Sweet Sweet Smile

Don’t Cry for Me Argentina became a sweeping cinematic centerpiece of the album, with Richard arranging an orchestra that included members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and a massive choir, one of the largest ensembles ever assembled for a Carpenters track.

Meanwhile, Sweet, Sweet Smile found new life on country radio, climbing into the top ten of Billboard’s country chart in the spring of 1978, the duo’s only major country hit.

Unusually, Karen championed Sweet, Sweet Smile for the album, one of the rare instances when her instincts rather than Richard’s shaped a Carpenters album.

Remarkably, Passage is the only non-Christmas Carpenters album without a Richard Carpenter or John Bettis composition, a sign of how far they were willing to experiment.

Cash Box even raved that it was a milestone for the Carpenters, calling it a breathless ride on the gossamer wings of Karen’s magic carpet vocals.