Since September 2010, this blog has recorded the journey of this music junkie as I attempt to listen to all the music in my CD collection. CDs revisited in their entirety from start to finish - no skipping tracks, no shuffle. Compact Discs only - no vinyl, no tapes, no files.

Saturday, August 4, 2018

Carpenters - The Singles: 1969-1981 (2000)


The older I get, the better they were. This is a fantastic compilation featuring the pure voice of Karen Carpenter and the imaginative arrangements of brother Richard. Granted, the early '70s stuff is the best, but it's all familiar to these ears. To be honest, though, if you're in the market for a Carpenters compilation, go with The Ultimate Collection from 2006.


This is where I usually complain about the song sequence not being chronological, but it doesn't seem to bother me on this disc. That cover photo, on the other hand...

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #45

Tracks:
Song Year Hot 100 AC*
For All We Know197131
I Believe You1978689
It's Going To Take Some Time1972122
We've Only Just Begun197021
Those Good Old Dreams19816321
Superstar197121
Rainy Days And Mondays197121
Goodbye to Love197272
All You Get From Love Is A Love Song1977354
Top Of The World197312
Only Yesterday197541
Ticket To Ride19695419
Hurting Each Other197121
Yesterday Once More197321
Sing197331
Touch Me When We're Dancing1981161
Please Mr. Postman197411
I Need To Be In Love1974251
I Won't Last A Day Without You1971111
(They Long To Be) Close To You197011
For All We Know (Reprise)1972


*Before 4/7/79, the Adult Contemporary chart was known as the Easy Listening chart.

Songs that peaked in the Top 40 that didn't make the cut for this compilation: Solitaire (#17, 1975), There's A Kind Of Hush (All Over The World) (#12, 1976), and Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft (#32, 1977). Solitaire and There's A Kind Of Hush both topped the AC chart, too, bringing the Carpenters' total #1 songs on the AC chart to 15, spending a combined 38 weeks atop that chart.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: Growing up, my sister had a Carpenters piano songbook that included most of these tunes and she would play them often. On occasion, I would go in and sing along. IIRC, she also had a copy of the A Song For You Lp, so I'm sure we listened to that as well as I had neither albums nor a stereo at the time.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Christmas Portrait (1984)

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