While having dinner at my girlfriend's parents' house over the holidays, talk turned to music. This was no accident; we were intending to raid her father's record collection. Her mother mentioned that she liked The Carpenters, and I naturally had to ask if that included their bizarre cover of the Canadian prog band Klaatu's Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft. Unsurprisingly, it did not. (Of course any decent trivia hound already recognizes the band name as derivative of "Klaatu barada nikto!" as spoken to Gort in The Day the Earth Stood Still.)
I offered to burn a copy of the song and the offer was politely refused... and I fully understand. For most the duo was all about the breezy easy-listening love song, but for me the highlight of the Carpenters' career was this sublimely odd plea for extraterrestrial contact. Very '70s, really, and a catchy little tune to boot.
Thanks to this series of 8 YouTube links at an awesome retro music video blog called Visual Guidance Ltd., you can view this 1978 network TV special in all its oddball glory. Keep an eye out for Suzanne Somers!
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3 comments:
Sig feels that all Carpenters' covers are unfortunate. It's heretical to say so, but I prefer their version of "Please, Mr. Postman" in all of its appalling harmonious Soft Rock glory.
I love the Carpenters. In fact, I think I might listen to "Superstar" when I go home tonight. Thanks, Chris! I also might bust out a lil' "The Night Chicago Died" by Paper Lace. Wow-I am really looking forward to my evening.
How much easy-rockin' can one person take?
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