On November 5, 1969, the very first single by Carpenters was released on A&M Records. "Ticket to Ride" b/w "Your Wonderful Parade" announced the fresh talents of Richard Carpenter, 23, and Karen Carpenter, 19. The dramatically reinterpreted Beatles song introduced radio to Karen's richly intimate voice, and the bitingly ironic flipside heralded the songwriting team of Richard Carpenter and John Bettis - while both sides revealed Richard's prodigious gifts for arrangement and orchestration. On Valentine's Day, 1970, "Ticket to Ride" entered the Billboard Hot 100 where, five weeks later, it peaked at a more-than-respectable No. 54. With their very next single, "(They Long to Be) Close to You," the Carpenters would reach No. 1 on the Billboard Pop and Easy Listening charts, as well as topping Cash Box and Record World. In a career that spanned 1969 to 1983, Richard and Karen would notch 20 Billboard top 40 hits, including three #1s and five #2s, as well as fifteen Adult Contemporary #1s. The brother and sister earned three Grammy Awards, fifteen more nominations, and two song inductions into the Grammy Hall of Fame. More than 100 million Carpenters records have been sold. Now, the enduring music of Richard and Karen Carpenter is being celebrated with a very special new 3-CD release in conjunction with the public television return of the definitive documentary devoted to the duo.
Carpenters - The Complete Singles features, for the very first time, the A- and B-side of every Carpenters single released on A&M Records in the United States between 1969 and 1989 in their original single versions. As longtime fans and collectors know, the Carpenters' singles frequently featured variations in mixes, length, vocals and instrumentation from the familiar album versions and subsequent remixes. These unique single versions have been highly sought-after on CD, and some of the tracks have never previously been released in the CD format at all.
The Complete Singles collects 66 songs on three discs, from 1969's "Ticket to Ride" through 1989's cassette-single release of Karen's solo "If I Had You." "Ticket to Ride" and "Your Wonderful Parade" are heard in their original mono single mixes, while the remaining 64 tracks are presented in their original stereo single mixes. I'm thrilled to announce that I have written the new liner notes for the 16-page booklet included with The Complete Singles. The set has been beautifully designed by Bill Pitzonka and includes rare and previously unpublished photos of the duo. Every shimmering track on this first-of-its-kind anthology has been freshly remastered at Universal Mastering. Jim Pierson and Richard Carpenter himself have assembled and supervised the release.
The Complete Singles is being released as a Public Television exclusive in conjunction with the upcoming broadcasts of Close to You: Remembering the Carpenters as part of the acclaimed series My Music. The Complete Singles will not be for sale in stores or through online retail outlets and can only be purchased by making a contribution to Public Television stations when they begin airing Close to You: Remembering The Carpenters this December. However, KQED-TV in San Francisco will be airing an advance, sneak-peek broadcast of Close to You on Thursday, August 27 at 8:00 pm and is already offering The Complete Singles on their website which allows fans nationwide to make a contribution to KQED and receive The Complete Singles CD set by October, two months prior to the nationwide release on Public Television.
To order, please use the following link:
https://www.kqed.org/donate/catalogue.jsp?&pgmid=6425&page=1
Close to You: Remembering The Carpenters showcases rare performances and extensive archival footage, underscoring the timelessness and enduring appeal of the Carpenters' singular sound. Herb Alpert, Burt Bacharach, Petula Clark and Paul Williams have all contributed their remembrances.
During the pledge special, The Complete Singles will be available for the first time. The Carpenters' yuletide perennial Christmas Portrait - Special Edition CD is also part of the pledge offering with Richard and Karen's beautiful renditions of "(There's No Place Like) Home For The Holidays," "I'll Be Home For Christmas," and of course, "Merry Christmas Darling." In addition, a revised DVD of Close to You: Remembering the Carpenters with new cover art (pictured here) will be offered as a Public Television exclusive containing 60 minutes of bonus features with complete song performances from the Carpenters not on the previous DVD version plus "The Carpenters at The White House" featurette, shot when President Nixon was in office, rare television and radio jingles, a photo music montage and a rendition of Karen and Richard performing "Ave Maria."
The time has never been better to celebrate the Carpenters' remarkable - and remarkably diverse - legacy of song. San Francisco readers are urged to watch KQED-TV this Thursday evening for the premiere presentation on My Music of Close to You: Remembering the Carpenters, while everybody can peruse the track listing of The Complete Singles and order the set as part of the pledge offerings on KQED's website just below!
