Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft

This song was Inspired by an actual event as described in The Flying Saucer Reader by Jay David (1967). It seems that a group known as the "International Flying Saucer Bureau" sent a communiqué to all its members asking them to participate in an experiment termed "World Contact Day." Basically, they said that at a predetermined date and time, all the members should try to simultaneously send a telepathic message into outer space, in hopes of contacting Extra Terrestrials. The actual message they 'sent' started with the words "Calling occupants of interplanetary craft!"

In 1977 the Carpenters covered this with the help of the LA Philharmonic Orchestra and a 60 voice choir. Their version was a worldwide hit including #9 in the UK and #32 in the US. Richard Carpenter recalls on the duo's website (www.richardandkarencarpenter.com): "I heard this song on Canadian group Klaatu's debut album and couldn't resist recording it. (Lyrics such as these don't come along every day!) Peter Knight penned the creative orchestration to my arrangement. In addition to the guitar work, (longstanding Carpenters guitarist) Tony Peluso reprises his role as a befuddled D.J. This performance must be fairly convincing for following its release, we received numerous letters wanting to know when in fact, World Contact Day was scheduled."

In case you're wondering why the name Mike Ledgerwood was used for the alien phone caller at the beginning of the Carpenters' version, he was the British press officer for A&M Records.