Raspberries' Best

Last updated
Raspberries' Best
RasBestCover.jpg
Compilation album by
Released1976
Recorded1972–1974
Genre Pop rock
Length43:00
Label Capitol
Producer Jimmy Ienner
Raspberries chronology
Starting Over
(1974)
Raspberries' Best
(1976)
Capitol Collectors Series
(1991)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [1]
Christgau's Record Guide A− [2]
The New Rolling Stone Record Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [3]

Raspberries' 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 group's four LP's, which were recorded between 1972 and 1974. Most of the tracks on this LP were among their seven charting hits. The group had already disbanded when this compilation was released.[ citation needed ]

Contents

Raspberries' Best was well received by critics; Dave Marsh called it "an exquisite anthology of Seventies pop rock that's a throwback to the heyday of the Beatles and Beach Boys", [3] while Robert Christgau said the compilation "performs a needed service by compiling cuts from the group's first two (flawed) albums". [4]

Track listing

  1. "Go All the Way" (Carmen) – 3:10 / Lead vocal: Eric
  2. "Tonight" (Carmen) – 3:40 / Lead vocal: Eric
  3. "Ecstasy" (Carmen) – 3:38 / Lead vocal: Eric
  4. "I Wanna Be with You" (Carmen) – 3:05 / Lead vocal: Eric
  5. "I Can Remember" (Carmen) – 8:00 / Lead vocal: Eric
  6. "Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)" (Carmen) – 5:34 / Lead vocal: Eric
  7. "Let's Pretend" (Carmen) – 3:41 / Lead vocal: Eric
  8. "Drivin' Around" (Carmen, Smalley) – 3:01 / Lead vocal: Eric
  9. "Starting Over" (Carmen) – 4:10 / Lead vocal: Eric
  10. "Don't Want to Say Goodbye" (Carmen, Bryson) – 5:05 / Lead vocal: Eric and Wally

Timings and credits taken from the original Capitol issue (ST-11524).

Related Research Articles

<i>The Harder They Come</i> (soundtrack) 1972 soundtrack album by Jimmy Cliff

The Harder They Come is the soundtrack album to the film of the same name, released in 1972 in the United Kingdom as Island Records ILPS 9202. It was issued in February 1973 in North America as Mango Records SMAS-7400. It peaked at No. 140 on the Billboard 200. In 2021, the album was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry.

<i>No Reason to Cry</i> 1976 studio album by Eric Clapton

No Reason to Cry is the fourth solo studio album by Eric Clapton, released by RSO Records on 27 August 1976. The album was recorded in Malibu and Los Angeles between December 1975 to May 1976. The record went silver in the U.K.

<i>Live Bullet</i> 1976 live album by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band

‘Live’ Bullet is a live album by American rock band Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band, released in April 1976. It was recorded at Cobo Hall in Detroit, Michigan, during the heyday of that arena's time as an important rock concert venue. The album is credited, along with Night Moves, with launching Seger's mainstream popularity.

<i>Secret Treaties</i> 1974 studio album by Blue Öyster Cult

Secret Treaties is the third studio album by American rock band Blue Öyster Cult, released on April 5, 1974 by Columbia. It features the same band members and production team as their previous album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raspberries (band)</span> American pop rock band

The Raspberries were an American pop rock band formed in 1970 from Cleveland, Ohio. They had a run of success in the early 1970s music scene with their pop rock 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 the Small Faces—and its mod sensibility. In both the US and the UK, the Raspberries helped pioneer the power pop music style that took off after the group disbanded. They also have had a following among professional musicians such as Jack Bruce, Ringo Starr, and Courtney Love.

<i>Black and Blue</i> 1976 studio album by The Rolling Stones

Black and Blue is the 13th studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 23 April 1976 by Rolling Stones Records.

<i>The Beatles Second Album</i> 1964 studio album by the Beatles

The Beatles' Second Album is the second Capitol Records album by the English rock band the Beatles, and their third album released in the United States including Introducing... The Beatles, which was issued three months earlier by Vee-Jay Records. Following its release in April 1964, The Beatles' Second Album replaced Meet the Beatles! at number 1 on the Billboard Top LPs chart in the US. The album was compiled mostly from leftover tracks from the UK album With the Beatles and Long Tall Sally EP, which are predominantly rock and roll and R&B covers, and rounded out with several Lennon-McCartney-penned non-album b-sides and the hit single "She Loves You". Among critics, it is considered the band's purest rock and roll album and praised for its soulful takes on both contemporary black music hits and original material.

<i>Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy</i> 1971 compilation album by The Who

Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy is a compilation album of singles by English rock band the Who, released in 1971 as Track 2406 006 in the UK and as Decca DL 79184 in the US. It entered the US Billboard 200 chart on 20 November 1971, peaking at number 11, and the UK chart on 3 December 1971, peaking at number 9.

