Carpenters "Burt Bacharach & Hal David Medley" on The Ed Sullivan Show

[@peaches911]

Karen is absolutely beautiful here!

[@fredly71]

I’d prefer this to be the Super Bowl Half time show.

[@PACKR66]

Absolutely

[@bigd1345]

Would've been a great idea...no auto tune, no earpieces, just a great live performance. Unheard of these days.

[@Duke_of_Prunes]

Karen Carpenter's drumming skills and her voice are amazing -- and she does it at the same time.

[@USCG.Brennan]

She was truly amazing, both singing and drumming. Truly a very talented gal. Too bad anorexria got the best of her...so sad!!

[@franksinatraalvesprates9933]

O irmão dela tem amor à vida e à saúde 👍

[@m42037]

Ya it's very difficult I play drums she puts me to shame, I started playing in 1984

[@USCG.Brennan]

@@m42037 Me too, but I started in 1965 When I got my first drum set in what was called the "Sunset" mail order catalog. I listened to my Ventures albums and started playing along. I then joined the JR High band, then HS band and then when I was in USCG Boot Camp I auditioned for and was allowed to join the USCG Marching Band in Alameda. Karen Carpenter was a fantastic drummer.....no doubt about it!! So sad how her disease took her away from us. ;-(

[@m42037]

@@USCG.Brennan Yep, she was one of those born gifted people. Buddy Rich was jamming the drums at 2 year's old! Ya as I said to another person it's hard to play and sing at the same time, most people don't play instruments so they don't understand, it's hard enough playing your Instrument alone, then singing. Some people learning comes fast to them that makes me jealous I always had learning difficulty since I was a kid. Sounds like you went far with drumming, farthest I got was playing with my friends in bands on jam nights in bars back in the 80s-90s early 00s

[@TomElvisSmith]

Filmed at the Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, D.C for this special "Salute to Wounded G.I.s" edition of the Ed Sullivan show. The songs featured are "Close to You," "Knowing When to Leave", "Make It Easy On Yourself," "Always Something There to Remind Me," "I'll Never Fall in Love Again," "Walk on By" and "Do You Know the Way to San Jose?".

[@rslitman]

Thanks for this information. Just to clarify, in 1970, this would have been at either Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, DC, or Bethesda Naval Hospital in Bethesda, MD. The DC facility was eventually closed, and the Maryland one got the Walter Reed name.

[@mustangsally1075]

@@rslitman This looks to be at WRAMC in DC off Georgia Avenue, NW. Its definitely not Bethesda Naval Medical Center. Ive worked at both facilities previously as a Research Nurse.

[@TomElvisSmith]

@@rslitman Thanks for the clarification! You are correct; after doing some more research, I found this was filmed in Washington D.C. I have made the correction to my original comment.

[@DCGuy1997]

Yup. Recognize the buildings. Drove by this building the other day!

[@mikemprov1303]

In between "Close to You" and "Make It Easy on Yourself" was "Knowing When to Leave" from Promises, Promises. It was first released on record by jazz singer Sue Raney in 1968.

[@Eric_M_]

Had she not been one of the greatest singers of all time, Karen Carpenter could have easily made a great living playing the drums.

[@EvieDelacourt]

Honestly, I think she would have been happier doing that. I just wish she could have gone on doing both, since drumming is where her heart was, but the world would have missed out on her gorgeous vocals if she had focused solely on her drums. My favorite of her performances are the ones like this one where we get to see her doing both.

[@renarga6886]

And an even more amazing career as an actress.

[@CharlesBallard-f3t]

She would’ve been an Academy award winning actress

[@s4lroachclip]

She only wanted to play drums

[@Eleventhearlofmars]

@@EvieDelacourtI would have liked Karen and co to turn into a progressive rock band, a bit like Klaatu whose song they covered very successfully. 😂

[@SgtPepper4019]

Karen Carpenter was so adorable before her health just fell off a cliff. Her demons overpowered her. One of the best singing voices you will ever hear, she was such a cool friendly person too. r.i.p

[@Lillyxxxo]

she had an eating disorder if you never had that then you will never understand

[@weskitten]

@@Lillyxxxo Had a controlling mom, a social climber and perfectionist. You could never please a bint like that.

