Carpenters "Close To You" REACTION Video | best reaction video to 70s music

[@DanielFrost21]

Karen had the voice of an angel. She was lost far too soon.

[@williamsmith-kd4bd]

Karen Carpenter "A star on earth, a star in heaven".

[@marcuslloyd8218]

🙃 beyond amazing singer. Everybodyyyyy no matter what loves that song around the world

[@davef.6803]

She had the most beautiful voice ever recorded i think. I fell in love with her in 1970 and nothing's changed in all these years. I think their cover of Leon Russell's "This"Masquerade" is one of their best recordings.

[@nkcbrazil]

Yes with that Bossa Nova best! I wish Karen had done some Jobim songs, they were perfect for her and would have been something special. Sinatra did an entire album of them.

[@joemacinnis1972]

Simply the best female singer I've ever heard period!

[@vincenthewlett4329]

Greatest female voice this planet has ever had...imo

[@Orange-Jumpsuit-Time]

In the studio recording, she was given the nickname, "One take Karen" because she was so flawless with her singing voice.

[@cton2wheels]

Karen's brother, Richard played piano on this song. Karen was also one of the first female drummers.

[@laurieschulte3025]

Also did the arrangments for all their work and the background vocals too. He also is quite the talent.

[@davidmckie7128]

Another early female drummer was Honey Lantree of the Honeycombs (check out their 1964 hit "Have I The Right")... kzbin.info/www/bejne/omq5dIawqpiWhas (Viola Smith (née Schmitz; November 29, 1912 - October 21, 2020) was an American drummer best known for her work in orchestras, swing bands, and popular music from the 1920s until 1975. She was one of the first professional female drummers).

[@dranet47]

I love her voice. So pure and perfect. This will be a rabbit hole you'll enjoy exploring. "Sing" was my favorite when I was a kid.

[@fredranger7385]

Everything about her music is Angelic. Karen was also an amazing drummer and percussionist.

[@cliffordlowerre1381]

On the day that she was born the angels got together and decided to create a dream voice come true. A must play at every High School dance. Rest in Peace little drummer girl. Hate you cut the song short ladies. Missed some wonderful harmony.

[@jimnicosia5934]

She was considered by many in the music industry to be the top female vocalist but she thought of herself as being a drummer first.

[@eggy1962]

My favourites……one thing most fans agree on ….is that they felt karen was singing to them personally…you hear ,understand and feel every word….so good was her diction…. Another youtuber “wings of pegasus” analysed her voice comparing her studio recording and a live version….virtually identical…she was that good.

[@kentmains7763]

The Voice! One take Karen, and she was an excellent drummer as well.

[@frankmerris8821]

Karen was an angel but if you like her singing check her out doing what she really loved to do (playing the drums) and she was damn good

[@janicetrimmell6897]

Karen had a gorgeous contralto voice. It was dripping with emotion. This song was everywhere, and anybody in junior high that played some piano had to learn it. I would take my 45's with me babysitting the kids across the street and try to convince them it was me on the record. No one ever bought that. "Rainy Days and Mondays" is my favorite. Her brother Richard is playing the piano and was a genius at arrangements. Karen loved drumming. Some people didn't give her respect for it, but she played in the style of Buddy Rich, and he thought she was terrific.(Buddy would know!) It seems she was not comfortable being out front, even though her voice was magnificent.

[@helokopter924]

