The Raspberries
Encyclopedia
Raspberries is an American power pop
/pop rock
band from Cleveland
, Ohio. They had a run of success in the early 1970s music scene
with their crisp pop sound, which Allmusic later described as featuring "exquisitely crafted melodies and achingly gorgeous harmonies." The members were known for their clean-cut public image, with short-hair and matching suits, which brought them teenybopper
attention as well as scorn from some mainstream media outlets as 'uncool
'. The group drew influence from the British Invasion
era—especially The Beatles
, The Who
, The Hollies
, and Small Faces—and its mod sensibility. In both the U.S. and the UK, the Raspberries helped pioneer the power pop
music style that took off after the group disbanded. They also have a following among professional musicians such as Jack Bruce
and Ringo Starr
.
The group's 'classic' lineup consisted of Eric Carmen
(vocalist/guitarist/bassist), Wally Bryson (guitarist), Jim Bonfanti
(drummer), and Dave Smalley (guitarist/bassist). Their best known songs include "Go All the Way
", "Let's Pretend", "I Wanna Be with You", "Tonight", and "Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)". Producer Jimmy Ienner
was responsible for all four of the Raspberries' albums in the 1970s. The group broke up in 1975 after a five year run, and Eric Carmen proceeded to a successful career as a solo artist. Bryson and Smalley resurrected the group's name in 1999 for an album, which included singer/songwriter Scott McCarl working as the vocalist. In 2004 the original four-man lineup reunited and undertook a well-received reunion tour in 2005.
, had a more extensive repertoire of original songs, notably "It's Cold Outside," which parlayed its massive local success (#1 in Cleveland) into a nationally-charting single (peaking at #68 for Roulette Records
). The Choir then went through a series of lineup changes, with Smalley and Bonfanti remaining in the various versions, until 1968, when Dave Smalley was drafted and sent to Vietnam, and The Choir disbanded, although it reformed behind Bonfanti and ultimately survived until 1970.
Although The Choir had the hit and a string of singles, Cyrus Erie, founded by brothers Michael McBride and Bob McBride, became the better-drawing local act shortly after Eric Carmen
joined in 1967. Carmen persuaded Bryson, who had recently left The Choir, to join. In live shows, Cyrus Erie mainly covered other artists' songs, but signed to Epic Records
and recorded two Carmen/Bryson originals ("Get the Message" b/w "Sparrow") as a single. Following this, Bryson quit to return to The Choir, which led to Cyrus Erie disbanding. Carmen and Dann Klawon then formed a new act called The Quick, and recorded a single of two Carmen/Klawon originals for Epic, without much success.
The group's style arose from a variety of rock and roll groups that the members loved, especially The Who
. Carmen later said:
, for whom Carmen had previously done session work, and after a major-label bidding war, the band signed to Capitol Records
.
The Raspberries wore matching ensembles on stage. The group was somewhat ridiculed for making its stage entrance in tuxedos and large bouffant hairdos which, according to Carmen, "complemented the style of our music".
, Carmen and Smalley switched instruments, with Carmen moving to rhythm guitar so that he would be upfront on stage, while Smalley took over bass. After two albums, Raspberries
and Fresh, both released in 1972, creative tension came to a head sparked largely by Carmen's creative dominance (and commercial success) over the contributions of Bryson and Smalley. Accordingly Side 3 turned out to be a more raw, aggressive effort than its predecessors, typified by the opening track "Tonight". After its release, Smalley was ejected from the band, and Bonfanti departed soon afterwards. They subsequently formed their own band, Dynamite. They were replaced by bassist Scott McCarl and ex-Cyrus Erie drummer Michael McBride for what was to be the fourth and final Raspberries album, Starting Over
.
praised the Raspberries at several stops during his Summer 2005 tour. Paul Stanley
of Kiss
, Tom Petty
, and Axl Rose
of Guns n' Roses
, have all also cited Raspberries as an influence in their songwriting.
Singer-guitarist and primary songwriter Eric Carmen went on to have a successful solo career as a singer and writer of romantic pop ballads. His first solo hit "All By Myself
" hit #2 nationally, and was successfully covered by Celine Dion
in 1996. Carmen later had additional Top Ten singles success with his work for movie soundtracks, such as "Hungry Eyes
" (from Dirty Dancing
, 1987) and "Make Me Lose Control
" (also from Dirty Dancing, 1988). He also wrote "Almost Paradise
" (performed by Mike Reno
and Ann Wilson
for Footloose, 1984), as well as songs that were made major hits by Shaun Cassidy
.
