ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! SUPERSTAR BY THE CARPENTERS ~ Retro

REACTION TO: SUPERSTAR BY THE CARPENTERS
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Intro/Exit Song: The Jam by Slynk & Mr Stabalina
Royalty/Copyright Free Music - Courtesy of KZbin Audio Library
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[@ChuckHackney]

She is the best female contralto EVER

[@playitagainsue]

I agree, Chuck. She has an amazing voice! 🤩

[@leeprice9649]

What a great voice she had. One of the best female vocalists ever. Hard to believe she passed away 40 years ago. I think one of her best vocals was on the song Solitaire.

[@playitagainsue]

Wow, it has been 40 years....that is crazy! Big loss. Yes Lee, Solitaire is a great song. I love her dark sounding songs like solitaire and Superstar. They are great 🥰

[@brucemorrow5271]

Carpenters, Christmas Portrait ❤️

[@cliffordlowerre1381]

What an extremely talented duo! Over 40 years later and Karen still brings a tear to my eye as soon as I hear her voice. Listen to the feeling in her voice when she sings the one word loneliness. RIP KAREN!

[@playitagainsue]

Hi Clifford, yes you are so right. Her voice is so full passion and emotion and when she says loneliness it is Ike she is telling us that is how she feels. 😍

[@scottroloff7391]

Karen, amazing voice.

[@garylagstrom3864]

This is my favorite Carpenter’s song❤️❤️❤️

[@playitagainsue]

Mine too, Gary. She sings it with such passion and sadness...love it...amazing vocal :)

[@scottnokes]

Karen Carpenter was a very rare talent. Richard Carpenter is 76 years old now. He is an outstanding musician and arranger. As a team, they were unstoppable.

[@playitagainsue]

Hi Scott, to think she would be of an age that she could have still performing. Such a loss. She was absolutely brillant 🤩

[@robertszekely8686]

I love the Carpenters. Karen has one of the most beautiful voices I have ever heard. They have many songs that you can react to. One song I would like to suggest is " Yesterday Once More." Thank you.

[@playitagainsue]

Hi Robert, I agree 💯. Karen's voice is magnificent...so smooth, so calming, full of emotion...absolutely brilliant 🤩💙

[@garylagstrom3864]

Karen was a natural Alto with Soprano qualities when the song called for it! Her Alto is warm and inviting!

[@playitagainsue]

Yes Karen had the most beautiful low tones...stunning :)

[@tonysc7610]

Love your reaction. Yeah their "Christmas Portrait" album is absolutely superb. Of course Karen's phenomenal voice, but it is also the most beautifully arranged and produced albums that I've ever heard. Thanks to Richards talents.

[@playitagainsue]

I agree 100% Tony. Karen has the voice of an angel but we can't underestimate the role Richard played in all the arrangements. He is a genius 🤩

[@wayne_twentyfive]

Absolute classic song !! .. Karen had one of the very best voices EVER, and she totally nails this .. Her ability to interpret ANY song with such conviction is a real talent, and she along with Linda Ronstadt ( an expert at doing covers and owning them ) are 2 of the very best exponents of this .. And yes, Richard's arrangements were definitely a big part of the success of The Carpenters.

[@playitagainsue]

Hi Wayne, yes I agree with everything you said. Karen's voice was stunning! It was so rich and smooth with the most gorgeous lower register. Richard said once that a microphone loved Karen's voice because it took her beautiful voice and made it even better. I don't think there is anything she couldn't make her own 🤩💜

[@tomschmitz-dj1fg]

@@playitagainsue This version reached #2 on the charts in 1971... Legend has it that Karen Carpenter recorded the song in 1 take and reading the lyrics off a napkin!....Richard Carpenter heard the song for the first time when he saw and heard Bette Midler sing it on "the tonight show" and thought it would be perfect for them. The best known other version is Luther Vandross's version as a homage to The Carpenters as he was a huge fan of Karen's voice. The song has been recorded by many singers, but the writers have always stated that The Carpenter's version was the best and that no one could touch Karen's interpretation of it...By the way, remember Karen Carpenter was only 21 years old singing this!

[@playitagainsue]

@@tomschmitz-dj1fg Very cool fun fact, Tom! She was amazing. To do that in one take and yes at only 21. She was clearly an old soul. To be able to pull that song off the way she did at 21 is nothing short of genius. It was like she had already lived the heartache of an entire life at such a tender age 💜

[@garylagstrom3864]

Karen Carpenter was an Angel 😇 sent from Heaven and left us way too soon! One of the most beautiful voices ever heard! The compositions are the direct result of her brother Richard Carpenter who really played to Karen’s strengths as a singer! I LOVE ❤️ the music of The Carpenters! RIP Karen!

[@playitagainsue]

I couldn't have said it better, Gary. Karen had a beautiful voice and a lovely soul and Richard kept it all going...such talent 🤩

[@wayne_twentyfive]

2nd Comment ( because there's so much to say ! ) .. It's so hard to narrow down my favourite Caprenters songs to just a few, because they had a truckload of beauties .. But if I had to, they would probably be "Superstar", "Hurting Each Other", "Rainy Days And Mondays", "Goodbye To Love" and "Yesterday Once More" rounding out the Top 5 .. Looking forward to more of these classics !

