Definitive Collection

Eric Carmen | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 17, 1997)
• Original Release Date: June 17, 1997
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Arista
• ASIN: B000002VSY
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #79,412 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Eric Carmen all by himself! Actually, this 18-cut collection includes his big Raspberries hits Go All the Way; I Wanna Be with You; Let's Pretend , and Overnight Sensation (Hit Record) plus solo smashes like All by Myself; Hungry Eyes; Make Me Lose Control; Never Gonna Fall in Love Again; She Did It; Change of Heart , and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars RASPBERRY POP, October 12, 2005

By 

Jukebox Dave (RECORD TOWN, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Definitive Collection (Audio CD)

ERIC CARMEN-DEFINITIVE COLLECTION: Eric Carmen was the great lost chord connecting the Beatles to the Beach Boys. Blessed with a high pop-perfect voice and the ability to write hooks that could catch Moby Dick, the Cleveland native's first group, the Raspberries, sounded too good to be true, let alone last long (they didn't). Their bubblegum-meets-hard-rock efforts bore chart fruit GO ALL THE WAY and I WANNA BE WITH YOU school dance ballad LET'S PRTEND and the flawless autobiography OVERNIGHT SENSATION, which kick off this compilation disc in grandiose style. What follows are Carmen's slightly mellower, but equally classy solo career highlights, not the least of which are a pair of biggies he wrote for teen throb Shaun Cassidy (THAT'S ROCK & ROLL, HEY DEANIE), heard to best advantage here in their power-poppin' original versions. The Beach Boys-channeled SHE DID IT, the yearning angst-fest ALL BY MYSELF, and DIRTY DANCING-era guilty pleasures HUNGRY EYES and MAKE ME LOSE CONTROL round out the fun. Maybe his recorded output has been a tad slight compared to say, Billy Joel or Elton John, but I'd rather hear one TRULY GREAT greatest hits like Eric Carmen's than a bloated box set of almost anyone else.

RATING: FIVE RASPBERRIES

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Eric Carmen is a Master of Pop Music, December 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Definitive Collection (Audio CD)

Note to [e-mail] and others reading their review. Eric never recorded "Without You". The original hit version of this song was done by Harry Nilsson and can be found on his "All-Time Greatest Hits" CD, sold on this website. The song was originally written and recorded by Badfinger on their "No Dice" album.

Eric Carmen will always be known as the man who wrote and hit with "All By Myself", which sounds very much like Nilsson's version of "Without You". But Carmen could also rock out, and was the inventor of "power-pop". So if you like tuneful, uptempo pop songs inspired by The Beatles and The Beach Boys, and heartfelt pop ballads that would make Barry Manilow envious, then this CD is what you want.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding, "Definitive" though would require a box set., July 24, 1998

By 

Steve Rychard ([e-mail]) (Seattle) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Definitive Collection (Audio CD)

I suppose if you had to have just one Eric Carmen CD, this would be the one. Ever track is classic EC and a good sampling of songs throughout his career, particularly the singles. Be advised that this disc is contagious. A couple of listens and you're going to want more, in fact all 4 Raspberries albums, and all 6 solo albums. Eric Carmen is the most underrated and misunderstood singer/songwriter/performer of his time. His infectious melodies are custom made for the most expressive voice in the biz. This disc goes along way to demonstrate EC's versatility, effortlessly moving from scorching rockers such as "Tonight" and "Go All the Way" & "That's Rock and Roll" to smooth as silk ballads such as "Boats Against the Current", "Desparate Fools" and the famous "All By Myself". Take a listen and you'll be amazed. The liner notes are great. This guys got class, and boy can he write, sing, and play.