Carpenters: Ticket To Ride CD Track Listing

A list by checkmate

Carpenters Ticket To Ride (1969)
Originally Released 1969\nCD Edition Released 1987 ??\nRebound Records CD Edition Released April 16, 1995 and 1997 (black face)\nRemastered CD Edition Released December 8, 1998\n\nAMG EXPERT REVIEW: The Carpenters' first long-player, cut in 1969 (and originally released as Offering) amid the breakdown of America's postwar social contract, the Vietnam War's soaring to a crescendo of bloodshed, the coming apart of the Beatles, and the final flowering (and wilting) of the youth rebellion of the prior four years. And in the middle of all of that, Karen and Richard Carpenter issued a finely crafted record that moved effortlessly between Spanky & Our Gang-style pop/rock ("Your Wonderful Parade") and art-song. In some ways, Ticket to Ride is the Carpenters' most interesting album, for it contains a range of interests and sounds that were modified or abandoned on subsequent albums. The lushly orchestrated "Someday" is a brilliant showcase for Richard's arranging skills and the most dramatic side of Karen's voice -- it points the way toward songs like "Crescent Noon" on the next album, and although that highly dramatic sound proved a blind alley, it did result in some ravishing performances by the duo. "All I Can Do" is the most solid reminder of their origins as part of a light jazz trio called Spectrum, a pleasing vocal workout that might've been well covered by the Manhattan Transfer. Their version of "Get Together" is about as convincing as a version by the Cowsills would've been, but it's balanced by Richard's slow ballad arrangement of "Ticket to Ride," an unexpected and beguiling (if too upbeat) cover of Neil Young's "Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing," and a couple of superb originals, "Eve" and "All of My Life." -- Bruce Eder\n\n\nAmazon.com Product Description \n1997 Rebound Records/Polygram Special Products CD re-release of 1986 remastering of 1970 A&M LP of the same name, which was a repackaging of a 1969 Excelsior LP titled "Offering" with identical tracks that differed only in its title and album art. Produced by Jack Daugherty, this atypical Carpenters album features more than the average share of Richard Carpenter vocals, as Karen had not yet become comfortable with being lead vocalist. This release features a black label CD, which differs from the 1995 silver label Rebound Records CD release. \n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nPotential But Unpolished, January 26, 2007\nReviewer: Maestroh "A.A., A.A.S.,B.M.E.,Th.M." (Ph.D. Textual Criticism)\nIn April 1969 - six months before I was born, in fact - the Carpenters trudged into A and M Records to record their first album. It was released as "Offering" and had a rather unflattering photograph of Richard and Karen looking at a flower. The one solid highlight of the recording was "Ticket To Ride," a remake of the Beatles' hit from 1965, turned from rock 'n' roll into a ballad. \n\nAlthough this is one of the worst Carpenter albums - and Carpenters fans overrated it retrospectively - the potential for stardom is clearly there. The best songs are "All of My Life," which received due attention in "The Karen Carpenter Story," "Someday" - a song that has the precognitive phrase, "Close To You" - the title track, and "Eve," Karen wailing. \n\nThis album is indeed different from any other Carpenter record in existence. Richard later said he just 'had' to do the record. But the Carpenters had hit on a rough idea of what was to follow: \n\n1) Record some original compositions \n2) Record some hits by other groups ("Ticket To Ride" and "Get Together" by the Youngbloods are on here) \n3) Record some lesser known songs by stars (on this one, Buffalo Springfield's "Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing") \n\nSo although not up to par for the Carpenters, the bright future is seen on this recording. For Carpenters fans only.\n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nCarpenters' debut, September 7, 2005\nReviewer: Derek Norwood (Perth, Western Australia)\n\nThe debut album from Richard and Karen, released in 1969. This is a must-have for any Carpenters fan. The version of the song 'Ticket To Ride' is different to the version that has been included on numerous compilations. Karen re-recorded her vocals and drums for the 1973 'Singles' compilation, and that's the version that has always been used, as far as I know. The original version sounds more melancholy and I prefer it to the later version. The other tracks, while not well known, are all excellent. Stand-outs are the title track, 'Eve', 'Someday' and 'All Of My Life'. The sound of this album is quite different to their later recordings, even to 1970's 'Close To You'. At the time that this album was recorded, the intention may have been for Carpenters to be a true duo, rather than the focus, at least vocally, being on Karen. Richard sings lead on FIVE of the songs.