Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft#Carpenters version
{{short description|1976 single by Klaatu}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft
| image = Calling occupants by klaatu US single side-A.png
| alt = side-A label
| caption = Side A of the US retail single
| type = single
| artist = Klaatu
| album = 3:47 EST
| B-side = Sub-Rosa Subway
| released = 1976
| recorded = March 13 – August 1975{{cite web|url=http://klaatu.org/trackfacts/track_facts_12.html |title=Klaatu Track Facts by John Woloschuk |website=Klaatu.org |access-date=3 April 2021}}
| studio = Toronto Sound Studios
| genre = {{hlist|Progressive rock{{cite web|title=When The Carpenters Met Prog Rock|website=UDiscoverMusic|first=Richard|last=Havers|url=https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/carpenters-meet-prog/|date=8 October 2020}}|progressive pop|space pop{{cite news|title='Triple-bill' has share of unusual|work=The Leader Post|first=Bruce|last=Johnstone|quote=Aside from an unfortunate rendition of the space pop tune, Calling Occupants, Klaatu was surprisingly upbeat and lively|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/?clipping_id=52145827&fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjQ5NjMyNTgwNSwiaWF0IjoxNjIwMTcwMjE2LCJleHAiOjE2MjAyNTY2MTZ9.lD5RZiNKKCE0k9fieWT8FcBMx-sEVUAhyb_U4oAM2Qc|date=16 November 1981|access-date=5 May 2021}}}}
| length = 3:23 (single edit)
7:14 (album version)
| label = Daffodil (Canada)
Capitol (rest of the world)
| writer = John Woloschuk, Terry Draper
| producer = Terry Brown
| prev_title = True Life Hero
| prev_year = 1975
| next_title = We're Off You Know
| next_year = 1977
| misc =
{{External music video|{{YouTube|JNBV5hofD_U|"Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft"}}
}}
}}
"Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft" is a song by Canadian rock band Klaatu, originally released in 1976 on their first album 3:47 EST. The song was played to open night-time transmission of the pirate radio station Radio Caroline. The year following its release, American soft rock duo the Carpenters covered the song, using a crew of 160 musicians.{{Cite web|title=Carpenters •• Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft|url=https://www.richardandkarencarpenter.com/SN_CallingOccupantsOfInterplanetaryCraft.htm|access-date=2021-08-07|website=www.richardandkarencarpenter.com}} The Carpenters' version reached the top 10 in the UK and Canada, and charted at number 1 in Ireland.
Origin
Klaatu members John Woloschuk and Terry Draper wrote the song together, with Woloschuk assigned 75% of composer royalties because the music was mostly his work. The lyrics were written equally by both.{{cite web |url=http://www.klaatu.org/CallingOccupantsCredits.html |title=Authorship Fact Check |last=Bradley |first=David |website=Klaatu.org |date=June 2020 |access-date=12 July 2023}} Woloschuk said:
{{quote|The idea for this track was suggested by an actual event that is described in The Flying Saucer Reader, a book by Jay David published in 1967. In March 1953 an organization known as the "International Flying Saucer Bureau" sent a bulletin to all its members urging them to participate in an experiment termed "World Contact Day" whereby, at a predetermined date and time, they would attempt to collectively send out a telepathic message to visitors from outer space. The message began with the words..."Calling occupants of interplanetary craft!"{{cite web | url = http://www.klaatu.org/trackfacts/track_facts_12.html | work = The Official Klaatu Homepage | format = quote used by permission | title = Klaatu Track Facts | access-date = 2007-04-18 | first = John | last = Woloschuk }}}}
Charts
| class="wikitable" |
| Chart (1977)
! style="text-align:center;"|Peak |
|---|
| {{single chart|Canadatopsingles|45|chartid=5261a|access-date=January 14, 2022}} |
| US Billboard Hot 100{{cite book |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |date=2015 |title=The Comparison Book |location=Menonomee Falls, Wisconsin |publisher=Record Research Inc. |page=285 |isbn=978-0-89820-213-7}}
| style="text-align:center;"|62 |
| US Cash Box Top 100
| style="text-align:center;"|91 |
| US Record World Singles Chart
| style="text-align:center;"|100 |
Personnel
- John Woloschuk – lead vocals, backing vocals, piano, organ, synthesizer, bass guitar
- Dee Long – backing vocals, mellotron, synthesizer, electric guitar
- Terry Draper – lead vocals, backing vocals, drums, tympani, percussion
- Terry Brown – backing vocals
Carpenters version
{{Infobox song
