Carpenters Songs December 14, 2021
70's Music
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Today we take a look at the Carpenters songs. As you probably know the Carpenters were a brother and sister duo who had a string of hits in a 14-year career in the late 60s, the 70s and early 80s. The duo consisted of Karen Carpenter (1950-1983) and Richard Carpenter (born 1946). They had 17 top 40 singles here in the UK and 18 top 50 albums with 3 albums going to number 1.

They signed for A&M Records in 1969 and had their first big hit a year later in 1970 with the song Close To You which reached number 1 in the US and number 6 here in the UK.

 

Carpenters Songs

 

The duo were born in New Haven, Connecticut. Richard took piano lessons as a child, while Karen learned the drums. They first performed together as a duo in 1965 and formed the jazz-oriented Richard Carpenter Trio followed by the group Spectrum.

Their breakthrough album was called Close To You in 1970. Let’s take a look at this first chart album for the Carpenters in the UK.

close to you

Track Listings

Side one

  1. We’ve Only Just Begun a Roger Nichols – Paul Williams song.
  2. Love Is Surrender a song by Ralph Carmichael.
  3. Maybe It’s You a song written by Richard Carpenter and John Betis.
  4. Reason To Believe a Tim Hardin song.
  5. Help a Lennon-McCartney song.
  6. (They Long To Be) Close To You a Burt Bacharach and Hal David song.

Side two

  1. Baby It’s You a Bacharach, Mark David and Barney Williams song.
  2. I’ll Never Fall In Love Again another song by Burt Bacharach, Hal David
  3. Crescent Noon by John Bettis and Richard Carpenter
  4. Mr. Gudur also by John Bettis and Richard Carpenter
  5. I Kept On Loving You by Roger Nichols and Paul Williams
  6. Another Song by John Bettis and Richard Carpenter

 

 


The duo toured constantly during the 1970s, which put them under increased pressure; Richard had to take a year off in 1979 after he had become addicted to prescription drugs, while Karen suffered from anorexia nervosa. Their joint career ended in 1983 when Karen died from heart failure brought on by complications of anorexia. Their music continues to attract critical acclaim and commercial success. They have sold more than 90 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling music artists of all time.

 

 

Carpenters Songs – Singles

In this singles list I will name the song, the year it made the charts and the position it reached in the UK and if applicable the US.

  1. (They Long To Be) Close To You (1970) (6) (1)
  2. We’ve Only Just Begun (1971) (28) (2)
  3. Superstar/For All We Know (1971) (18) (3)
  4. I Won’t Last A Day Without You/Goodbye To Love (1972) (9)
  5. Yesterday Once More (1973) (2) (2)
  6. Top Of The World (1973) (5) (1)
  7. Jambalaya (On The Bayou)/Mr Guder (1974) (12)
  8. I Won’t Last A Day Without You (1974) (32) (11)
  9. Please Mr. Postman (1975) (2) (1)
  10. Only Yesterday (1975) (7) (4)
  11. Solitaire (1975) (32) (17)
  12. Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town (1975) (37)
  13. There’s A Kind Of Hush (All Over The World) (1976) (22) (12)
  14. I Need To Be In Love (1976) (36) (25)
  15. Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft (1977) (9) (32)
  16. Sweet Sweet Smile (1978) (40) (44)
  17. Merry Christmas Darling/(They Long To Be Close To You) (re-issues) (1990) (25)

 

 

Carpenters Songs – Albums

As above I will name the album title, the year the album made the charts and the position reached in the UK and if applicable the US.

 

  1. Close To You (1971) (23) (2)
  2. Carpenters (1971) (12) (2)
  3. Ticket To Ride (1972) (20)
  4. A Song For You (1972) (13) (4)
  5. Now And Then (1973) (2) (2)
  6. The Singles 1969-1973 (1974) (1) (1)
  7. Horizon (1975) (1) (13)
  8. A Kind Of Hush (1976) (3) (33)
  9. Live At The Palladium (1977) (28)
  10. Passage (1977) (12) (49)
  11. The Singles 1974-1978 (1978) (2)
  12. Made In America (1981) (12) (52)
  13. Voice Of The Heart (1983) (6) (46)
  14. Yesterday Once More (1984) (10)
  15. Only Yesterday – Their Greatest Hits (1990) (1)
  16. Interpretations (1994) (29)
  17. Love Songs (1997) (47)
  18. Gold – Greatest Hits (2000) (21)

Let’s have a look at the greatest hits album Only Yesterday which got to number one in the UK in 1990.

 

Carpenters Songs

 

Track Listings:

  1. “Yesterday Once More” (remix)
  2. “Superstar” (remix)
  3. “Rainy Days and Mondays” (remix)
  4. “Top of the World” (single mix)
  5. “Ticket to Ride”
  6. “Goodbye to Love” (remix)
  7. “This Masquerade”
  8. “Hurting Each Other”
  9. “Solitaire”
  10. “We’ve Only Just Begun” (remix)
  11. “Those Good Old Dreams”
  12. “Please Mr. Postman”
  13. “I Won’t Last a Day Without You”
  14. “Touch Me When We’re Dancing”
  15. “Jambalaya (On the Bayou)”
  16. “For All We Know”
  17. “All You Get from Love Is a Love Song”
  18. “(They Long to Be) Close to You”
  19. “Only Yesterday”
  20. “Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft (The Recognized Anthem of World Contact Day)” (remix)

 

Thanks for visiting today and I hope you enjoyed this look at the Carpenters. Leave a comment below telling me your favourite Carpenters songs.

 

If you get a minute could you please pop over to my Facebook Page and join us. I plan to build this page this year as I have more time on my hands since retiring.  I am trying to get people to share their favourite 70s music.  As you know we do not all like the same songs and it would be great to hear page members favourite 70s songs.  I hope to see you there soon.

Thanks For Visiting Today. Make sure you come back as I build the site, leave a comment below if there is any singer or group you think I should add to the site.

Keep listening to those old 70s songs and I hope you visit again soon.

Frank

 

Contents hide
1 Carpenters Songs – Singles
2 Carpenters Songs – Albums