Bless the Beasts & the Children--The Carpenters (1971) 3/3/21

Today: 2 hits from the same soundtrack. Check the links below!

Recently on my Facebook page, I asked if anyone had a song that triggered a physical reaction whenever they heard it. I was just curious, and to my surprise I received a number of interesting and thoughtful answers. Thank you!

I wasn't actually looking for ideas for my "Great Songs of the '70s" blog, but there were a few that really caught my attention--like today's choice: a song from 1971 that can make people cry--or at least tear up--and rightfully so.

There are a couple of reasons for this: It's beautiful...and it's meaningful. In fact, it's just as meaningful today as it was 50 years ago.

"Bless the Beasts and Children" was a film based on a book by Glendon Swarthout, starring Billy Mumy (TV's "Lost in Space"), and directed by Stanley Kramer ("Guess Who's Coming to Dinner").

In a nutshell, the film was about a group of social misfits at a summer camp for boys, who run away to save a herd of buffalo from being slaughtered by a rifle club.

Barry DeVorzon and Perry Botkin Jr. were tasked with composing the film's music, and came up with a gorgeous title tune.

Barry, however, had a difficult time writing the lyrics. At one point, he tried to tell the story of the film in song, but that proved extremely unwieldy, and the ugly tone didn't match the beautiful tune.

After wrestling with it for days, he awoke one morning and had the answer: make the song a blessing for the boys in the film and the animals they work to save.

This is where The Carpenters come in. They recorded the song, with Karen, pitch perfect as always, and emotionally invested in the message. Add a wonderful arrangement by Richard, and you have a hit record.

Sort of.

For some reason, A&M Records made it the "B" side to "Superstar," which is ALSO a "Great Carpenters Song of '71," and "Bless the Beasts & the Children" was somewhat forgotten--charting at just #26 on Billboard's Easy Listening Chart. It was nominated for an Oscar, but the Academy Award went to the "Theme from Shaft."

(Note: "Superstar" will be highlighted separately in the future.)

None of these slights take away from the emotional impact "Bless the Beasts and the Children" has on listeners. It was...and IS...a "Great Song of the '70s.

Trivia: Actually, Barry and Perry came up with TWO gorgeous tunes for the soundtrack. The second was entitled "Cotton's Dream," but later on, Perry renamed it "Nadia's Theme" after Olympic medalist Nadia Comaneci...and AGAIN for use as the theme from the soap opera "The Young & the Restless." This ALSO became a hit, reaching #8 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary and Hot 100 Charts in 1976!

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