The Raspberries come alive from the heart of Cleveland, Ohio, where in 1970, Eric Carmen, Wally Bryson, Jim Bonfanti, and Dave Smalley joined creative forces. They signed to Capitol after a bidding war stirred by a demo sent to producer Jimmy Ienner, who had worked with Carmen already. The band presented a fresh pop rock blueprint, inspired by the British Invasion, yet grounded in the American power pop spirit, with polished harmonies and a clean-cut image that stood out amid an emerging sea of hippie excess.
Their debut album, Raspberries, landed in April 1972, produced by Jimmy Ienner in New York and London, and interestingly featured a scratch-and-sniff raspberry-scented sticker on the cover. It rose to number 51 on the Billboard 200 and stayed there longer than any of their other records, driven in part by the certified-gold single “Go All the Way,” which scored number five on the Hot 100 and became their signature hit. The record also included the modest charting “Don’t Want to Say Goodbye,” but the impact of “Go All the Way” cemented their place in early ’70s pop rock.
Later that same year they released Fresh, which climbed to number 36 in the U.S. and spawned two more Top 40 hits, “I Wanna Be with You” and “Let’s Pretend,” both penned by Carmen. These songs proved the band could consistently craft melodic hooks that resonated on radio, strengthening their reputation for infectious songwriting. Their third album, Side 3, in 1973 didn’t climb as high on the charts, but tracks like “Tonight,” “Ecstasy” and “I’m a Rocker” showcased a more edgy, rock-oriented side of the group, reflecting their evolving musical ambition.
By 1974, internal tensions and lineup shifts led to their final studio album for that era, Starting Over, which featured new members Scott McCarl and Michael McBride filling in for Smalley and Bonfanti. Though Starting Over charted lower, the single “Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)” reached number 18, offering a biting commentary on fame and the music industry. The band disbanded in 1975 after a brief final tour, closing a rapid, potent chapter in their history.
After decades, the original quartet reunited in 2004 for a Cleveland concert at the House of Blues, a performance that led to a well-received 2005 mini-tour, televised on VH1 Classic and recorded as Live on Sunset Strip, complete with Bruce Springsteen-authored liner notes. They followed this with the Pop Art Live release in 2017, capturing their Cleveland reunion show and reaffirming their enduring power pop credentials. Recognition came full circle in 2024, when Cleveland declared August 8 the “Music Keynote to the City” in their honor, immortalizing both the band and the late Eric Carmen, who died in March of that year, at age 74.
Complete List Of The Raspberries Songs From A to Z
- All Through the Night – Starting Over – 1974
- Come Around and See Me – Raspberries – 1972
- Cruisin Music – Starting Over – 1974
- Cry – Starting Over – 1974
- Don’t Want to Say Goodbye – Raspberries – 1972
- Drivin’ Around – Fresh – 1972
- Ecstasy – Side 3 – 1973
- Every Way I Can – Fresh – 1972
- Get It Moving – Raspberries – 1972
- Go All the Way – Raspberries – 1972
- Goin’ Nowhere Tonight – Fresh – 1972
- Hands on You – Starting Over – 1974
- Hard to Get Over a Heartbreak – Side 3 – 1973
- I Can Hardly Believe You’re Mine – Starting Over – 1974
- I Can Remember – Raspberries – 1972
- I Don’t Know What I Want – Starting Over – 1974
- I Reach for the Light – Fresh – 1972
- I Saw the Light – Raspberries – 1972
- I Wanna Be with You – Fresh – 1972
- I’m a Rocker – Side 3 – 1973
- If You Change Your Mind – Fresh – 1972
- It Seemed So Easy – Fresh – 1972
- Last Dance – Side 3 – 1973
- Let’s Pretend – Fresh – 1972
- Making It Easy – Side 3 – 1973
- Might as Well – Fresh – 1972
- Money Down – Side 3 – 1973
- Nobody Knows – Fresh – 1972
- On the Beach – Side 3 – 1973
- Overnight Sensation (Hit Record) – Starting Over – 1974
- Party’s Over – Starting Over – 1974
- Play On – Starting Over – 1974
- Rock & Roll Mama – Raspberries – 1972
- Rose Coloured Glasses – Starting Over – 1974
- Should I Wait – Side 3 – 1973
- Starting Over – Starting Over – 1974
- Tonight – Side 3 – 1973
- Waiting – Raspberries – 1972
- With You in My Life – Raspberries – 1972
Albums
Raspberries (1972): 9 songs
Fresh (1972): 10 songs
Side 3 (1973): 9 songs
Starting Over (1974): 11 songs
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