Karen is the voice. Clearest of all. Im on my late 60s, so remember Carpenters very well on the radio and TV specials. 5'3 KC had a haunting timber in all her songs. Did you know every female harmony in all of her songs was hers as well, sang, then dubbed into the song by Richard ? She began, with her brother Richard, by playing drums. Richard, her brother, was a terrific arranger but KC's voice was discovered by Herb Alpert, A&M Records, in 1969, which began their road to fame. Richard convinced her that her best singing voice was contralto, 'the money is in the basement'. I believe KC's, voice, especially contralto, was the best, beautiful, female voice ever. No auto-tune, stripping, gimmicks, or screaming. Her nickname was 'one take', since she always sang a song once in studio without a single re-take. She sang to you with haunting, mesmerizing emotion, perfect pitch and enunciation. Her voice compelled you to listen. She had no professional voice training. Paul McCartney said she sang Ticket To Ride better than the Beatles, and "she had the most angelic voice I have ever heard". John Lennon told her at an LA restaurant "you have a fabulous voice luv". They were most successful in early/mid1970s when she/they received 4 grammys. She was also recognized by 1975 Playboy poll as rock drummer of the year. Check other songs such as 'Solitaire', 'Only Yesterday', 'Hideaway', 'Rainy Days and Mondays',' 'This Masquerade', 'I Can Dream Cant I'(a big band era song), 'Hurting Each Other', 'All You Get From Love Is A Love Song', 'A Song For You' ,'Superstar', ' I Need To Be In Love', 'We've Only Just Begun',' Goodbye To Love', etc.. She had a few friends including Petula Clark, Olivia Newton John and Dionne Warwick. She had anorexia with a serious onset in 1975 that continued the rest of her life. Married a guy in 1982 that was broke, didn't tell her he had a vasectomy, and mistreated her. Never knew true love. She died Feb 1983 at 32yo due to complications from anorexia. Her solo album was released some years after her death. [Some info contained herein came from documentaries such as, "Only Yesterday"]

[@MitchellWilkinson-m8n]

I'm astounded and in disbelief that this younger reviewer has never heard Close To You. Released in 1970, it was the biggest hit radio single of the year, setting Richard and Karen on a long succession of many other classic pop recordings. Karen's voice was naturally haunting and mature, singing in warm alto range.

[@docholliday5439]

In 1971 I was only twelve yrs old and fell in love with her voice and her songs. In 2024 her voice still brings tears to this great grandfather.......😢🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

[@Bobby-vf7fv]

Her voice was not of this world!!! Just wish she'd seen the immense value in herself. Never tire of that angelic voice that was silenced way too soon. 😂😢

[@plefevre]

This is live too. No assistance, no autotune, just talent.

[@uncabuzz118]

An interesting side note: 3 of THE CARPENTERS #1 songs were written by Paul Williams. (Ask your mother about him.) They include: WE'VE ONLY JUST BEGUN, I WON'T LAST A DAY WITHOUT YOU and my favorite... RAINY DAYS AND MONDAYS. Paul also wrote big hits for Three Dog Night, Helen Reddy, Barbra Streisand and Kermit The Frog.

[@dougramsey1012]

And one that should have been a hit: "Let me be the one".

[@TomGorham]

My dad, in his 90s, now RIP, asked me to buy him the Carpenters album on vinyl record. I found it on Amazon and bought it for him along with other vinyl records. It was almost a last wish. This was one of his favorites.

[@jeffharry9675]

She had perfect pitch.

[@lutz1114]

They grew up in my home state of Connecticut. Her voice still gives me chills. Her lose was tragic. We lost a true Angel.

[@randallgregerson4761]

Important to mention this was written by the late great Burt Bacharach. Love the Carpenters

[@archcollie5708]

Nice. A beautiful talent who joined the angels too early. We miss her.

[@fortymillioncoins9066]

Karen Carpenter- one of the Greatest ever!

[@Falconer1128]

I'm sure it's been mentioned but Karen is also an amazing drummer. She considered herself a "drummer who could also sing". Try the video for Rainy Days and Mondays to see her drum and sing. It's memorable.

[@vicprovost2561]

I am 67, an old hippie and metal head and everyone I hung with loved her voice, universal respect for her and Richard for how good they were at their type of music. I still prefer to rock but need a Carpenters fix every so often, try Superstar, the live video with her in a red gown on a darkened stage, the performance by her and the band is perfect, she can give you goosebumps! Enjoy. 🎵🎤🎹🎻🎶

[@aristeusoaresjunior7675]

RIP Maestro Bacharach, great composer of many beautiful songs like this, Brasil loves you!

[@keiron.4612]

Karen carpenter is one of my favourite singers of all time I can't help but nearly cry when i listen to her she died at only 32 please react to rainy and Mondays another amazing carpenters song

[@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!