[@axrebia]

@@LillyxxxoExactly!! i’m tired of people blaming things on “demons” these are problems that we can just fix with saying stuff like this or prayer

[@quz908]

We'll never get another Richard or Karen Carpenter. Pure magic. Oh, and the genius of Bacharach and David.

[@carolmountford4170]

Thoroughly concur with you:)

[@tj921able]

This is the kind of concert that I would love to have front row seats for. They didn't shoot off fireworks & just displayed pure, raw, talent! It was neat seeing Karen sitting at the drums, where she was happiest. Thank you for sharing this marvelous performance. God Bless You & stay safe.

[@shyman99]

Karen and Richard were outstanding musicians, vocalists, and performers. Add Bacharach & David songs and you experience heaven on earth.

[@zigman8550]

I agree. I don't care what genre of music you like. The Carpenters extraordinary talent cannot be denied.

[@williamfeilhauer2667]

@@zigman8550 you have got that right. Between

[@cjsm1006]

Yes, they were both real musicians, both instrumentally and vocally.

[@ricklewis3282]

Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s music brings back great memories of growing up in the 60’s . RIP Burt and thanks for all the great songs!

[@cynthianorman44]

Thank you, I didn't know that Burt had passed🥺

[@USCG.Brennan]

@@cynthianorman44 Yes.....he died just last week (Feb 8th) at age 94, sad to say.

[@sharonallison9922]

KAREN WAS IN LOVE WITH BERT....❤

[@gvalley07]

Not only blessed with a God-given voice and drumming skills, Karen is so beautiful. I''m sure the guys in the audience noticed that!

[@SueRosalie]

you can see them checking her out

[@bigd1345]

She certainly was. Incredibly talented lady....damn.

[@TheTerryE]

Let's not forget Richard Carpenter who did all the arrangements. He was a pop music genius.

[@groove1722]

He sure was.

[@SueRosalie]

@@groove1722 still is! He's still playing, arranging and recording and touring

[@groove1722]

@@SueRosalie That is good to know,

[@missadams1330]

Do the people in the audience are witnessing a true legend? 😇

[@DugrozReports]

This was pretty early in their stardom, so I doubt it. Would have been amazing.

[@pattibrooks1907]

Karen had a wonderful beautiful voice .It's so sad she had to die young .

[@m42037]

It's crazy how talented she was, I'm a drummer been playing for decades and she makes me look like a ham & egger plus she sings like a angel. It's not a walk in the park singing and playing I still struggle doing it and throw myself off time, at home of course with my headphones playing to song's on YT

[@incog99skd11]

Bacharach songs are also very difficult to sing. Few artists outside of Dionne Warwick could navigate the complex melodies. Karen here is masterful.

[@bigd1345]

​@@incog99skd11I think KC sings them better than anyone.

[@JoseMorales-lw5nt]

It never ceases to amaze me that this very episode, which was an on-location special in honor of injured Vietnam War soldiers, never got a stand-alone DVD release! Gladys Knight & The Pips performed a great medley inside the hospital right near the Carpenters. Comedian George Kirby appeared on this episode, as well. Would've loved a DVD of this entire episode, and the special filmed at The Hollywood Bowl.

[@bennyadler5882]

Exquisite choice of locales, guys were really feeling this.

[@SayItAintSo4real]

Wow! Thank you for this info. I never knew that this episode also had Gladys Knight & The Pips & George Kirby in it. Wow! I'll look that up and hopefully find a KZbin video of them, too, on this day. Thank you for telling us.

[@scottmorley3672]

I met and talked to George Kirby outside the Mike Douglas studio in Philly in 1976. I remember I had dropped a bunch of art supplies I had been holding and he said, "Hey no rush and helped me and then we talked a moment and he signed an autograph. Of all the celebrities I met back then he was the coolest.

[@MariaAndrade-gh8hj]

Karen voz única inesquecível!!!!!

