first time ever listening - the Carpenters *reaction

[@boerik9519]

I think She's one of the greatest vocalists in history.

[@dingbat19]

no doubt about that !

[@Highinsight7]

YUP...!

[@thunderlips350]

Without a doubt. And no vocal training at all. Very early on she sang differently to what you hear in this video.

[@joclem78]

I agree. No one comes so close to her soothing and effortless voice.

[@crismelo6292]

I agree. She was amazing.

[@brianmusson1827]

Karen Carpenter had one of the most beautiful female voices of all time. Her live performances could have the audience in tears. She died far too early and is sorely missed.

[@jwsjourney]

I totally agree

[@shaunconnerley1766]

Yes she sure did

[@byzinski]

Frank Sinatra once said that Karen Carpenter is the only singer he would pay to go hear her sing

[@fryloc0034]

Absolutely TRUE...

[@aliyahmonthe2302]

Is there a video I can watch where he says it?

[@fryloc0034]

@@aliyahmonthe2302 It was in an article for Playboy I believe....and why would you think Sinatra in the 80s would have a video of that interview? Thats a bit weird but ok....again not sure but I think it was for Playboy

[@aliyahmonthe2302]

Tim McGaughan ahah sorry I don’t even know who he is I just thought there might be an interview or something

[@mbolduc]

They both understood phrasing like Miles did. Gorgeous

[@Topgooner01]

"They may have been famous??"....could be the understatement of the year so far?! LOL. To many, Karen Carpenter had the best female voice ever within the pop industry....a notion I find difficult to argue with!!!

[@dougbreau3856]

Topgooner01 As I said in my comment above, it is like he is discovering their music in a time capsule in the year 2525.

[@flowerson4507]

@@dougbreau3856 very well put, it was a great first reaction to see. I'm sure there are great Italian singers that I'm not aware of and yet for me to discover.

[@tracypaxton1054]

It's claimed that the Carpenters were the biggest selling musical act of the 70's.

[@liner011f7]

A lot of great singers, KC is still my favorite.

[@Chanteuse66]

That's because there's nothing to argue! =)

[@phyllisb4634]

1969-70's. Karen and Richard Carpenter, brother and sister duo. Karen, with her iconic voice was very shy and thought of herself as a drummer who could sing back up and stay in the background. She was pushed to the forefront and they became famous. She was the first high profile celebrity to die of an eating disorder and made anorexia a household topic. I think she was 33 when she died. She sang like an angel, what a loss.

[@cherise2831]

What is so painful to us all is sweet Karen was actually on the mend and was putting on weight when her heart gave out. The years of starving and the medication they had given her finally took their toll. Her voice was one of the most beautiful in the world of popular music.

[@phyllisb4634]

@@cherise2831 I did not realize that. Even more tragic.

[@golfr-kg9ss]

The story I heard was the band had some studio time and their singer was sick or something. They didn't want the time to be a total waste so they asked Karen (the drummer) to fill in for the singer so they could lay down some tracks for when their singer came back. The rest is as they say history. Here's a pretty cool video from their TV show, yes they were that famous. The quality isn't great but really shows her drumming talent.

[@cstroppa20]

She had 32, not 33 when she died.

[@RaymondHng]

@@cstroppa20 She was one month away from her 33rd birthday at time of her death. (March 2, 1950 - February 4, 1983)

[@adiarainfoster]

There ARE live version of many of her songs. She was known for having the "golden voice" or "one take voice." She sang flawlessly every single time and never had to do more than one recording in the studio.

[@richardyoung9024]

He has to listen to a live version and compare the two. REALLY, Frank? Trust me, sir, she sang flawlessly live as much as in the recording studio, you couldn’t tell them apart. That’s how great she was.

[@Fedko3037]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pGKkeWl3ncp1idk

[@waynebritton1436]

She was born with perfect pitch. Which means she never missed notes or ever wandered off key. It’s a very rare musical gift and one of the many reasons her live performances sound just like the recordings.

[@anthonygeurtsen7143]

Yes. Forever known as 1 take Karen. Absolutely Out of this world!!!!

[@tedharvick9010]

Karen had one of those unmistakable voices. As soon as she started singing, you knew who it was. So soulful, almost ethereal. I could listen to her sing all day.