In 1999, three of the four Raspberries recorded Raspberries Refreshed, though without Eric Carmen. The album's tracks, written by the three remaining members, attempted to re-create the group's original sound.
In November 2004, the House of Blues
nightclub chain opened its Cleveland branch with a Raspberries reunion concert. This led to a well-received 2005 mini-tour starting at the Chicago House of Blues, a VH1 Classic
special, and a concert broadcast on XM Satellite Radio
. A date from the 2005 tour was recorded, and released in 2007 as "Live on Sunset Strip." The double CD and one DVD contained a foreword from Bruce Springsteen, and a 1970s photo of John Lennon
wearing a Raspberries Just Like Starting Over sweatshirt. Capitalizing on the release, Raspberries played further shows in New York, California, and their hometown of Cleveland.
A biography of the band titled Overnight Sensation - The Story of the Raspberries by Ken Sharp was released in 1993. In 1996, a tribute album
to Raspberries called Raspberries Preserved was released by Pravda Records, a Chicago-based indie record label. The album featured 21 cover versions by such acts as The Rubinoos
, Bill Lloyd, Brad Jones
, Tiny Lights
, Rank Strangers
, the Gladhands, and The Shambles
.
"Go All The Way" was banned by the BBC
.
Power pop
Power pop is a popular musical genre that draws its inspiration from 1960s British and American pop and rock music. It typically incorporates a combination of musical devices such as strong melodies, crisp vocal harmonies, economical arrangements, and prominent guitar riffs. Instrumental solos are...
/pop rock
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
band from Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, Ohio. They had a run of success in the early 1970s music scene
1970s in music
For music from a year in the 1970s, go to 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 79This article includes an overview of the major events and trends in popular music in the 1970s....
with their crisp pop sound, which Allmusic later described as featuring "exquisitely crafted melodies and achingly gorgeous harmonies." The members were known for their clean-cut public image, with short-hair and matching suits, which brought them teenybopper
Teenybopper
The term teenybopper was invented by marketing professionals and psychologists, later becoming a subculture of its own. The term describes a young teenager, particularly a girl, who follows adolescent trends in music, fashion and culture. The term was introduced in the 1950s to refer to teenagers...
attention as well as scorn from some mainstream media outlets as 'uncool
Cool (aesthetic)
Something regarded as cool is an admired aesthetic of attitude, behavior, comportment, appearance and style, influenced by and a product of the Zeitgeist. Because of the varied and changing connotations of cool, as well its subjective nature, the word has no single meaning. It has associations of...
'. The group drew influence from the British Invasion
British Invasion
The British Invasion is a term used to describe the large number of rock and roll, beat, rock, and pop performers from the United Kingdom who became popular in the United States during the time period from 1964 through 1966.- Background :...
era—especially The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
, The Hollies
The Hollies
The Hollies are an English pop and rock group, formed in Manchester in the early 1960s, though most of the band members are from throughout East Lancashire. Known for their distinctive vocal harmony style, they became one of the leading British groups of the 1960s and 1970s...
, and Small Faces—and its mod sensibility. In both the U.S. and the UK, the Raspberries helped pioneer the power pop
Power pop
Power pop is a popular musical genre that draws its inspiration from 1960s British and American pop and rock music. It typically incorporates a combination of musical devices such as strong melodies, crisp vocal harmonies, economical arrangements, and prominent guitar riffs. Instrumental solos are...
music style that took off after the group disbanded. They also have a following among professional musicians such as Jack Bruce
Jack Bruce
John Symon Asher "Jack" Bruce is a Scottish musician and songwriter, respected as a founding member of the British psychedelic rock power trio, Cream, for a solo career that spans several decades, and for his participation in several well-known musical ensembles...
and Ringo Starr
Ringo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
.
The group's 'classic' lineup consisted of Eric Carmen
Eric Carmen
Eric Howard Carmen is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and keyboardist.He scored numerous hit songs across the 1970s and 1980s, first as a member of the Raspberries , and then with his solo career, including hits such as "All By Myself", "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again", "She Did It",...
(vocalist/guitarist/bassist), Wally Bryson (guitarist), Jim Bonfanti
Jim Bonfanti
James Alexander Bonfanti is a rock drummer, best known as a member of the band Raspberries.Bonfanti's music career began in 1965 when he saw The Beatles on Ed Sullivan. That experience eventually led him to join the band The Mods...
