Just how beautiful was Karen Carpenter’s voice? Listen to her isolated vocal tracks and find out





I rarely write music-related posts here on Dangerous Minds, but a recent comment from Studio Multitracks directing me to the isolated vocals of Karen Carpenter stirred a childhood memory for me. As I listened, I will admit that I got a little misty-eyed. My god was her voice oh so beautiful, powerful and nuanced and you can really hear that, here.

I recall every Saturday morning in the late-70s and early-80s, the drudgery of having to help clean the house with my mother. The two things my mother played on constant rotation while we cleaned together were the Carpenters’ The Singles: 1969 - 1973 and Carol King’s Tapestry. Man, did I loathe “cleaning Saturdays,” but hearing the soothing voice of Karen Carpenter always made it somewhat bearable, and sometimes, even…enjoyable.

Karen Carpenter’s voice takes me to that happy safe place when I was young and everything seemed possible.



Below, “Ticket to Ride” vocals and drums:



“Superstar” vocals, bass and drums:



“Yesterday Once More” vocals and bass:



“Goodbye To Love” vocals, bass and drums:



“Rainy Days And Mondays” vocals, bass and drums:



“For All We Know” vocals, bass and drums:



Thank you, Henry Baum!