Space Encounters
Encyclopedia
The Carpenters...Space Encounters is a television special featuring the American pop duo The Carpenters
. It was first shown on ABC
on May 17, 1978.
down to the studio and tells Richard and Karen how the people from his planet lack the ability to make music and he requests their help. Richard and Karen tell John about their earlier days in music and John uses his hi-tech pocket video screen to show The Carpenters performing "Fun Fun Fun" and "Dancing In The Street
". After watching them, John tells them he wants to try singing himself and teleports to a more romantic setting to perform "Just The Way You Are".
The Carpenters continue to reminisce about their earlier recordings and they perform "Goofus" in an old garage, similar to the one in which they recorded their first record in.
Richard, on piano, then performs the Space Encounters Medley, which includes the themes to Close Encounters of the Third Kind
and Star Wars
, on stage with a full orchestra, complete with laser and starlight effects.
Back in the recording studio, Karen and John continue to reminisce about her early days in music and she performs "Little Girl Blue
". Afterwards, everybody teleports up to the spaceship's own nightclub, "The Galaxy Room", where Richard plays "Piano Picker", and Karen and Suzanne perform "Man Smart, Woman Smarter". Karen and John then perform "The Old-Fashioned Way" and then the whole cast (complete with dancers) perform a disco-medley including "The Hustle
", "Boogie Nights
" and "I Could Have Danced All Night
".
The Carpenters then perform "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft
" and the show ends with an instrumental version of "We've Only Just Begun
".
The Carpenters
Carpenters were an American vocal and instrumental duo, consisting of sister Karen and brother Richard Carpenter. The Carpenters were the #1 selling American music act of the 1970s. Though often referred to by the public as "The Carpenters", the duo's official name on authorized recordings and...
. It was first shown on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
on May 17, 1978.
Synopsis
Space Encounters begins with Richard and Karen Claspenters performing "Sweet, Sweet Smile" in their recording studio, assisted by Charlie Callas. As they are performing, we see that they are being observed by the occupants of an alien spaceship (John Davidson and Suzanne Somers) who are on their way to Earth to meet The Carpenters. After Richard and Karen finish the song, the lights in the studio begin to flicker uncontrollably and musical instruments begin to move and play by themselves. At that moment, John teleportsTeleportation
Teleportation is the fictional or imagined process by which matter is instantaneously transferred from one place to another.Teleportation may also refer to:*Quantum teleportation, a method of transmitting quantum data...
down to the studio and tells Richard and Karen how the people from his planet lack the ability to make music and he requests their help. Richard and Karen tell John about their earlier days in music and John uses his hi-tech pocket video screen to show The Carpenters performing "Fun Fun Fun" and "Dancing In The Street
Dancing in the Street
"Dancing in the Street" is a 1964 song first recorded by Martha and the Vandellas. It is one of Motown's signature songs and is the group's premier signature song.-Martha and the Vandellas original:...
". After watching them, John tells them he wants to try singing himself and teleports to a more romantic setting to perform "Just The Way You Are".
The Carpenters continue to reminisce about their earlier recordings and they perform "Goofus" in an old garage, similar to the one in which they recorded their first record in.
Richard, on piano, then performs the Space Encounters Medley, which includes the themes to Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Close Encounters of the Third Kind is a 1977 science fiction film written and directed by Steven Spielberg. The film stars Richard Dreyfuss, François Truffaut, Melinda Dillon, Teri Garr, Bob Balaban, and Cary Guffey...
and Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
, on stage with a full orchestra, complete with laser and starlight effects.
Back in the recording studio, Karen and John continue to reminisce about her early days in music and she performs "Little Girl Blue
Little Girl Blue (song)
"Little Girl Blue" is a popular song with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Lorenz Hart, published in 1935. The song was introduced by Gloria Grafton in the Broadway musical Jumbo....