(drummer), and Dave Smalley (guitarist/bassist). Their best known songs include "Go All the Way
Go All the Way (Raspberries song)
"Go All the Way" is a hit single by Raspberries, released in July 1972. It was written by band leader Eric Carmen, who also provided lead vocals, and co-written by Wally Bryson. The song reached the Top 5 on three principal U.S. charts, #5 on the Billboard Hot 100, #4 on Cashbox and #3 on Record...
", "Let's Pretend", "I Wanna Be with You", "Tonight", and "Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)". Producer Jimmy Ienner
Jimmy Ienner
Jimmy Ienner is an American music producer, best known for producing albums for such artists as John Lennon, Bay City Rollers and Three Dog Night. He went to Stamford High School and graduated in the Class of 1963. He grew up in the Cove section of Stamford and while still in High School,...
was responsible for all four of the Raspberries' albums in the 1970s. The group broke up in 1975 after a five year run, and Eric Carmen proceeded to a successful career as a solo artist. Bryson and Smalley resurrected the group's name in 1999 for an album, which included singer/songwriter Scott McCarl working as the vocalist. In 2004 the original four-man lineup reunited and undertook a well-received reunion tour in 2005.
Formation
The group had its roots in two of Cleveland's most successful local bands in the late 1960s, The Choir and Cyrus Erie. The Choir, originally called The Mods and composed of Dann Klawon, Wally Bryson, Dave Burke, Dave Smalley and Jim BonfantiJim Bonfanti
James Alexander Bonfanti is a rock drummer, best known as a member of the band Raspberries.Bonfanti's music career began in 1965 when he saw The Beatles on Ed Sullivan. That experience eventually led him to join the band The Mods...
, had a more extensive repertoire of original songs, notably "It's Cold Outside," which parlayed its massive local success (#1 in Cleveland) into a nationally-charting single (peaking at #68 for Roulette Records
Roulette Records
Roulette Records is an American record label, which was founded in late 1956, by George Goldner, Joe Kolsky, Morris Levy and Phil Khals, with creative control given to producers and songwriters Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore. Levy was appointed as director...
). The Choir then went through a series of lineup changes, with Smalley and Bonfanti remaining in the various versions, until 1968, when Dave Smalley was drafted and sent to Vietnam, and The Choir disbanded, although it reformed behind Bonfanti and ultimately survived until 1970.
Although The Choir had the hit and a string of singles, Cyrus Erie, founded by brothers Michael McBride and Bob McBride, became the better-drawing local act shortly after Eric Carmen
Eric Carmen
Eric Howard Carmen is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and keyboardist.He scored numerous hit songs across the 1970s and 1980s, first as a member of the Raspberries , and then with his solo career, including hits such as "All By Myself", "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again", "She Did It",...
joined in 1967. Carmen persuaded Bryson, who had recently left The Choir, to join. In live shows, Cyrus Erie mainly covered other artists' songs, but signed to Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
and recorded two Carmen/Bryson originals ("Get the Message" b/w "Sparrow") as a single. Following this, Bryson quit to return to The Choir, which led to Cyrus Erie disbanding. Carmen and Dann Klawon then formed a new act called The Quick, and recorded a single of two Carmen/Klawon originals for Epic, without much success.
The group's style arose from a variety of rock and roll groups that the members loved, especially The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
. Carmen later said:
1970-1972
After discussions between Carmen and Bonfanti about forming a new group, the first lineup for Raspberries was Eric Carmen (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, piano), Jim Bonfanti (drums), Wally Bryson (lead vocals, lead guitar) and John Aleksic (bass guitar). Aleksic left the group at the end of 1970. In 1971, Dave Smalley (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), just back from Vietnam, became the fourth member of the original recording lineup with Carmen moving to bass. The Raspberries' demo tape went to the desk of producer Jimmy IennerJimmy Ienner
Jimmy Ienner is an American music producer, best known for producing albums for such artists as John Lennon, Bay City Rollers and Three Dog Night. He went to Stamford High School and graduated in the Class of 1963. He grew up in the Cove section of Stamford and while still in High School,...
, for whom Carmen had previously done session work, and after a major-label bidding war, the band signed to Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
.