[@wpollock1]

Thats her brother Richard on piano. He wrote or co wrote many of her songs and arranged them.

[@glennsmusicchannel]

When I was 7, my parents gave me and my bro a box of records, and a record player. This was one of the records. That was 1973. It's still in my collection. The Carpenters really had something.

[@victorwho744]

Karen's voice is just so beautiful i get tears in my eyes

[@steve9199]

A music reviewer from Rolling Stone magazine said, "Karen Carpenter's voice is the sound of a lover whispering in your ear." I couldn't have said it better.

[@CB-gr1uk]

She has a contralto voice, 3 octaves and it starts at the lowest range for a woman. She had perfect pitch. All of this is pretty rare, she has the best female voice there ever was in my opinion.

[@rcovel1960]

One of the finest female vocalists in memory.

[@keiron.4612]

You must have an amazing wardrobe you have a different out fit in every video haha

[@jollyj3285]

Best voice ever!! RIP Karen

[@jeffharry9675]

Superstar should be next, right?

[@mickdenis6630]

I agree

[@chriswhinery925]

It's easy for younger people to underestimate just how good Karen was. Artists nowadays have autotune and other studio crutches to lean on, back then they didn't have that. And very few singers either male or female could nail it so flawlessly and pitch perfect every time as Karen Carpenter did. She was a wonderful multi-talented musician and I'm always happy to see younger people recognize that.

[@tomschmitz261]

and of course they are "trained" by american idol and other "talent show" and the dumbing down of pop music to think yellers and ridiculous over the top runs are considered Talent! the louder the better, which is actually the opposite....

[@nkcbrazil]

@tom thanks I’ve been saying that for years. The consider great the screamers with runs all over the place. You ever notice audiences these days, they jump out of the seat always at the screaming notes.

[@catesaathoff6741]

rainy days and mondays classic carpenters with the right video, Karen is drumming and singing

[@stephenhanft1226]

I was waiting for Generation Gap to get to The Carpenters. I knew you would. While there are many female singers that I enjoy listening to, Karen Carpenter is my all-time favorite female singer. She had the sweetest, the most naturally beautiful, angelic female singing voice I've ever heard. In the 70s, The Carpenters music was so much a part of my childhood. I was taught their music in elementary school. In fact, I sang The Carpenters song "Top Of The World" in my school chorus. So, obviously, that song brings back many special memories for me. Although we lost Karen at a far too young age (She was only 33), she will always be near and dear to my heart and her music, with her brother, Richard, will always remain a part of my life. Anyway, "Close To You" was their breakthrough song that was #1 for 4 weeks in 1970 (their biggest hit). It was written by the legendary songwriting team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David. While The Carpenters have a very extensive great catalog of songs, "Close To You" is probably their most famous one and considered their signature song. I hope you do more reactions to The Carpenters music and I highly recommend "Top Of The World", "We've Only Just Begun", Rainy Days And Mondays", "I Won't Last A Day Without You", "Yesterday Once More", "Superstar", and "For All We Know."

[@1951woodygeo]

Karen had the most beautiful voice I had ever heard I have her greatest hits album and listen to her regularly.

[@Kauritree08]

Karen was amazing with such a warm tone to her voice with such honesty to her. And of course the genius behind them was Richard.

[@Greeneyedtadpole]

I was in middle and high school in the mid to late seventies and we had some of the best music!

[@dennislalka7965]

Please listen and react to more Carpenters...best female voice ever!

[@cajunsushi]

I remember I was working the night shift and going to the Jack in the box for a meal and coming back to work when the announcer gave the new that Karen had died. She was so young and to lose such a lovely gifted person as her was heart breaking.

[@scottgorski7931]

Glad you chose the live performance, just Karen and a microphone. Your comment; in just one take is so correct for Karen. In the studio she was called One Take Karen because she always nailed it. To many of us she is the proof that angels do come among us at times. Now you need to watch a performance were she's drumming while singing. She considered herself a drummer that could sing. If you watch her face while she's drumming you can see that she truly loved playing the drums.

