Track Listing

1. We've Only Just Begun
2. Love Is Surrender
3. Maybe It's You
4. Reason To Believe
5. Help
6. (They Long To Be) Close To You
7. Baby It's You
8. I'll Never Fall In Love Again
9. Crescent Noon
10. Mr. Guder
11. I Kept On Loving You
12. Another Song

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #27739 in Music
• Released on: 1999-01-12
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered

Amazon.com essential recording
When the Carpenters found themselves with a sudden radio hit ("Close to You"), their record company put the pressure on them to come up with a whole album. The album's glue is, of course, the unabashedly sentimental and corny title track and the subsequent chart topper, "We've Only Just Begun." However, their lush covers of now-classic songs such as "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" and "Baby It's You," and Karen's tragic plea on John Lennon's "Help," contribute to the strength of this collection. The band toys with bossa nova sounds on "Love Is Surrender" and explores deeper emotional terrain on the beautiful "Crescent Moon." Close to You stands as a harbinger of the great things ahead for the Carpenters in the '70s. --Lorry Fleming

Customer Reviews

Karen and Richard sold these songs without even trying--BRAVO, KAREN AND RICHARD !!!
Close To You is an excellent album by Karen and Richard Carpenter. They made outstanding music together and it still stands the test of time. Hearing this music brings back so many fond memories for me as I heard so many of these tunes originally on the radio. The quality of the sound on this CD is very good; and I really like the artwork, too.

"We've Only Just Begun" begins the album with a smash hit for Carpenters; they play and sing this beautifully and the number is very sensitive. Karen sings this with so much passion; you truly feel that she is singing to you and only you as you hear her sing. In addition, Karen sings so sweetly about the joys of starting a love affair or a marriage while still managing to acknowledge in the lyrics that there is still some uncertainty about the road that lies ahead for her and her one true love. Great! "We've Only Just Begun" is truly one of their greatest hits ever; and I could never tire of listening to this ballad. "Maybe It's You" is a number that stuns me with its beauty; Karen sings this with panache and Richard's music is perfect to go along with Karen's vocals. The lush musical arrangement makes "Maybe It's You" a classic Carpenters song.

"Reason To Believe" is a soft pop number from the early `70s that still holds its own very well even today all these years later; and "Reason To Believe" puts Karen and Richard Carpenter squarely front and center--and that's wonderful. "Help" is a sublime cover of this Beatles song; Karen sings this with heart and soul. You can really hear Karen's delving into the song to bring out her personal emotions that, as she sings this song, make this a wonderful rendition of this number second only to the rendition by The Beatles themselves. Wonderful! In addition, "(They Long To Be) Close To You" charms me with its beauty; and I cannot understand why anyone would think that music like this is "corny." "(They Long To Be) Close To You" is a very sweet tune and we really see Karen Carpenter open up and let herself perform this ballad with her heart and lots of feeling. "(They Long To Be) Close To You" is clearly a major highlight of this album.

"Baby It's You" has a very sensitive arrangement; and listen for "I'll Never Fall In Love Again." "I'll Never Fall In Love Again" is a Burt Bacharach/Hal David number that Dionne Warwick made so famous; when Karen and Richard do their cover of this classic ballad Bacharach must have surely been proud! Karen sings this to perfection; and her uncanny sense of timing impresses me, too.

"I Kept On Loving You" has that early `70s flavor to it; and the number works very well. "I Kept On Loving You" is a solid number and those chorus lyrics fit in well, too. The album ends with "Another Song;" "Another Song" is a very special number and it makes a fine ending for this album.

Overall, Carpenters fans will love this album if they don't have it already. This is also great for people who enjoy contemporary pop vocals.

GREAT IMPROVE
This album was the follow-up to their debut ("Offerings"), and the sound of their music was far better. The title track and the opening track "We've only just began" were the hits at the time, and today this songs are truly Carpenter's classics. The album also includes some very catchy tunes, among them "Reason to believe", "Mr.Guder", the Burt Bacharach songs ("I'll never fall in love again" and "Baby it's you", and a version of a Beatles song ("Help!")that was fantastically made.
My personal favourite is "Crescent Noon", a song that gives Karen the oportunity to use her rich low vocal register, it's a song I never get tired to listen. Finally, "Another Song" is a very good number that closes the album, with a fine vocal work, courtesy of Karen, followed by an instrumental part (flutes, keyboards and drums), this song isn't a classic but deserves to be.
As a curiosity, no guitarist is credited but there's an evident guitar part on "I kept on loving you", so I will thank who tell me who was the guitar player.

CD which was fresh and was substantial
The singing voice of Karen when young, and beautiful harmony can be enjoyed.
Many hit songs are recorded. It will be one of CDs which should be loved.