The Raspberries wore matching ensembles on stage. The group was somewhat ridiculed for making its stage entrance in tuxedos and large bouffant hairdos which, according to Carmen, "complemented the style of our music".
1972-1974
Following the success of "Go All The Way", which peaked at #5 in the U.S. in the spring of 1972, sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold discMusic recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
, Carmen and Smalley switched instruments, with Carmen moving to rhythm guitar so that he would be upfront on stage, while Smalley took over bass. After two albums, Raspberries
Raspberries (album)
Raspberries is the debut album from the Raspberries, released in 1972 .The American version of this LP carried a scratch'n'sniff sticker scented with a soft fruit perfume....
and Fresh, both released in 1972, creative tension came to a head sparked largely by Carmen's creative dominance (and commercial success) over the contributions of Bryson and Smalley. Accordingly Side 3 turned out to be a more raw, aggressive effort than its predecessors, typified by the opening track "Tonight". After its release, Smalley was ejected from the band, and Bonfanti departed soon afterwards. They subsequently formed their own band, Dynamite. They were replaced by bassist Scott McCarl and ex-Cyrus Erie drummer Michael McBride for what was to be the fourth and final Raspberries album, Starting Over
Starting Over (Raspberries album)
Starting Over is the fourth album by the 1970s Power pop band Raspberries. It peaked at #143 on the Billboard pop album chart in 1974; it generated the #18 Billboard pop single "Overnight Sensation" in the same year....
.
Post-breakup
The band broke up in April 1975, but their sound had been distinctive and their influence was lasting. Bruce SpringsteenBruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
praised the Raspberries at several stops during his Summer 2005 tour. Paul Stanley
Paul Stanley
Stanley Harvey Eisen , better known by his stage name Paul Stanley, is an American hard rock guitarist, singer, musician, painter and songwriter best known for being the rhythm guitarist and primary lead vocalist of the rock band Kiss. He is the writer or co-writer of many of the band's...
of Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
, Tom Petty
Tom Petty
Thomas Earl "Tom" Petty is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is the frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and was a founding member of the late 1980s supergroup Traveling Wilburys and Mudcrutch. He has also performed under the pseudonyms of Charlie T...
, and Axl Rose
Axl Rose
W. Axl Rose is an American singer-songwriter and musician. He is the lead vocalist and only remaining original member of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he enjoyed great success and recognition in the late 1980s and early 1990s, before disappearing from the public eye for several years...
of Guns n' Roses
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
, have all also cited Raspberries as an influence in their songwriting.
Singer-guitarist and primary songwriter Eric Carmen went on to have a successful solo career as a singer and writer of romantic pop ballads. His first solo hit "All By Myself
All by Myself
"All by Myself" is a power ballad written and performed by Eric Carmen in 1975.The verse is based on the second movement of Sergei Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Opus 18...
" hit #2 nationally, and was successfully covered by Celine Dion
Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
in 1996. Carmen later had additional Top Ten singles success with his work for movie soundtracks, such as "Hungry Eyes
Hungry Eyes
"Hungry Eyes" is a song performed by Eric Carmen, and was featured in the film Dirty Dancing. The song was recorded at Beachwood Studios in Beachwood, OH in 1987. "Hungry Eyes" peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts in 1988...
" (from Dirty Dancing
Dirty Dancing
Dirty Dancing is a 1987 American romantic film. Written by Eleanor Bergstein and directed by Emile Ardolino, the film features Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in the lead roles, as well as Cynthia Rhodes and Jerry Orbach...
, 1987) and "Make Me Lose Control
Make Me Lose Control (song)
"Make Me Lose Control" is the title of a 1988 Billboard Hot 100 #3 hit single written and performed by the singer-songwriter Eric Carmen...
" (also from Dirty Dancing, 1988). He also wrote "Almost Paradise
Almost Paradise
"Almost Paradise...Love Theme from Footloose" is the title of a duet by singers Mike Reno and Ann Wilson, written by pop music singer-songwriter Eric Carmen and co-written by Dean Pitchford....
" (performed by Mike Reno
Mike Reno
Mike Reno , born January 8, 1955 in New Westminster, British Columbia is a Canadian musician, drummer, and lead singer of the rock band Loverboy. He has also fronted other bands, including Moxy....
and Ann Wilson
Ann Wilson
Ann Dustin Wilson is an American musician, best known as the lead singer, flute player, songwriter, and occasional guitar player of the rock band Heart.-Personal life:...
for Footloose, 1984), as well as songs that were made major hits by Shaun Cassidy
Shaun Cassidy
Shaun Paul Cassidy is an American actor, singer, writer, and producer. He is the eldest son of Academy Award winning actress Shirley Jones, and the second son of Tony award-winning actor Jack Cassidy...
