The Essential Eric Carmen

The Essential Eric Carmen is a two-disc compilation album that contain 15 tracks each by American soft rock singer, songwriter, guitarist and keyboardist Eric Carmen, released on March 25, 2014.[1] It is part of Sony BMG's Essential series of compilation albums and includes tracks from Carmen’s solo output, as well as tracks from his Raspberries days and Cyrus Erie. The tracks consist of some of Carmen's biggest hits and popular album 1968 as leader of American band Cyrus Erie through his 1984 release Eric Carmen.

The Essential Eric Carmen
Compilation album by
Eric Carmen
ReleasedMarch 25, 2014
GenreRock, Soft rock
Length2:04:48
LabelArista, Legacy, Sony Music
ProducerJimmy Ienner, Eric Carmen
Eric Carmen chronology
I Was Born to Love You
(2000)		 The Essential Eric Carmen
(2014)

Background

The Essential Eric Carmen spans Carmen's 45 year career from his time with the Raspberries through his solo career.[2]

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
American Songwriter [4]

Tony Peters from Iconfetch says: "Most music today is consumed through lousy quality ear buds or computer speakers. Yet, once in a while, a remaster comes along that sounds so good, you'll want to dust off that old CD player to get the full experience. The Essential Eric Carmen is the first two-disc collection to span the talented singer/songwriter's entire career. And, it's one of those rare CDs where the sonic improvement is so noticeable, you'll find yourself hearing things you never heard before.[5]

Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic says: "That means that this collection does indeed have almost everything of note, from the big Raspberries hits 'Go All the Way' and 'Overnight Sensation (Hit Record),' through the '70s solo smashes 'All by Myself' and 'Never Gonna Fall in Love Again,' through those late-'80s sensations 'Hungry Eyes' and 'Make Me Lose Control.'"

David Luhrssen from Shepherd Express wrote: "The real surprise on The Essential Eric Carmen is the opening 1969 track from his first recording act, "Cyrus Erie," with its excellent approximation of the mid-'60s Beatles' sound.[6]

The Second Disc says: "The first track on Legacy Recordings' new double-disc anthology The Essential Eric Carmen (Arista/Legacy 88883745522) is titled, appropriately enough, "Get the Message." And the message relayed by its 30 nuggets comes through loud and clear: whether as power pop prince, classically-inspired MOR balladeer or nostalgic yet contemporary eighties rocker, Eric Carmen had the goods."[7]

Track listing

Disc one
No.TitleWriter(s)Originally fromLength
1."Get the Messsage"Eric CarmenSparrow (1968)2:25
2."Go All the Way"Eric CarmenRaspberries (1972)3:20
3."I Wanna Be with You"Eric CarmenFresh (1972)3:05
4."Let's Pretend"Eric CarmenFresh (1972)3:41
5."Tonight"Eric CarmenSide 3 (1973)3:41
6."Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)"Eric CarmenStarting Over (1974)5:26
7."Sunrise"Eric CarmenEric Carmen (1975)5:22
8."My Girl"Eric CarmenEric Carmen (1975)3:02
9."All by Myself"Eric Carmen, Sergei RachmaninoffEric Carmen (1975)7:09
10."Never Gonna Fall in Love Again"Eric Carmen, Sergei RachmaninoffEric Carmen (1975)3:46
11."Last Night"Eric CarmenEric Carmen (1975)2:57
12."Starting Over"Eric CarmenLive at The Bottom Line, New York, NY - April 1976 [lower-alpha 1]4:27
13."That's Rock 'n' Roll"Eric CarmenLive at The Bottom Line, New York, NY - April 1976 [lower-alpha 2]4:36
14."Run Away"Eric CarmenBoats Against the Current (1977)8:02
15."Love Is All That Matters"Eric CarmenBoats Against the Current (1977)4:17

Disc two
No.TitleWriter(s)Originally fromLength
1."Boats Against the Current"Eric CarmenBoats Against the Current (1977)4:22
2."Marathon Man"Eric CarmenBoats Against the Current (1977)3:54
3."She Did It"Eric CarmenBoats Against the Current (1977)3:47
4."Nowhere to Hide"Eric CarmenBoats Against the Current (1977)5:00
5."Change of Heart"Eric CarmenChange of Heart (1978)3:41
6."Hey Deanie"Eric CarmenChange of Heart (1978)4:29
7."Desperate Fools"Eric CarmenChange of Heart (1978)3:03
8."Someday"Eric CarmenChange of Heart (1978)2:53
9."It Hurts Too Much"Eric CarmenTonight You're Mine (1980)4:17
10."Tonight You're Mine"Eric CarmenTonight You're Mine (1980)4:01
11."The Way We Used to Be"Eric CarmenEric Carmen (1984)3:15
12."Hungry Eyes"Franke Previte, John DeNicolaDirty Dancing (1987)4:11
13."Make Me Lose Control"Eric Carmen, Dean PitchfordThe Best of Eric Carmen (1988)4:45
14."Ecstasy"Eric CarmenLive 20054:08
15."Brand New Year"Eric Carmen 3:46

Notes
  1. "Starting Over" originally appeared on the album Starting Over (1974).
  2. "That's Rock 'n' Roll" originally appeared on the album Eric Carmen (1975).

Personnel
  • Eric Carmen – lead vocals, guitar, keyboards, bass guitar, backing vocals, piano
  • Dan Hrdlicka – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Steve Knill – bass, backing vocals
  • Richard Reising – synthesizer, organ, backing vocals
  • Dwight Krueger, Michael McBride – drums, percussion, backing vocals
  • Jackie Kelso – uncredited flute solo on "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again"
  • Hugh McCracken – slide guitar solo on "All By Myself
  • Richard Reising – synthesizers, harpsichord, guitars, backing vocals
  • George Sipl – keyboards, synthesizers, organ, backing vocals
  • Dan Hrdlicka – guitars, backing vocals
  • Steve Knill – bass, backing vocals
  • Dwight Krueger – drums, percussion, backing vocals
  • Michael McBride – drums, percussion, backing vocals

Raspberries

  • Wally Bryson – lead guitar, backing and lead vocals (Disc 1) (tracks 2-5)
  • Dave Smalley – rhythm guitar, backing and lead vocals (Disc 1) (tracks 2-5)
  • Jim Bonfanti – drums, backing vocals (Disc 1) (tracks 2-5)

References
  1. The Essential Eric Carmen (2 CD)
  2. Arista/Legacy Recordings Unveils The Essential Eric Carmen
  3. The Essential Eric Carmen at AllMusic
  4. Eric Carmen – The Essential Eric Carmen at American Songwriter
  5. Eric Carmen - The Essential Eric Carmen (Review)
  6. Eric Carmen: The Essential Eric Carmen (Arista/Legacy Recordings)
  7. Review: Eric Carmen, The Essential Eric Carmen
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