INTERPLANETARY CRAFTSWOMAN

KC deep cuts

Looking For Love/i’ll Be Yours (solo 7”, Magic Lamp, 1966)

Taped on four-track, Karen’s solo debut was a double A single released in 1966 on Magic Lamp, a tiny LA garage label founded by Wrecking Crew bassist Joe Osborn. On this vibrant slice of psych-pop, 16-year-old Karen already sings with a deep, resonant voice. Only 500 copies were pressed, but thankfully, you can still hear it on Spotify.

Another Song (from Close To You, 1970) This idiosyncratic piece of baroque fusion on the band’s debut LP begins with medieval song before moving into a jam in which Karen creates a trancelike rhythm. No wonder she loved the drums – she had the chops.

Sometimes (from Carpenters, 1971)

The closing song on the self-titled 1971 album, this originated as a poem written by Henry Mancini’s daughter. So taken with this dedication to love and friendship, he set the poem to music and punted to the Carpenters, who loved it. What’s so special about this version is its simplicity. Richard’s long melodic piano intro perfectly sets up Karen’s warm, heartfelt vocal. A track that features a contented Karen, before the raw anxieties crept in.

B’wana She No Home (from Passage, 1977) This track on Passage shows how Karen could indeed “kick booty”. The arrangement was scored by Gene Puerling, founder of vocal groups the Hi-lo’s and Singers Unlimited. In the song she plays the part of a wealthy recluse who instructs her servant to tell visitors, “B’wana (Sir or Madam in Swahili), the mistress is not at home.” Playful and savvy, Karen branches out into jazz soul, setting the template for her solo debut recorded two years later.

If I Had You (from Karen Carpenter, 1996)

The high point of Karen’s solo album is a departure from the lush saturation of Carpenters’ harmonies. Responsive to Rod Temperton’s fluid melody and sax player Michael Brecker’s jazz tones, Karen plays fast and light with her own vocal blend. “She built the vocal arrangements very carefully,” says songwriter Rob Mounsey, “it was all mapped out in her head.”