# Eric Carmen of "The Raspberries" has died at 74
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-carmen-of-the-raspberries-has-died-at-74/998725
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Tags:** celebrity-death
**Created:** [March 12, 2024, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-carmen-of-the-raspberries-has-died-at-74/998725 "2024-03-12T03:47:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2024, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-carmen-of-the-raspberries-has-died-at-74/998725/1 "2024-03-12T03:47:01Z")
The singer/songwriter who recorded _Make Me Lose Control,_ _Hungry Eyes_, and _All By Myself_ has [died at the age of 74.](https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/11/entertainment/eric-carmen-death/index.html)
That’s one that’s a real bummer. I really liked his solo work in the 80s.
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### Author:  [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2024, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-carmen-of-the-raspberries-has-died-at-74/998725/2 "2024-03-12T12:56:03Z")
Quite the bummer. They had an amazing pop sound. I’m going to have to watch **The Raspberries Live on Sunset Strip** (2005) tonight with a big scotch.
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### Author:  [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2024, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-carmen-of-the-raspberries-has-died-at-74/998725/3 "2024-03-12T13:58:46Z")
The Raspberries were very popular when I was in high school. I had two albums on 8 track.
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### Author:  [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2024, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-carmen-of-the-raspberries-has-died-at-74/998725/4 "2024-03-12T14:29:28Z")
Too bad. I liked “Hungry Eyes,” and I discovered several other of his songs decades after they were hits (e.g., “Never Gonna Fall in Love Again,” “Go All the Way,” “Let’s Pretend”).
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### Author:  [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2024, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-carmen-of-the-raspberries-has-died-at-74/998725/5 "2024-03-12T14:32:15Z")
I would have sworn that “Go All the Way” was the only Raspberries hit, but looking at their albums, several songs on Eric Carmen’s “Definitive collection” CD are actually Raspberries songs.
Speaking of, to this day can’t believe Go All The Way wasn’t banned from radio everywhere. While the uptight citizens’ brigade was debating the intricacies of Louie Louie and whether 25 or 6 to 4 was about drugs, here was a song, marketed to the Tiger Beat crowd, that says let’s have sex. And no one cared. I mean, they worried about why little Susie was sleeping in Wake Up Little Susie!
Carmen was trained in classical music. Two of his biggest hits, All By Myself and Never Gonna Fall In Love Again had their melodies taken directly from Rachmaninoff. This very weekend we went to Phoenix Symphony and watched them perform All By Myself, I mean, Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto #2.
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### Author:  [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2024, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-carmen-of-the-raspberries-has-died-at-74/998725/6 "2024-03-12T15:53:05Z")
I haven’t thought about Eric Carmen in a long time, but I’m sorry to hear this. I enjoyed most everything that I heard from him.
I always loved that moment in “Make Me Lose Control” when the music drops out to let you really hear the vocal harmony.
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### Author:  [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2024, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-carmen-of-the-raspberries-has-died-at-74/998725/7 "2024-03-12T19:20:57Z")
There’s a group of Raspberries hits often referred to as the “horny singles.”
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### Author:  [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2024, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-carmen-of-the-raspberries-has-died-at-74/998725/8 "2024-03-12T21:01:58Z")
_Hungry Eyes_ is used in _Dirty Dancing_. Eric didn’t write it. He was asked to sing it for the soundtrack.
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### Author:  [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2024, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-carmen-of-the-raspberries-has-died-at-74/998725/9 "2024-03-12T21:23:42Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#):
>
> Speaking of, to this day can’t believe Go All The Way wasn’t banned from radio everywhere. While the uptight citizens’ brigade was debating the intricacies of Louie Louie and whether 25 or 6 to 4 was about drugs, here was a song, marketed to the Tiger Beat crowd, that says let’s have sex. And no one cared. I mean, they worried about why little Susie was sleeping in Wake Up Little Susie!
Not only that, but it was the _girl_ asking the _guy_ to “go all the way.”
_Raspberries Greatest Hits_ is a terrific early power-pop sampler.
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### Author:  [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2024, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-carmen-of-the-raspberries-has-died-at-74/998725/10 "2024-03-12T21:56:48Z")
Sad to see someone so talented die so young. _Kyle’s Mom’s a Bitch_ was a classic.
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### Author:  [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2024, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-carmen-of-the-raspberries-has-died-at-74/998725/11 "2024-03-12T23:07:10Z")
“Go All The Way” sounded so much like “Don’t Go Away”, it was often sung that way until someone pointed out the error.
RIP. We’re losing our classic rockers too quickly.
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### Author:  [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2024, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eric-carmen-of-the-raspberries-has-died-at-74/998725/12 "2024-03-12T23:58:34Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#):
>
> I would have sworn that “Go All the Way” was the only Raspberries hit, but looking at their albums, several songs on Eric Carmen’s “Definitive collection” CD are actually Raspberries songs.
I have this album and plan to listen to it this weekend. It’s one of the albums that Apple cornfielded for me when they changed iTunes, so I’m glad I ripped it to CD after I bought it. Great songs, and yes, I’ve also wondered how Go All The Way managed to slip under the outrage radar.