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Lost in the ’70s: Raspberries, “Let’s Pretend”

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Growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, in the Seventies, it was next to impossible to escape hearing  Raspberries almost daily on the radio – not that that was a bad thing.  Emerging from the Mistake on the Lake in 1972, with the smash “Go All The Way,” still one of the best power pop singles ever, the boys were hometown heroes even after their split in 1975. With lead singer Eric Carmen yet to enter his Adult Contemporary phase, Raspberries took the Beatles and Beach Boys, roughed them up a bit and dragged them in the new decade.

Raspberries spent the rest of their career trying to follow up that first classic blast.  They nearly matched it with the lead single from their sophomore album, Fresh Raspberries.  “I Wanna Be With You” was another AM radio pop rocker and followed “Go All The Way” to the Top 20.  But while the group was unable to score a second hit from their debut album, they were able to squeeze another Top 40 hit from Fresh Raspberries.

“Let’s Pretend” (download) laid the groundwork for many a Carmen ballad in the years to come, the song wasn’t nearly as treacly as future Camen hits “All By Myself” or “Hungry Eyes.”  In fact, Carmen sounds borderline desperate and frantic during the bridge, demanding the object of his affection to hold him.  While such a delivery would make almost anyone else besides John Lennon sound downright creepy, Carmen pulls it off.

While it sounded great on AM radio, “Let’s Pretend” barely squeaked in the Top 40 and would be the group’s biggest hit until “Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)” from their fourth and final record a year later. “Let’s Pretend” makes the cut for almost every Raspberries compilation, but you never hear it on the radio anymore, which is a shame.

Luckily, Raspberries have reformed with its original line-up, including a post-embarrassing DUI Carmen, and have a few concert dates lined up this year, starting as the warm-up act for this year’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame & Museum induction ceremony and a show this Saturday, April 4, at the Hard Rock Cafe in, where else, Cleveland.

“Let’s Pretend” peaked at #35 on the Billboard Pop Singles Chart in 1973.

Get Raspberries music at Amazon or on The Raspberries

John C. Hughes

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  • EightE1

    Very cool choice, John. I think I've bought various configurations of the Raspberries' Greatest Hits three of four times. The first was a cassette that for all intents and purposes became a moving part of the tape deck in my car when I was 17 or 18.

    To hell with being the warm up act — if the Hall of Fame was worth a damn, these guys would be inducted.

    Rob
    EightE1

  • Old_Davy

    Such a great song. I particularly love the way Eric's voice cracks at :29 when he sings “Oh No” going into the first chorus.

    I had a self made Raspberries greatest hits tape and the first six songs were “Go All The Way”, “I Wanna Be With You”, “Tonight”, “Ecstasy”, “Let's Pretend” and “Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)”. The tape actually broke due to too many plays in the car stereo.

    Raspberries sounded great on AM radio, but in reality, they are a headphone group. There are multiple subtleties in the production that reveal themselves when experienced late at night in a dark room and a pair of 'phones. (And being with the object of your desire doesn't hurt either.)

  • Hollies65

    Actually, The Raspberries are playing a VERY high profile gig tomorrow night…the day before Saturday's induction ceremony. It is a private party for this years inductee's and presenters, along with industry big shots, 1,000 lucky partygoers indeed. This best rock and roll in Cleveland this weekend will be played on Friday night, not Saturday.

  • Wendy-Ann Antanaitis

    This song has to be one of the most beautiful songs ever written. I know it is one of my all time favorites.

    I was fortunate enough to hear it live in Cleveland at a Raspberries concert, Dec. 14, 2007. Within the sound of the first few chords, I knew it was the song I had wanted to hear for 30 years. I sat on the edge of my ROW Q – theater seat. By the time it concluded, I had tears running down my cheeks and smile across my face! *sigh*

    Nobody…sings that song like Eric Carmen…nobody…

  • LLQK

    Thanks for a nice bit on a great song by the best (and most under-appreciated) band of the '70s. But a little fact-checking would have helped….

    To wit: The Raspberries remain a current band after reuniting in 2005, but they haven't announced “a few concert dates” — or any, for that matter — for later this year. We can only hope….. They're well worth the price of a ticket.

    And about their appearance this weekend: It's Friday night (4/03), not Saturday night. Also, the 'berries are a bit more than a “warm-up band for the induction ceremony” (which is Saturday night). They're headlining a private party for more than 1,000 music-industry VIPs and artists at the Rock Hall.

    Details, details….

  • LLQK

    PS: The Raspberries' manager describes the event Friday night like this:

    “It's a private VIP event at the Rock Hall the night before the induction ceremony for the Rock Hall board, the nominating committee, any inductees and Rock Hall guests, the major induction week event sponsors, corporate donors and those who paid the big bucks to attend the ceremony. This event is not open to the public and no tickets are available.”

    We can only hope it will be taped!

  • JohnHughes

    The Saturday date is from their official website (2nd item down):

    http://www.raspberriesonline.com/main.shtml

    I didn't really bring up the private party since it's, well, private.

  • LLQK

    John, that Saturday night appearance is just sort of a ceremonial
    thing…. no performance. The Raspberries are donating some
    memorabilia to the House of Blues' rock collection, and maybe doing
    some autographs and meeting-and-greeting, as I understand. If you
    look again at that 2nd item down on the RaspberriesOnline.com home
    page, you'll see a “For More Info” link. Click on it and you'll see a
    press release about the appearance. It's not a performance (or at
    least not a schedule one).

