If I Were A Carpenter Trivia Quiz

Answer: Sonic Youth

The creative American rock band Sonic Youth cover the song "Superstar." It's the third song on the tribute album and reached number twenty-six on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart. It's also used in the 2007 movie "Juno." I like this rendition of the song however Richard Carpenter apparently doesn't agree.

He's said that he "doesn't care" for this version of the song. What I find interesting about the cover is that Sonic Youth have two main singers in the band, Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore, and for this they decided to have their male singer take the lead.

The song has also been covered by Ruben Studdard (of "American Idol" fame) and by Luther Vandross.

Answer: Shonen Knife

This is probably my favorite cover on the whole album. Shonen Knife are a Japanese all-girl alternative rock band who perform a very upbeat and definitely less twangy version of this song. It's the second song on the tribute album. "Top of the World" was written by Richard Carpenter and John Bettis and The Carpenters took it to number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

The song has also been covered by Steve Allen, a singer from New Zealand, and Vikingarna, a Swedish band.

Answer: Sheryl Crow

The beautiful ballad "Solitaire" was originally written by Neil Sedaka and Phil Cody. The Carpenters released it in 1975 and it hit number seventeen on the Billboard Hot 100. I really like Sheryl Crow's take on this song. She covers it for the tribute album and slows down the tempo a bit, making it a much more mournful version, in my opinion.

This song has been covered a TON, by Jann Arden, Shirley Bassey, Westlife, Johnny Mathis and more.

Answer: The Cranberries

The song "(They Long to Be) Close to You" was originally written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. The Carpenters took it to number one in the United States, Canada and Australia. This is another very popular song that has been sung by many different artists including Rick Astley, Billy Ocean and Isaac Hayes.

The Cranberries cover on the tribute album is also included as a bonus track on The Cranberries' album "No Need to Argue." The Cranberries tribute is quite similar to the Carpenters' version, without the solo piano playing at the beginning of the song.

Answer: 4 Non Blondes

"Bless the Beasts and Children" was originally recorded by the Carpenters for the 1971 movie of the same name. It was nominated for an Academy Award for best song. American alternative rock band 4 Non Blondes cover it on the tribute album and make it a heavier song that emphasises the drums and electric guitar. It's not one of my favorites on the album.

Answer: Matthew Sweet

"Let Me Be the One" was written by Roger Nichols and Paul Williams. The Carpenters released it as a single in 1971 and took it to number seventy on the Billboard Hot 100. It's a relatively short song (under two and a half minutes long) and very 'easy listening.' The song has been recorded by many artists including Diana Ross, Johnny Mathis and Petula Clark. American rock singer Matthew Sweet covers the song for the tribute album; it has a very country sounding guitar throughout.

Answer: Babes In Toyland

The Carpenters covered this song first. Originally released by the Canadian band Klaatu in 1975, The Carpenters covered it a year later and used one hundred and sixty musicians to make the song. The Carpenters' version opens with a call in to a radio show by what sounds like an alien.

The Babes In Toyland version jumps right in to the song and it's a heavier version. It's one of my least favorite tributes on the album.

Answer: Cracker

The gloomy song "Rainy Days and Mondays" was written by Paul Williams and Roger Nichols and released by The Carpenters in 1971. They took it to number one on the Billboard Easy Listening chart. The Cracker version on the tribute album is also quite mournful, has a slightly slower tempo and a heavier guitar.

A tiny snippet of lyrics from this song is used in the movie 2002 "About a Boy". The young boy in the movie is having a difficult time with his mom and bullies at school and sings a part of the song out loud in class, to the delight of course to his classmates.

Answer: Dishwalla

"It's Going to Take Some Time" was written by Carole King and Toni Stern. The Carpenters covered this song in 1972 and took it to number twelve on the Billboard Hot 100. The song has a moderately upbeat tempo and the Dishwalla version is quite a departure from The Carpenters version. It's a heavier rock version with some pretty heavy guitar used throughout.

Answer: American Music Club

This song opens the tribute album. The Carpenters' version was written by Richard Carpenter and John Bettis and released in 1972. It hit number two on the Billboard Easy Listening chart. The American indie rock band American Music Club covered the song for the tribute album. Their version is a slow and sorrowful cover of this very pretty song.