FIRST TIME HEARING | Carpenters - Only Yesterday

[@Tessiefaye]

She evokes emotion on every song.

[@pamelapasechnick6899]

Castanets. Yes, this has always been my favorite Carpenters song. All of them are amazing, but this one is especially great! I enjoy watching your reaction videos and I look forward to seeing more!

[@MGrayl-ib5fo]

Love seeing young people find this incredible music.

[@eddiejohnson5370]

Well said well bloody said for real

[@obamant]

shes the drummer also

[@cliffordlowerre1381]

I was fortunate to grow up with this enormously talented duo but it seems like " Only Yesterday ". This beautiful womans ANGELIC and heartfelt voice really grips your soul. You wouldn't be the first or last that shed a tear listening to her voice. Try "Superstar". After all these years and I still shed a tear from the first sound of her voice!

[@robolafler]

The beautiful harmony of Richard and Karen Carpenter !

[@bearballin]

Thanks for the shout out, Ace! I was an odd teenager embracing Carpenters for their painfully sad lyrics, homogeneous harmonies and mellow pop arrangements. But this music touched my old soul at 17. Fun fact: this video was shot on the grounds of the Huntington Library and Japanese Gardens in San Marino/ Pasadena, CA. If you live in So. Cal, I highly recommend a visit, it's worth day trip. Keep em coming! ✌️ ☮️

[@prm1701]

Beautiful song, Ace. Was glad to see you reacting to this one.

[@sirsuse]

Voice of an angel. ❤

[@JamesGanley-c9p]

From her very first notes she has always given me goose bumps. No other singer has had same effect on me. 75 yr old here , experienced all her songs. Can remember first time hearing one of her songs on car radio and having to get off road, stop and listen. Child of 60's here, I could not understand why she was often made fun of with other contemporary music (Rock etc). Another one I recommend is her version of "Don't Cry for me Argentina". Still makes me quasi faint listening to it.

[@gerlieannmanuel7283]

Please consider SOLITAIRE by Carpenters

[@carolhesterberg7526]

Yes.. a great song!!!

[@scotmax8426]

Love the carpenters, Karen's voice was something else. A great reaction, cheers.

[@bonester50]

Here are a couple more songs to react to from Carpenters and the legendary Karen Carpenter and her genius brother Richard. They are "I Can Dream Can't I" And "You're The One.

[@jbs256]

Good job Ace! Yes, as much as I love the song I find it difficult to watch the video as she is so thin. A couple of tech notes, when you talk about harmony and layering of voices it was always Karen and Richard in studio, until Karen passed. Live in concert the band helped with the harmonies. When you talk about the sound and the wide array of musical instruments, that’s Richard. He was pure magic in making the musicality of Carpenters, outstanding. Not to mention his keyboards. Karen didn’t play as much on the drums as she wanted to but she did. It takes delving into the credits of each song or album. Hal Blaine (The Wrecking Crew) did the majority of drumming in studio. But Karen and Jim Gordon and a couple others did drums, too. As reference Karen drummed on album #1 “Offering/Ticket To Ride”) and “Now and Then” (except Jambalaya ). I made some song suggestions earlier and I hope you eventually get to them. I’m with you on “Now.” That’s a tough one for me too. 💔

[@beedeegee9374]

One of my fondest memories is of seeing Carpenters in concert. I still have the concert program. ❤

[@darcysalas3042]

Don't worry we all need each other. Amen.

[@carolhesterberg7526]

Karen's fabulous voice and Richard's arrangements, compositions, harmonies and keyboards.. an unbeatable combination!!!

[@jamesj7518]

Ace, thanks so much for your reaction to "Only Yesterday," one of my favorites from my favorite singer ever, Karen Carpenter. To me, this was a stellar, but often overlooked single, reaching #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1975. It's a very difficult song to sing, given the wide range, starting low in the verses and going high in the chorus. The castanets were also used prominently in their 1976 hit single "There's a Kind of Hush," but this latter (and later) song was up tempo throughout. I like your insights, Ace!

