Relive And Listen To 7 Songs Of Raspberries

Musical Gems

This pop-rock band from Cleveland formed in 1970 and had a string of hits throughout the ’70s. With their teenybopper image, not everyone gravitated towards their sound and style. But Raspberries were more than just another band of that era – they in fact, helped pioneer power pop. They may have broken up after a five-year run but their albums spawned several classics.

Let’s go back to the ’70s and revisit some of their well-loved tunes.

7. Don’t Want to Say Goodbye (Raspberries, 1972)

A melancholic but beautiful track. It’s one of their most overlooked gems.

6. Let’s Pretend (Fresh, 1973)

https://youtu.be/tjzwcx3ie24

It peaked at #35 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and stayed in the charts for 16 weeks. They also performed it on The Midnight Special in May 1973.

5. Ecstasy (Side 3, 1973)

While this song didn’t chart on Billboard, it peaked at #116 on Cash Box. The harmonies are on point and it definitely deserves more appreciation. It’s an essential power pop song.

4. Tonight (Side 3, 1973)

https://youtu.be/X5ecHynzptc

It’s the biggest hit off their third album, Side 3. It peaked at #69 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and #37 on Cash Box. The guitar solo and drum fills elevated the whole song to another level. Mötley Crüe even covered the track in 1981.

3. I Wanna Be With You (Fresh, 1972)

https://youtu.be/5mFUYm5QFUE

Their second biggest hit in America, it peaked at #16 on the US Billboard Hot 100, #10 on Cash Box, and #7 on Record World. It was also a top 20 hit in Canada. People were blown away when they performed it live on The Midnight Special.

2. Overnight Sensation (Starting Over, 1974)

John Lennon liked this song and although he was uncredited, rumor has it that he assisted with the mixing of Overnight Sensation and other songs on the Starting Over album.

1. Go All The Way (Raspberries, 1972)

Their biggest hit, Go All The Way peaked at #5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and was certified gold after selling over a million copies. Eric Carmen drew inspiration from that infamous Rolling Stones performance where they were asked by Ed Sullivan to sing “Let’s spend some time together” instead of “Let’s spend the night together”. He said, “I knew then that I wanted to write a song with an explicitly sexual lyric that the kids would instantly get but the powers that be couldn’t pin me down for.” As a result, this was banned by the BBC.