[@dagnytaggart5955]

I just cannot believe you've never heard the Carpenters! The 1970s and 80'were soaked with their music. Good for you. Like Angelina Jordan I think the Carpenters are out of time: they would be good in any era, fifty years ago or fifty years in the future. They were awesome in live performances. Karen's voice was absolutely great. You can find many clips of live shows on YT. Enjoy.

[@FOT2010]

he has. It’s called acting for views bro.

[@stephanieellis5399]

@@FOT2010 do you know that for sure? I don't know that he has or he hasn't. By his accent it's a fair guess that he didn't grow up in an English speaking country. I don't know the extent of his exposure to American music growing up. I'm Canadian by birth born in the 70s but didn't hear a recording of the Carpenters until the early 90s. Why? Because I grew up in Asia where there was only one English radio station and it was on mostly for News at noon and 6pm until the mid/ late 80s when we were teens. No doubt there those who do as you accuse thus guy of doing, but unless you know for certain, have proof, try to give people the benefit of the doubt.

[@MarkovianMan]

She sounds virtually the same live. They didn't have auto-tune type stuff back then, and artists were successful because of their talent, not because of their looks and flash. Check out Solitaire, it really shows off her range.

[@iliketowatchvideos47]

Yes agree 👍👍👍

[@Eleventhearlofmars]

Alto contralto with a fantastic range, I think she had 4 octave, her voice was, for me, the best female singer I’ve heard. Linda Ronstadt is another high up in my top 10.

[@donsample1002]

They didn't have auto tune, but their studio albums had a *lot* of overdubbing. Sometimes when it sounds like they've got a big backup chorus, it's just Karen and Richard, and a tape mixing machine.

[@margaridatrigueiros3237]

You should check out their other songs! Specially "close to you", "rainy days and mondays"!

[@julieredmond5192]

Margarida Trigueiros Rainy Days and Mondays is my favorite!

[@johnmccullough6540]

She is great and also the drummer. Try “Superstar” by them.

[@tedharvick9010]

Yes, give Superstar a try, Sir

[@js33412]

John McCullough Yes, she was their drummer and never wanted a front position. They pressured her to be their singer and she gradually agreed, but was never comfortable doing it. The pressure and fame eventually led to her premature death. What a beautiful voice - what a loss!

[@Highinsight7]

"Rainy Day and Monday"... that's where it's at!

[@richardkwong4704]

Richard and Karen Carpenter (bro and sis) were my fav growing up. I still listen to them on Spotify and always makes me nostalgic for my younger years. They were superstars in the 60's and 70's. The song, Superstar, is and will always be my favorite of theirs, but I enjoy all their songs. I recommend you to listen to all their songs..very easy, soothing, and relaxing.

[@Peg-ee5ei]

Richard Kwong So true!! Their music was a great part of the soundtrack of my life as I was growing up.

[@christopherscorner]

That is not a choir behind Karen’s voice… The male voice is her brother, Richard, and that choir sound is both of their voices being over dubbed mini mini times to get that sound. They are incredible and she is one in a million.

[@gesundheit602]

I would assume it is the same or very similar as on "Close To You." Richard stated when asked, "It's four-part harmony and it's tripled so, obviously, it's 12 vocal parts - 12 voices."

[@dondavis941]

Her voice is pure and natural. No Auto Tune back in the ‘70’s. Just her beautiful voice.

[@exittiming2789]

Karen: pitch perfect perfection. One of the purest voices in the history of music

[@ricthornton2958]

Absolutely flawless!

[@sjd5750]

Her voice was touched by angels...Some of her Christmas songs are my favorites, as well...And yes, she was a very accomplished Drummer, as well.

[@hcts2009]

You've discovered the voice of an angel!

[@larrypurtell]

The Carpenters were great! This video come from a TV show that they hosted during the summer of 1971 called "Make Your Own Kind Of Music". The show also had Al Hirt the famous trumpeter as host. This show came out after "Close To You", "We've Only Just Begun" and "For All We Know" were released by the Carpenters. The song you have on your video "We've Only Just Begun" was written by Paul Williams. Richard Carpenter saw the song on a bank commercial and they recorded their version of the song.

[@andreadeamon6419]

It's actually Richard and Karen doing the harmonies

[@hungfao]

She actually sounds the very same live.