[@roytee3127]

In those days, giants walked the Earth. We had no idea what a remarkable time is was.

[@RolandoPerez-bw5mh]

Truly is!!!

[@bhodges00]

What a performance. Karen is so beautiful.

[@incog99skd11]

Actually, Karen was rather plain. In about 1969, in magazine Stereo Review, a writer, reviewing her latest work, said that "for a plain jane girl" she had a wonderful voice. It was this type of "talk" that caused her to be insecure and stop eating so se could be more "beautiful". I wish everyone in her life could have been more sensitive to her. She may have survived her insecurities as a result. Not every girl is Marilyn Monroe and never will be. It's OK to be otherwise. It would have been an important message for Karen.

[@60Cascade]

@@incog99skd11 She was beautiful. There was nothing plain about her. She was nice to look at and nice to listen to. Just my opinion.

[@MikeSmithEnterprises]

@@incog99skd11 Having met her in 1971 when I spent about ten minutes speaking to her, she was much more attractive in person than she photographed, at least at that time in her life.

[@lumpylumpyloo]

She's dead

[@60Cascade]

@@lumpylumpyloo But her work lives on.

[@realdealradio]

The Carpenters and The BeeGees=Human AutoTune.

[@rfss1715]

You can tell Karen was happiest singing behind the drum set. Absolutely spectacular on both! What a voice!

[@Nellie824]

RIP Burt Bacharach and Karen Carpenter 💕

[@krissmgvlogs]

Oh they're GI's in a hospital, was wondering why everyone looked so miserable. Thank you for your service. Wonderful Carpenters performance!

[@CharlesBallard-f3t]

They are all shellshocked from the war

[@that70sgirl90]

I will never forget the first time I ever heard her voice. I wallked into a local fire company we frequented as a family. The room was smoke filled, the red ceiling lights on, and the couples were on the floor dancing to "Close To You.' As a young, impressionable girl, I immediately knew how beautiful her voice was. I still remember how all those couples on the dance floor were fully engulfed in the moment. Only a voice like that could really make you feel that feeling. That's one moment I will remember forever. Happy Valentines Day, Weekend! 💝 Happy Sunday 🕊 thank you for sharing! 🌹

[@joehill8014]

Nice memory. Thanks for sharing.

[@Twisterjoe]

Yes! A voice that made you feel close to someone. Somehow her voice was both phenomenal, and so personal that you could feel like she was the voice of your own heart.

[@nanettenn9734]

The Carpenter's how FABULOUS they where ! Karen so extremely talented she was on those Drums and her Voice was simply beautiful .She was one of the GREATEST SINGER'S of all time.Loved Burt's Songs also he was a terrific Composer really WONDERFUL MUSIC ! R.I.P . Karen and Burt, you will never be forgotten !!!!

[@debrabrabenec]

Brilliant medley on the record AND performed live! R.I.P. Burt, Karen and Hal. Thanks for all the wonderful music and lyrics and performances! 🎵❤️🎵

[@davidmichaelpascucci]

This performance is off the charts! It’s at such a fast tempo and it’s electrifying. Her voice and drumming is flawless. There was absolutely no reason to make her “get out from behind the drums” so people could see her. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with watching her at the drums. She always looked so joyous when she was playing and singing. You can see that she’s having a blast and filled with joy. It was a mistake to bring her up front.

[@ndvalpo]

you know, I just yelled (to no one in particular) '... they never should have moved her from behind the drums....'

[@dennisp3314]

Whoever did this live recording should really be commended. I could actually hear everything. And their live harmony was Stellar ! Wow

[@scotabot7826]

The GREATEST female singing voice to ever grace this planet with her God given talent!! Period!!

[@respecify]

I think so along with Cass Elliot

[@TheLarryBrown]

​@@respecifyCass Elliot was a good singer, no question. However her recorded output is dwarfed by Karen's by the time of "Carpenters." Cass is way down on the totem pole of female singers.

[@miguelassenza2022]

Karen was not just a fantastic singer , she was an angel , a gift from Heaven to this world.

