The Essential Collection (1965–1997)

~ Release by Carpenters (see all versions of this release, 2 available)

Annotation

2002’s ESSENTIAL COLLECTION is basically an updated, new and improved version of FROM THE TOP. After a decade in the marketplace, Universal felt it could better the Carpenters box set, so Richard was asked to re-compile it, this time making sure that all of the hits were included – one of the weaknesses of FROM THE TOP. Richard added a couple of rarities to it as well – the Karen/Ella Medley, which hadn’t yet been issued in the States, and a Japanese Morinaga High Crown Chocolate commercial that had been an extra on a DVD release. ESSENTIAL COLLECTION marks the first appearance of a minor change to the album mix of “Solitaire” as a few mouth/saliva sounds are removed to make Karen’s vocal track sound smoother.

The ESSENTIAL COLLECTION also balanced out some of the remixing by placing some genuine original mixes of some of the early hits alongside later remixes of other tracks. The track “Good Night” is omitted here as are a couple of Karen’s solo tracks.

After four years in the marketplace, ESSENTIAL COLLECTION got a re-release in 2006 with slightly revised packaging, omitting the outer cardboard box.

Annotation last modified on 2022-06-09 10:25 UTC.

Tracklist

1▶CD: 1965 → 1970
2▼CD: 1971 → 1973
#TitleRatingLength
1Rainy Days and Mondays
assistant engineer:
Norm Kinney
engineer:
Ray Gerhardt (Recording and mixing engineer)
producer:
Jack Daugherty (American Multi-instrumentalist and music producer)
bass guitar:
Joe Osborn (American bass guitar player, session musician and songwriter)
drums (drum set):
Hal Blaine (U.S. studio drummer and percussionist)
harmonica:
Tommy Morgan (Harmonica player)
keyboard [keyboards] and background vocals:
Richard Carpenter (The Carpenters)
saxophone:
Bob Messenger (Woodwind and bass player)
background vocals and lead vocals:
Karen Carpenter
arranger and orchestrator:
Richard Carpenter (The Carpenters)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
A&M Records, Ltd. (in 1971)
recorded at:
A&M Studios in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States (in 1971-01)
recording of:
Rainy Days and Mondays (on 1971-01-25)
lyricist:
Paul Williams (US songwriter/soft rock vocalist)
composer:
Roger Nichols (musician/songwriter)
publisher:
Almo Music Corp. (USA, affiliated with ASCAP) and Rondor Music (London) Ltd.
4.353:37
2Superstar
assistant engineer:
Norm Kinney
engineer:
Ray Gerhardt (Recording and mixing engineer)
producer:
Jack Daugherty (American Multi-instrumentalist and music producer)
bass guitar:
Joe Osborn (American bass guitar player, session musician and songwriter)
drums (drum set):
Hal Blaine (U.S. studio drummer and percussionist)
keyboard [keyboards] and background vocals:
Richard Carpenter (The Carpenters)
oboe:
Earle Dumler (multi-instrumentalist)
background vocals and lead vocals:
Karen Carpenter
arranger and orchestrator:
Richard Carpenter (The Carpenters)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
A&M Records, Ltd. (in 1971)
recorded at:
A&M Studios in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States (in 1971)
cover recording of:
Superstar (in 1971-03)
writer:
Bonnie Bramlett and Leon Russell
publisher:
Black Bull Music, Delbon Publishing Co., Embassy Music Corporation, Jobete Music (UK) Ltd., Reservoir One America, Rondor Music (London) Ltd., Skyhill Pub. Co., Inc., Solo Copyright Bureau, Stuck On Music and Teddy Jack Music
sub-publisher:
