Karen Carpenter

[Miguel]

Karen on the drums:

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Mr. Guder was the instrumental music teacher at my high school in the mid-1960's, but he left to become the music director at Disneyland.

He fired the Carpenters from their Tomorrowland gig before they were famous, saying that they didn't have any sort of audience appeal. "Mr. Guder" was recorded after the Carpenters had become superstars, just to "rub his nose in it" a bit.

EdWatts 2 weeks ago

@EdWatts Here's what Richard Carpenter himself had to say: "John Bettis and I composed this “anti-establishment” song in late 1967, following our brief stint at Disneyland. We had been hired as the piano/banjo act at Coke Corner on Main Street, USA and, as such, were required to perform American songs written around the early 1900s. A problem had started when we honored some patrons’ requests to play contemporary songs, such as “Somewhere My Love,” “Yesterday,” “Light My Fire,” et al."

arfies 2 weeks ago

@arfies cont.: "Vic Guder, our talent supervisor, was understandably disgruntled about this. John and I were young and full of ourselves, and during the ensuing weeks, continued to do as we pleased. This ultimately led to our dismissal. John and I took great umbrage at this, and wrote this song. Looking back, I feel we should have been thankful to have had the job…and adhered to policy."

arfies 2 weeks ago