[@SeamusMcGillicuddy0]

So very true. Her likes shall never pass this way again ! 😍 Miss and love you, beautiful lady 💐 !!!

[@bapples]

Tragedy of Vietnam. Tragedy of Karen. Juxtaposed with such a flawless, beautiful performance of Bacharach-David lilting tunes. 🙏

[@Ed-Mace]

These arrangements vocals and instrumentation are so far ahead of their time. What a band. No one can replace Karen.

[@joeljack1]

Can't believe I'm seeing them doing this live. LOVE!

[@edufau815]

R.I.P. Burt Bacharach, one of the greatest pop composers of the last century...

[@zero_bs_tolerance8646]

One forgets how good of a drummer Karen was. Great tribute to Bacharach & David. Thanks for all the great music. RIP

[@patriciathewisher2315]

RIP Burt. What great songs. And Karen Carpenter had one of the best voices ever. RIP Karen. ❤

[@vincentwalker3280]

Karen, Dionne, Roberta, Gladys and Luther, pure vocalist.

[@bootsy7]

You left out Whitney Houston

[@ead630]

The way she sings "LA is great big freeway / Put a hundred down a buy a car" near the end is so beautiful 5:30

[@globalmonkey007]

Try to tap your finger on any hard surface as fast as she's hitting that hi-hat with her right hand. You can't even come close to doing it? It's okay, almost nobody can. Karen could. Now try to sing, "LA is great big freeway / Put a hundred down a buy a car" on top of it. THAT is the kind of ridiculous talent Karen had. And she made it look effortless.

[@leetana8888]

Truly an amazing performance. Used to play the Carpenter's records / tapes in my room. Also, I'd listen to Raindrops Keep Fallin on my Head and pretty much the rest of the Butch Cassidy album from Bacharach & David while I did homework. If only I could go back to a better time 🖤🤍🖤

[@JodyWilke-v6s]

Every time I watch this, I'm so amazed by Karen Carpenter's singing! So amazing!😃♥️

[@phillipecook3227]

Their vocals are so good I initially thought Karen especially was miming to a backing track applied over the video but after a few seconds when I realised I was watching and listening to a live performance I was blown away ( and hats off to Burt Bacharach and Hal David of course).

[@jim2lane]

All of you posers these days using backing tracks and autotune take a look. This is how talented musicians perform music live

[@zigman8550]

Exactly!!

[@jorgeespinosa3179]

Ouch! So true!

[@JasonMatty101]

I’m amazed she sounded that great and still played the drums like a pro.

[@Cedarsea]

unbelievable talent

[@wesleyhackney]

Great medley and loved Karen on drums. Truly a gifted talent along with her brother. Brings back great memories of Junior High school

[@rashidahmad7830]

Beautiful harmony. Brings back great memories. My Dad was a fan of Burt Bacharach.

[@kevingoins9858]

RIP - Karen, Burt and Hal.

[@alexjim5854]

Burt y Karen deben estar haciendo música hermosísima en el cielo. Ambos unos virtuosos.

[@lorenciandrej]

I am 60, and this is THE BEST skilled live performance of non-classic music I've seen so far. My eyes are in tears. And Burt's genius. Wow !!! I need to repeat it now again.

[@edufau815]

How great everyone, both performers and authors... unfortunately only Richard is still with us, although all the music will be there forever...

[@NebrasKorneater]

I've listened to this on the original vinyl most of my life. I'm blown away how good everything sounds live, especially the vocals!

[@dennisminer7952]

....40 years and 4 days after Karen Carpenter soared to heaven. They left behind so much for us.

[@markjulianoriginalhooli2217]

An angel gone to heaven too soon

[@Mr.56Goldtop]

WOW, that was fantastic! Absolutely FLAWLESS!

[@michaelkatz6572]

Karen was so awesome, I miss her

[@blue97488]

An original American band. Successful and very popular then as well as today. A live performance and only this many views? Please help this generation as well as ALL generations understand and appreciate the sounds of EVERY time.

