I always tell this story of my history with music. I was raised on AM radio back in the 1970’s. In fact, it wasn’t until high school that I found out there was such a thing as FM radio that played rock music. By I did know about Punk Rock and New Wave through TV like what use to be on MTV, but my every day radio listening was pure sugar.
So my early tastes were of the “easy listening” variety offered up by WFIN in Findlay. Some of my favorite songs today were fused into my head then and include songs from America, Barry Manilow, and today’s Weekend Ear Candy band The Carpenters.
The Carpenters were a brother/sister duo that enjoyed huge success in the early 1970’s. Their music has influenced many artists that came after them including Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani, Shania Twain, Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys, Leann Rimes, and Madonna.
Quite frankly lead singer Karen Carpenter’s voice could melt the coldest heart and I shiver every time I hear it in the albums I own.
I really tried to narrow today’s candy to the my favorite but I couldn’t really choose. I like the rocking middle section of “We’ve Only Just Begun” but I think “Close to You” is one of most beautiful songs ever made. A somewhat unknown fact is “Close to You” got me through my first unrequited crush in high school. Of course my family got sick of me constantly playing the record for the several weeks I was depressed.
Carpenters -We’ve Only Just Begun
Carpenters – Close to you