[@susancrouthamel760]

I met Karen(sang n played the drums) n her brother played piano n keyboard n sang Harmony with Karen)Richard in 1978 n they were very friendly but Karen started to look sick. She died 1983 at 32 of heart failure due to anorexia that she suffered from for around 8 years It started after their managers told her she was gaining too much weight. ( skumbags) 2 other songs I love Close To You"n "Rainy Days and Mondays"

[@deborahdennehy9937]

I loved The Carpenters, just genious & yet so long ago. It was so sad Karen died so young from anorexia nervosa. Such a special person, super contralto voice. Loved them SO MUCH!!! xx

[@francinefernandes2007]

As well as being an awesome songer Karen Carpenter was also an amazing drummer ❤️❤️❤️

[@edjasper92]

Karen sang with such clarity, that you didn’t need to struggle to understand what she was singing. I think this allowed the listener to enjoy the story and the music simultaneously. One of a kind.

[@GinMae]

thanks, Ace! her voice is so mesmerizing... her brother Richard did some of their compositions, and also sang harmony... I hope you see some of her drumming, as well - that was her first love!

[@FUBAR1986]

Richard produced the music lyrics. Karen started as the drummer and they discovered her beautiful voice and eventually removed her from the drum set. Personally, I think that was a mistake. Maybe that’s why she was sad inside. I miss such beautiful music like this.🙏❤️

[@carolhesterberg7526]

You'd love "This Masquerade" with its great jazz piano solo by Richard and flute solo by Bob Messenger! Karen's voice, as usual, is spectacular. You'll get goosebumps, but you won't cry. If you want to cry, play "I Believe You." The lyric about having a "freckled little girl who looks like we do" gets me every time since Karen always wanted children and didn't realize that dream since she died so young.

[@impudentdomain]

I grew up with them. I was a junior high student and had such a crush on Karen. Some of their more melancholy songs still make me tear up. Her voice was angelic.

[@markroulette3419]

I’d love your reaction to Karen’s last song recorded. It’s called, NOW. Quite emotional, but I think one of their best. Thanks again for the reaction.

[@carolhesterberg7526]

A beautiful song for sure!

[@colibri1]

I think the instrument you were trying to remember the name of, the one that looks like "two clams," is castanets, associated with flamenco dancers. I don't think that's the instrument used here in this song, but it does sound kind of like it.

[@Marrero79]

Canastas may be what you’re thinking of. 😊

[@mamaflush9945]

I thought I'd suggest another new band to give a listen, if interested. I think you will find the lead singer Eric Burdon's vocals surprisingly pleasant. "The Animals - House Of The Rising Sun (1964) HQ/Widescreen - 59 YEARS AGO"

[@astrofabio68]

the sound you think are step of tap are castanets an Spanish instrument of flamenco

[@jameswatts8616]

Castinets are the percussion instruments you are referring to. They are used often in flamingco dancing. "Now" is so hard to listen to because it was her last recording.

[@bruschmidt9943]

You & everyone else is right about Karen being the main person in the Band. The ONLY one who would've given you flack was her mother. She never complimented or gave just praise to Karen. Every word out of her mouth was with accolades to her son 😢. Who in Karen's shoes wouldn't feel betrayed?

[@cd72]

Part of that might be her mother was a good singer but had severe stage fright and could not perform in front of others.....as she planned for Rich to be the star, and never gave thought that Karen could be....and when finally Karen opened her voice and THAT sound came out....she felt if she could have done it, then it was no big deal that Karen could sing beautiful like an angel.....if she could....as it was the Carpenter parents sang on the tune WON'T YOU PLAY A SIMPLE MELODY and we know now how Karen got her voice...

[@paulblotkamp3294]

Does anyone know if Karen was playing the drums on this song?

[@fixinstupid]

Castanets.

[@CarlAlmoney]

The background singers....are both her and her brother overlaying tracjs of themselves

[@robertfausnaught8513]

If you like her Karen's voice. I'm sure there are many new generation lady voices out there, but I've never heard a voice unbiased more beautiful than Karen's voice. I wish I could ask for a song request but I never get a response , perhaps you'll consider this deep voice ace. "I can dream can't I? Or" goodnight"

[@MichaelAndrews-uy1gl]

Why blame her mom for her death? I"ve heard an account from a personal friend of hers, that she and her mom loved each other very much. They had disagreements just like a lot of family members do; they were human, but they were still close and confided in each other at times.