On Nov. 1, A&M/UMe is ready to launch the Carpenters’ Christmas As soon as Extra, a brand new assortment that includes 16 Carpenters vacation classics, personally curated by Richard Carpenter. This newly remixed and remastered set contains fan favorites corresponding to “Merry Christmas Darling,” that includes the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, “Sleigh Experience” and “(There’s No Place Like) Dwelling for the Holidays.” The album title is a play on the title of the duo’s 1973 pop smash “Yesterday As soon as Extra,” which was later used because the title of a 1985 hits assortment by the duo.
The Carpenters have been related to Christmas since 1970, the 12 months they burst to stardom with “Near You” (Billboard’s No. 1 Tune of the Summer season for 1970) and “We’ve Solely Simply Begun.” That vacation season, they launched “Merry Christmas Darling,” a nostalgic Richard Carpenter-Frank Pooler ballad that reached No. 1 on Billboard’s annual Christmas Singles lists in 1970, 1971 and 1973.
The music stays a traditional. “Merry Christmas Darling” ranked No. 41 on Billboard’s 2023 record of the 100 finest Christmas songs of all time. Melinda Newman praised the music’s “dreamy reverie” and particularly Karen’s lead vocal. “Her vocal on ‘Merry Christmas Darling’ as she longs for her cherished one, who’s away for Christmas and New Yr’s Day, is pure, chic perfection. She conveys the proper mixture of craving, unhappiness and hope since she is aware of, despite the fact that it’s unstated, they are going to be joyfully reunited after the vacations. Over 50 years since its launch, it’s nonetheless the soundtrack for any school {couples} separated in the course of the vacation break.”
“Merry Christmas Darling” was re-released in 1974 with a torchy ballad model of “Santa Claus Is Coming to City” on the B aspect. It was launched once more in 1977 with “Christmas Tune” on the B aspect. Additionally in 1977, the Carpenters headlined their first vacation TV particular for ABC, The Carpenters at Christmas. In 1978, lastly, they launched their first vacation album, Christmas Portrait. It coincided with the discharge of a second vacation particular for ABC, The Carpenters: A Christmas Portrait, which featured movie legend Gene Kelly as a visitor star.
Christmas Portrait has logged 66 weeks on the Billboard 200. Among the many duo’s albums, solely Near You has logged extra weeks on Billboard’s flagship albums chart (87).
Richard had a singular concept for making a near-continuous work that may combine hymns, pop tunes, vocals and instrumentals. He did a few of the orchestral preparations himself, whereas others had been assigned to Peter Knight and Billy Might.
“With Karen’s marvelous leads,” Richard has written, “mixed with an oversize studio orchestra and refrain, terrific preparations, and timeless music, Christmas Portrait was, and is, an virtually incomparable Christmas album.”
Sufficient materials was recorded in the course of the Christmas Portrait periods to permit for the discharge of a second Carpenters vacation album, An Previous-Normal Christmas, in 1984, the 12 months after Karen’s premature demise at age 32. In 1990, Christmas Portrait – The Particular Version mixed tracks from each Carpenters’ seasonal LPs with some extra materials. Now comes Christmas As soon as Extra, which might be accessible in a number of codecs, together with CD, black vinyl, limited-edition gold vinyl, digital obtain, streaming and ATMOS.
There have been quite a few indications in recent times of the Carpenters’ persevering with viewers enchantment. A 1998 compilation, Love Songs, rode the Billboard 200 for 25 weeks. Carpenters songs have been featured in a number of hit motion pictures, corresponding to 2007’s The Simpsons Film (which memorably featured “Near You”). Each “Near You” and “We’ve Solely Simply Begun” have been voted into the Grammy Corridor of Fame.
The Carpenters received an sudden shout-out on a world stage in March 2023. Whereas accepting an Academy Award for finest authentic music for “Naatu Naatu” from RRR, M.M. Neeravaani stated, “Thanks, Academy. I grew up listening to the Carpenters, and now right here I’m with the Oscars.” He then proceeded to sing his acceptance remarks to the tune of the duo’s Billboard Scorching 100-topping smash “Prime of the World,” a transfer that charmed the viewers on the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood and the worldwide TV viewing viewers.
Right here’s the observe itemizing for the CD version of Christmas As soon as Extra.
- 1. “It Got here Upon a Midnight Clear”
- 2. “Blissful Vacation”
- 3. “The Christmas Waltz”
- 4. “Sleigh Experience”
- 5. “It’s Christmas Time / Sleep Properly, Little Youngsters”
- 6. “Have Your self a Merry Little Christmas”
- 7. “Christ Is Born”
- 8. “Santa Claus Is Coming to City”
- 9. “Merry Christmas, Darling” (Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Model)
- 10. “The Christmas Tune (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Hearth)”
- 11. “(There’s No Place Like) Dwelling for the Holidays”
- 12. “Little Altar Boy”
- 13. “The First Snowfall / Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!”
- 14. “My Favourite Issues”
- 15. “White Christmas”
- 16. “Ave Maria”