[@pettyguy64]

Sweet! You've delved into the Carpenters 😁 Goodbye to Love is one of my favs. One of the few songs they did with an edgy rock guitar solo. Good stuff.

[@StevenW1958]

What great memories that come flooding back to when I was an 11 year old boy. You need to react to “We’ve Only Just Begun”, also by The Carpenters.

[@jazzmaan707]

Karen had that voice at age 16, without working at it. She had the voice of an angel, that could touch your soul and heart. This was their first of many #1 hits. Her voice is unique, and she had a 3 1/2 octave range. She was known as "1 take Karen," since they usually had to do just 1 take in the studio, and she was done. For the Grammy Award, Close To You, beat out Bridge over Troubled Water by Simon and Garfunkel, and Hey Jude by the Beatles. Even today, 50 years later, voice coaches analyze her voice and singing style, as no one has come close to singing like her. She had it all. RIP Karen. FYI. You should review Rainy Days & Mondays, and Superstar, and their signature song, We've Only Just Begun. Loved your reaction too.

[@ralphgomez6251]

She has an angelic voice!

[@bigsteve6200]

A Beautiful Woman with a Beautiful Voice. Gone way too soon. Karen Carpenters voice is like rubbing Velvet on your ears.

[@steelers6titles]

Burt Bacharach and Hal David's song had been around since the early 1960s; Dionne Warwick had recorded it. The title track of their second album, Karen and Richard's version went to Number One in the summer of 1970.

[@mikeferris408]

They were massive back in the day!

[@davidneel8327]

It was said of her that she could do a recording in one take.

[@DJ-bj8ku]

A voice as smooth as silk

[@realamerican5813]

This was my mom's favorite song! Thank you for the memory.

[@aristeusoaresjunior7675]

Listen "This Masquerade" Carpenters version, wonderful!

[@goodtoGoNow1956]

There was a better version of this song on youtube where she was drumming. Cant find it now. Karen Carpenter was a very under appreciated drummer. She was very good. Even in her slow songs like this she had an inventive mind in how she backed herself up on drums. She also had a great range with her voice. Her low voice -- which she called her "Basement" was unique in the world of women singers.

[@buukkreider544]

This song was one of their first hits that really put them on the charts. Please react to SUPERSTAR. Thank you.

[@michaelasay8587]

well keep doing Karen....and u be popular....she saved my life as a kid....oh and now!!

[@foodforthoughtwithfestus7666]

Thank you for your reaction 🎉

[@whatsblooming]

***Our neighbor owns their Corvette Convertible (golden), & he owns a few other classic cars too…

[@danieljones3762]

Love her, the best 🙏

[@cspaikido]

Precious and Few by Climax, another great love song.

[@raymcnulty5252]

R.I.P. Karen, you are still loved and sorely missed.

[@impudentdomain]

She was about 6 years older than me and when I was in junior high I had such a crush on her. She always dressed and looked so feminine, I thought she was beautiful. If only she loved herself as much as the rest of the world did.

[@zealgope]

Imagine, a song dedicated to a man. How cool it's that!

[@paulauspitz1905]

Another Burt Bacharach Masterpiece sung by an Angel.

[@russelbarnes7235]

I, like mom was 12 when this was released. Great music that we grew up with, and once again, thank you for this honest reaction. I look forward to more reactions to the angelic voice of Karen Carpenter. Thanks again.

[@frankofva8803]

Please react to more Carpenters! Love them. Thanks.

[@49txhunter]

She dis have a wonderful voice and she is greatly missed. Gone way too soon.

[@daddyguerrero]

You have to hit Superstar.

[@wgdavis5353]

Hi G.G., Ms. Karen's voice is Pure and smooth as budder.. ♠W.G.

