Songs I Didn't Like To Admit I Liked Vol. 3: The Carpenters

We revisited the 1960s and the 1980s in our first two installments.  Now it's the 1970s, 1971 to be precise.  This is even harder to 'fess up to than the others - it's Superstar by The Carpenters - there, THC has admitted it.

      Russell) (Bramlett)
Superstar was written in 1969 by Bonnie Bramlett (of Delaney & Bonnie) and Leon Russell.  One of the first recordings of the song was by a then-unknown Bette Midler.  Richard Carpenter heard Bette's record and decided it would make a perfect single for The Carpenters.  Karen Carpenter initially resisted doing the song but eventually gave in and it eventually became one of her favorites.  Karen's voice makes the song conveying longing and poignancy along with delusion.  It was always lush and beautiful but a lot of times it was employed on some pretty lame songs.  This was an exception.

THC picked this YouTube of the song because, though it is lip-synced, it features Karen on the drums.  She started as a drummer in a band with her brother but there are not many clips in her prime playing.