Carpenters "Ticket To Ride" LP (1969)

Details: This is a UK press, used copy, of the Carpenters' debut album! Previously released in 1969 as "Offering". It was re-designed and re-titled and released in 1970 as "Ticket To Ride" instead. "Karen Carpenter played Electric Bass on two songs according to the back cover, but the songs are not specified." The cover and album are in fantastic condition, and the cover material is that of early vinyl releases out of the UK (thin glossy cover). Cool cover with the record label, "Hamlet" displayed prominently as well as on the sticker label. The cover does have tape on it (see images) but it looks good regardless. Nice and glossy/clean copy! Soooo early 70s charming and classic soft rock. Let's all sail away...

Description: "Ticket to Ride is the debut studio album by American music duo the Carpenters. At the time of its initial release in 1969, it was issued under the title Offering, with a completely different cover photo. It was a commercial failure and produced only one minor hit single, a ballad version of the Lennon-McCartney song "Ticket to Ride".

After the Carpenters' subsequent breakthrough, however, the album was reissued internationally under the name Ticket to Ride and sold moderately. The CD in the "Remastered Classics" series went out of print in March 2007. However, in Japan, the "Pack Series" released the Ticket to Ride and Close to You CDs together.

The album is far more self-contained than other Carpenters albums; excluding the orchestrations, bass by Joe Osborn and occasional guitar from Gary Sims, most of the instruments were played by Karen and Richard Carpenter themselves - drums and keyboards respectively - and 10 of the 13 songs were written by Richard and his lyricist John Bettis. It also stands out from subsequent Carpenters albums in that the lead vocals are evenly split between the two band members; on later albums, Karen Carpenter would perform most of the lead vocals and this is one of two albums where Karen provided virtually all of the drumming, the other being Now & Then, released in 1973."

Grade: VG (Cover) / NM (record)

TRACK LISTING SIDE A:

1. Invocation
2. Your Wonderful Parade
3. Someday
4. Get Together
5. All Of My Life
6. Turn Away

TRACK LISTING SIDE B:

1. Ticket To Ride
2. Don't Be Afraid
3. What's The Use
4. All I Can Do
5. Eve
6. Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing
7. Benediction