[@playitagainsue]

That is a great top 5, Wayne! But honestly I don't think someone could choose a bad top 5 from their work...to me Suoerstar has to go at the top if the list for me. Karen just seems to be able to connect with and deliver the sadness within the song...brillant! 🤩🧡

[@wayne_twentyfive]

@@playitagainsue Relating to what we were talking about recently regarding how we generally appreciate slower songs and ballads more as we get older, "Superstar" is a bit like that for me .. I always liked it, but it was nothing really special to me when it first came out .. But now I can't get enough of it after many hundreds of listens .. It's one of those songs that I just have to tune out from what I'm doing when it is played and give it my attention .. And yes, it would have to be right at the top of the Carpenters list.

[@playitagainsue]

@@wayne_twentyfive it does make you stop and listen. The song takes me over. I love that 🥰

[@bruschmidt9943]

Hi ladies, fantastic reaction from both of you! I've been a fan of Carpenters since I first heard that incredible voice on the radio in July 1970. I have NEVER heard anyone else remotely close to her delivery techniques. It would be a blessing if you could react to my undisputed favorite of theirs, "A Place to Hideaway". During her 1971 performance, at times you could actually believe she was an angel & she sure sounded like one. Her voice had so many colors & textures, combined with perfect pitch & vibrato, every time, she's on a plateau of her own in the music World ❤

[@playitagainsue]

Hi Bru, thanks for the kind words! You are so right. She does have the voice of an angel. Her voice is stunningly beautiful! I have never heard of the song you mentioned. I will check it out 😀💜

[@millpark26]

Karen had a contralto voice. Contraltos are arguably the rarest of female voice types and they possess a tone so dark they often give the men a run for their money. ❤️

[@playitagainsue]

Hi Millpark, thanks for the info about her voice. She gives everyone a run for their money doesn't she. She is fabulous 🤩

[@jamessmith5471]

Karen, Karen, Karen love her ❤️

[@playitagainsue]

😍

[@garylagstrom3864]

Karen was also a very accomplished drummer! People forget that!

[@playitagainsue]

Yes she was and a good one at that :)

[@bonester50]

IMHO You really can't compare her voice to another singer...It's almost like there's Karen and then there's everyone else. When Leon Russell asked which recorded version of "Superstar" was his favorite - the interviewer apparently tried to steer him towards a version other than the Carpenters' - Russell simply and tersely responded, "I have always been a huge fan of Karen Carpenter." He mentioned no other versions. It was Russell's polite way of saying that the Carpenters' version was best, without offending the numerous

[@playitagainsue]

Wow, that is very cool, Kevin. Well I agree 100% with Leon! It is the best version I have ever heard 🤩

[@bruschmidt9943]

You hit the nail on the head. There's Karen, then there's everyone else!

[@scottroloff7391]

What is that colorful painting behind you called?

[@playitagainsue]

Hey Scott, I don't actually know what it is called. It has no name on it. I found it online about 5 or 6 years ago and just loved the look of it and all the colours. I think it is in Italy if I remember correctly :)

[@anthonyriley7517]

Top two low sultry voices, Karen Carpenter and Karen Carpenter!

[@playitagainsue]

Haha you are so right, Anthony! 🥰

[@jbs256]

Hi ladies, lovely review of their great cover. First the tech specs. Karen was a Contralto with a 3.5 octave range. Also the original title was Groupie (Superstar) so the title tells you what it’s about. It was written by Bonnie Bramlett and Leon Russell. There is video of an elder Bonnie singing (Delaney & Bonnie had the OG release) Groupie and Leon is in the audience. It’s rips at your heart. Two other Leon songs Carpenters did, This Masquerade and A Song For You. Both Carpenters masterpieces. On a recommendation, this will be bad to play name that tune, the Bacharach/David Medley. It’s 1970 Close To You is the hit. This was done live to tape for The Ed Sullivan Show and it’s Karen doing her thing. It’s a pure joy. Here’s a link. kzbin.info/www/bejne/r6PWpn95e555qqs ETA: And for good measure I found the Bonnie live version of Groupie. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jaeomJyQZtGGbbM

[@playitagainsue]

Hi Joseph, thanks a bunch for all the background info. I had heard that Leon thought The Carpenter's version of this song was his favourite which is quite the compliment. The other Leon written songs that they did are also amazing. I love them too. I will check you links out. I really appreciate it :)

[@jbs256]

@@playitagainsue I wouldn’t be surprised if Leon felt that. But Bonnie’s version has to be the most personal. I’d guess it’s like picking among your children. On the other hand. Burt was overjoyed with Richard’s arrangement of Close To You. He said something to the order of “THAT’S my song!” As in he got it the way Burt heard it. Have you heard the Richard Chamberlain and Dionne Warwick versions? They were 1 and 2. Richard’s (Carpenter) take was 3. Oh those other renditions are on KZbin. Enjoy!

[@playitagainsue]

@@jbs256 Hi Joseph, thanks for that. No I haven't heard DW or RC versions. I will check them out 🤩

[@A-whiter-shade-of-pale]

You should do "Reason To Believe" They did it several times, it was on one of their albums but I like the live versions. They did it on The 5th Dimensions Traveling Sunshine show 1971 kzbin.info/www/bejne/oYW6lnubgpugkKs NBC-TV series "Make Your Own Kind of Music" on September 7, 1971 kzbin.info/www/bejne/ip6spnqQZ6l1apI It is also on their 1970 album Close to You No one better than them.

[@playitagainsue]

Hi Earl, thanks for that. I will check it out. They are truly amazing 🤩

[@jamessmith5471]

Karen's the best, sings it like it's supposed to be sung

[@playitagainsue]

Hi James, their version is amazing. Karen's voice is simply devine here! 😃