". Afterwards, everybody teleports up to the spaceship's own nightclub, "The Galaxy Room", where Richard plays "Piano Picker", and Karen and Suzanne perform "Man Smart, Woman Smarter". Karen and John then perform "The Old-Fashioned Way" and then the whole cast (complete with dancers) perform a disco-medley including "The Hustle
The Hustle (song)
"The Hustle" is a famous disco song by songwriter/arranger Van McCoy and the Soul City Symphony. It scored #1 on the "Billboard Hot 100" and the "Hot Soul Singles" charts during the summer of 1975. It also peaked at #9 on the Australian Singles Chart and #3 in the UK...
", "Boogie Nights
Boogie Nights (song)
"Boogie Nights" is a 1976 single by the British-based funk-disco group Heatwave. It was the group's debut single and was written by Rod Temperton. It was included on Heatwave's debut album, Too Hot to Handle...
" and "I Could Have Danced All Night
I Could Have Danced All Night
"I Could Have Danced All Night" is a song from the musical My Fair Lady, with music written by Frederick Loewe and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, published in 1956...
".
The Carpenters then perform "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft
Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft
"Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft " is a song by Klaatu, originally released in 1976 on their first album 3:47 EST. The following year, The Carpenters covered the song, using a crew of 160 musicians...
" and the show ends with an instrumental version of "We've Only Just Begun
We've Only Just Begun
"We've Only Just Begun" is the signature song of The Carpenters, written by Roger Nichols and Paul Williams , and is often used as a wedding song. The song was ranked at #405 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of "the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".The song was recorded by Smokey Roberds, a friend...
".
Guest stars
- John DavidsonJohn Davidson (entertainer)John Hamilton Davidson, Sr. is an American singer, actor and game show host known for hosting That's Incredible!, Time Machine, and Hollywood Squares in the 1980s, and a revival of The $100,000 Pyramid in 1991....
- Suzanne SomersSuzanne SomersSuzanne Somers is an American actress, author, singer and businesswoman, known for her television roles as Chrissy Snow on Three's Company and as Carol Lambert on Step by Step....
- Charlie CallasCharlie CallasCharlie Callas was an American comedian and actor most commonly known for his work with Mel Brooks, Jerry Lewis, and Dean Martin and his many stand-up appearances on television talk shows in the 1970s...
Carpenters Songs Performed on "Space Encounters"
- "Sweet, Sweet SmileSweet, Sweet Smile"Sweet, Sweet Smile" is a C&W song composed by Otha Young and Juice Newton introduced by the Carpenters on their 1977 album Passage. The track features drummer Ronnie Tutt who regularly backed Elvis Presley....
" - Passage (1977) - "Fun Fun Fun" - Now & Then (1973)
- "Dancing in the StreetDancing in the Street"Dancing in the Street" is a 1964 song first recorded by Martha and the Vandellas. It is one of Motown's signature songs and is the group's premier signature song.-Martha and the Vandellas original:...
" - As Time Goes By (2001) - "Goofus" - A Kind of Hush (1976)
- Space Encounters Medley - As Time Goes By (2001)
- "Little Girl BlueLittle Girl Blue (song)"Little Girl Blue" is a popular song with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Lorenz Hart, published in 1935. The song was introduced by Gloria Grafton in the Broadway musical Jumbo....
" - LovelinesLovelinesLovelines is a 1989 album released by The Carpenters.In 1989, Richard Carpenter decided to release an album of unreleased Carpenters tracks along with selected solo tracks by his sister, Karen Carpenter ....
(1989) - "Piano Picker" - A Song for YouA Song for You (Carpenters album)A Song for You is the fourth album released by the Carpenters, released on June 13, 1972. According to Richard Carpenter, "A Song for You was intended to be a concept album with the title tune opening and closing the set and the bookended selections comprising the 'song'."In Cash Box's Top 100...
(1972) - "Man Smart, Woman Smarter" - Passage (1977)
- "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary CraftCalling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft"Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft " is a song by Klaatu, originally released in 1976 on their first album 3:47 EST. The following year, The Carpenters covered the song, using a crew of 160 musicians...
" - Passage (1977)