    The only playing the 'berries are doing is at the Friday VIP show.
    And I guess I wouldn't call it a private “party,” because it's bigger
    than that. “Private party” sounds so… small. Like it's in
    somebody's living room! Not that there's anything wrong with that….

    Anyway, I'm sounding picky, I know, and I don't mean to, but… I'm
    an editor/writer myself, and also a longtime 'berries fan. I finally
    got to see 'em live in NYC in late 2007, and it was an unbelievable
    tight, awesome show. Great band.

  • Wendy-Ann Antanaitis

    *I didn't really bring up the private party since it's, well, private.*

    With 1000 guests in attendance (music-industry VIPs and artists at the Rock Hall as LLKQ stated), it would be more of a “private event” and I do believe it states that on the website. As we all well know, an “event” trumps a “party” every time. It’s the difference between being served caviar and Jell-o shots. ;)

    So, by all means, give it a mention…after all, it would appear that it is a private event well worth mentioning!

  • http://jabartlett.wordpress.com jabartlett

    Yes, yes, yes to this. When ZZ Top and John Mellencamp are in and the Raspberries aren't, that tells you all you need to know about the HOF.

  • http://www.last.fm/user/musicquizking/ CarlosRamirez

    I have that book Ken Sharp wrote about The Raspberries and I'm a huge geek for the band. “Let's Pretend” is one of their finest moments. If I had to pick my favorite song from the guys, it would have to be “Tonight.”

  • JohnHughes

    Point taken! Love the Sunset Strip DVD from a couple years ago, but I still have never seen them live…!

  • paola

    Incredible talents!
    Eric Carmen is so wonderful, he’s a freakin' genius!!!!!!!!

  • m hannan

    Good man, John!

  • srychard

    Last paragraph.. cheap shot John, you must feel pretty proud. Proudly known as -Seattle Steve-

  • JohnHughes

    It wasn't embarrassing?

  • EightE1

    No, I've seen the tape, and it was pretty fucking embarrassing. I'm sure Carmen would say the same thing.

    Rob
    EightE1

  • srychard

    John C. Hughes: Yes it was, of course, technically it was accurate, timing wise it was inappropriate, didn't advance the story of Raspberrie's validation and triumph, nor the event itself, which you were partially inaccurate .. yet had the appearance, whether intended or not, as simply a cheap shot. You appear to be a fan, that also needs to make an editorial buzz at Eric's expense. I admit though that I don't know you or your motivations…

    Steve Rychard
    srychard

    In a message dated 04/03/09 15:47:27 Pacific Daylight Time, writes:
    JohnHughes wrote, in response to srychard:

    It wasn't embarrassing?

    Link to comment: http://popdose.com/?p=15562#comment-7807967

    –
    You may reply to this email to post your response. To turn off notifications, go to your Disqus settings at: http://disqus.com/settings/notifications/

  • Jo

    Eric Carmen has the best voice I've ever heard!

  • Jo

    Eric Carmen has the best voice I've ever heard!!!!

  • Jo

    Eric Carmen has the best voice I've ever heard!!!!

  • side3

    Though he is not included in the reunited 'berries lineup, I just have to add a 'viva Scott McCarl'. He was the second best singer and songwriter in the Raspberries history. It is too bad a reunited Raspberries couldn't make room for him since they use a number of extra musicians onstage.

  • Josephine Samsonite

    Your last paragraph IS embarrasing John…
    It's just an act of WATCH. You dont write about artists, you just WATCH them, just to 'Watch and Punish' …
    Such a WatchDog! writing from his very comfortable Watchtower.

  • fgump

    Mr Hughes you write words like my Dad bitchin at me when I played my Raspberries records as a kid. The music is still great, but your comments are like fingernails on a chalk board. BTW, are you the John C Hughes on the Cuyahoga Clerk of Courts website with cocaine charges?

  • http://www.popdose.com jefito

    Holy SHIT, Raspberries fans are fucking BATSHIT INSANE.

  • JohnHughes

    Um…nope.

    Yowza.

  • JohnHughes

    And I have to wonder, if you drove a car while swigging a bottle of Grey Goose, so fucking drunk a cop had to help you stay upright, would you get a free pass because you once wrote some great songs?

  • JohnHughes

    Um…nope.

    Yowza.

  • JohnHughes

    And I have to wonder, if you drove a car while swigging a bottle of Grey Goose, so fucking drunk a cop had to help you stay upright, would you get a free pass because you once wrote some great songs?

  • fgump

    Mr Hughes you write words like my Dad bitchin at me when I played my Raspberries records as a kid. The music is still great, but your comments are like fingernails on a chalk board. BTW, are you the John C Hughes on the Cuyahoga Clerk of Courts website with cocaine charges?

  • http://www.popdose.com jefito

    Holy SHIT, Raspberries fans are fucking BATSHIT INSANE.

  • JohnHughes

    Um…nope.

    Yowza.

  • JohnHughes

    And I have to wonder, if you drove a car while swigging a bottle of Grey Goose, so fucking drunk a cop had to help you stay upright, would you get a free pass because you once wrote some great songs?