\n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nThe First Carpenter Album Makes Its Debut in 1969, August 5, 2005\nReviewer: James Koenig "Konedog4" (Fergus Falls, MN United States)\n\n"Ticket To Ride" takes its name from the hit song single, "Ticket To Ride", released by the Carpenters in 1969. It would become the Carpenters first hit single (peaking at #56 onteh charts), and opened the door for the duo of Karen and Richard Carpenter to begin their string of hits that would span the decade of the 1970's. "Ticket To Ride" is Richard Carpenter's soft-ballad adaptation of the Beatle's hit of the same name. When the Beatles broke up in 1969, the Carpenters' "Ticket To Ride" hit the airwaves and was a hit, for it was a sad ballad and Beatles'fans mourning the loss of their favorite group related to the mournful interpretation of the song. \n\nThe distinctive "Carpenter sound", that of multi-layered harmonic vocals, is first heard on this album in several songs, including "Ticket To Ride", "Your Wonderful Parade", "All of My Life", and "What's The Use". Karen's voice is not yet "perfect" in her emotional content interpretation of the songs, as she is just a young 19 years old. An example of this is the song "Someday", which Karen interprets with a "wailing" timbre to her voice, admittedly not her best interpretation of the song. Karen reinterpreted this song in the 1980 TV special "Music, Music, Music", and her vocal is the definitive interpretation and performance, one of which she was very proud of. It is interesting to hear the early "primitive" Carpenter sound and Karen's voice, as the true Carpenter sound would fully emerge in the next album, "Close To You". \n\nAlthough it is their first work, this Carpenter album is one that is pleasing, though inferior to their subsequent recordings. If you are a fan of the Carpenters, you will want to have this album as many of the songs are not included on their later greatest hits albums. I particularly liked "Get Together", the slow love ballad, "All of My Life", the lively "Don't Be Afraid", and the youthful "What's The Use". \n\nI give this album 4-stars, as it is not of the quality of their later albums. It probably deserves just three stars, but how can I give any album with Karen Carpenter's exquisite voice just three stars?! That would be a sacrilege to my favorite singer of all-time! -- Jim "Konedog" Koenig\n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nWhat....is....that.....incredible.....sound??????, November 2, 2003\nReviewer: Lawrence Brown "Larry Brown" (HOUSTON, TX United States)\n\nIt's the year 2003. I'm a 43 year old music lover. I've heard every amazing artist from The Beatles to Whitney Houston to Celine Dion to Michael Jackson and back again. But I've never heard ____anything____ that sounds like this. I was shocked at the polished, fully realized sound in this first effort. Even having been a Carpenters fan since 1973, and having played the grooves off the record in my turmoiled adolescent years, I still got gigantic goosebumps all over my body when I dug out "Ticket To Ride" yesterday and listened to "Invocation" for the first time in a while. From the first note to the last I was electrified. And this is in 2003. In 1969??? The impact of this recording is incalculable. \n\nOddly, I love pop style choral music but can't stand traditional choral music. You remember the "beautiful music" radio stations that played elevator style music from the "Whats'is'name singers." I hated that stuff. Bing Crosby singing "White Christmas" and in the middle comes a section sung by choir, but it's the old style choral sound...I hate that stuff. But pop choir in the style of Carpenters, Osmonds, or Bee Gees...that's different and I really love it. \n\nThe first track of this record is a classical sounding, acapella tune done in a choral style. But I've never heard anything, before or since, that sounds like this choir. It's beautiful and ethereal and moving all at once. \n\nI personally love Richard's voice and think his is the "salt" that makes the Carpenters sound work. I like to hear him sing lead and some of his leads are my favorite Carpenters tracks, e.g. "Saturday." On this record he sings lead more than on later records and that's a plus for me. \n\nKaren's sound is 98% of what it became, which is surprising at this early stage. Even so, it's just ever so slightly green and young, which for a Carpenters fan just increases the charm. \n\nNot surprisingly for the late 60s, The Beatles were a major influence on Richard. It may be impossible to outdo The Beatles on any rearrangement of one of their tunes but Richard