(They long to be) Close to you - The Carpenters

I think this single is probably one of the most wellknown by the Carpenters. When you hear the first few lines, you'll instantly recognize it from compilation albums, radio shows or whatever. According to a blurb on the back of this German sleeve, their sound consists of 'a little bit of jazz, a bit of rock and a bit of cocktail-party-music'. That's not a bad description, actually.

The song was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and originally recorded by Richard Chamberlain in 1963. It was also recorded by Dionne Warwick that same year, but the version by the Carpenters, released in 1970, became the most successful, peaking at number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100, Australia and Canada. In the UK, the single reached number 6, and in the Netherlands it only made number 33 in the Dutch Top 40. Oddly, there is no record of a German chart placing. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6709
Found: Flea market, Voorburg, 18 April 2022
Cost: €0,5
Tracks: '(They long to be) Close to you' / 'I kept on loving you'

Merry Christmas darling - The Carpenters

The voice of Karen Carpenter is almost universally lauded as one of the loveliest ever recorded. No wonder, then, that the Carpenters tried their hand at a Christmas recording. 'Merry Christmas darling' was originally recorded in 1970. The single reached number 45 in the UK singles chart.

In 1978, The Carpenters issued their 'Christmas Portrait' album, which contained a new remix of 'Merry Christmas Darling'. The original 1970 mix continued to be used for all single releases, however. The major difference between it and the 1978 version is a newly recorded vocal by Karen Carpenter on the latter. Richard Carpenter himself calls the original recording one of his sister's very best.

My collection: 7" single no. 5008
Found: Record fair, Amsterdam, January 29, 2011
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Merry Christmas darling' / 'Ticket to ride', 'Saturday'

Only yesterday - The Carpenters

"Only Yesterday" is a song recorded by The Carpenters in 1975. It was released on March 14, 1975, and was the Carpenters' last top 10 single in the United States. Composed by Richard Carpenter and John Bettis, it peaked at number 4 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

The music video features some footage of Karen and Richard at work in the studio. After Karen sang the line, "the promise of morning light", it faded from the studio to a fountain in Huntington Library Gardens in San Marino, California. It then featured some footage of a Japanese bridge.

My collection: 7" single no. 5098
Found: Vrijmarkt, Den Haag, April 30, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Only yesterday' / 'Happy'

Sweet, sweet smile - Carpenters

Puck recently informed me that all Carpenters tracks are in fact very depressing. Given this knowledge, it's hard to reconcile that with an upbeat track like 'Sweet, sweet smile', in which the protagonist says that she wants to always see someone's sweet smile.

The track was composed by Otha Young and Juice Newton. The track features drummer Ronnie Tutt who regularly backed Elvis Presley. Released as the third single from the album 'Passage', the single reached number 44 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 40 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 5071
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 9, 2011
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'Sweet sweet smile' / 'I have you'

Yesterday once more - Carpenters

When I was young I'd listen to the radio waiting for my favourite songs. I can't remember if the Carpenters were ever played back then, but if they were, I doubt if I would have really appreciated them much. Their songs would have been a tad too syrupy for me.

Flash forward 30 years and behold, the Carpenters have made their way into my record collection. I first heard their songs again about a year ago on Kim Wilde's excellent radio show 'Secret Songs' on Magic FM, and since then I've grown to like them. One of their big hits is the sentimental 'Yesterday once more'. It starts with the line: 'When I was young I'd listen to the radio waiting for my favourite songs'...

My collection: 7" single no. 4924
Found: Record fair, Den Haag, October 2, 2010
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Yesterday once more' / 'Road ode'