Saturday 9: "Hurting Each Other" The Carpenters

Welcome to Saturday: 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love to answer the questions, however, and here is today's questions!

Saturday 9: Hurting Each Other (1972)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This week's song was written by Gary Geld and Peter Udell, who also wrote 1962's "Sealed with a Kiss." What was in the last envelope you sealed?  

It was a letter to my  youngest daughter, who wanted to start writing letters back and forth.  

2) In "Hurting Each Other," Karen Carpenter sings she wishes she and her lover could stop making each other cry. Have you most recently shed a tear in the last week, the last month, or longer ago than that? 

I don’t cry very much anymore but I did cry when reading the news last night, late, when I couldn’t sleep. 

I haven’t, yet, become a real cry baby, and these were Angry tears, mostly.  I cried because nothing freakin’ changes, y’know? 

3) One of the Carpenters' first records was a cover of the Beatles' "Ticket to Ride." Both Karen and Richard were huge fans and nervous about how the Beatles would react to their version. They were thrilled to learn that Paul McCartney responded by saying Karen had "one of the best female voices in the world." Tell us some news you received recently that brightened your day.  

My kids and their friends and loved ones are all safe from the floods, storms, and winds in Central Coast. Thanks to God! 🍀 🙏🏼🤟🏼

4) Karen died in 1983, but her musical partner and big brother Richard is still with us. He has said he grew up a big fan Top 40 radio, listening every morning as he got ready for school and every afternoon while doing homework. When you were a kid, did you like to study with music or the TV on? Or would you prefer quiet? 

I could do math and things that weren't Word related studies with some background music.   Anything else?  I liked it quiet. TV was not on until later at night. 

5) Karen and Richard spent their teen years in Downey, California. It has the distinction of being home to the nation's oldest, still-operating McDonald's. It's been on the same site on Lakewood Blvd. since 1953. Tell us about a business in your neighborhood that seems to have always been right there, in that spot.  That would be our local "House of Fabrics".  I haven't been there in three years, but it's still there as far as I know.

 

6) The siblings may have had a squeaky clean public image, but Richard did have a brush with the law while in Downey. The Carpenter family lived for a time in an apartment complex, and one of their neighbors -- a policeman -- objected to Richard "banging on the piano" at all hours. When did you most recently interact with an officer of the law?  

There are law enforcement officers in our extended family so it was probably the last time we went to Thanksgiving dinner.  But you mean "officially".  That would maybe 15 years ago in a neighborhood problem over a neighbor’s smashed garage window late at night. 

7) In 1972, when this song was popular, Mark Spitz was America's premier Olympian, winning seven Gold Medals. A poster of Spitz wearing his red, white and blue swim trunks and all seven medals was a top seller. Can you recall a poster that decorated your bedroom wall when you were a kid?  

Posters weren't a "thing"  when I was a kid.  We were still stealing bird eggs from nests for food and using our tiny bows and arrows to get small game for the evening bird and rodent roasts.  Truth!  lol  

I was a teen in the late 50's, and early 60's.  

The first poster I even owned was this one....  I'm not sure what happened to it, since I haven't seen it lately.. 

The Image is now Owned by someone

8) Also in 1972, Liza Minnelli was encouraging us to "come to the cabaret." Without looking it up, do you know who Liza's famous parents were? 

I know that Judi Garland is/was her mother but not who her father is/was. 

9) Random question: Are you a better student or teacher? 

As to me, I am good student, a life long learner.  I would have loved to be a Special Ed teacher but Fate had a different path for me. 

 Actual experience:  I home schooled the twins through part of junior high and part of high school.  They then went to an alternative school, and they graduating 2 years early.  I'd like to think that the efforts I made for them helped them do this, and with Honors, but it was most likely innate.  

What happened after was certainly not a planned entry into adulthood, but I hoped that my dedication to giving them the best launch on offer at the time would eventually  help them throughout their lives.  They are, like their sisters before them, caring, loving, thoughtful and “connected” to their “better angels”. 

🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻

Thanks again Sam, for this lovely little MEME on Saturday.  Lots of LOVE is going out to you from a Soggy but Happy Southern California.

Readers: Want to join in, or read other offerings? Please go HERE to get The Saturday 9 Linkie.....