.
In 1999, three of the four Raspberries recorded Raspberries Refreshed, though without Eric Carmen. The album's tracks, written by the three remaining members, attempted to re-create the group's original sound.
In November 2004, the House of Blues
House of Blues
House of Blues is a chain of 13 live music concert halls and restaurants in major markets throughout the United States. House of Blues first location was in Cambridge's Harvard Square. It was opened in 1992 by Isaac Tigrett, co-founder of Hard Rock Cafe, and Dan Aykroyd, star of The Blues Brothers...
nightclub chain opened its Cleveland branch with a Raspberries reunion concert. This led to a well-received 2005 mini-tour starting at the Chicago House of Blues, a VH1 Classic
VH1 Classic
VH1 Classic is a television network, launched on May 8, 2000. It is operated as part of MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom and primarily features music videos and concert footage from the 1970s through the mid-1990s, though it formerly included a wider range of genres and time periods...
special, and a concert broadcast on XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio is one of two satellite radio services in the United States and Canada, operated by Sirius XM Radio. It provides pay-for-service radio, analogous to cable television. Its service includes 73 different music channels, 39 news, sports, talk and entertainment channels, 21 regional...
. A date from the 2005 tour was recorded, and released in 2007 as "Live on Sunset Strip." The double CD and one DVD contained a foreword from Bruce Springsteen, and a 1970s photo of John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
wearing a Raspberries Just Like Starting Over sweatshirt. Capitalizing on the release, Raspberries played further shows in New York, California, and their hometown of Cleveland.
A biography of the band titled Overnight Sensation - The Story of the Raspberries by Ken Sharp was released in 1993. In 1996, a tribute album
Tribute album
A tribute album is a recorded collection of cover versions of songs or instrumental compositions. Its concept may be either various artists making a tribute to a single artist, a single artist making a tribute to various artists, or a single artist making a tribute to another single artist.There...
to Raspberries called Raspberries Preserved was released by Pravda Records, a Chicago-based indie record label. The album featured 21 cover versions by such acts as The Rubinoos
The Rubinoos
The Rubinoos are an American power pop band that formed in 1970 in Berkeley, California. They are perhaps best known for their singles "I Think We're Alone Now" , "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" , and for the theme song to the 1984 film Revenge of the Nerds...
, Bill Lloyd, Brad Jones
Brad Jones
Bradley Jones also known as Brad is a retired Australian racing driver. Jones now acts as team co-principal with his brother Kim in the V8 Supercar racing team, Brad Jones Racing.-Motorsport career:...
, Tiny Lights
Tiny Lights
Tiny Lights was a music group formed by John Hamilton and Donna Croughn in 1985. Original members include Dave Dreiwitz , Jane Scarpantoni and John Mastro . Based in Hoboken, New Jersey, the group released a total of seven albums, two of which were later released on Psychic TV's Temple Records...
, Rank Strangers
Rank Strangers
The Rank Strangers were an Australian bluegrass band that won multiple national and international awards during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Random House’s 1991 book Australian Country Music declared the Rank Strangers to be among the major figures of the 1990s Australian music scene, along...
, the Gladhands, and The Shambles
The Shambles (band)
The Shambles is an American power pop and rock group from San Diego, California.Formed in 1990 from members of other regional bands, The Shambles have released numerous CDs, LPs and 7-inch singles, have toured extensively in the USA, and performed in the UK , Mexico and Spain.-Members:The founding...
.
