Passage (The Carpenters album)

Infobox Album | Name = Passage
Type = Album
Artist = The Carpenters


Released = September 23, 1977
Recorded = 1977
Genre = Pop
Length =
Label = A&M
Producer = Richard Carpenter
Reviews =
| Last album = "A Kind of Hush"
(1976)
This album = "Passage"
(1977)
Next album = "Christmas Portrait"
(1978)

"Passage" is an album by American popular music duo The Carpenters. Released in 1977, it produced the singles "All You Get From Love is a Love Song" and "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft (The Recognized Anthem of World Contact Day)." The CD is currently out of print.

Track listing

#"B'wana She No Home"
#"All You Get from Love Is a Love Song"
#"I Just Fall in Love Again"
#"On the Balcony of the Casa Rosada/Don't Cry for Me Argentina"
#"Sweet, Sweet Smile"
#"Two Sides"
#"Man Smart (Woman Smarter)"
#"Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft"

ingles

*All You Get From Love Is A Love Song (US Hot 100 #35, US Adult Contemporary #4) US 7" single (1977) A&M 1940 1.All You Get From Love Is A Love Song 2.I Have You

*Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft (The Recognized Anthem Of World Contact Day) (US Hot 100 #32, US Adult Contemporary #18) US 7" single (1977) A&M 1978 1.Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft (The Recognized Anthem Of World Contact Day) 2.Can't Smile Without You

*Sweet, Sweet, Smile (US Hot 100 #44, US Adult Contemporary #7, US Country #6) US 7" single (1978) A&M 2008 1.Sweet, Sweet, Smile 2.I Have You

*Don't Cry for Me Argentina CA 7" single (1978) A&M 8629 1.Don't Cry for Me Argentina 2.Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft (The Recognized Anthem Of World Contact Day)

Richard Carpenter's Review

"As a result of both “Horizon” and “A Kind Of Hush” not containing a “sell-through” single (Postman had been released approximately nine months prior to “Horizon's” release) neither album fared as well, sales or chart-wise, as their predecessors; “Horizon” No.14 and “A Kind Of Hush” No.33. I was hardly surprised then, when I heard from Jerry Moss, relating his concern about relatively lackluster sales by A&M's biggest worldwide record sellers…us. As an owner's eyes fall on the manager when a fine baseball team doesn’t perform as expected, so the eyes of the record company fall on the producer when a successful artist's record sales falter. This, by the by, is the way it should be, so I was perfectly willing to let someone else take over my role; it would be a lot less work for me and, as previously mentioned, I was not 100% myself. The problem was, not one major producer would sign on; radio was not quite as friendly at that time to our type of sound and to be honest, my track record on the whole was a tough act to follow. Accordingly, I remained producer, but I did try to approach this new project from a different angle, hence my selection of songs for this album made “Passage” a bit of a departure from our previous recordings. I am still fond of every song on this album, but will mention the history of two:

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93ohBty79MY Don’t Cry For Me Argentina] - This song was submitted to us by the publisher, and I immediately felt it was perfect for Karen, though now I feel differently, as I believe the song doesn’t linger long enough in a lower register, a great area for Karen's voice. We contacted England's late, great Peter Knight to orchestrate the song, and two others on “Passage”. Peter flew to Los Angeles to conduct the L.A. Philharmonic for the recording. (Due to a contractual agreement their name was not allowed in the credits, hence the credit of the “Overbudget Philharmonic”.) Between the 100 plus member “Phil” and the 50 voice Gregg Smith Singers, the recording session had to take place on the A&M Sound Stage, and was wired into Studio D. It was an experience I’ll never forget.

"Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft" (The Recognized Anthem of World Contact Day) - I heard this song on Canadian group Klaatu's debut album and couldn’t resist recording it. (Lyrics such as these don’t come along every day!) Peter Knight penned the creative orchestration to my arrangement. In addition to the guitar work, Tony Peluso reprises his role as a befuddled D.J.. This performance must be fairly convincing for following its release, we received numerous letters wanting to know when in fact, World Contact Day was scheduled!" [ [http://richardandkarencarpenter.com/Album_Passage.htm Carpenters: Passage album, 1977 ] ]

References