Until yesterday, I was just like you - looking desperately for information on KAREN ALEXANDER. Then Maia answered my request for info on this page. I'll share her very helpful response here (lyrics to "Isn't it always love" below. I just ordered "Voyager" from ebay). So read on and shout out a big thanks to Maia.

My book club is reading "To See and See Again" by Tara Bahrampour.  It is an authobiography of a woman half Iranian and half American.  Her mother is Karen Alexander.  I was searching for more information on Karen Alexander because she was supposed to have had a career of sorts at one time as a rock singer (prior to 1978).  I'd never heard of her and was searching the internet when I ran across your request.  You can learn something about her in the book - but I rather surmise that the author wanted to protect her parents' privacy to some extent which is why I was looking at the internet.  I didn't find any personal information on the internet. 

In any event, she apparently only did two albums.  In my check of the internet it appears she did back up singing, particularly for Maria Muldaur.  It appears she also wrote songs.

I found the names of both albums:  Isn't It Always Love (1975) and Voyager (1978).  I suspect the album your friend had must have been the first, because I found Voyager on ebay and it just arrived today and none of the songs on the page of your request are on Voyager.

According to the book Karen was raised in or near Hollywood.  Her father had a psychoanalytic practice in Beverly Hills.  She went to Berkeley where she met an Iranian boy and eventually married him.  Her first two children were born in America and the third in Iran. She moved to Iran with him and traveled back and forth to do her singing.  They were in Iran 8 or 9 years and left as the Shah was deposed and returned to America.  The book is not clear on why Karen did not resume her singing career upon returning to the US since they left in 1978 or 1979.

I don't know what information you are particularly looking for - but if you want anything personal I suggest you read her daughter's autobiography - though, of course, the book is really about her daughter.

Lord Help the Poor Man

When I was just a little bitty girl
I had a little bitty pair of shoes
they were brown and ugly but I knew just what to do.
Well I shined 'em in the morning, I polished 'em bright.
When nobody was lookin' we danced into the night.
we danced to marching music and we danced to the blues
Oh, Lord, help the poor man that I love more than those shoes.

When I was just a little bitty girl
I had a little bitty mouse
made a little swimming pool and a big two-story house
I fed him on chocolates, on tiny leaves of grass
I kept him in my pocket, I took him into class
I took him everywhere with me in my old seer sucker blouse
Oh, Lord help the poor man that I love more than that mouse.

Oh, Lord, ya better warn him, I been training all my life
Been rehearsin', about to verse him
gonna feed him eggs and waffle, gonna love him up real awful
I'll shave him in the morning oh, so good
I'm the terror of the neighborhood.

When I was just a little bitty girl, I had a little bitty god,
made a velvet temple with a silver lightning rod
in momma's costume jewelry, I danced before the muse
I whispered prayers and ecstacy right into his ears
I was a high flyin' temple dancer, those long scarves of chiffon
oh, Lord help the poor man that I love more than that god.

Oh, Lord help the poor man, because I know I'm gonna sing the blues
Oh, Lord help the poor man that I love more than those shoes.

So Many Fish in the Sea

I Wish You Needed Me

Last night when you held me tight, you did everything right
first, we talked a while, you had a nice smooth smile and your teeth were bright
but something moves me more than success
it's the hungry eyes of a man possessed by me
I wish you needed me just a little bit more!

Maybe I was too easy, just like momma said
she said - she told me that maybe I loved you too good, maybe you lost respect
all because I don't see you breaking down the door, crawling on the floor, begging for more
I wish you needed me, just a little bit more.

I wanna see ya cryin', dyin', sighin' like in the movies
I wanna hear ya moaning, groanin', bawlin' like on the records, oh I do!
Give up your work and your wife and your friends, give up your throne!
cause I love you, love you, and I wanna take you home.

It isn't every day you find a love so true
I don't think nobody, noone loves you the way that I do.
so show me some agony and ecstacy, just to see you bleedin' is enough for me
I wish you needed me just a little bit more!

Yes I know, need me! Need me! Just a little bit, ah, just a little bit, needin', bleedin', just a little bit more.

Never, Never, Never Forget

I look out the window on a rainy summer day
waiting for the sun to go down, I see the children play
runnin', splashin', tumblin' around and laughin',
then from back in my head, something you said - you said

watch out, summer rainy day is gonna creep up, it's gonna get you
watch out, sticky day is gonna stick to you, I'm gonna bet you
that you never, never, never forget
the way you left me there wringing wet
no matter how hard you try this on a rainy day, I won't let you.

All that summer I wouldn't let you in
Then the sky fell down and poured you through my skin
now you get even every monsoon season
with your teasing my head something you said, you said

Chorus

Watch out! Watch out!

Said I'd forget you fast
you just sat in the rain and laughed
sayin' someday you'd see my eyes gray and rainy like those skies
every time it rains in summer I think i'll phone
meanwhile my children's children all have children of their own
I'm sittin', rockin', knittin' a little stocking
comes that knock in my head, something you said, you said

Chorus

1 Million Ways of Loving You

California, I'm Home!

I have come to California just to polish up the snow,
Just to buy a cup of coffee for a dime.
and to look up just a couple of old friends that I don't know
well you see I've been away a long, long time.

I've come back to be a singer in a racoon coat
talent in my little finger, little banjos in my throat.
stick in your thumb, pull out a plumb
Home to California's a long way to come
Jump out of bed, put on my head,
Momma won't you make me some shortnin' bread.
Morning bread here, born and wed here,
California, I'm home!

I got rhythm, I got music, I got sweet dreams, bless my soul!
I got bubble gum under the table - I have come back home!

I've come back to my people by the swimming pool
They grow younger every day as I grow old.
But they didn't save my treasure chest of pirate jewels,
And my secret stamp collection had been sold.
Oh, my momma plays a lot of tennis now and rides a bike
Well yesterday she baked that blackbird pie I like.

Oh, stick in your thumb, pull out a plumb
Home to California's a long way to come
Jump out of bed, put on my head,
Momma won't you make me some shortnin' bread.
Mornin' bread here, born and wed here,
California, I'm home! California, I'm home! California!

You Make Me Feel

You make me feel so peaceful
When I'm lyin' by your side.
You make me feel so graceful
Some little leaf on a river ride.
And when you look that way at me
As I go sailing out to see
Oh, you must know
The way I feel.

Chorus:
Ripples of the water and reflections of the moon.
Little ship afloating in a silent, dark lagoon.
Carrying spice and honey and some magical perfume
From other worlds, from other worlds.

You make me feel so gentle
You make me feel so still
And when you speak, oh how you touch me!
I think you always will.
Cause you're the only one who knows
The way the deepest waters flow
You understand the way I feel.

Chorus

Oh, anyone can make a wave
Any fool can throw a stone
But you're the only one I know
Who can call the river home
Who can know it as his own
Who can call the river home.

Chorus

Isn't it Always Love?

Streets of St. Petersburg

Bagdad Ragman

Holiday Hotel

Without Music