Albums
| Year | Title | Label | US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... Chart peak position |
Weeks on chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Raspberries Raspberries (album) Raspberries is the debut album from the Raspberries, released in 1972 .The American version of this LP carried a scratch'n'sniff sticker scented with a soft fruit perfume.... |
Capitol Capitol Records Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine... |
51 | 30 |
| Fresh | 36 | 16 | ||
| 1973 | Side 3 | 138 | 7 | |
| 1974 | Starting Over Starting Over (Raspberries album) Starting Over is the fourth album by the 1970s Power pop band Raspberries. It peaked at #143 on the Billboard pop album chart in 1974; it generated the #18 Billboard pop single "Overnight Sensation" in the same year.... |
143 | 6 |
Singles
| Year | Title | B-side | US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... Chart peak position |
Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | "Don't Want to Say Goodbye" | "Rock & Roll Mama" | 86 | Raspberries Raspberries (album) Raspberries is the debut album from the Raspberries, released in 1972 .The American version of this LP carried a scratch'n'sniff sticker scented with a soft fruit perfume.... |
| "Go All the Way Go All the Way (Raspberries song) "Go All the Way" is a hit single by Raspberries, released in July 1972. It was written by band leader Eric Carmen, who also provided lead vocals, and co-written by Wally Bryson. The song reached the Top 5 on three principal U.S. charts, #5 on the Billboard Hot 100, #4 on Cashbox and #3 on Record... " |
"With You In My Life" | 5 | ||
| "I Wanna Be with You" | "Goin' Nowhere Tonight" | 16 | Fresh | |
| 1973 | "Let's Pretend" | "Every Way I Can" | 35 | |
| "Tonight" | "Hard To Get Over A Heartbreak" | 69 | Side 3 | |
| "I'm a Rocker" | "Money Down" | 94 | ||
| "Ecstasy" | "Don't Want to Say Goodbye" | -- | ||
| 1973 or 1974 | "Drivin' Around" | "Might As Well" | -- | Fresh |
| 1974 | "Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)" | "Hands On You" | 18 | Starting Over Starting Over (Raspberries album) Starting Over is the fourth album by the 1970s Power pop band Raspberries. It peaked at #143 on the Billboard pop album chart in 1974; it generated the #18 Billboard pop single "Overnight Sensation" in the same year.... |
| 1975 | "Cruisin' Music" | "Party's Over" | -- |
"Go All The Way" was banned by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
.
Compilations
- 1976 - Raspberries' BestRaspberries' BestRaspberries' Best Featuring Eric Carmen, more commonly known as Raspberries' Best, is a 1976 compilation album by Raspberries. The album contained songs from each of the groups four LP's, which were recorded between 1972 and 1974...
(Capitol) - 1987 - Overnight Sensation: The Best of the Raspberries (Zap!)
- 1991 - Capitol Collectors Series (Capitol)
- 1995 - Greatest Hits (Capitol)
- 2000 - Greatest Hits [Expanded] (Capitol)
- 2002 - The Very Best of the Raspberries: Overnight Sensation (Cherry Red - Import)
- 2003 - Best of the Raspberries (Capitol)
- 2005 - Greatest (Capitol)
- 2007 - Live on Sunset Strip [CD/DVD] (Rykodisc)
- 2007 - The Very Best of Raspberries (Toshiba EMI)
Anthology matrix
| Album | Raspberries' Best Featuring Eric Carmen | The Very Best of the Raspberries (UK) | Collector's Series | Greatest Hits (BMG Music Club Version) | The Very Best of the Raspberries | The Very Best of the Raspberries (Japan) | Raspberries Greatest | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catalogue # | Capitol ST-11524 | Zap CD1 | Capitol CDP7921262 | Capitol ST-C23638 | Cherry Red CDMRED224 | ToshibaT OCP-53367 | Capitol 72438632612-6 | |||||
| Format | Vinyl | CD | CD | CD | CD | CD | CD | |||||
| Year | 1976 | 1987 | 1991 | 2000 | 2002 | 2004 | 2005 | |||||
| Bold = Single | Track # | Track # | Track # | Track # | Track # | Track # | Track # | Notes | ||||
| Album | Track # | Title | Writer(s) | Time | ||||||||