| name = Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft
| cover = Carpenters_Calling_Occupants.jpg
| alt =
| caption = US single picture sleeve (painted by designer Andrew Probert)
| type = single
| artist = Carpenters
| album = Passage
| B-side = Can't Smile Without You
| released = September 20, 1977 (US)
| recorded = 1977
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = *Progressive pop{{cite book|title=Carpenters On Track: Every Album, Every Song|first=Paul|last=Tornbohm|date=2024|accessdate=15 August 2024|publisher=Sonicbond|isbn=9781789522204|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2XkIEQAAQBAJ}}
- space pop{{cite web|title=The Carpenters biography|website=Apple Music|url=https://music.apple.com/gb/artist/carpenters/117982008}}
| length = 7:06 (album version)
3:59 (single edit)
| label = A&M
| writer = Terry Draper, John Woloschuk
| producer = Richard Carpenter
| prev_title = All You Get from Love Is a Love Song
| prev_year = 1977
| next_title = The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
| next_year = 1977
}}
The Carpenters' version from their Passage album charted worldwide and appeared on several of their hits compilations. The song title appears on the Carpenters' version above the tagline "(The Recognized Anthem Of World Contact Day)". The success of their version led to the duo receiving many letters from people asking when World Contact Day would be held. The song ultimately led to a successful Carpenters television special, The Carpenters...Space Encounters.
While Klaatu's original opens with various sounds of living species, the Carpenters' version opens with a radio DJ on a request show. The DJ identifies a phone caller as "Mike Ledgerwood". When the DJ asks Mike for his song request, an alien-sounding voice responds. The DJ is voiced by longstanding Carpenters' guitarist Tony Peluso, who can be seen in that role at the start of the video for the track.{{cite web |url=http://www.richardandkarencarpenter.com/Album_Passage.htm |title=Carpenters official web site |access-date=2007-10-14 |work=Passage album notes}}
The vocal melody ranges from B♭3 to G♭5.{{cite web |title=The Carpenters '"Calling Occupants" Sheet Music In Bb Major (transposable) |url=https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0084865_U2 |website=musicnotes.com |date = 10 January 2011|publisher=Peer International Corporation |access-date=14 June 2018 |quote=Voice, range: Bb3 to F#5.}}{{efn|Carpenters' version is in the key signature of A♯ Major/B♭ Major; this transposition is accurate to their recording.}}
The Carpenters' arrangement of the song was later copied on a sound-alike cover released on the 1977 album Top of the Pops, Volume 62.
The cover art was painted by designer Andrew Probert.
Reaching number nine in the UK Singles Chart in 1977, in a UK television special on ITV in 2016 it was voted fifth in The Nation's Favourite Carpenters Song.{{cite news |title=The Nation's Favourite Carpenters Song |url=https://www.itv.com/hub/the-nations-favourite-carpenters-song/2a4042 |access-date=25 May 2020 |agency=ITV}}
=Chart=
==Weekly Charts==
==Year-end charts==
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
! Chart (1978) ! Position |
| scope="row"| Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite web|url=https://i.imgur.com/0gmvDHH.jpg|title=Kent Music Report No 236 – 1 January 1979 > National Top 100 Singles for 1978|publisher=Kent Music Report|via=Imgur.com|access-date= January 8, 2022}}
| 78 |
|---|
| scope="row"| Canada (RPM){{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.5502b.pdf| title=RPM Top 200 Singles of '77 - December 31, 1977}}
| 160 |
=Music videos=
The Carpenters had two music videos for "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft":
- Starparade – German TV, 1977; available on their DVD Gold: Greatest Hits
- Space Encounters – Carpenters' TV special, 1978; available on their DVD Interpretations
=Personnel=
- Karen Carpenter – lead and backing vocals
- Richard Carpenter – lead and backing vocals, piano, Hammond organ, Fender Rhodes electric piano, ARP Odyssey, orchestration
- Joe Osborn – bass
- Tony Peluso – electric guitar, DJ
- Ron Tutt – drums
- Earle Dumler – oboe
- Gregg Smith Singers – backing vocals
- Peter Knight – orchestral arrangement
- Uncredited – percussion
References
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Klaatu}}
{{Carpenters singles}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Irish Singles Chart number-one singles
Category:Songs about extraterrestrial life