A&M Corner :: View topic - SP-17014 Carpenters

eireannamerican · New Member Joined: 28 Apr 2008 Posts: 7

Has anybody else ever run into this promo? Can anyone shed any further light on it? I have never seen it until recently. It seems obvious that it was to promote Carpenters further during / after the success of "Sweet, Sweet Smile" in the Country & Western market. I just have not run into it other than the one I have, and wonder if it actually made any kind of impact in country radio. I did not listen to a lot of Country music at the time, so I do not personally know. Anyone else run into copies of it?

Warren

Harry · Posted: Thu 3/11/10 3:30 pm

Can you give us a track listing? This one's new to me...

Harry

PS. Oh, and by the way, welcome to the A&M Corner Forum, Warren.
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mstaft · Diamond Member Joined: 22 Jun 2002 Posts: 757

Can you scan it? Love to see it!
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eireannamerican · New Member Joined: 28 Apr 2008 Posts: 7

Hi Harry, and thank you for the welcome. It's a 4-song EP, large-hole 7" that runs at 33 1/3 RPM. Side one is "Sweet, Sweet Smile" and "Reason To Believe;" Side two is "Top Of The World" and "Jambalaya (On The Bayou)." I do not have the scanner up and running at the moment, so I'll shoot some pics with the camera - but I am not quite positive how to post them...can you folks offer a hint or two on how to do that part?

Thanks!
Warren

Harry · Posted: Thu 3/11/10 4:00 pm

To post a picture, you need to have it exist somewhere on the Web. So if you have a Photobucket account, or any image holder site, load it up there and then use the image tags here to display it in the Forum.

Image tags work as follows:

[ img ]http://www.imagesiteurl.com/myimage.jpg[ /img ]

I've left spaces within the image tag brackets here, but for a real one you'd leave out the spaces.

If that's impossible, you could email the pictures to one of us to upload to the gallery for display here.

Harry
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aaflyer98 · Posted: Thu 3/11/10 4:47 pm

Funny that "Those Good Old Dreams" is not included. That song still gets played and C&W dance bars.
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Patrick

Harry · Posted: Thu 3/11/10 5:59 pm

aaflyer98 · Posted: Thu 3/11/10 11:44 pm

You're right. Should have read the first post more carefully! Sorry!
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Patrick

mstaft · Diamond Member Joined: 22 Jun 2002 Posts: 757

I've got my own Country Collection- it also includes "When Its Gone" and "Two Lives" as well. Even "Uninvited Guest" has enough elements to be included.
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Harry · Posted: Sat 3/13/10 9:42 pm

Warren has sent me some photos of this interesting release. He says he took them with a cellphone camera, but you should be able to make out the details:

Thanks Warren!

Harry
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Song4uman · Posted: Sat 3/13/10 10:05 pm

mstaft · Diamond Member Joined: 22 Jun 2002 Posts: 757

Now, if you add in the remixes of these songs, there's even more to listen to Smile

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goodjeans · Posted: Sun 3/14/10 8:31 am

This is the first time that I have seen a '45' inch record with 33 1/3 rpm speed. Is that so they could fit more music onto it?

Chris-An Ordinary Fool · Posted: Sun 3/14/10 9:55 am

Chris-An Ordinary Fool · Posted: Sun 3/14/10 10:07 am

Looking at these photos again from Warren, I wonder when this was released? It would have to be after 77. What I find interesting is that they are pushing this as Country Carpenters and not just from one particular album but from a variety of their albums. I wonder if this was ever played on country music stations.

eireannamerican · New Member Joined: 28 Apr 2008 Posts: 7

Hi Chris,
That is what I wondered (about country airplay); I thought that perhaps some of those that were a little more into country music than I was back at that time might know... I was surprised to find such a promo even exists... I was pretty sure if I had one that everybody and their brother must have one too, and would be able to tell me a little bit more. It is only a mere guess on my part that it was to further promote Carpenters during or following the success of "Sweet, Sweet Smile" on the country charts (#8 Billboard Country vs #44 Billboard Hot 100).

By the way, Chris, thanks for the welcome!

A&M Retro · Gold Member Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 190

I've heard about the Country Sampler for many years, but it's the first time I've seen a photo of one! A late friend of mine had one, and he's the only person I knew of who had ever found one!
I have the "Foreplay" 33 1/3 7" single used to promote "Passage" with the DJ talking about each tune. But I think the country EP might even be rarer than that one.

A&M Retro · Gold Member Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 190

I've heard about the Country Sampler for many years, but it's the first time I've seen a photo of one! A late friend of mine had one, and he's the only person I knew of who had ever found one.
I have the "Foreplay" 33 1/3 7" single used to promote "Passage" with the DJ talking about each tune. But I think the country EP might even be rarer than that one.

Actorman · Posted: Mon 3/15/10 10:58 pm

Awesome find! It's cool when rare things like this pop up that few of us on here have seen before.

The label on this lists "Top Of The World" as being from A Song For You and I'm guessing that is correct given the 1972 copyright date (as opposed to 1973). It looks like they really put some thought into this since that version does have more of a "country flair" than the hit version.

PJ · Posted: Tue 3/16/10 1:35 pm

Hi All,

That is timing this last weekend I was checking previously stored items & came across Carpenters Treasure Chest including this rarity : "Country Collection" released in early 1978 as Radio Promo an additional release to Sweet, Sweet Smile 45 ..... Cool

This 4 track EP really highlighted previous Carpenters country linked tracks : perhaps Desperado should have been added as long term Country Radio favourite ......

Top 10 success of SSS 45 on both Country & Adult Contemporary charts led to some A&M staffers to suggest full length Carpenters Counrty themed Album ....until both Alpert & Moss rejected any such release ..... Surprised

Given 1978 health issues for both Karen & Richard & being already committed to exhaustive Christmas songs sessions plus another Album's worth of additional tracks ....not sure whether Carpenters could have coped with Country Album project ....one for the future after 1983 had events been different Sad

Peter UK

SakuraSYayoi · Posted: Sun 4/4/10 11:35 pm

So were there two versions of American EP 33 1/3? With large hole and small hole?

I wonder if jukebox can play both hole sizes.

My last record player has auto play system. I was nervous when I played 45 or EP. If the player would make a mistake that fall the needle at turntable not to EP.

In Japan not a few Carpenters EPs were released. I have a few of them with small hole. We called normal 45 "single". and called 7"-33 1/3 "EP". Most had 4 songs. One had 3 songs, I think.

On North American Internet radio, I heard old interview with Karen several months ago and about 1 year ago. Karen talked she sounded country. I may make a MD with the interview and songs mentioned in this thread.

Sakura