It’s yet another wet, gloomy day here on the Wet Coast, and a friend of mine mentioned that the rainy days depress her. This song came immediately to mind…
Growing up I was never much of a pop music fan, particularly the easy listening stuff my parents favoured. As a family we’d spend a lot of time in the car together with the radio tuned to whatever station might be playing Andy Williams or Perry Como, Englebert Humperdink or some other music-lite. Much as I loved going on drives around the countryside (and still do) the music drove me crazy.
The Carpenters fit definitively within this category and yet I’ve always had a soft spot for their music. Richard’s sense of melody is exquisite, his is an extraordinary gift for songwriting. But I think it was Karen’s clear, sparkling, emotive voice which set The Carpenters apart. Even singing about gloomy subjects, she had a way of elevating your spirits. I don’t think there’s ever been anyone quite like her.
Hmmmm…. perhaps Harriet Wheeler of The Sundays, in her own way.