puts forth a good effort here with the title track. He completely throws away the Beatles' arrangement and turns the rocking tune into a slow and mournful ballad, spicing it up and dropping in the fully realized Carpenters signature sound on the chorous. Being more distanced from the Beatles by now, for me this tune has aged well. I'm more able to accept the alternate arrangement and appreciate it for its own merits. While overall the song suffers from the inevitable comparison with the Beatles' version, Karen's vocal performance on this track benefits from it and is stunning. Since the Beatles' version is a rocking, hard driving tune, it's a little low on tormented emotion. Karen, in contrast, wrings out every last ounce of torment possible from the painful lyrics, delivering a masterful performance. Clever, unique, couragous, and excellent. \n\nDespite all its ground breaking excellence, it's surprising that the Carpenters were able to make inroads on the popular music scene with this church inspired offering. Titling the record "Offering" and opening and closing the record with tracks "Invocation" and "Benediction," took a lot of guts in the hippie era when rebellion against the establishment, any establishment, long hair, drugs, free love, etc, was the current style. What a refreshing break it must have been for many to rest from all the psychedelia and acid rock and instead hear something positive and "good." While that may go in and out of style and the Carpenters career may have sufferred from that in the long run, to have the vision to put this out shows that Richard was not just a musical leader, but a social one as well, and unlike the Beatles he is leading us in a positive direction. Some may not appreciate that, but I do. Thank you Richard. \nLB\n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nA Classic, September 17, 2002\nReviewer: TopDawg689 "topdawg689" (Palm Springs, CA USA)\nThis album is a classic, featuring several very dated tracks, such as "Your Wonderful Parade", "Get Together", and others which are very specific to the anti-establishment, Vietnam-era '60s. These songs are a kick to listen to. It is hard to believe that Karen Carpenter was only 19 years old when she recorded this. "Eve" is a knockout performance by her, and I find myself listening to it over and over. It is a gem. Same with "Someday". Her voice is a bit rougher around the edges here than it was later, and it is most effective on these songs. Richard's genius for arrangement is evident here, although I do not care for his voice on this album, which has him taking the lead on several of the selections.\n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nKaren Shines on Nice Carpenter/Bettis Originals, December 7, 2000\nReviewer: J. Wade (USA)\n\nAfter having over two decades to assess the whole of the Carpenters output, I find this one still a favourite. Richard Carpenter and John Bettis wrote 10 of the album's 13 songs, and most of them are very nice. The choice of cover material includes Neil Young's excellent, "Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing" and Chet Powers',"Get Together". Richard sings both songs with the former working well for his limited range, but the annoying vocal effects on the latter marr this 60's anthem.\nOne of Karen's most beautiful vocals is on "Someday". It's too bad that the 1998 remaster did not correct the distortion that occurs in the last minute of this 5:13 track. A similar distorted moment occurs on the :43 closing track, "Benediction". This is the only Carpenters album that was recorded on eight track master tape, but if Glenn Miller's recording from the 40's can be made to sound clean and distortion free, then surely these two songs could have been repaired. \n\nStill, even with those technical flaws, the songs and performances make it easy to love this album. "All of My Life", "Eve", and Lennon-McCartney's "Ticket To Ride" are also outstanding. I prefer this original version of "Ticket..." which was rerecorded for the 1973 Singles album. As others have mentioned, Richard Carpenter tampers with the music tracks on every Carpenters compilation CD. But if you want the original recordings, you'll have to buy the individual albums. Some may resent that, but the Carpenters catalog is, for the most part, a treasure trove of the finest pop music ever made.