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Eric Carmen: Boardwalk Baby


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Something tells me there's more to Clive Davis' stubborn reaction to Eric's recordings in the late 80's than meets the eye. Wasn't Clive hellbent on ec recording other composer's songs? Eric scores a HUGE hit with "Hungry Eyes" (not penned by ec and thus bolstering Davis' assertions about Eric being a song stylist, even though Davis had nothing to do with that song). Then, the audacity of it all, Eric has a bigger hit with "MMLC" which he co-wrote. I just get this uneasy feeling that Clive might have just wanted to keep ec under his thumb a bit. Besides...Eric was having success without Clive's input at this point. Hmmmmm

While my imagination is in full gear........I wonder what type of working relationship Davis had/if any with Jimmy Ienner. I reckon jealousy runs thick in the music biz....even among the heavyweight powerbrokers.

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Bah, bahoo! You can't just listen to it 1 time. You gotta listen to it 101 times, so you can't sleep, work or even think without hearing that catchy chorus in your head like the rest of us!

eye

Bernie

Good point Bernie...I guess I am too critical sometimes, but this tune ain't no 'Deanie' 'She did it', "Ecstacy", "All by Myself", "Boats", "Sunrise"....should I continue the list??? Eric has a way of composing weaves of musical fabric, and his lyrics are pretty swell too...this song is not an experience to listen to, its a ditty that reeks of "novelty song"....to me anyway...there is NO WAY that this would be a hit before Ecstacy would!

bahoo-bah!

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Agreed. I'll trade ALL of Eric's covers and co-written songs for any (ANY) one song he wrote "all by himself" in a heartbeat. The cool thing about this track for me is that, without any new Eric Carmen recordings in the pipeline, this helps tide me over until there are some. I just love me some new Eric and "Boardwalk Baby" satisfies the thirst, even though not entirely the taste!

smile

Bernie

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This song, again has 80s all over it...I can see why Clive didn' like it...the lyrics are lie something I would write (lame and predictable), the melody goes nowhere...the only this this has going for it is the "summer groovy-feeling"....and of course Eric's raspy voice....

I wouldn't buy it, and one listen was enough for me...at least they didn't use the almost expected a key-change at 4:32....

3/10

I still say Eric on a piano singing HIS songs are way better than anything others have written for him and sometimes with him...and with a big studio production...yuck!

bahoo-ey

Well it has "80's all over it" 'cos it was written / recorded in the 1980's! The lyrics are no worse than those in "Hungry Eyes", and for my money the melody (and I've listened to it about 10x) is head and shoulders above "H E."

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While my imagination is in full gear........I wonder what type of working relationship Davis had/if any with Jimmy Ienner. I reckon jealousy runs thick in the music biz....even among the heavyweight powerbrokers.

I do know that in one case (with the Bay City Rollers) Clive Davis insisted that Jimmy Ienner produce the album Dedication. It became the band’s top selling album even until this day.

I think I have mentioned this before, but with that particular band, the guys got to vote on songs with Davis having the final say. “Let’s Pretend†was a no go with the band...one band member in particular stated he thought it was DREADFUL. Yeah, well, there ya go. But Clive Davis knew better and Ienner put a new twist on the song and it worked perfectly for the teens. I know it did for me.

Don’t know why Davis didn’t like this song. Don’t know why he did what he did with any song he chose. I believe in an interview on the Mike Douglas show, Eric stated something to the effect that even though a “test†audience for ABM found it was too depressing, Clive and Eric pushed for it and well, we all know what happened.

(Sidebar: When my niece, Katharyn was listening to my Raspberries album CD in my (new---oh yeah!) car with me she said; “Teta, he (Eric) writes the most depressing songs...either he can’t find love or get love or he’s lost a love but, they are REALLY, REALLY good!â€

Just a case in point of how she, all of 19, did “understand†what he was conveying in his songs and of course, she gets her taste in music from my side of the family! wink )

Anyway...

Davis’ track record is an excellent one, but he’s not perfect. Soooooooo...I’m sure there have been many a nay that should have been a yay, and it was the artist and not Davis who (sadly) paid for it in the end.

It’s a crap shoot, folks.

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Sounds real similar to Diane's co-write with Desmond Child around the same time, "Love On A Rooftop" I think it was called.

Kind of weak verses, but a nice chorus. Desmond's song had a stronger build up to the chorus. "Boardwalk Baby" needs to be tweeked in the verses and build up to bring out more...more...something!

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The cool thing about this track for me is that, without any new Eric Carmen recordings in the pipeline, this helps tide me over until there are some.

smile

Bernie

"until there are some"? "until there ARE some"???

Bernie, do you know something???? Is this why Eric hasn't been around here in sooo long? prayhappy

Kim smile

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Boardwalk Baby: It must be released as soon as possible, it's a great radio tune for most FM radio stations all around the world.....It will get lots of airplay on West-European radio!!!

Wim, this song was actually released and recorded in 1988 by Eddie Money. It is on his "Nothing To Lose" album. With all due respect to Eddie, Eric's version wins hands-down.

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So, is this the songlist for the Eric album we've always wanted? How many millions would this have sold?

Make Me Lose Control

Never Say Die

Hungry Eyes

The Devil and The Deep Blue Sea

Boardwalk Baby

As Long As We've Got Each Other (Duet with Louis Mandrell)

Temporary Hero

Cindy In the Wind

Wild Wild Heart

The Rock Stops Here

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Hey Bernie---

With things being as easy as they are electronically, is there a possibility that Eric could "tweek" some of this stuff for his fans and put it out on an order basis? He could make a couple of bucks, and we could be pacified for another year or two!

JIM

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