[@marialeon4097]

Yes..no auto tunes.. You either could sing or you sank...

[@smyffmawzz]

Not anymore she doesn't .

[@sarahpiaggio2693]

In one of the live recordings, RC explains that the 2 of them do all the harmonies on the recordings, but that live, they get the other instrumentalists to do the extra harmonies. In the live versions, I've always heard her sing in tune and with that same warm tonal quality. She could also play the drums while singing, and when she just played the drums, she was EXTREMELY good. Just an all-round super-talented person. And not to forget her brother, who was an excellent pianist and arranger, knowing how to frame her voice to perfection. They were and remain singularly undervalued by the trendy side of the music scene.

[@terrirobertson7821]

Best female singer...Ever. No vocal gymnastics...No Drsmatic singing. Absolute Brilliance.

[@maxir.b.2638]

2:19 she can't help herself, look at those hands, she was a drummer at heart! AND the most beautiful female voice ever, so much talent, it hurts!

[@dmederos13]

Omg! My father used to listen to this and I adore Karen's voice!!!!🤩🤩!

[@ctwatcher]

She had one of the most beautiful voices ever.

[@TheNo1BandDad]

Oh, that voice. That beautiful, killer voice that still gets me. Also, I'm a sucker for harmonies, and theirs was always heaven-sent.

[@jjnyc4610]

Karen Carpenter can sing the yellow pages and make me cry....this was my childhood era...as you know now they were brother and sister. Very talented siblings. They were among the first that did over dubbing in the studio of thier voices. Yes please look at their other songs and they sound the same live.

[@fool4singing]

The Carpenters dominated the radio stations throughout the 70's, have sold over 100 million records worldwide, made dozens of TV appearances throughout their career, along with their own TV specials, and toured throughout the world, so with all due respect, I'm shocked that anyone over 40 has never heard any of their songs! They were phenomenal talents that we'll never see the likes of again...

[@heidir7553]

Hi Frank👋 loving your trip back to all the nostalgic and iconic tunes🎶🎵 Karen Carpenter was extraordinary. Such a rich, full voice. So tragic we lost her so young. She died of anorexia absolutely horrible disease that affects you mentally as well as physically. I know that she struggled with it alot during her short life. You can't mistake a voice like Karen Carpenter and the sound of the Carpenters. Pure magic🌠 Would love for you Frank to react to more Carpenter's videos💖

[@zerores2005]

She was the group drummer who had to gradually be coaxed into singing! Also, her brother heard this as a jingle for a Bank Commercial and converted it into a Pop song. Finally, as I've often heard, the background vocals were all done by Karen and her brother.

[@jimfrederick3907]

The angels line up to take singing lessons from her!

[@garyhiggins5823]

On the recording, ALL of the vocals were Karen and Richard. Listen to "I'll Never Fall In Love Again" At the apex of the lyrical run 'Here to remind you', there are thirty nine layers of their overdubbed vocals.

[@kurtzcol]

how the hell do you get to this guys age and never heard the carpenters

[@annmitchell4663]

My thoughts exactly...?

[@Ciclopea2]

And he's familiar with music and artists from their time and somehow never even heard of them? hard to believe, maybe he never heard a single song but they've been everywhere throughout my life and i'm 40, but to make it look like he didn't even know they existed is a bit much lol

[@saritatambayong4002]

He must have heard one of their songs. I've heard few of their songs before I even knew it was the Carpenters.

[@starbuono3333]

I think Frank is in Amsterdam ? maybe the Carpenters were not very famous there ?

[@Loufi303]

Star buono the carpenters were perennial radio ( and elevator/lobby) faves in the netherlands and they had a host of hits including this one. They will never fade. On another first listen vid a commenter said can we get a tour of the rock you live under? Lol i dont believe half of these are real first listenings but whatever.

[@mylittlebuckaroo]

Re: "The guys in the chorus" - The voices of "the guys in the chorus" are actually all her brother Richard. It was one of their trademarks - They overdubbed the harmonies in the studio.

[@yusupashari3725]

Unforgotten voice she got...thanks for up load...!

[@GS-xt8fu]

Wow. What a beautiful, rich and smooth voice. I heard a few people talking in an interview one of them was a pop artist name pink. She said one of her favorite female voices of all time was Karen Carpenter. I can see why now

[@Sol-kj2pj]

The Carpenters sound was just so perfect. All words fall short. ❤️

[@Jesus_Christ_Conquers]

The best voice of ALL TIME. No one can match her and I've listened to mannnny singers. No one come close.

