw away the mould."

[kboyzrock]

I think Karen's version of "Merry Christmas Darling" is the best of them all, her voice is just magical and sweet, truly a classic for the ages.

[justinjameswest]

@626075 Bert B. and Herb A. had known the Carpenters the most personal. I appreciate the quote. the very Best. Xmas songs. everything perfect. I wish there was more.

[Jenot59]

Karen Carpenter such a talent and had an amazing Voice. Ever since childhood she must have been singing along with Perry Como and other classics.

This Christmas Song still is being heared in almost every shopping Mal in many countries in the world.

People long for Peace and Sentiment during this end of the year.

Carpenters' share in Christmas Season is very significant for me, though the remembering of Christmas is about Faith in Christ.

Peace to all and Merry Christmas Darlings!

:-)

[SilverCreedWolf]

This version of "Merry Christmas Darling" is actually a vocal re-record Karen did for the "Christmas Portrait" album. The original single version shows her voice when she was more healthy, before the anorexia nervosa took grasp of her. Don't get me wrong, this vocal re-record version is beautiful, but that original single version is the one that always gets to me. Interesting to hear her introduce the numbers. Her talking voice sounded exactly as her singing voice, because she sang naturally.

[lemonsplatmilly]

makes me kind of sad to hear her beautiful voice talking about and singing those Christmas songs. we miss you Karen!

[no1cfielder]

In Ray Coleman's "The Carpenters" book he says Karen had an incredible 4 & 1/2 octave range, including falsetto. She's quoted as saying "...the money's in the basement."

[karencarpenterfan]

I think the Carpenters' version of "Carol of the Bells" is the best.