I was listening to my Carpenters Pandora radio today, and I had an idea that it would be fun to share some of my more obscure favorite songs. If you’re younger than I am, and you probably are since I’ve passed the median point of normal female life span, you may not recognize many of the songs I post on here. Roll with it. You may find something that makes you smile.
I saw today on Twitter that Ginger at GReads has a feature she calls Tune in Tuesday, so I thought I’d roll with that and share my totally arcane and nearly forgotten songs, mostly from the 60’s and 70’s (twentieth century), on Tuesdays. I looked at the music that people, mostly book bloggers, shared last week, and I’m sure I’ll be in the minority in my musical offerings.
The first song and the first group aren’t exactly obscure, but they were and are easily my favorite voices to listen to. I love(d) The Carpenters. I love Karen Carpenter’s voice because she sings in my range, low to mid-range. And of course, I love it because it makes me sound good when I sing along. And I do sing along, in the car, full volume, windows down, embarrassing the heck out of my kids.
By the way I’m all about the lyrics because I’m a Word Person. So I’ll probably post the lyrics to the songs I share because without the lyrics it’s just . . music.
When I was young
I’d listen to the radio
Waitin’ for my favorite songs
When they played I’d sing along
It made me smile
Those were such happy times
And not so long ago
How I wondered where they’d gone
But they’re back again
Just like a long lost friend
All the songs I loved so well
Every sha-la-la-la
Every wo-o-wo-o
Still shines
Every shing-a-ling-a-ling
That they’re startin’ to sing’s
So fine
When they get to the part
Where he’s breakin’ her heart
It can really make me cry
Just like before
It’s yesterday once more
Lookin’ back on
How it was in years gone by
And the good times that I had
Makes today seem rather sad
So much has changed
It was songs of love
That I would sing to then
And I’d memorize each word
Those old melodies
Still sound so good to me
As they melt the years away
Every Sha-la-la-la
Every Wo-o-wo-o
Still shines
Every shing-a-ling-a-ling
That they’re startin’ to sing’s
So fine
All my best memories
Come back clearly to me
Some can even make me cry
Just like before
It’s yesterday once more
Every Sha-la-la-la
Every Wo-o-wo-o
Still shines
Every shing-a-ling-a-ling
That they’re startin’ to sing’s
So fine . . .
I am by no means young, so please don’t feel like you’re in the minority here. I listen to anything – new or old! and so I appreciate someone bringing the “classics” to this feature 🙂
One of my absolute favorite songs! I loved Karen Carpenter’s voice. What a loss when she died. I love listening to songs from the late 50’s and 60’s. That’s when music was music. You could understand the lyrics and sing along. Miss those days!
I am a huge Carpenter’s fan! My dad and I danced to “Close to You” at my wedding – he’s been singing it to me since I was a baby.
Ha! Thanks for the memory! I always used to laugh at this one when they sang sha la la la and wo o wo o. Cracks me up! (But I do like Close To You!)
Judylynn
I love the Carpenters too but it makes me a bit sad remembering how she died. I remember hearing the Carpenters on the radio in the 70s.
Well, I certainly wouldn’t have referred to that as one of their “obscure” hits. (I can still sing about 99.999% of their songs without missing a lyric.) They were superstars of the first order and Yesterday Once More was the track on the Now & Then album that introduced their interpretation of a series of classic oldies: Fun, Fun, Fun; The End Of The World; Da Doo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home); Johnny Angel; The Night Has A Thousand Eyes; Our Day Will Come; and One Fine Day.
Ironically, on their official website, Richard Carpenter says this about it: “It was around this time that certain radio stations were changing their formats to all oldies. I thought Bettis and I should write a song that would reflect this fact and also set-up the medley. Yesterday Once More was the result, and it became our biggest worldwide hit. Tony Peluso guests as a ‘D.J.’ and the medley was constructed as a Top 40 radio program.”