Carpenters - Live at Budokan in Japan (1974)

The Carpenters.
Live in Japan in 1974.

This is a very personal posting for me. My Dad was not a big fan of most pop & rock 'n roll music. There were only a few artists he rated.

-- Abba, primarily for Dancing Queen.
-- The Moody Blues, primary because of Nights In White Satin.
-- Simon & Garfunkel, with The Sounds Of Silence being a favorite, and
-- The Carpenters!

Of all of these, The Carpenters were the band that I hear time and time again. My dad would play a song and then would speak about the musical qualities of the song. Almost as is if to justify his love for it and for the artist.

Of course, he was not wrong in his sentiments. Karen's voice was one of the purest ever heard and she had the benefit of a talented brother and many wonderful songwriters, who, together, gave us a wonderful library of timeless tunes.

Which explains The Carpenters post. But why The Carpenters in Japan?

That's easy!

My parents made Japan their home for most of their adult lives, until they retired. I was born in Japan, grew up there and have so many memories of my childhood in Japan.

Including, of course, those memories of my dad listening to The Carpenters.

We happened to be back in the U.S. when The Carpenters had this concert at the Budokan in Japan in 1974 but we were back in Japan a year later. The memories of listening to The Carpenters on FEN or watching them on Japanese TV in the late '70s is a part of my childhood.

This concert is something special. And it is something very special to me!