[@kevinmcconnell9426]

Karen herself said she was a drummer that sang. She was well respected among the best drummers of her time. They were very late 60’s through the 70’s, she died in 1983.

[@blizzy6392]

The first color TVs on the market were by RCA in 1956 although the majority of TV shows did not produce in color until 1965. Our family didn't have a color TV until 1976. 'We've Only Just Begun' by The Carpenters was released in Sept. 1970.

[@shannonwittman950]

Congrats, man. You've been "Carpentered," same as so many other reaction/review channels on KZbin. Now you get to discover all of Karen and Richard's other hits of the 1970's and early 1980's. Enjoy. I agree with you, "elegant" was signature to The Carpenters. And how can anybody miss the hope imbued in a real romance-to-marriage, that is conveyed in this song BTW .. she is buried not far from my home. Thanks for the great video.

[@noone5014]

Thank God i grew up listening to them, real music.

[@atomicat]

The sweetest voice ever.. Miss you karen..

[@YN97WA]

Me too

[@kimhenderson8608]

Her tragic and premature death still makes my choke back tears. There will never, NEVER by a voice like hers. So much we missed of her incredible talent if only she had the help available to her then that’s available now.

[@GinMae]

But I never saw her look happier than when she was playing drums!

[@7Steveski]

Her voice was so smooth, and the harmony with her brother was wonderful. I wish she was still with us.

[@mariahisthe1]

Her voice was absolutely beautiful.

[@ronedwards8239]

1970’s No choir! Karen and her brother in the video did ALL the vocals and harmonies! One of the best singers ever! So to do it live they would have to use the studio track.

[@boosuedon]

This particular song was written by Paul Williams who's main claim to fame was in the 'Smoky and the Bandit 'movies as the short smart ass, Lil' Enos. Paul wrote this song as a TV commercial 'jingle' for a California Bank. Richard Carpenter heard it on TV and thought it would make a good song for a single. He was correct! The song spent 4 weeks at #1. The Carpenters had their own TV special in 1976 (I think it was 76!) in which Karen had a chance to showcase her drumming skills, and it was impressive! She was really quit good! Drumming was her passion, singing paid the bills for her. What a tragic loss!

[@FrankValchiria]

thx for sharing this

[@kymesue9575]

Early 70s brother and sister band she’s the drummer he plays piano

[@bandini22221]

Al these years later and she still amazes with her voice of which, even today, they do not fully understand how she produced those vocal tones.

[@flowerson4507]

What a voice, what an era it was hearing her voice once again.

[@kathypellette2509]

They were tremendously popular in the 70s in particular, and then she passed in 83. People even now discover them all the time. I am always get good feeling when i see reaction for someone first hearing the.

[@golddredgewater]

Thank you for listening to the Carpenter. I put some links of them live

[@tomschmitz5745]

1970.. she was ONLY 20 years old! and she and her brothers did all of the harmonies for the records, they only used other singers for live concerts and to "give the illusion" of backup singing harmonies in videos...

[@hahatoldyouso]

Beautiful song. Carpenters are amazing, try 'Superstar'

[@heatherbolick72]

I Love your reaction to this song/video. I grew up listening to The Carpenters . Karen’s voice and Richard’s vocals/arrangements are unbelievable!!! I could listen to this all day long, I am so sad Karen passed away so young, she is sadly missed .

[@bugaluka]

Glad you like it. As soon as you said you'd never heard them before, I knew you were in for a very nice surprise. Karen's is one of the best voices ever recorded in any genre of music. Studio crew used to call her 'One take Karen. Plus, she's one hell of a drummer!

[@caretaker158]

She was also one hell of a drummer! Oh that voice.... amazing doesn't begin to describe it. Most of the harmonies were actually Karen and Richard themselves. They layered them in the studio. Made live performances extremely difficult. Amazing that this song started out as a commercial jingle that Richard saw on TV, isn't it? Would love to have seen how far Karen would have gone if she hadn't died so young. She was starting to spread her wings and was considering solo projects.

[@lisastygall9062]

She was a damn good drummer and her brother a pianist. Proper musicians.