<i>Greatest Hits</i> (Sly and the Family Stone album) 1970 greatest hits album by Sly and the Family Stone

Greatest Hits is a compilation album by the American group Sly and the Family Stone. It was first released on November 21, 1970, by Epic Records. The album includes all of the singles from the albums Dance to the Music (1968), Life (1968), and Stand! (1969).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Carmen</span> American singer and musician (1949–2024)

Eric Howard Carmen was an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He was the lead vocalist of the Raspberries, with whom he recorded the hit "Go All the Way" and four albums. He embarked on a solo career in 1975 and had global success with "All by Myself", "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again", "She Did It", "Hungry Eyes", and "Make Me Lose Control". In later years, he toured with Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band before reforming the Raspberries in 2004.

<i>Eric Carmen</i> (1975 album) 1975 studio album by Eric Carmen

Eric Carmen is the debut album by American rock musician and singer-songwriter Eric Carmen. It is also his first of two self-titled albums, the other released in 1984. It peaked at No. 21 on the Billboard album chart upon its release in 1975, the highest position of his career, and generated the No. 2 pop single "All by Myself" in the same year. The song reached No. 1 on the Cashbox and Record World charts. The album also included two follow-up top 40 hits, "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again" (#11), and "Sunrise" (#34), both of which charted in 1976.

<i>Raspberries</i> (album) 1972 studio album by Raspberries

Raspberries is the debut album from the Raspberries, released in April 1972. It was their second highest-charting LP, reaching No. 51 on the Billboard album chart, but spent more weeks on the chart than all of their other albums combined.

<i>Side 3</i> (Raspberries album) 1973 studio album by Raspberries

Side 3 is the third album from the Raspberries, released in 1973. The album cover is diecut like a basket of Raspberries, with the group's name placed at the top of the LP sleeve. Three singles were released from the album: "Tonight" / "Hard to Get Over a Heartbreak", which reached number 69 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 37 on the Cash Box chart; "I'm a Rocker", which reached number 94 on Billboard and number 75 on Cash Box; and "Ecstasy", which did not chart on Billboard but reached number 116 on Cash Box. The album itself reached number 138 on the US albums chart.

<i>Starting Over</i> (Raspberries album) 1974 studio album by Raspberries

Starting Over is the fourth and final studio album by the 1970s power pop band Raspberries. It peaked at #143 on the Billboard pop album chart in 1974. Rolling Stone named it its rock record album of the year for 1974. The LP generated the #18 Billboard pop single "Overnight Sensation ", while a second single, "Cruisin' Music", did not chart. This was the first album by the Raspberries to feature songs with profanity. Those songs were "Starting Over", which featured the word "fucking" once, and the song "Party’s Over", which featured the word "shit" twice.

<i>Greatest Hits</i> (Blood, Sweat & Tears album) 1972 greatest hits album by Blood, Sweat & Tears

Greatest Hits is a compilation album by the band Blood, Sweat & Tears, initially released in February 1972.

The Choir was a garage rock band largely active in the greater Cleveland area from the mid-1960s into the early 1970s. Originally called The Mods, their largest commercial success came with the release of their first single "It's Cold Outside" in December 1966. The song, considered to be a classic of the garage rock era, was featured on Pebbles, Volume 2, one of the earlier garage rock compilation LPs. The flipside, "I'm Going Home" was included as a bonus track when the Pebbles album was reissued as a CD, and it can also be found on a garage rock compilation LP on Ohio bands, Highs in the Mid-Sixties, Volume 9. The Choir is well known for containing three of the four original members of Raspberries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Go All the Way (song)</span> 1972 single by Raspberries

"Go All the Way" is a song written by Eric Carmen of American rock group the Raspberries, from their 1972 self-titled debut album. Released as a single in July 1972, the song reached the Top 5 on three principal US charts: number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 4 on Cashbox, and number 3 on Record World. The single sold more than 1.3 million copies, earning the band their only certified Gold Record. It was their second single release and their biggest US hit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let's Pretend (Raspberries song)</span> 1973 single by Raspberries

"Let's Pretend" is a song by Raspberries, released in March 1973 as the second single from their second LP, Fresh. It was written by band leader Eric Carmen, who also provided the lead vocals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)</span> 1974 single by Raspberries

"Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)" is a hit single by Raspberries, released in September 1974, on the Capitol label. It was written by band leader Eric Carmen, who also provided the lead vocals. It was the first single release from their fourth and final LP, Starting Over.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tonight (Raspberries song)</span> 1973 single by Raspberries

"Tonight" is a song by Raspberries, released in August 1973. It was written by band leader Eric Carmen, who also provided the lead vocals. The song was the first of three single releases from their third LP, Side 3.

References

  1. AllMusic review
  2. Christgau, Robert (1981). "The Raspberries". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the '70s. Da Capo Press. ISBN   0306804093 . Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  3. 1 2 Marsh, Dave (1983). "The Raspberries" . In Marsh, Dave; Swenson, John (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Record Guide. Random House, Rolling Stone Press. p.  412. ISBN   0394721071.
  4. Christgau, Robert (November 1, 1976). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice . Retrieved March 5, 2018.