[@StephanieJeanne]

Such a great medley! They were on it in this live performance! Thanks so much for this!🙌✌️

[@ChesneyDigital]

Man by today’s drumming standards she is just rocking it hardcore!! Could you imagine having a drummer like this in a modern band? Wow!

[@Eclipse52776]

Carpenters do it different, they make it hit right

[@frankmarshall9129]

I didn't know "Always something there to remind me " was by Burt Bacharach. I remember the version by Naked Eyes, now I know the Carpenters and Dionne Warwick did a version too.

[@raymondhetes9783]

Remember,at this s time in music there was never a female lead drummer singer ,what a GIFT 🙏

[@TheLarryBrown]

What is the grand total of female drummers? I'm thinking three. What is the grand total of female singing drummers? I'm thinking one.

[@KarenDelcher]

I don't know anyone on the radio now a days -Karen one note we all knew beautiful most soothing voice ever

[@MysteryZenSide2]

Finally- crystal clear beautiful music ! ..so bright and jazzed up; the listener quickly realizes the Carpenters are a complex World Class Jazz Fusion band with a huge legacy of hit songs. This performance really showcases their multi-layered harmonic arrangements of these classics. Karen's voice shines with all the colors of the rainbow on these songs and everyone can clearly see she is one of the World's greatest drummers as well. Impeccable timing and sense of melodic presence.

[@ckp2ator389]

Such talent on display. And live with no auto tune or backing tracks. Great arrangements for the Bacharach-David songs which the young energetic Carpenters on the ascent, were perfectly suited for.

[@TheLarryBrown]

Yes you are hearing backing tracks. You hear an oboe. You see a clarinet. You hear a fabulous stack of 12+ Carpenters voices, you only see two Carpenters.

[@mauriciogonzalez4290]

God! What a beautiful kind of music, and the people in the crowd seems to be dead.

[@danadams4714]

Audiences in those days were taught to be quiet and respectful of the artists . . . This was NOT Woodstock!

[@DanyTV79]

😮 She's amazing! 🤩

[@שאולנקר]

LOVE THEM! AND STILL IN LOVE WITH KAREN THAT LEFT THIS WORLD 40 YEARS A GO. HOW STRANGE..

[@bigd1345]

Love the way she twirls the drumstick in her right hand at the beginning of, 'Knowing When To Leave'. I can't get enough of her talent.

[@larryborst9684]

When she twirled the drum stick in her right hand she was signaling the tempo she was setting to the rest of the band. Flawless drumming at the same time as superlative singing. A once in a lifetime talent. She was barely twenty years old at the time. As a musician I still can’t wrap my head around how accomplished she was that early in life. She had a lifetime of talent at twenty years of age. What a gifting.

[@bigd1345]

@larryborst9684 Thank you for explaining the drumstick twirling. That makes sense. Yep, Karen had amazing talent, I certainly miss her, as I'm sure all of her fans do. I've read that her parents didn't like the fact that she was more popular than Richard, whom they wanted to succeed in music more so than Karen. It's sad their parents couldn't give her the support she wanted or needed. She was loved my many fans.

[@DCGuy1997]

Wow. So much talent. Amazing she can sing so well and play the drums! It looks like this was filmed at the old Walter Reed Campus in Washington, DC.

[@zigman8550]

It was

[@johnvalenti8834]

I sooo agree. A legend that is missed still for me 63 years later.

[@kaleahcollins4567]

Had to sing close to you at my 6th grade graduation June 97

[@Ghostmanriding]

Good for you. Great song!

[@Team_Nostalgia]

Why does Karen look so adorable in this video? It's great to see her like that.

[@The1970cesar]

Fantastic ❤️ Karen

[@guitarslim56]

Insanely good performance and sound quality for a live concert on a lawn! Good enough for a studio recording. They must have rehearsed that medley non-stop for a month.

[@jimmyb5498]

at 2:40 you see her knock the snare strands off so they don't rattle when they are singing a quiet phrase of the song. that is the sign of a true professional muisician.