[@moniquebouchard3724]

Once you've heard Karen Carpenter sing, you'll recognize that perfect, velvety voice from the first note. Whatever an iconic voice. A singular gift.

[@jambroqc]

Such a melodious and silky voice.

[@bethwilliams6946]

Its fun to watch someone's reaction hearing Karen Carpenter sing for the first time because everyone just love her voice, its so pure and angelic how can you not smile.

[@Coolrockndad]

It's so rare to have a female lead singer that plays the drums too.

[@marie_junkie18]

She was the best female vocalist. Flawless!

[@ChuckHackney]

Pure. Angelic. Heaven sent. What else can you say about this dtunning voice?

[@Siansonea]

Try "Ave Maria" by the Carpenters. I think you would also like "Superstar", "Close To You", "Rainy Days And Mondays", "Hurting Each Other", and "A Song For You".

[@C-rations2394]

She's as great singing live as in the recorded version. Best female voice ever.

[@sandymack9345]

Man I'm excited for you to be at the beginning of discovering the carpenters..You are in for a glorious treat.

[@cashonly6117]

Yes early 70s. They were brother and sister and he was awesome at arrangements of their music. She actually passed away from being an anorexic. Karen always had self image issues. I am so happy to see someone just discovering something that was truly amazing. I actually teared up watching you discover this. I miss those days of innocence and free love.

[@phild6124]

My teen years were the Carpenters hay days. There never has been a more perfect voice than Karen Carpenter's. 50+ years later I carry their songs on my phone to listen to. Unmistakal

[@ahimsacerezo1066]

Love this song so much ❤️ it is part of my playlist! Her voice is so soothing!!! Sadly she passed away way too soon!

[@norawatson8916]

It's her brother doing all the harmonies, look very carefully, you'll see all those guys are him😁

[@melliehobson8299]

70s. YES, very poppish and underappreciated. Brother Richard the writer and driving force, Karen's voice blooming in every note. When she lit out alone, there was no comparison. They needed each other. They managed the harmonies very well in live performance--Karen's voice was so RICH.

[@kimbackus4904]

One of the GREATEST groups there EVER was!

[@harrydecker8731]

Karen's older brother, Richard, was a music major, and he wrote many of their songs and arrangements. Karen started out as a drummer. Because of her wonderful voice, she took center stage, though she was reluctant to do so. Here's a link to their first performance in Britain in 1971, and it's amazing. Not sure if it's live, but it really showcases the musical talents of both Karen and Richard. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jomWcoGJl61pgsk Karen sings "We've Only Just Begun" at 36:18.

[@kimtaxxxx]

WOW SO NICE ,BEAUTIFUL MUSIC, NICELY DRESSED 7O'S CONTROL,VERY NICE YES

[@timmccready1185]

She kills it live! Best female voice ever!

[@Ailsworth]

I'm finding it very difficult to believe he has never heard this before. Any english-speaking man his age has heard this as surely he knows who Neil Armstrong was.

[@ShoshiPlatypus]

I can’t remember the first time I heard the Carpenters, as their music has been so much a part of my life for so long, so I envy you this wonderful first experience and reaction to them! Karen had a golden voice, a one-in-a-million, and it was such a tragedy that she died so young. She was very troubled and suffered from anorexia nervous which deprived the world of an absolute treasure. Thank goodness for all the wonderful recordings we still have of her. Her brother Richard was a first-class musician too, and a supreme arranger, and together they made a unique team. Thank you for sharing this lovely video and your great reaction! Very moving, and put a big smile on my face.

[@carolsuch5646]

I agree with you all, Richard was and is very good at arranging the songs. Got all their albums and never tire of them.

