Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft

Infobox Single
Name = Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft

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Caption =
Artist = The Carpenters
from Album = Passage
A-side = "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft"
B-side = "Can't Smile Without You"
Released = September 9, 1977
Format = 7" single
Recorded = 1977
Genre = Pop
Length = 04:10 Single Version
07:09 Album Cut
Label = A&M Records
1978
Writer = Klaatu
Producer = Richard Carpenter
Certification =
Last single = "All You Get from Love Is a Love Song" (1977)
This single = "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft" (1977)
Next single = "Sweet, Sweet Smile" (1977)
Misc = Extra tracklisting
Album = Passage
Type = studio
Tracks = ;Side one

# "B'wana She No Home"
# "All You Get from Love Is a Love Song"
# "I Just Fall in Love Again"
# "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina"

;Side two

# "Sweet, Sweet Smile"
# "Two Sides"
# "Man Smart, Woman Smarter"
# "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft"

"Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft" is a song by Klaatu, originally released in 1976. The following year, The Carpenters covered the song, using a crew of 160 musicians.

John Woloschuk, a member of Klaatu and one of the song's composers, has said::The idea for this track was suggested by an actual event that is described in "The Flying Saucer Reader", a book by Jay David published in 1967. In March 1953 an organization known as the "International Flying Saucer Bureau" sent a bulletin to all its members urging them to participate in an experiment termed "World Contact Day" whereby, at a predetermined date and time, they would attempt to collectively send out a telepathic message to visitors from outer space. The message began with the words..."Calling occupants of interplanetary craft!" [cite web | url = http://www.klaatu.org/trackfacts/track_facts_12.html | work = The Official Klaatu Homepage | format = quote used by permission | title = Klaatu Track Facts | accessdate = 2007-04-18 | first = John | last = Woloschuk ]

The original World Contact Day was March 15, 1953.

The song was subtitled "The Recognised Anthem of World Contact Day", presumably in the hope that it would be adopted as the anthem for the event should another World Contact Day be held in the future.

While this is probably the most recognized recording by Klaatu, the band went on to release five studio albums of progressive pop music. The Carpenters' version is probably even better known, as it was indeed the bigger hit, charting worldwide and appearing on several of their (mostly hits collections) albums. The success of their version led to the duo receiving many letters from people asking when World Contact Day would be held.

While Klaatu's original opens with various sounds of living species, the Carpenters' version opens with a radio DJ on a request show. The DJ identifies his caller as "Mike Ledgerwood". As the DJ asks the caller what song he wants to hear, an alien voice converses with the DJ. The DJ is voiced by longstanding Carpenters' guitarist Tony Peluso, who can be seen in that role at the start of the video for this track.cite web |url=http://www.richardandkarencarpenter.com/Album_Passage.htm |title=Carpenters official web site: |accessdate=2007-10-14 |format=html |work=Passage album notes]

It was also sung by the children of the The Langley Schools Music Project. Another cover version can be found on the Carpenters tribute album "If I Were A Carpenter" performed by the all-woman band Babes in Toyland.

The Carpenters' arrangement of the song was later copied on a sound-alike cover released on the 1977 album Top of the Pops, Volume 62.

Later, the introductory vocals were sampled and utilised by Dutch happy hardcore act Dyewitness, in the track, "Observing Your Earth" in 1991. A second track by the same group utilised further samples, "What Would You Like To Hear Again". Both were originally released on the Midtown label in the Netherlands. The sample origins were uncredited.

Music videos

The Carpenters had two music videos for "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft."
*"Starparade" - German TV, 1977. Available on their DVD ""
*"Space Encounters" - Carpenters' TV Special, 1978. Available on their DVD "Interpretations"

References