[@rdistinti]

The voice that could launch a thousand ships

[@39thala]

Fantastic reaction! I'd also like to suggest another great singer, Eva Cassidy - "Over the Rainbow". She had such a beautiful emotive voice and she does the song like you've never heard it before. The video of her singing it live is best. Some background on Eva: She died of Melanoma several years before this video performance was ever discovered and released. The performance was in Jan 1996. By June of that year she found out that the cancer from a mole she had removed 3 years earlier had spread. She died in November 1996 at age 33 just 10 months after the performance. After this video was discovered, it first aired in 2000 on Britain's Top pf the Pops 2. It became their most requested video.

[@amandathibodeau4996]

As a mother you should be so proud of yout daughter embracing these songs! I love your reactions!

[@jeffloken6212]

So many great Karen vocals, "Hurting Each Other", "Now", "A Place To Hideaway", "For All We Know", "A Song For You", "Merry Christmas Darling", "Christ Is Born", "Ave Maria", "The End Of The World" , "Superstar." I would start though with "Rainy Days and Mondays", in my opinion the greatest Carpenters song. If I were to play a Carpenters song to someone who has never heard them, I'd start with that.

[@mikemiller3069]

"Superstar", "Rainy Days and Mondays", "We've Only Just Begun", "Top Of The World", "Sing", so many roads to choose. 🤔

[@generationgapreacts]

Hi Mike, those are great songs. You’re right… too many to choose. 😃

[@mikemiller3069]

@@generationgapreacts I thought you might catch the "so many roads to choose" as lyrics from "We've Only Just Begun". 😃

[@generationgapreacts]

@@mikemiller3069 No I didn’t. I have a lot to learn. 😊

[@Mr.56Goldtop]

There's another version here with her playing the drums. Her brother Richard, on the piano, arranged all, and even wrote a lot of their material. When you step into the Carpenters it's a bottomless pit of great music.

[@dennisbransfield966]

Thank you for this wonderful reaction! They were special; and Karen's voice and manner was one-of-a-kind! I hope you will react to 'Top Of The World' by them. 😊🙏

[@matskarlsson3219]

"Karen Carpenter" The greatest female singer of all times!🎵🎤

[@glennallen239]

Karen was also a great Drummer. The Carpenters were a Brother and Sister group!

[@dougwill8850]

Keep going

[@johneldridge8678]

Excellent reaction!!! You're right. She has such a versatile, angelic voice.

[@lapared1970]

Another cool reaction girls, Karen is one of the best singer ever..!! good vibes from México city...👍🏻👍🏻👋🏻👋🏻

[@utGort]

Now people stand in awe of the Carpenters. At the time there was much more derision. That was not because of them, rather it was them competing with the rest of the rock industry. (Remember that was when groups like Three Dog Night, Black Sabbath, Rolling Stones and many others were getting popular. So to many people The Carpenters were saccharine.)

[@mikegrant5721]

You guys are amazing thank you

[@jwmson7791]

Rainy Days and Mondays is my all time fav Carpenters song. Good memories!! ♥️

[@kevindobson3701]

They are amazing

[@themalejodietaylor2599]

You should listen to Now, the last song she recorded. Exquisite. 🤗

[@Susan-pq5rx]

Thanks!

[@johnbattles1002]

Karen was an angel in human form, here for a short time to bless us with an angelic voice & persona, then gone. This is one of my favorites of her many, many wonderful songs. I keep a Carpenter's CD in my car everywhere I go. That was her "big brother" Richard on the piano. You mentioned doing a song in "one take." Interesting you said that, because Karen acquired the nickname "one-take-Karen" from her studio producers because she could do a studio recording in just one or two (at the most) takes when cutting an album! Sheer genius, sheer beauty!

[@bobr4987]

Check out Carpenters song "This Masquerade" It was written by Leon Russell and really shows Karen's lower "Contralto" range. Also, Richard Carpenter has a piano solo and Bob Messenger has a woodwind solo. Their producer called Karen his "One Take Wonder".

[@billtaylor3382]

When I was a kid my mom loved them! I would come home from school at the time this song came out I was 12 yo, Mom would be singing to Karen, Fell in love with them! Many memories of it, She passed away this past July!😃

[@raymondhoward9173]

Great 👍🏽 reaction ❤❤