ソニー・ミュージックパブリッシング A事業部 (Sony Music Publishing (Japan) Inc., A Division) and ミュージック・セールス (Music Sales, Japan, subsidiary of Shinko Music Entertainment)
4.353:50
3Let Me Be the One
assistant engineer:
Norm Kinney
engineer:
Dick Bogert (Recording and mixing engineer) and Ray Gerhardt (Recording and mixing engineer)
producer:
Jack Daugherty (American Multi-instrumentalist and music producer)
keyboard [keyboards]:
Richard Carpenter (The Carpenters) (from 1970 until 1971)
vocals:
Karen Carpenter (from 1970 until 1971) and Richard Carpenter (The Carpenters) (from 1970 until 1971)
arranger and orchestrator:
Richard Carpenter (The Carpenters)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
A&M Records, Ltd. (in 1971)
recorded at:
A&M Studios in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States (from 1970 until 1971)
cover recording of:
Let Me Be the One (from 1970 until 1971)
lyricist:
Paul Williams (US songwriter/soft rock vocalist)
composer:
Roger Nichols (musician/songwriter)
publisher:
Almo Music Corp. (USA, affiliated with ASCAP) and Rondor Music Ltd. (publisher)
32:26
4Bless the Beasts and Children
recording of:
Bless the Beasts and Children
writer and composer:
Perry Botkin Jr. (composer, producer, arranger, and musician) and Barry De Vorzon
arranger:
Perry Botkin Jr. (composer, producer, arranger, and musician)
publisher:
Screen Gems–EMI Music, Inc. (USA, affiliated with BMI)
part of:
The 44th Academy Award for Best Original Song (number: 2)
3:14
5Hurting Each Other
producer:
Jack Daugherty (American Multi-instrumentalist and music producer)
lead vocals:
Karen Carpenter
arranger and orchestrator:
Richard Carpenter (The Carpenters)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
A&M Records, Inc. (in 1972)
cover recording of:
Hurting Each Other
lyricist:
Peter Udell
composer:
Gary Geld
publisher:
PolyGram Music Publishing Ltd. and Sydney Bron Music (also spelled "Sydney")
4.52:49
6It's Going to Take Some Time
producer:
Jack Daugherty (American Multi-instrumentalist and music producer)
cover recording of:
It’s Going to Take Some Time
lyricist and composer:
Carole King and Toni Stern
publisher:
Screen Gems–Columbia Music, Inc.
4.52:56
7I Won't Last a Day Without You
recording of:
I Won’t Last a Day Without You
lyricist:
Paul Williams (US songwriter/soft rock vocalist)
composer:
Roger Nichols (musician/songwriter)
publisher:
Almo Music Corp. (USA, affiliated with ASCAP) and Rondor Music (London) Ltd.
3:55
8A Song for You
cover recording of:
A Song for You
lyricist and composer:
Leon Russell
publisher:
Irving Music (BMI), Irving Music, Inc., Rondor Music, Skyhill Pub. Co., Inc. and Universal Music Publishing Ltd. (UK subsidiary of Universal Music Publishing Group)
sub-publisher:
ヤマハミュージックEH(CM) (Yamaha Music EH(CM)) and ユニバーサル・ミュージック・パブリッシング Synch事業部 (Universal Music Publishing, Synch Division)
4:38
9Top of the World
producer:
Karen Carpenter, Richard Carpenter (The Carpenters) and Jack Daugherty (American Multi-instrumentalist and music producer)
lead vocals:
Karen Carpenter
arranger and orchestrator:
Richard Carpenter (The Carpenters)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
A&M Records, Inc. (in 1972)
later releases:
Top of the World (original recording used in the album "A Song for You") by Carpenters
recording of:
Top of the World (on 1973-08-15)
lyricist:
John Bettis
composer:
Richard Carpenter (The Carpenters)
publisher:
Almo Music Corp. (USA, affiliated with ASCAP), Hammer and Nails Music, Inc. and Rondor Music (London) Ltd.
3.53:00