Carpenters, The Complete Singles (A&M, 2015) (Pledge at KQED-TV)
CD 1
- Ticket to Ride (A&M 1142, 1969)
- Your Wonderful Parade (A&M 1142, 1969)
- (They Long to Be) Close to You (A&M 1183, 1970)
- I Kept On Loving You (A&M 1183, 1970)
- We've Only Just Begun (A&M 1217, 1970)
- All of My Life (A&M 1217, 1970)
- Merry Christmas Darling (A&M 1236, 1970)
- Mr. Guder (A&M 1236, 1970)
- For All We Know (A&M 1243, 1971)
- Don't Be Afraid (A&M 1243, 1971)
- Rainy Days and Mondays (A&M 1260, 1971)
- Saturday (A&M 1260, 1971)
- Superstar (A&M 1289, 1971)
- Bless the Beasts and Children (A&M 1289, 1971)
- Hurting Each Other (A&M 1322, 1972)
- Maybe It's You (A&M 1322, 1972)
- It's Going to Take Some Time (A&M 1351, 1972)
- Flat Baroque (A&M 1351, 1972)
- Goodbye to Love (A&M 1367, 1972)
- Crystal Lullaby (A&M 1367, 1972)
- Sing (A&M 1413, 1973)
- Druscilla Penny (A&M 1413, 1973)
- Yesterday Once More (A&M 1446, 1973)
- Road Ode (A&M 1446, 1973)
- Top of the World (A&M 1468, 1973)
- Heather (A&M 1468, 1973)
CD 2
- I Won't Last a Day Without You (A&M 1521, 1974)
- One Love (A&M 1521, 1974)
- Please Mr. Postman (A&M 1646, 1974)
- This Masquerade (A&M 1646, 1974)
- Santa Claus is Coming to Town (A&M 1648, 1974)
- Only Yesterday (A&M 1677, 1975)
- Happy (A&M 1677, 1975)
- Solitaire (A&M 1721, 1975)
- Love Me for What I Am (A&M 1721, 1975)
- There's a Kind of Hush (All Over the World) (A&M 1800, 1976)
- (I'm Caught Between) Goodbye and I Love You (A&M 1800, 1976)
- I Need to Be in Love (A&M 1828, 1976)
- Sandy (A&M 1828, 1976)
- Goofus (A&M 1859, 1976)
- Boat to Sail (A&M 1859, 1976)
- All You Get from Love is a Love Song (A&M 1940, 1977)
- I Have You (A&M 1940, 1977)
- Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft (A&M 1978, 1977)
- Can't Smile Without You (A&M 1978, 1977)
- Sweet, Sweet Smile (A&M 2008, 1978)
- The Christmas Song (A&M 1991, 1977)
CD 3
- I Believe You (A&M 2097, 1978)
- B'wana She No Home (A&M 2097, 1978)
- Touch Me When We're Dancing (A&M 2344, 1981)
- Because We Are in Love (A&M 2344, 1981)
- (Want You) Back in My Life Again (A&M 2370, 1981)
- Somebody's Been Lyin' (A&M 2370, 1981)
- Those Good Old Dreams (A&M 2386, 1981)
- When It's Gone (It's Just Gone) (A&M 2386, 1981)
- Beechwood 4-5789 (A&M 2405, 1982)
- Two Sides (A&M 2405, 1982)
- Don't Cry for Me Argentina (A&M 8629, 1983)
- Make Believe It's Your First Time (A&M 2585, 1983)
- Look to Your Dreams (A&M 2585, 1983)
- Your Baby Doesn't Love You Anymore (A&M 2620, 1984)
- Sailing on the Tide (A&M 2620, 1984)
- Honolulu City Lights (A&M 8667, 1986)
- I Just Fall in Love Again (A&M 8667, 1986)
- If I Had You (A&M 1471, 1989)
- The Uninvited Guest (A&M 1471, 1989)
Release Round-Up: Week of November 1
A Special One for You: 'Christmas Once More' Offers New Mixes of Carpenters Holiday Classics
Yesterday Once More: Richard Carpenter Returns with Solo "Piano Songbook"
Holly Jolly Christmas: TJL Presents Ultimate Holiday Celebration on Public Television, CD and DVD
Have tape sources been found for some of the early single versions now? I know that when they did a singles "box" in japan a while back some of the tracks like the original "Santa Claus" were from vinyl.
That was the question I was going to ask... Are they all from tape sources? The single edit of "Calling Occupants" was a vinyl dub on the Japan singles box as well.
Thrilled about this and will do a full pack pledge today! Joe, between this and your mathis work this year, you've actually made me buy cds again.
I believe such "exclusives" do not encourage sales, but rather encourage uploading on torrent websites.