[@pattibrooks1907]

Karen had a beautiful wonderful voice

[@s4lroachclip]

I mean legends that have passed on...sometimes weakens my composure and tears my eyes up. A true talent like this that had so much more to offer. If there is a rock n roll heaven, they have a hell of a band.

[@-AV8R-]

I can't believe I never knew she was a drummer. What a terrific talent. Be at peace Karen and Burt.

[@rfss1715]

What an excellent group, great songs, great arrangements, great performances, what a journey!

[@dudley5533]

The outstanding music created by Burt Bacharach and Hal David plus the Carpenters' renditions equals perfection.

[@eclipznpicz8879]

@1:02 would have been on my feet *dancing till the end! Best medley ever!* RIP Burt Bacharach 🙏🏽

[@dalegriffin6768]

In the early 70's music could go from The Carpenters to Black Sabbath on the radio..

[@doctorinsomnia5410]

Reeeeeally BIG show!!

[@bigd1345]

I just can't get enough of her, especially when she's on the drums. Looks like she practiced...A LOT. WOW.

[@actaruseufort9120]

Un pur bonheur ! Cette voix tellement envoûtante, j'ai 56 ans et c'est toujours pour moi l'un des plus grands groupes de musique. Comment ne pas tombé amoureux de cette voix? Je fonds, je fonds...mon dieu que c'est bon....

[@rd.gerdes]

Fantastic performance! Thanks for this. In my memory somewhere, though I cannot find it anywhere, I swear the Mamas and Papas were on Ed Sullivan's show and the girls shaved the heads of the guys. Does anyone else remember this?

[@lucasm4299]

And now we have Coachella, great

[@matteoromenghi]

The one and only, Mr. Burt Bacharach.

[@pamczech5984]

I had a lot of their albums always enjoyed listening to them

[@Cindy-Williams]

Perfection

[@Fun4None250]

Awesome that this is finally being released. Thank you Josh and Andrew Solt.

[@usmcbrat2]

Oh Karen Anne... I was so in love with her.... Hmm... born 3/2/50 she was 21 years old on the day of this recording. And I was 11. Always 10 years behind her. She was one of the exceptionally few people in this world that I would have married on the spot, no questions asked. I could tell by observing her that she was a good, decent, kind and Godly woman. The closeups of her face in this video show such a healthy glow. Sigh. I think I have watched it 10-12 times over the last week, gleaning little bits of new things each time. Thanks for posting this! If you have more from the same day I ask you to PLEASE post it for the sake of the 10 year old boy who still lives in me, and is still head over heels in love with Karen Anne Carpenter.

[@mustafamcpherson9010]

One of the most beautiful movie clips with Karen shining vivaciously. It is hard to believe the difference in her health and appearance only 11 years later when she appeared in a yellow jumpsuit on Japanese telethon.

[@KarenDelcher]

Today standards this ain't nothing-Bull Shit -this is epic Karen and Richard -amazing

[@stevebartley628]

I usually don’t care that much for a medley, but this one is perfection

[@BenneWill]

So awesome you restored and released this. The picture and sound are dramatically better.

[@Nigelrathbone1]

Dhe looks do young and wholesome here. So tragic how her health imperceptibly and gradually declined until too late and not much was known about her illness for possible intervention.

[@laurasquissato6640]

remarkable live performance. not many can display this level of talent these days.

[@davemiller4721]

The Carpenters played my college during freshman year - 1973/74 - I went because it was the only thing in town, the tix were cheap, and The Carpenters were kind of famous but not that cool, given my dormmates were enthralled with the Allman Brothers. It was a good show, even though I don't remember much. Even when this clip aired, I knew Burt Bachrach's stuff, but I don't think I associated Close to You with Bachrach/David at the time.

[@billcarroll5342]

I used to think The Who’s “A Quick One” on the Rock n Roll Circus was the the greatest live performance ever captured. Until this.

[@Trenchant463]

Oh yeah. This chucks “A Quick One … “ right into the trash can!!

[@KarenDelcher]

Who seriously sings like this - for real