| Raspberries | 1 | "Go All the Way" | Carmen, Bryson | 3:19 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
| Raspberries | 2 | "Come Around and See Me" | Bryson | 3:00 | 2 | 20 | 9 | 2 | ||||
| Raspberries | 3 | "I Saw the Light" | Carmen, Bryson | 2:40 | 3 | 17 | 4 | |||||
| Raspberries | 4 | "Rock & Roll Mama" | Smalley | 4:35 | 10 | |||||||
| Raspberries | 5 | "Waiting" | Carmen | 2:43 | 15 | 20 | ||||||
| Raspberries | 6 | "Don't Want to Say Goodbye" | Carmen, Bryson | 5:00 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||
| Raspberries | 7 | "With You in My Life" | Bryson | 2:45 | 11 | |||||||
| Raspberries | 8 | "Get It Moving" | Smalley | 2:25 | Not available on a compilation | |||||||
| Raspberries | 9 | "I Can Remember" | Carmen | 8:00 | 5 | 3 | 5 | |||||
| Fresh | 1 | "I Wanna Be with You" | Carmen | 3:05 | 4 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 6 | |
| Fresh | 2 | "Goin' Nowhere Tonight" | Carmen, Smalley | 2:30 | 12 | |||||||
| Fresh | 3 | "Let's Pretend" | Carmen | 3:42 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 8 | |
| Fresh | 4 | "Every Way I Can" | Smalley | 2:44 | Not available on a compilation | |||||||
| Fresh | 5 | "I Reach for the Light" | Carmen | 4:01 | 7 | 7 | 16 | 9 | ||||
| Fresh | 6 | "Nobody Knows" | Carmen, Smalley | 2:19 | 8 | 6 | 13 | 10 | ||||
| Fresh | 7 | "It Seemed So Easy" | Carmen, Smalley | 3:53 | Not available on a compilation | |||||||
| Fresh | 8 | "Might As Well" | Bryson | 2:25 | 14 | |||||||
| Fresh | 9 | "If You Change Your Mind" | Carmen | 3:59 | 9 | 7 | 11 | |||||
| Fresh | 10 | "Drivin' Around" | Carmen, Smalley | 3:03 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 7 | ||
| Side 3 | 1 | "Tonight" | Carmen | 3:39 | 2 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 12 | |
| Side 3 | 2 | "Last Dance" | Bryson | 3:36 | 12 | 12 | 17 | 15 | ||||
| Side 3 | 3 | "Making It Easy" | Smalley | 3:10 | Not available on a compilation | |||||||
| Side 3 | 4 | "On the Beach" | Carmen | 4:20 | 5 | 7 | 15 | |||||
| Side 3 | 5 | "Hard to Get Over a Heartbreak" | Smalley | 3:51 | 13 | |||||||
| Side 3 | 6 | "I'm a Rocker" | Carmen | 5:10 | 14 | 10 | 9 | 16 | 13 | |||
| Side 3 | 7 | "Should I Wait" | Smalley | 3:51 | 11 | 18 | ||||||
| Side 3 | 8 | "Ecstasy" | Carmen | 3:37 | 3 | 6 | 15 | 11 | 14 | 6 | 14 | |
| Side 3 | 9 | "Money Down" | Bryson | 4:01 | 8 | |||||||
| Starting Over | 1 | "Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)" | Carmen | 5:34 | 6 | 1 | 16 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 20 | |
| Starting Over | 2 | "Play On" | Carmen, McCarl | 3:01 | Not available on a compilation | |||||||
| Starting Over | 3 | "Party's Over" | Bryson | 3:14 | 17 | 13 | 8 | 19 | ||||
| Starting Over | 4 | "I Don't Know What I Want" | Carmen | 4:13 | 13 | 15 | 12 | 16 | ||||
| Starting Over | 5 | "Rose Coloured Glasses" | McCarl | 3:38 | 14 | 18 | 19 | |||||
| Starting Over | 6 | "All Through the Night" | Carmen, McBride | 4:30 | 8 | 17 | ||||||
| Starting Over | 7 | "Cruisin' Music" | Carmen | 3:09 | 10 | 19 | 14 | 11 | 18 | 17 | ||
| Starting Over | 8 | "I Can Hardly Believe You're Mine" | Carmen, McCarl | 3:34 | Not available on a compilation | |||||||
| Starting Over | 9 | "Cry" | Carmen, McCarl | 2:41 | Not available on a compilation | |||||||
| Starting Over | 10 | "Hands On You" | Bryson, McCarl | 2:22 | ||||||||
| Starting Over | 11 | "Starting Over" | Carmen | 4:10 | 9 | 16 | 20 | 16 | 15 | 20 | 18 | |
| n/a | n/a | "Please Let Me Come Back" | ? | ? | 18 | Only available on a compilation | ||||||
| n/a | n/a | "Oh Tonight" | ? | ? | 19 | Only available on a compilation |
Further reading
Wolff, Carlo (2006). Cleveland Rock and Roll Memories. Cleveland, OH: Gray & Company, Publishers. ISBN 978-1-886228-99-3External links
- The official Raspberries website
- Eric Carmen official website
- "Live On Sunset Strip" review
- [ The Raspberries entry at Allmusic]