I'm in. I would much rather see PBS supported this way than through tax dollars.
I don't mind my tax dollars going to worthy public service such as PBS... but when my tax dollars go to give the very wealthy tax breaks... now that's a problem.
I would love to have this collection, especially the CD set, but I will not give to the age discriminating PBS stations in my town. I have elderly relatives who loved such programming as The Lawrence Welk show. But since that age demo does not have the disposable income to be a PBS pledge supporter, they dropped that show and others that appealed to the older viewing audience. Instead they the air same tired programs repeated over and over again. PBS should be programmed for all ages, not just for those who can send them money.
\My (late) parents stopped donating to PBS a long time ago - I remember my dad saying they were supposed to be 'commercial free,' but they had started airing car ads and he didn't like that.
It's not PBS that makes these decisions, it's the local affiliates. Our local PBS station continues to run Welk's show every week.
Yes, I know, but when you pledge, much of the money goes to the local affiliates, correct? The DB's programming KCTS in Seattle will not see a dime of my money.
The prices they're asking are WAY too high, even for the combo deal!!
Plus I already have a version of Christmas Portrait separately (probably the same one in the 'combo deal'), so that's 1 CD I don't need.
I've been waiting years for a set like this with all of the original singles. I will gladly donate to PBS for it.
This is highway robbery - 84 dollars for a two cd set? I don't even watch PBS! However, I'm sure this will be available commercially at some point, so I'll just wait until then.
No - $84 for the DVD. It's $120 for the three CD set of singles plus their remastered Christmas Portrait album. So only $30 per disc...
I have some of the same problems w/ PBS Zubb mentioned. I live in Boston so we have a couple affiliates to choose from. I invariably watch the WORLD network (out of D.C., no?) to see the POV, Independant Lens, and other documentary outlets and political/cultural material. The Boston station seems to be directed at the 2 to 6 set and the upper-middle Canterbridgians with cooking & travel. When they want money, they'll show Andy Williams' xmas shows, or Sinatra live, or those hits of the 60s/70s/80s infomercials hosted by a name from whichever decade. LOTS of repetition. I know this is a thread about the Carpenters' set, which sounds very nice if well-mastered, but it's too bad the outlets don't do better when it's not pledge time.
While I can understand your observation of Public television, you have to remember that they are vying for your eyeballs along with the umpteen dozen other stations that are on 24/7. As for repeats, they are on 24/7 and have to show something for each of those hours. Also, not everybody watches several hours each day/night and someone who watches Tuesday evening may not watch Saturday evening, so what YOU saw on Tuesday somebody else didn't see and therefor it's new to them when they run it Saturday night. Let's not even get into the TIVO people...or the website viewers. I used to sell cable TV and folks would complain to me about HBO repeating so often. I'd tell them to watch something else now and then. (Or read a book?) I love the Carpenters but this collection is too pricey for me.
Great to see this collection available. My only concern is whether the stereo single versions are actually from the original 2-track masters. Richard Carpenter was known -or, should say, notorious - for having these tunes remixed from the multi-track tapes. Something that the die-hard fans would notice from a mile away. Please advise. Thanks.
Yeah - I think I would feel better if Richard Carpenter weren't involved with the mastering...
You never know what remaster you are getting with The Carpenters. All I want is the best one. How will you ever know?
I will also wait until it is released to online retail stores. I already own all the original singles and own the Japanese Single Box so this set is not so important to me. I say with in a year we will see it on amazon.com
Turns out you were wrong
Will this PBS special be seen nationwide? When in New York? Or this is only for San Francisco PBS station?
The program will air on most public television stations on December 5th in prime time. Some may also run it the last week of November into the first week of December in addition to the December 5th airing (check local listings). Great link here which details some source info: http://carpenters.amcorner.com/album/carpenters-the-complete-singles
Are there any plans to release this amazing set worldwide? I live in the United Kingdom and would love to be able to purchase it (and I'm sure many other Carpenters fans across the world feel the same). Thanks, and what a brilliant job you've done in putting this set together.
Help Please!! I bought The Carpenters Complete Singles. I am having trouble getting CD Two out of the CD lock. This is my second CD. First one cracked…I have never had a CD so locked in before. No way to push center down. It is a different CD packaging that I have ever seen. It will NOT Budge!!
Anyone…how did YOu get Yours out without cracking it? I can't get another replacement.
I know it's been a few years, but for anyone interested in this CD collection without subscribing to PBS, it is currently available on Amazon for 39.98. I was hoping it one day would be. FYI
There is a single missing from the set. It is AM-2700; Little Alter Boy / Do You Hear What I Hear? released 12/1984.