[@bethwilliams6946]

these songs are timeless

[@UserHorologium]

Karen was only 20 when they produced the studio recording of this song in 1970. Her brother, Richard (standing next to her in this video) was not only the piano player for the group, but also did almost all the arrangements, co-wrote a substantial number of their songs, and performed backup (and occasionally lead) vocals for the group. While this was not their biggest hit (it peaked at number 2 on the Billboard charts, while they had three number one hits) in some ways it became their most enduring hit and perhaps their signature song, which is odd because it was originally written as an advertisement for a bank. Richard heard the advertisement, recognized the singer/songwriter's voice, and contacted him to ask if there was a complete song. The duo responsible for this song also wrote another monster hit for the Carpenters entitled "Rainy Days and Mondays". They had 16 straight top 15 hits on the US charts from 1970-1976, and had one of the best-selling albums of the 1970s, "Singles: 1969-1973". That album sold seven million copies in the US alone, and was the best-selling album in the UK in 1974. As noted in another comment, they were the most successful US born group of the 1970s (Elton John and the Bee Gees sold more music, but they of course were born in the UK.) When they performed this song live, they obviously could not duplicate the spectacular stacked multi-tracked vocals of the originals, but two of the members of the band (Doug Strawn and Dan Woodhams, helped to create a four-part vocal harmony, which did a decent job of recreating the original track. To clear up a few misconceptions: The song from the movie "Lovers and Other Strangers" was "For All We Know". The song that was number one for four weeks was "(They Long to Be) Close to You". I am pretty sure that the clip from this video was a short-lived 1971 variety show they hosted entitled "Make Your Own Kind of Music (the episode in question was the last episode in September 1971). And Karen was a month shy of her 33rd birthday when she died in 1983. She had gained almost 20 pounds during a protracted inpatient treatment session, and her heart couldn't handle the increased weight after years of malnutrition as a result of her anorexia nervosa.

[@gustavosantin5544]

I really love it when the brass horns kicked in in the middle of the song.

[@1976PartyBoy]

THIS SONG launched- MANY MARRIAGES, in this Country....Prolly the MOST EVER !!!

[@tedharvick9010]

Check out Hurting Each Other. She gets heavenly in her pitches, especially when she starts to belt it out.

[@hurricane6014]

This song adds so much emotion in all facets - the melancholy, the build, the 60’s groovy up tempo, the words, his arrangement, her voice. Just a plethora of liquid heaven poured over our mortal cranium and body to emit emotions of longing and sometimes wishful, loving relationships we hope for everyone.

[@GS-xt8fu]

She sounds as good live as in the studio. Truly. An amazing voice. She died to soon

[@1111andrewjackson]

Frank, you have great taste. I have seen the Carpenters at least a dozen times, they are OUTSTANDING !

[@vipjcaq]

Can not believe you ever listening an american gold voice ... Amazing and pure voice ... Greetings from Peru

[@Fuggetaboutit1776]

She sings equally angelic live. Go watch their live performances. She's an ANGEL 💕💕💕💕💕💕

[@Peg-ee5ei]

Her voice was truly magnificent. But her personal instrument of choice was the drums. There's a magnificent drum solo that she did out there. Thank you for doing this reaction. I'm 66 years old now, and it is truly delightful to see later generations experience the performances. I followed the unfolding of the Carpenters careers as it was happening. It was delightful to see your expressions. Thank you so much. I don't know how to post a link but there is a video on KZbin has a magnificent drum solo by Karen Carpenter. I liked and subscribed!

[@Peg-ee5ei]

So many of her fans were just devastated by her death.

[@jakespur6094]

Karen and Richard were heavily criticized for overdubbing background with their own voices. 28 -32 tracks make the sound. They were trailblazers and way beyond their years in talent. Background singers were used for live concerts to recreate the sound. Here is a live version starting at 4:33 kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZnqyZYBogLGYgdk

[@mylittlebuckaroo]

They were heavily criticized, but not for the overdubbing. Most of the criticism they DID get was for their image rather than their music.

[@danithompson1693]

I suggest the Carpenters. "Goodbye To Love"

[@NormaCuevasV]

Wow 😁👏👏👏 I took a trip in time back to my childhood in the 80s 👍 Beautiful!!! Thank you ❤

[@katylamb2714]

Their music is still iconic. Still famous in Philippines 😙😍

[@jeffsuter344]

The Karen everyone welcomes. A voice of an angel and she was the drummer in the band. The song was written by Paul Williams.

[@SimirJohnson]

“Elegant” and “artistry” - two words you said that hit it on the head.

[@mikesimpson5383]

Well said. The Carpenters sound summed up in two words. Don't forget beautiful too. 👍

[@frederickc591]

Elegant is a great description. Thanks for listening and discovering. She was amazing.

[@corvus1374]

This song started out as a commercial for a bank in California. Richard Carpenter heard it and contacted the composer, and he made it into a full length song.