10Goodbye to Love
producer:
Jack Daugherty (American Multi-instrumentalist and music producer)
lead vocals:
Karen Carpenter
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
A&M Records, Inc. (in 1972)
recording of:
Goodbye to Love
composed in:
London (Greater London), England, United Kingdom (in 1971)
lyricist:
John Bettis (in 1972)
composer:
Richard Carpenter (The Carpenters) (from 1971 until 1972)
publisher:
Almo Music Corp. (USA, affiliated with ASCAP), Hammer and Nails Music and Rondor Music (London) Ltd.
3:57
11This Masquerade
producer:
Karen Carpenter and Richard Carpenter (The Carpenters)
lead vocals:
Karen Carpenter
arranger and orchestrator:
Richard Carpenter (The Carpenters)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
A&M Records, Inc. (in 1973)
cover recording of:
This Masquerade
lyricist and composer:
Leon Russell
publisher:
Chrysalis One Music Publishing Group Ireland, Embassy Music Corporation, Reservoir 416, Reservoir One America, Rondor Music (London) Ltd., Skyhill Pub. Co., Inc., ソニー・ミュージックパブリッシング A事業部 (Sony Music Publishing (Japan) Inc., A Division), ミュージック・セールス (Music Sales, Japan, subsidiary of Shinko Music Entertainment) and ヤマハミュージックエンタテインメントホールディングス (Yamaha Music Entertainment Holdings, Inc., holding company – do not use as release label)
34:53
12Sing
producer:
Karen Carpenter and Richard Carpenter (The Carpenters)
choir vocals:
The Jimmy Joyce Children’s Chorus
cover recording of:
Sing
lyricist and composer:
Joe Raposo (piano, composer, Sesame Street)
publisher:
Green Fox Music Inc., The Joe Raposo Music Group, Inc. and Jonico Music Inc. (in 1971)
recording of:
Sing
lyricist and composer:
Joe Raposo (piano, composer, Sesame Street)
publisher:
Green Fox Music Inc., The Joe Raposo Music Group, Inc. and Jonico Music Inc. (in 1971)
recording of:
Sing (Japanese concert version)
lyricist and composer:
Joe Raposo (piano, composer, Sesame Street)
arrangement of:
Sing
43:19
13Jambalaya (On the Bayou)
producer:
Karen Carpenter and Richard Carpenter (The Carpenters)
drums (drum set) [drums]:
Hal Blaine (U.S. studio drummer and percussionist)
lead vocals:
Karen Carpenter
arranger and orchestrator:
Richard Carpenter (The Carpenters)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
A&M Records, Inc. (in 1973)
part of:
TV Cream: Real 100 Best Singles Ever (number: 29)
recording of:
Jambalaya (On the Bayou)
lyricist and composer:
Hank Williams (country music legend)
publisher:
Acuff-Rose Music Limited (UK), Acuff-Rose-Opryland Music Limited (UK), Fred Rose Music, Inc., Sony/ATV Acuff Rose Music (tradename of Sony/ATV Songs LLC) and Acuff-Rose Publications, Inc. (BMI) (on 1952-07-28)
3.53:39
14Yesterday Once More
recording of:
Yesterday Once More (on 1973-03-14)
lyricist:
John Bettis
composer:
Richard Carpenter (The Carpenters)
publisher:
Rondor Music (London) Ltd., Almo Music (USA, affiliated with ASCAP) (in 1973), Hammer & Nails Music (in 1973) and Sweet Harmony Music (US publisher) (in 1973)
3:49
15Oldies Medley: Fun, Fun, Fun / The End of the World / Da Doo Ron Ron / Deadman's Curve / Johnny Angel / The Night Has a Thousand Eyes / Our Day Will Come / One Fine Day
14:55
16Yesterday Once More (reprise)
recording of:
Yesterday Once More
lyricist:
John Bettis
composer:
Richard Carpenter (The Carpenters)
publisher:
Rondor Music (London) Ltd., Almo Music (USA, affiliated with ASCAP) (in 1973), Hammer & Nails Music (in 1973) and Sweet Harmony Music (US publisher) (in 1973)
1:02
17Radio Contest Outtakes
1:53
3▶CD: 1974 → 1978
4▶CD: 1978 → 1997