Saturday 9: Hurting Each Other

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?

A. A letter to my cousin. No, wait, I mailed a check in an envelope after that. 

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?

A. I have shed lots of tears, as recent as yesterday. Over the Christmas weekend, I cried a lot.

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.

A. I easily found someone to rent the house I inherited from my mother after my tenant gave notice.

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?

A. I used to do my homework on the hour-long bus ride home. Otherwise, I did it in my room with music on. I still usually have music on in the background when I'm working. It's either music or quiet. I am not much on having the TV blaring all the time.

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.

A. The bank in town had been around since 1875 and moved to its current location in 1910. It was called The Bank of Fincastle, but about 18 months ago it sold out to a larger regional bank and now it's called First Bank. I liked it better when it was a local bank.

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?

A. The last time would have been when a cow got out in the road, and someone called the Sheriff's Office. A patrol car came out and the police officer (maybe it was animal control) informed me a cow was out. This would have been prior to 2019 because my husband was at work. Together the police officer and I corralled the wayward cow and put her back in the field.

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?

A. I used to have this poster on my wall:

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?

A. Isn't she Judy Garland's daughter? Now I have to go look it up . . . Yes, I'm correct. And director Vincente Minnelli was her father.

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

A. I am a better student, unless you want to count my efforts at writing so that people understand as an educational endeavor. I always considered it as such, anyway.

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I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.