\n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nA wonderful start, November 25, 2000\nReviewer: A music fan\nSo much of this album is stunning it's incredible this was the first collection by the Carpenters. Some of Karen't best ballads appear and she is glorious. For those of you with Carpenters' greatest-hits type collections, be forewarned. Richard has never stopped tinkering, so the only way to get the original versions is to go back to the original albums. At this point "Close to You" barely sounds like the original, so much has been altered, and the original "Ticket to Ride" long ago was silently replaced by a later vocal, new piano work and so on, but if you go back to these albums you get the original (just for the record, the single and album versions of "Merry Christmas Darling," "Top of the World" also are a matter of original and redo). Richard's unique talents at keeping old records new is quite something, particularly as he does it step by step within the record from reissue to reissue. With the Carpenters you seldom get a repeat with a rerelease. Which is why the originals are well worth getting.\n\n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nNice Taste of "Yet to Come", November 7, 1999\nReviewer: A music fan\nHard to believe that the teenage Karen and 24ish Richard were so professional sounding in their early years. Richard's arrangements complement the heartfelt vocals of his sister, who plays drums like nobody's business throughout the album. Ironically, the two hit songs they cover, the Beatles' "Ticket to Ride" and the Youngbloods' "Get Together," are less effective than the Bettis/Carpenter collaborations, some of which should have been released by A&M as potential singles, especially "Someday" and "Eve," two of the most smouldering vocals Karen ever recorded in her brief life.\nListening to compliations and hits packages of the Carpeneters is okay; however, the listener is advised to hear each original album, track by track, to really get the importance of the duo's legacy. Richard put so much into the intricate continuity of the tracks on each album--songs fade into each other, keys change subtly yet perfectly, especially at the codas of certain songs, and occasional witty tunes pepper each album to break up the pace of the more serious love songs. \n\nI attended a Carpenters concert in the late 1970s, and they put on a complete show, complete with costume changes, orchestra, and even cars and motorcycles onstage, rather than a predictable recital of their hits--no one could take their eyes off them for those two hours (and I wasn't even 10 years old).\n\nThe only part of this album that will make you cringe is the original "flower" cover photo, which recently has been wisely replaced with a more neutral shot of the two on a sailboat . . . it doesn't make much sense, given the album's title, but as Charlie Parker said, Let the music do the talking!\n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nCarpenters legacy begins!, April 3, 1999\nReviewer: A music fan\n"Ticket to Ride" is the Carpenters first album, and it shows the signature sounds from the beginning. Karen's haunting vocal on tunes like "Someday" and "Ticket to Ride" provide the highlights. Most of these songs are just average though and the lyrics are weak but well sung. Karen's voice is still developing, and she shows strength on the lovely "Eve" and "All of My Life". Clearly, the title song and first single "Ticket to Ride" is the best outing on this album, although it only made it to #54 in 1970 on the Billboard charts. For the new Carpenters fan, save this album for later. For the collector, this album is a must have!\n\n\nHalf.com Details \nContributing artists: Herb Alpert \nProducer: Jack Daugherty \n\nAlbum Notes\nTICKET TO RIDE was originally released on LP in 1969 under the title OFFERING.\nThe Carpenters: Richard Carpenter (vocals, keyboards); Karen Carpenter (vocals, bass, drums).\n\nAdditional personnel: Gary Sims (guitar); Joe Osborn, Bob Messinger (bass); Herb Alpert (shaker).\n\nIncludes liner notes by Herb Alpert.\nDigitally remastered by Richard Carpenter.\n\nAs strange as it may seem in light of their decades of commercial success, Karen and Richard Carpenter's first album was a flop when it was originally released in 1969 under the title OFFERING. Only after the siblings' mournful cover of The Beatles' "Ticket To Ride" became a surprise hit did the album, quickly withdrawn and reissued under the single's title, follow suit.\nTICKET TO RIDE is an interesting and arresting debut. The album is bracketed by Richard Carpenter piano instrumentals ("Invocation" and "Benediction") and featuring covers of the Youngbloods' "Get Together" and Buffalo Springfield's excellent "Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing" alongside a number of Richard Carpenter-Joe Bettis originals. The CD was remastered by Richard Carpenter in 1998 as part of a general overhaul of the Carpenters' A&M catalogue. A limited-edition Japanese release features 32-bit digital remastering and an LP-style slipcase.
This rock cd contains 13 tracks and runs 36min 54sec.
Freedb: ae08a40d
Buy: from Amazon.com

Categories

Latest lists

Carpenters: Ticket To Ride CD Track Listing

Category

Tags

cyList

Legal